Dial faces and instrument gauges represent a niche in the overall technical-graphics industry that can be extremely profitable and equally challenging
Dial faces and instrument gauges represent a niche in the overall technical-graphics industry that can be extremely profitable and equally challenging. Creating and printing these types of graphics for technical applications is a process that requires precision, whether the job is printing dials for toaster ovens or controls for fighter jets, because in both instances a high level of accuracy is critical to user safety.
In recent years, advancements in digital displays have begun to replace the instrument panels and dials manufactured by screen printing, in-mold decorating, and other processes. At first glance, digital displays have become the norm in cars, on phones, on home appliances, and more. However, if you take a closer look, you’ll discover that strong market demand for the precision and durability of screen printing, in particular, still exists in categories such as avionics (Figure 1), military, and scientific instrumentation.
Examples
Dial pans are usually screen printed as singles in smaller quantities (1000 or fewer pieces). Printing multiple-up requires tooling or dies to finish the job. Dry offset printing is often used for metal pans when quantities reach the scale of mass-production. Dry offset consists of creating a letterpress plate that is inked, and then the image is transferred from the plate to the panel via a soft transfer roller. Metal pans are used in D’Arsenault movement meters. The needle moving in front of the panel swings on the axle of a magnetic bobbin. It responds to the current passing through the bobbin to move the needle. In another application, a disc or flag may appear in a window of the meter to indicate information.
The differences between one job to the next vary greatly (Figures 2A and 2B). On home appliances, such as toasters, the calibration and scale of the pickets is not precise, but the toaster will still function properly and without cause for concern. However, when printing a scale of pickets for military purposes, the calibration is critical and the precision and readability must be considered necessary for accurate information.
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