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Inside a Print Shop: Sign Printer

Inside a Print Shop: Sign Printer

Inside a Print Shop: Sign Printer – Episode Summary

In this vibrant episode of The Print University, Ryan McAbee and Pat McGrew spotlight sign printers—arguably the most diverse and dynamic segment in the print industry. From indoor window clings to vehicle wraps and industrial safety signage, sign printing covers it all. Perfect for printing industry training programs for new employees or outsourced training for print production staff, this episode introduces the wide format world where creativity meets complexity.

The hosts break down how sign printers serve retail, real estate, events, industrial, political campaigns, and restaurants with printed signage—not digital displays or vinyl lettering, but digitally produced signs using aqueous, UV, latex, and solvent-based inkjet technologies. These shops often print on unique substrates—wood, glass, metal, corrugated plastic, vinyl, and textiles—depending on the application’s durability and visual needs.

They explain the equipment ecosystem, from entry-level roll-fed printers to high-end flatbed presses that can print on rigid materials (even concrete or doors). Finishing processes are just as varied—laminating, grommeting, sewing gussets, contour cutting, and even substrate welding. This customization comes with estimating complexity and hands-on labor, making cost awareness critical for profitability.

Installation, often outsourced but sometimes brought in-house, is also key. From fast food window graphics to industrial warning signs, sign shops must deliver both creativity and compliance. For print teams expanding into wide format, this episode offers essential insights into one of print’s most accessible, yet demanding markets.

You Will Learn:

  • Core products and applications in sign printing: retail, vehicle wraps, industrial, events

  • Technologies and ink types: UV, latex, solvent, aqueous, and screen print

  • Equipment profiles: roll-fed, flatbed, hybrid wide-format systems

  • Finishing techniques: grommets, sewing, lamination, contour cutting, welding

  • Business challenges: labor, installation logistics, cost estimation, substrate matching

Who This Course Is For:

Wide format operators, PSPs expanding into signage, production planners, finishing teams, and anyone building digital printing press training or print shop employee onboarding templates

Time to Watch:

Approx. 18 minutes