Graphic overlay
State of the Art Graphics
Graphic overlays can make or break an interface and can significantly impact its cost. APEM’s Graphic Department is fully equipped, versatile, and manned by experienced, skilled technicians to support the most exacting customer designs at the lowest cost possible. We have state of the art silkscreen and digital capabilities and work from either customer provided designs or sketches.
Based on intended application, quantities, cost considerations and required color matching, APEM advises customers on the use of either silkscreen or digital technologies. Designs that will be produced in high volumes, have advanced graphic features or require metallic or other spot colors, can be handled by one of our silk screening departments, in France or at our plant in Tunisia. Most other specifications are handled digitally. Our technicians are trained to be on the lookout for potential cost saving design reconfigurations.
We pride ourselves on attention to detail and exacting process control:
- We work with the latest versions of Adobe Illustrator and Freehand
- Advanced color matching software is always used to mix our colors
- Digital files are modified to achieve good color matches
- Digital cartridges are inspected and color calibrated to ensure that colors matched for the proof and first production run will print the same every time, no matter the time in between runs
- Our graphics operations occur in humidity and temperature controlled environments
- We inspect silkscreen output every 50 pieces to ensure no color morphing has occurred
For metal keypads, we are experts at
- Chemical engraving (our resin engraving process ‘cooks’ for 4 hours to ensure the graphics will not fade or rub off)
- Laser engraving (because laser engraving tends to turn brown over time, we provide laser engraving on customer request only)
- Silk screen printing on panels
- The bushing process critical to the look of metallic keypads