Corel 09 Iul
-
Upload
corneliu-meciu -
Category
Documents
-
view
240 -
download
0
Transcript of Corel 09 Iul
-
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
1/34
Published for the Association of CorelDRAW Professionals (ACDRP) / www.coreldrawhelp.com
CorelDRAWHelpthe entrepreneurial
magazine forCorelDRAW
users worldwide
July 2009
Unisub
Silver for Photos
Using CorelDRAW:
Cleaning Up Bitmap Artwork
CorelDRAW Applied:
Imposition Layout forFull-Color Image Transfers
Inside Color:
Color Correction is Justthe Beginning
Getting Ahead:
Is Auto Digitizing for You?
NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTS
-
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
2/34
July 2009HelCorelDRAW 2Click ads to go directly
to advertisers web site. BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/JP.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
3/34
July 2009 3
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
Inside ACDRP
By Mike Neer,
Executive DirectorGain Another Perspective
Published by Association of
CorelDRAW Professionals
President:John H. McDanielVice President:Judith McDaniel
Executive Director:Michael R. NeerAssoc . Exec. Di rector: Steven V. Neer
ACDRP Corporae Ofce:Albany, OR
OFFICES
Memership & Puishig ofces ocaed a:4549 N. Glenn, Suite 110,
Fresno, CA 93704;800-276-8428, 559-276-8494 Fax559-222-1390
www.CorelDRAWHelp.com
Subscriptions:Free o quaied idiiduas adusiesses. Sed chage of address o he aoe.ACDRP Membershi p: $60/yr., See the websitefor deais. Icudes excusie coe ad more.
Adverti sin g:Reques a Media Guide or dowoadi from www.CoreDRAWHep.com.
Writers: CorelDRAWPro acceps arices fromidusry expers. Emai puisher for deais.
Copyright 2009 by ACDRP.A Righs Resered.
EDITOR / PUBLISHER Michael R. Neer
GRAPHICSJohn Mise
ADVERTISING John McDaniel II
JULY 2009
HelpCorelDRAW
Last week my oldest son, Matt, turned 21. I wanted to celebratehis birthday with a gift that hed remember for a long time. Afterall, turning 21 is a big deal and I think it means a lot more thanbeing able to legally buy a beer.
I had always wantedto take my boys ona plane r ide, andwe hadnt had anopportunity since theywere little and theydont remember that.I always thought wedtravel to Washington,DC, or Orlando, FL,
or someplace fun. But for this birthday, the idea popped up thatmabe it woudnt cost too much to charter a ight in the ocaarea. So I checked it out, and for $150-$200, we could chartera single-engine prop airplane and go for a one-hour ride abovethe Valley.
Both my boys were amazed at how small everything looked fromup there. The checkerboard pattern of farm lands, the spaghettilines of roads, the wildly curving San Joaquin River, and evenbuildings like City Hall, the baseball stadium, the schools theysaw everything with a new perspective.
And thats my point for this column. Whenever we can step backfrom or above the dai routines and conicts, we are abe toput things in perspective. Our everyday problems seem lessproblematic.. Our worries are just part of a bigger picture. Thisperspective is really comforting, relaxing, and gives us motivationto take a fresh start at our days activities.
So when were worried about the economy, or about how ourbusiness is doing, or any number of other things in our lives, itsa wonderful tonic to gain another perspective. Just off the top of
my head, I can think of four great ways to do just that:
1) Take an airplane ride. I dont know about you, but I getrejuvenated ing u high. I can think more cear, an more,reax more. Its as if Im oating above the heav stress of earth,and the inspiration and creativity is greater.
2) Take a vacation.One of our columnists, Donna Gray, plansat least one vacation every year with her husband Dave andanother with some friends. They have a great time, and in thatrelaxed atmosphere they develop a marketing plan for the next 12months. They come back ready revitalize the business becausethey have been revitalized.
3 ) Ta k e a c o u r s e .Continuing education isone of the best ways togain another perspective.We discover new ways todo things in our business,whether its marketing,f inances, graphics, orproduction. We improveour skills so we have more value to offer our customers, andmore leadership for our employees.
4) Take a daily Quiet Time. We are all so busy doing outwardactivity that we seldom take time to go within and be quiet. Thatputs us out of balance. However you do it -- meditation, prayer,walk in nature its valuable to spend some time everyday settlingdown and just being. This is an immediate and satisfying way togain another perspective. Watching TV and exercising dont count.Its got to be quiet time where the body and mind really relax.
Ive done all of these at one time or another, and the wonderfulsecret about gaining another perspective is that it also opensthe door to creativity. Its like we have to break out of our regularpatterns in order to approach our projects with a creative eye andenergy. For those who use CorelDRAW, its essential to cultivate
another perspective regularly.See ou u in the couds. Have a nice ight!
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
4/34
July 2009 4
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
1.888.437.4564 [email protected]
From creating unique projects like architecturalmodels to engraving on high-tech gadgets, our lasersystems provide a wide variety of capabilities. Createall the products you see here with one very versatilelaser system.
Visitwww.epiloglaser.com/coreldrawpro.htmfor more information!
Tech tattoos are justthe beginning...
Zing 24, 30-60 watt laser - 24" x 12" engraving areaWorks like a printer - USB or Ethernet connectionEngrave on almost any surface
Easily cut wood, acrylic, plastic and much moreJust import an image and printit to the laser
All it takesis one idea.
Zing 16 Systems Starting at $7,995!
The New Zing 24 Laser System
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
5/34
July 2009HelCorelDRAW 5Click ads to go directly
to advertisers web site.
July 2009
Magazine Sponsors Logo-Links
Tour Sponsors Logo-Links
Corel Corp. Web Ad
Custom Graphic Technology Web Ad
Epilog Laser Corp. Web Ad
Geo. Knight & Co. Web Ad
John E. Lepper Inc. Web AdJohnson Plastics Web Ad
LaserSketch Web Ad
N&R International Web Ad
Paramount Services Inc. Web Ad
ProLink Graphics Web Ad
SPONSOR INDEX
DEPARTMENTS
Click Web to go to sponsors website.Click Ad to go to the ad in this issue.Clicking the ad itself will go to website.
LEARN! Apply! GROW!
3 Inside ACDRP:
Gain Another Perspective
6 Graphics News Wire
26 Logo-Links
30 Focus:Embroidery Products
32 GNN Network
32 Marketplace
33 Contributi ng Writers
CorelDRAW HelpCONTENTS
7 Using CorelDRAW:Cleaning Up Bitmap Artworkby Dave Demoret
10CorelDRAW Appl ied:Imposition Layout--For Full-Color Image Transfersby John McDaniel
12Inside Color:Color Correction isJust the Beginningby David Milisock
14 Inside Transfers:Unisub Silver Shines!by Bill Leek
16Inside Screeen Printing:Setting Up the Pressby Jeff McDaniel
19Inside Sandblasting:Mask EquipmentRequirementsby Judy McDaniel
21Inside
Engraving:HardwareDesign --BearingsPart 2by JohnMcDaniel
23Getting Ahead:Auto Dig it izing :Is It Right For You?by Deborah Sexton
28Marketing SecretsStaying Sharp inSummers Slumpby Donna Gray
34Traveling Tidbits:Las Vegas, Lone Pine, andRising to a New Levelby Otis Veteto
Giving away prots with the hope thatwe will make it up in volume is not theanswer for how to get more business.
-- Donna Gray
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/customgraphic.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/GeoK.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/JELepper.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/JP.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/LaserSketch.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/NR.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/PSI.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/prolinkgs.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/prolinkgs.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/PSI.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/NR.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/LaserSketch.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/JP.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/JELepper.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/GeoK.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/customgraphic.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
6/34
July 2009 6
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
GRAPHICS NEWS WIREJuly 2009
Product News Headlines:
Calendar(Web Link)Check out the upcoming training
classes and trade shows of
interest to CorelDRAW users.
CorelDRAW Help
Stahls ID offers CAD-PRINTZWall Graphics
ASI launches email marketingtool for distributors
Pulse Microsystem adds
Interactive Community towebsite
Hirsch adds new color blendedfont pack for Tajima units
Printa Systems offers Silver PadPrinting Package
Floriani Embroidery CommercialDiv. offers No Show Nylon MeshFusible
Digital Art Solutions introducesPhoto Tools Collection
Equipment Zone offers PrinterSupport Plans for DTG Units
Imprintables Warehouse hasnew premasking application tape
Unisub introduces ChromaLuxeClear
Great Dane Graphics offers fournew Kids Theme Stock Art
ASI introduces DistributorSuccess System
Johnson Plastics to distributeChromaLuxe Clear
Stahls ID releases new ZebraPrint
RS Owens receives three PPAISupplier Achievement AwardNominations
Scott Fresener introducesT-Seps Color SeparationSoftware
Scott Fresener launches T-BizNetwork
Imprintables Warehouse adds
new blog on heat transfers
Cotswold offers new Eco-Stick
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
NEWS
DETAILS(Click Here)
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/calendar.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/calendar.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
7/34July 2009 7
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
Using CorelDRAWTraining
Cleaning Up Bitmap ArtworkBy Dave Demoret, Contributing writer
Everyone knows all too well about getting Camera-Ready ArtorWell-Scanned Imagesfrom every source there is, including from Professionals who are supposed to know.So, since we usually dont get the art we need, 72dpi direct from the internet, we needto re-create a lot of it one way or another.
Lets take a look at one way to take an image in bitmap format and clean it up, changeit to a vector format, and use as little time as necessary for the job. Keep in mind thatthis is just one way of doing this and also that you are in business to make moneyand not art master ieces. If ou cannot rot from our work, ou wont work ong.
A customer sent in this image to show the kind of artwork they got from their customers
all the time. This image really is in better shape than most and will be relatively easyto show how this process works.
ASSESSING THE BITMAP
1. Import the bitmap image2. Check the dpi and the sharpness of theimage edges.3. Here the original image was 10 x 7 at72dpi. We have a 72dpi in comparison to a293dpi image at the right, Figure 1. To get ahigher dpi and sharper image, reduce the size
of the image by selecting and dragging one ofthe corner nodes until you have the desireddpi range.4. If your image color is fairly solid and theimage is fairly sharp and clear of other debris,you may choose to do one of the methods tofollow.5. If you have an image that cannot be reducedto increase the dpi and sharpness, you mayneed to do the following steps. a) pace the artwork in our scanner. you ma need to rint it rst if the bitma
was sent to you by eMail. b) Re-Scan the artwork at a higher dpi of no less than 300 and probably no
more than 600dpi. This will usually allow youto get a cleaner image to start with. c) With the artwork at the higher dpi, youagain may choose one of the methods below.
Method 1: Converting the Artwor k to Black& White
The reason you are changing the image to black& white is for edge denition, densit of coor andspeed. Remember, youre in business to make
money. To do this, just follow these steps.
1. Select your new image, click on bitmapsin the main menu.2. Then, in the pull down menu selectMode.3. In the Mode out menu seect Back& White (1bit) as in Figure 2.4. This will produce a pop-up menu asin Figure 3 where you will want to selectLine Art in the Conversion Method boxalso shown in Figure 3.
5. At this point you will select the newimage, go to the Property Bar and click onTrace Bitmap and chose Line Art.6. This will produce the best image in avector format as in Figure 4. The image isclean and solid but the text in the artwork
has been all but totally washed out of the image.
Note: Notice the text has been removed inFigure 4. This is because the color of the textwas not dark enough to reproduce as black inthe conversion method. Most of thetime you will want to select the proper
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/prolinkgs.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
8/34July 2009 8
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
Using CorelDRAWTraining
font and type it in yourself anyway. We dont worry too much about the text converting since it is more desirable to use a fontso you can do editing later.
7. You may now select the proper color to put back into the new vector image and add the text. (For more on how to addcolor & text, call us.)
Method 2: Solidifying the Color
The second method takes just a little more time but it is sometimes necessary dueto ver oor coor densit. you ma choose to do the rst art of this method even ifou nish with the Back & White method. This is just to soidif the coor (or increasethe density).
After assessing the bitmap, you may choose to clean up the color. That is, we willmake the bitmap colors more of one solid color as opposed to the hundreds of colorpixels seen in the original.
1. The rst ste is to cick on the bitma image to seect it.2. Go to the Property Bar and click on Edit Bitmap. This should take you directlyinto Corel PHOTO-PAINT.3. With the image in PHOTO-PAINT, if you zoom in closely you will easily seehow different your colors are in each pixel as in Figure 5. We want to make themall the same color or red or blue.4. While you are still zoomed in close, select the Eyedropper Tool and chose adark blue pixel.
5. Notice the blue square at the bottom of your Tool Box on the left. This is theForeground Color Square. There is also a double arrow icon next to it. This isfor swapping colors of Foreground and Background Colors.6. Click on the double arrow icon, placing the blue in the background, and thenselect a lighter shade of blue to be placed in the Foreground Color Square.
Note: You may also use any color from the Color Palette to swap colors, as inFigure 7.
7. At this point you are ready to change all the pixels to one color. Simply go tothe Paint Tool Flyout menu, just under the bucket in your Tool Box, and select thelast icon... Replace Color Brush Tool.8. You may want to increase or decrease your Nib Size from your Property Bar
for this tool. Here I have it at 60 but it will be relative to your zoom level and how
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/prolinkgs.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
9/34July 2009 9
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
fast you want to change color. Justhold down your left mouse button and
drag to change colors.8. In some cases you may also wantto increase or decrease your ColorTolerance, or range. This will acceptor reject certain pixels not falling intothe tolerance you have selected. Playwith this to see the different effect itwill have on your image.9. Now all you need do is to leavePHOTO-PAINT with either a copy andpaste method (much safer) or just
click on the X in the red box top leftcorner and select yes when it asks ifyou wish to save changes. This stepwill automatically put you back intoCorelDRAW and place your changedimage on your page.10. With your colors solid, you cannow Trace Bitmap in color andnish our vector image using it as isor, keep the graphic and ad the textseparately as in Figure 8.
For more information on different techniques or individual questions you may calldirect at the number below. We also have On-Line Training on Tuesdays as well asone-on-one On-Line Training available.
I would love to hear comments and questions.
Dave Demoret, founded Prolink Graphic Services to help people understand and protfrom learning CorelDRAW. He has been in both the Flat Graphics Industry and theDecorating Graphics Industry over the past 30 years. Dave has used CorelDRAWsince version 3 and became a CorelDRAW Training Partner in 2006. During thepast 5 years he has been conducting workshops all over the U.S. and is the authorof several Video CDs & Instructional CDs on CorelDRAW. He can be reached at765-DO COLOR (362-6567) or by email at [email protected]
Using CorelDRAW
The legendary power of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is
all around you. In promotional items, brochures, logos,
signs and so much more.
2009 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved.
Find out more at:
Dont own a previous version? Get started for free at
www.corel.com/cdprotrial
www.corel.co /cdm pro
With extensive file compatibility and powerful automation
and customization features to optimize your workflow,
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 can deliver on any design
project - from layout and photo editing to illustration and
powerful bitmap-to-vector tracing.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
mailto:[email protected]://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Corel.htmmailto:[email protected] -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
10/34July 2009 10
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
CORELDRAW APPLIEDBy Judy and John McDaniel Learn
Imposition Layout
For Full-Color Image TransfersSo far in this series weve showed how Imposition
Layout in CorelDRAW can be used to duplicate layouts
for standard abes; and then how it can be modied to
create custom layouts.
To Review
We can use Imposition Layout with Laser Engravers,
Mechanical Engravers, Sublimation Printers, Vinyl
Cutters, Sandblast Film Printers, etc., etc. Essentially
we can use it with any output device that has a print
driver for Windows, and even some that dont.
As weve shown before, to effectively use Imposition
Layout we need to use the products size as the page
size in CorelDRAW; or if we want to introduce a gutter
between pieces, a page size that is slightly larger than
the product size. And then in the output devices printer
driver use, (1) a standard paper size, or (2) a custom
material size, or (3) the machines table size.
Following this practice will allow us to duplicate and
distribute one layout over the output material, creating
as many copies as wi t.
In some of the previous articles we have used this
feature to step and repeat a static layout. Essentially
applications where all the pieces produced are identical.
Last time we showed how Imposition Layout can be
used with variable information.
Up to this point we have concentrated on simple projects
that contain no photographic images, applications
that are designed primarily for engraving.
What we will tackle now is how we can apply
imposition layout tools in full-color image
transfer applications. First, where the imageis static and text information is variable; then
well consider an application where pictures
are a part of the variable data.
Our First Project
The rst project we wi tacke is fu-coor name
badges to wear in the ofce and at trade shows.
If you have a retail shop or sell your products
at shows, fairs, etc., wearing company badges
is excellent advertising. If at all possible its
always good to wear your work. It shows
potential customers one of the products you
can create for them.
The rst decision we need to make is badge size and
image transfer method. For our purposes (advertising
and identication) we wi seect a pre-cut 2x3 inch
badge and transfer the image via sublimation. That
will give us lots of area for a full color print with vibrant
colors.
Since we dont want to produce badges one at a time,
our rst task is to create or purchase a hoding xture,
i.e. production jig. For sublimation image transfer
purposes, our xture needs to be abe to withstand
temperatures in a heat press (approximately 400 F),
so it needs to be made from heat resistant materials.
By doing a little research on the web we found a pre-cut
badge bank and production jig xture avaiabe from
Unisub. The product number for the badge is 5530 and
for the xture is 5941. Basic CoreDRAW tempatesare available for both items on their website, and the
products are available from a number of sublimation
material suppliers.
The basic template for the badge is shown in picture
1, and for the production jig is picture 2. Both of these
are OK but need a little more work to make them really
usable.
The Badge Template
Well start by modifying the badge template. Youll
notice its setup on an 8.5 x 11 inch page, withBasic CorelDRAW template for a name badge.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
-
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
11/34July 2009 11
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
CORElDRAW APPlIED
a text description of the two colored rectangles, a blue rectangle on top of a green one.
lets rst dene what those areas are. The bue rectange represents the products
size; the green one is a suggested overprint area, otherwise known as bleed.
The purpose of the bleed is
to insure the entire surfaceof the badge is printed.
If you dont overprint the
transfer a little, you run
the risk of having a white
edge showing on the
nished product. That said,
everything that must appear
on the product must t within
the blue area.
The template is not usablein its present state, except
as a guide. Any background image can be placed within the green rectangle using
the PowerClip command, and the blue rectangle can be used as a reference for what
will appear on the product.
However, we do not want to print the text, and probably want to print more than one
image on a sheet of transfer paper; or at the very least have the option of using a
smaller sheet.
To make the template more usable I would suggest the following changes:
1. Delete the text -- left click on the text and press the delete key on the keyboard.
2. Resize the page to the size of the green rectangle -- 3.25 x 2.25 inches inlandscape mode, change the page size on the property bar with nothing in the
layout selected.
3. Make sure the rectangles are centered on the new page -- If they are not, select
both rectangles and then press the P key on the keyboard.
4. Give the blue rectangle a blue outline (or any other color you would like) and
remove its -- eft-cick on the bue rectange, then eft-cick in the X we on the
coor paette to remove the , and right-cick bue on the coor paette to create
a blue outline.
5. Give the green rectange a green outine and remove its -- eft-cick on the
green rectange, then eft-cick in the X we on the coor paette to remove the ,
and right-click green (or any other color you would like) on the color palette to
create an outline.
Production jig available from Unisub.
6. Make sure the Object Manager Docker is visible -- If its not, click on Tools/
Object Manager, or Windows/Dockers/Object Manager
7. In the Object Manager, create a new layer (for convention I have named the
layer Product Outline).
8. Optionally rename the original layer Print Area.
9. Drag the Blue Outline and drop it on the Product Outline layer.
10. Turn the Product Outline layer off for printing and editing. Left-click the printerand pencil icons next to the layer name in the Object Manager Docker.
11. Create another new layer (Ive named this the Background layer). Drag this
layer below the Print Area layer. We will use this layer to import any background
picture we want to use for the product.
12. Create one na new ayer to contain any text and additiona graphics we want
to print on the product.
13. Make sure the layers
are ordered top down --
Text & Graphics, Product
Outline, Print Area, and
Background; and makesure Product Outline is
off for printing and editing.
14. Save the layout as a
CorelDRAW Template,
click on File/Save As
Template.
See picture 3 for the
completed template.
Conclusion
What we have accomplished so far is to take a manufacturers product template
and modify it for our use. The original template had a single item on the page andwas not suitable for use with Imposition Layout or Print Merge. We have changed
all of that. Next time we will start with the revised template and populate it with a
background and text for use with Print Merge.
Judy and John McDaniel are owners of JHM Marketing and CorelDRAWhelp,
Inc. They provide consulting and training services for the industry. Currently they
are both Corel Training Partners. They offer private training; as well as one-on-one
application support through an email subscription service. (For information on training
services offered and their application support service visit www.CorelDRAWhelp.
com. (For information on the Association of CorelDRAW Professionals, please
visit www.CorelDRAWPro.com.) They can be reached via email atJHMcDaniel@
CorelDRAWhelp.com.
Completed template.
CDH
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
http://www.coreldrawhelp.com/http://www.coreldrawhelp.com/http://www.coreldrawpro.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.coreldrawpro.com/http://www.coreldrawhelp.com/http://www.coreldrawhelp.com/ -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
12/34July 2009 12
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
INSIDE COLORBy David Milisock Learn
Color Correction is
Just the Beginning What Ive done here, with the gracious consent of my friend and colleague NancySeibert of Advanced Signs and Graphics, is to set up a situation where we can discussnot only color correction but simple image manipulation. Captures A and B are theend result of an image capture of Nancy and some author who thinks he knows somestuff about color, converted from RAW to Prophoto RGB, with all the details as shownin capture C and then converted to U.S. coated V2 CMYK.
The most interesting and difcut concet of coor is that in man instances there
is no right or wrong. I eft the images on A and B in the e as high resoution so ou
can zoom in on them and examine them more closely. If we place 20 people into aroom and view these two images we may get as many as 20 different opinions. In myexerience ou get 3 to 5 different oinions for sure!
The arguments will go like this: Well, A or B (depending on the opinion) has morenatura esh tones, and B or A has more accurate whites.
All of these discussions are wonderful and are the things that build character in
the group. Needless to say, in the end on a calibrated system, it is this character thatwill be making the decisions on how the image should be corrected.
I have a very long term relationship with my monitor, a Mitsubishi Diamond Pro91TXM and know that it and no other monitor display exactly like the print. The displaysystem is regularly calibrated and work is always checked against the print. In the caseof these two images both disa we; image A disas just cose to being too at andtoo blue/green, and image B displays just being on the edge of being too warm, butthe contrast value is smoother in the shadow tones. (Not to mention the correctionsfor camera faults that we will discuss later.) With that said on the Heidelberg pressthat we regularly use when we run to the calibrated densitometer numbers, the slightcolor shift will be toward the blue/green. Also I converted these using the Adobe U.S.
Coated V2 CMYK as it is readily available for all to use for proper previewing of thisartice. Norma I woud have used a Kodak CMyK roe that shied with an oderversion of CoreDRAW which I beieve is a suerior CMyK roe.
So the argument goes back and forth about the color, and the fact is that while wemay have our opinion, there is a spread in the shifts in the color that are acceptablebecause in the end it comes down to our opinion. Among the general opinion of thepopulation of our client base, repeatable, acceptable or exceptional results in color aresome of what brings them back. So what are some of the other parts that bring thecients back? In m oinion, achieving the goa of the shot! In this case, we wantedsnap shots that could be used to help promote our companies via print, web and selfpromotion. The key word was SNAP SHOTS, to look natural. Not modelshots or product shots. So what we simply do is to try and remove any errors
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
-
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
13/34July 2009 13
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
InSIDE COlOR
CDH
induced by the captureprocess while retaining thenatural look of the subject.
Notice in image A that thereis a very slight amount of redeye, on her right cheek and
nose there was a touch ofsheen. Around the mouththere was some shine thatwas also removed. All thesethings have been removedin image B.
Image A has, in my opinion,issues due to this sheen. Your eye does not properly focus on the center of the faceof the subject. I prefer the focus of an image of a person to be on the subjects eyesand toward the center, left and right, of the image if at all possible.
The only editing done of this image was to convert from RAW to Prophoto, colorcorrection using only the tone curves, via LAB, Adobe RGB and U.S. coated V2 colorspaces, and this included the contrast adjustment. There was also a very slight amountof coning to remove the reection from the ight source. NO SMOOTH SKIN, or another effects. Only the tone curves and the aforementioned cloning.
Image B, when amost nished, disaed one issue that irked me and that wasthe shine in Nancys left eye, right as we look at the image. This shine caused theviewers focus to shift right instead of to the center. You will have to zoom into the eyeson both images to get the full effect of how subtle this adjustment is. I used the clonetool and removed just a very slight amount of that shine in her left eye. This brings
the viewers focus back toward the center of the face and creates a more pleasantexperience when viewing this image.
David Milisock, president of Custom Graphic Technologies Inc. of Lancaster, PA,has been in the print production business since 1975. He specializes in professionalsupport for CorelDRAW Graphics Suite. He started supporting CorelDRAW les for
print output with V4. Output includes computer to plate processes for all commercialdigital front-end applications, as well as Postscript-compliant graphic applications.He offers technical and color management support for all RIP-driven corporate digitaloutput systems, and also offers Giclee printing. He can be reached at 717-509-3523or [email protected].
What Readers Say about CorelDRAWHelp Magazine
Digital FormatWell thought out. Well designed. Easy to follow links. Better than a snail-mailmagazine because the provided links give immediate access to addtionalinformation and resources! Leo Lennemann, Sandra Lees Trophy & Gift,Grove, OK
I think it is easy to get around in page by page in pdf format. John J Runyon,South Metro Wire EDM Inc., Shakopee MN
I look forward to each issue. I actually print it and keep it in a binder for futurereference. ... You continue to help my awards business grow due to theeducational and how-to articles. Rob Thomas, Celebrations, Farmington, MO
Excellent ContentThis magazine is a great resource. I have gained a great deal of insight into theprogram, and Ive also found sources of supply. Nelson Wood, Woods WoodWorks, Caledonia MI
I love reading CorelDRAWHelp! Its quite informative and really gets my
creative juices owing. Debbie Santiago, New Jacobs Chapel, Clermont, FL
Keeps me up to date. Look forward to it. Save every issue and print articles ofinterest to put into my training book for employees. Chris Williams, CreatedFor You, Horsehoe Bay, TX
Helps keep me informed about new products and new ways to use CorelDRAW.Lawrence Coen, Coen Enterprises & Graphics, Elkhart,KS
Your articles help keep me up to date on many new technological methodswhich are a tremendous help in my style of business. Gary Whitener, CodyTees, Ste. Genevieve, MO
I like all of it! It is [full of] very informative, clear, concise articles. Trish Stuart,Twisted Threads, Emory, TX
Great info in every issue. Dennis Duval, Duvals Custom Etched Glass, Jasper,TX
CorelDRAWHelpis like a refresher course; it lets me in on better ways to dographic techniques. A time saver.Dianne Beck, Poulsbo Church, Poulsbo, WAI appreciate the fact that CorelDRAWHelpis focused on helping the businessowner become successful. I havent read an issue that hasnt given mesomething to assist my business. Jim Good, A2Z Engraving, Madison, AL
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected] -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
14/34July 2009 14
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
INSIDE TRANSFERSBy Bill L eek Apply
Universal Woods/Unisub of Louisville, KY, has justreleased a new series of products built around a greatnew silver aluminum substrate with a clear scratch andUV-resistant sublimation coating that will appeal to boththe photographic and personalized products markets.
The photographic reproduction products are marketedas CHROMALUXE CLEAR. They provide an exciting
addition to the already highly successful ChromLuxewhite-coated photo product line. The ChromaLuxe
high-denition hoto anes are unike anthing eseavailable. The special clear coating on silver aluminumprovides photographers with a unique and modern lookto images that cannot be replicated using any othertechnique. Photographers have sought a method forprinting their images on silver for some time. Somesilver-coated inkjet papers have been released, but theyhave not come close to the look and durability of this
new Unisub product. Black-and-white photographerswi articuar ike the high reective goss auminum
nish. landscaes, roductshots, and portraits come tolife with a stunning, elegantappearance. ChromaLuxeClear opens up a whole newprinting dimension for them.
ChromaLuxe panels are.045 thick and have .25
rounded corners. They areavailable in 8x10, 11x14,11.5x11.5, and 16x20 sizes.I would like to see a 12x16panel that could be printedon a 13x19 format printerand transferred on a 16x20heat press. As with allUnisub products, pressingtime is only a minute andobtaining good results isvirtually foolproof.
The panels can be displayed in many different ways.Unisub offers an inexpensive offset mounting system.Vintage black-and-white photos can be mounted in avariety of nostalgic wood frames. I particularly like usingow roe shadowbox moduar metaic frames thatcomplement the image. These are available in manynishes and are reative inexensive.
HOW TO GET THE BEST RESULTS
ChromaLuxe Clear will workbest with higher contrast,slightly darker images. Properimage selection and adjustmentis key for optimum results.Soft, pastel prints on silver willappear washed out and kindof gimmicky. When workingwith color, images with more
intense colors and somewhatharsher light will provide themost stunning results. Cars,motorcycles and anything thathas chrome on it are perfectsubjects. Dramatic landscapes(Ansel Adams) sunsets andseascapes also look great on this material.
If your source photo does not meet these requirements,
you can add contrast using the TONE CURVE adjustment
in Corel PHOTO-PAINT and apply an S
CURVE. (An illustration of this is included).
UNISUB SILVER SHINES!Unisubs Brand New Sublimation Substrate Produces Dramatic Results
S CURVE: Using
PhotoPaint applyan S Curve as
illustrated to
increase contrast
of your image
prior to transfer.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
InSIDE tRAnSFERS
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/customgraphic.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
15/34July 2009 15
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
InSIDE tRAnSFERS
WAIT.THERES MORE!
In addition, Universal Woods has released license plates,name badges, id tags and clock kits made from the samesilver aluminum. These are marketed as UNISUB SILVER.The combination of great looks, durability and the extrathickness of the .045 aluminum make this product line world
class. The photos in this article speak for themselves.
CONCLUSIONS:
Universal Woods again shines and stands out as a trueinnovator and market leader in the sublimation marketplace.ChromaLuxe Clear and Unisub Silver are exceptionalimprintable substrates. Order some samples today. You wontbe disappointed.
Bill Leekis a industry writer based in Houston,TX. He has over 30 years experience in computer engineering andgraphics design. He has developed several lines of color imprintable products, and has done testing on a varietyof products for different manufacturers. He can be reached at [email protected] 281-970-6677.
CHROME SILVER SATIN: The beauty
of ChromaLux Clear is demonstrated
in this high contrast image with
vibrant colors.
LICENSE PLATE: License Plates produc ed
with Unisub Silv er have a dramatic loo k and
are extremely durable.
SMALL SILVER ITEMS: Unisub Silver provid esa perfect substrate for these high quality name
badges and id tags.
CDH
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
INSIDE SCREEN PRINTING
http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/customgraphic.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/LaserSketch.htmhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected] -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
16/34July 2009 16
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
INSIDE SCREEN PRINTINGBy Jeff McDaniel Apply
BackgroundAt the end of our last article, our screens were in the drying cabinet after
transferring the image to our capillary lm. In this article, we are going to re-
install our screens on the screen printing press and set up to print.
Our setup and yoursOur setup is the Printa 770 series screen printing machine from Printa Systems
Inc. All of the supplies and tools we will cover from here on were provided in
the turn-key system from Printa with the 770. Your setup may be from another
source but will most likely contain components of what we will discuss below.
Some specic features of the Printa 770 that apply to this articleThere are a couple of features on the Printa 770 that make re-aligning your
screens very easy. The screens used with the Printa 770 have tapered
alignment pins on the back side that slip into the press armatures (see Image
1). This allows us to be close to aligned simply by placing the screen back
on the press. The armatures have linear, skew, and angle micro adjustments
for easy re-alignment of the screen (see Image 2).
Re-aligning yo ur screens to th e artworkAfter transferring our artwork from positive to the screen, we need to re-align
our screens. Generally we will leave the exposure unit on the machine with
the trap or choke layer artwork on top. Next we will place our screen back
on the printing press armature and lower the artwork over our exposureunit. If you look closely at our screen you can see that the artwork is slightly
shifted (see Image 3). This job is fairly simple and we could probably leave
the screen where it is, but we have found that it is always a good idea to line
everything up as closely as possible to avoid halting the production run once
we have started.
To align the artwork on the Printa we simply unlock the armature and adjust
the micro adjustments until our artwork is correctly aligned (see Image 4). The
registration marks we printed on our original artwork and washed out in the
screen are an excellent indicator of how close we are. Once we have our rst
layer done we will proceed to our next screen and check it against
our trap artwork (see Image 5). If necessary, we can again unlock
Setting Up the Press
Image 1:Tapered alignment pins slip into thepress armatures on the Printa 770.
Image 2:The armatures have linear, skew,and angle micro adjustments for easy re-
alignment of the screen.
Image 3:If you look closely at our screen youcan see that the artwork is slightly shifted.
Image 4:To align the artwork on the Printawe simply unlock the armature and adjust
the micro adjustments.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
InSIDE SCREEn PRIntInG
-
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
17/34July 2009 17
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
InSIDE SCREEn PRIntInG
the armature and use the micro-adjustments to bring the
artwork into proper alignment.
Installing th e PlatensNow that we are satisfied with the alignment of our
artwork, we can install the platens. Our press has 4
printing stations on it so we can install 4 platens. We
use a set amount of space between our platen and the
screen armature so that all of our platens have the same
relative distance from armature to platen (see Image 6).
After placing the platens we strip off the old protective
tape and place new tape on the platen surface (see
Image 7). The protective tape we use is a standard
16-18 tack transfer tape that we also use in the shop to
transfer vinyl lettering. Before we nish preparing our
platens we need to double-check our height
offset between our screen and our platen (see
Image 5:Once we have our rst layer done we willproceed to our next screen and check it against
our trap artwork.
Image 6:We make sure that all of our platens havethe same relative distance from armature to platen.
Image 7:After placing the platens we strip off the oldprotective tape and place new tape on
the platen surface.
Image 8:Before we nish preparing our platens, weneed to double-check our height offset between our
screen and our platen.
Image 9: To apply platen adhesive simply lay abead down on the platen.
Image 10:Use a squeegee to create a thin layer ofadhesive across the entire surface.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
InSIDE SCREEn PRIntInG
-
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
18/34July 2009 18
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
InSIDE SCREEn PRIntInG
Image 8). This screen has a little more than 5/32 (about
4mm) of clearance between the screen and the platen.
The clearance allows the screen to snap away from the
garment during the printing stroke. If you are working with
heavier garments like thick sweatshirts a larger clearance
might be required.
Once we are happy with the clearance between our screen
and platen we can nish preparing the platen for use.
During the printing process we need something that will
hold the garment rmly in place while we screen print our
image. To achieve this we use a platen adhesive. Platen
adhesive is somewhat like the old white wood glue that
we used to use in school. The platen adhesive howeverdoes not completely dry. To apply platen adhesive simply
lay a bead down on the platen (see Image 9)and use a
squeegee to create a thin layer of adhesive across the
entire surface (see Image 10). You can test to see if the
adhesive is sufciently dry for use by touching it with your
nger. If your nger comes away wet, the adhesive needs
to dry further. When the adhesive is properly dried, it
should feel sticky but not wet.
Masking off th e screensThe parts of the screen that are not covered by capillary
lm must be masked off so that the ink will not ow throughthe blank areas onto the work piece. For masking off
our screens we use a special screen masking tape. The
screen masking tape can be overlapped if necessary to
cover wide areas that are not covered by the capillary lm.
Our rst image shows the screen partially masked off (see
Image 11). We will continue to lay down the tape until the
entire blank area of the screen is covered (see Image 12).
Using block out
Block out is a liquid that can be used to cover pin holes
and imperfections in our screen. We generally like to
use block out on the underside of the screen where thealignment marks are (see Image 13). We apply the block
out with a small squeegee. Once the block out is applied
it takes 10-15 minutes to dry (see Image 14).
ConclusionIn this article we covered re-aligning our artwork, setting
up our platens, and masking out our screens. In our next
article, we will set up our ash cure unit and start printing.
Jeff McDanielis the Owner/Operator of Creative Graphicin Philomath, Oregon. Creative Graphic offers services
including laser engraving, rotary engraving, sandblasting,sublimation, image transfers, vinyl signs, banners, screen
printing, and promotional products. Jeff routinely applies
graphics to a wide variety of materials. You can contact
Jeff by email at [email protected]. CDHImage 11:Our rst image shows the screenpartially masked off.
Image 12:We will continue to lay down the tape untilthe entire blank area of the screen is covered.
Image 13:We generally like to use block out on theunderside of the screen where the alignment marks are.
Image 14:We apply the block out with a smallsqueegee. Once the block out is applied it takes 10-
15 minutes to dry.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
INSIDE SANDBLASTING
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected] -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
19/34July 2009 19
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
INSIDE SANDBLASTINGBy John and Judy McDaniel Applications
Mask Equipment Requirements
In our rst artice we exained some of the reasons we
chose sandbasting. We went on to dene decorativesandblasting as The controlled disruption of a materialssurface resulting in a recognizable pattern. We furtherexplained that (1) surface disruption is achieved usinga pressurized abrasive air stream; and (2) control isachieved using masks/resists/stencils, and with artisticuse of the abrasive air stream.
As a result, the basic requirements for a sandblastoperation can be divided into two major categories:
The equipment needed for the sandblast process, i.e.to create and control the abrasive air stream Thisequipment includes:I. A blast cabinet -- Pressure pot or Siphon system.II. Nozzles to shape the air streamIII. A dust collector.IV. An air compressor.
The equipment needed to create sandblast masks/resists/stencil includes:I. A computer system with graphic software CorelDRAW,etc.
II. A mask-making system of some type. A. For Photo MaskingAn inkjet or laser printer,and a UV exposure unit B. For Vinyl MaskingA vinyl cutter C. For Laser MaskingA laser engraver is required;
A rotary attachment is recommended
As with all equipment purchases, there are variouscongurations ou can choose at differing budgets.You can add a decent sandblasting system with photomasking capability to your operation, assuming youalready have a computer, for as little as $2500 to $3000.
If youre starting from scratch without anything, plan on
$3500 to $5000. From
there, other featuresmay be acquired laterwhich can bring yourtotal investment closerto $10,000 to $15,000.Your equipment choicesshould be dictated byyour customers needsand as always by youranticipated revenues.
So far we prov idedan overv iew of theequipment needed forthe sandblast process;and last time we coveredthe bas ic computersystem requirements.This time we will providean overv iew of theequipment needed to
create sandblast masks/resists/stencils.
Mask Creation SystemsOnce you have your design completed in the computer,you need some method to create a sandblast mask fromit. Currently there are 3 main methods of doing that: (1)photo-masking, (2) vinyl cutting, and (3) laser masking.Each method has varying artwork and equipmentrequirements. The following is a brief overview of theequipment requirements for each method. We will covereach in greater detail in future articles.
Photo-MaskingThis method uses some type of computer printer and
ultraviolet (UV) exposure unit.
The most basic, cost effective conguration wi incude
an inkjet rinter, inkjet recetive m, and a sime UVexposure unit. Costs for such a setup should be lessthan $500 for m sizes u to 8.5 x 10 inches. Inkjetrecetive m is around $1.00 er sheet and is suitabefor high detailed work. Not all inkjet printers will workwe with inkjet recetive m; check with the m suierfor their recommendations.
A laser printer and velum will also work very well for mostphoto-mask applications. However, for very detailedimages, such as photographic halftones, or imageswith ne ines, a aser rinter and veum wont rovidesufcient detai. For ne detai work, ou wi need aninkjet sstem or direct-to-m rinter.
The advantages of photo-masking are: (1) high detail,and (2) low initial equipment costs. The disadvantagesare: (1) high consumables costs, and (2) limitations ofimage size. For large images, photo-masking equipmentand consumables can be very costly.
Vinyl CuttingCutting vinyl for masking has been used for many years
and actually predates all other methods. Some artistscut vinyl by hand. First they apply it to the product, drawtheir design on the surface, and then cut it by hand.This method is typically used for one-of-a-kind designs.
Computer-controlled vinyl cutters are generally usedfor multi-piece production. Desktop vinyl cutters areavaiabe in the $600 to $800 doar range; oor modesin the $1000 to $5000 dollar range.
The advantages of vinyl-masking are: (1) low cost ofconsumable material, (2) large image sizes
are easy to create, and (3) vinyl is suitable to
Example of a glasswith laser masking.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
InSIDE SAnDblAStInG
http://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
20/34July 2009 20
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
InSIDE SAnDblAStInG
CDH
use on materials that can be damaged by water like wood. The disadvantages ofvinyl-masking are: (1) it is not suitable for highly detailed images, and (2) vinyl requiresadditional steps in application.
Adding a vinyl cutter to your equipment inventory will have the advantage of givingyou the ability of creating vinyl signs.
Laser MaskingA laser engraver is another device that can be used for creating sandblast masks.Severa comanies are roducing ms that can be aied to gass and then cut witha laser engraver. This form of masking can produce excellent detail. To purchase alaser for this purpose would cost in the area of $10,000 to $15,000 dollars.
Adding a laser engraver will also add all types of laser-engraved items to your availableproduct offerings and expand your capabilities.
ConclusionSetting up a sandblast operation is easy and relatively inexpensive. Complete photomask startup packages that include some photo mask materials, an exposure unit, apressure pot cabinet, and a dust collector start in the $1500 range. To this packageyou would only need to add an air compressor and computer, assuming you didntalready have one.
You could also choose to create masks with a vinyl cutter or laser engraver. Thenyou wouldnt necessarily need the photo-masking component of the package. Youcould cut masks with the vinyl cutter, or burn them with the laser.
In short, sandblasting is one of the least expensive and most rewarding personalizationprocesses you can add to your business.
Next time we will describe some of the products that you can create with sandblastingalong with the type of masking that was used for each item.
Judy McDaniel and her husband John are owners of JHM Marketing andCorelDRAWhelp, Inc. They provide consulting and training services for the industry.Currently they are both Corel Training Partners. They offer private training at selectedlocations throughout the U.S., and on location for corporate customers. They have aseries of interactiveCDsteaching CorelDRAWavailable at the CorelDrawHelp.combookstore. In addition, they provide one-on-one CorelDRAWAppl icatio n Suppor tServicethrough CASS,an email subscription service. (For information on trainingservices offered and their application support service visitwww.CorelDRAWhelp.com.)You may contact them via email at [email protected].
HelpCorelDRAWBOOKSTORE
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
INSIDE ENGRAVING
http://www.coreldrawhelp.com/http://www.coreldrawhelp.com/http://www.coreldrawhelp.com/http://www.coreldrawhelp.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htmhttp://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htmhttp://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htmhttp://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htmhttp://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htmmailto:[email protected]://www.coreldrawhelp.com/ -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
21/34July 2009 21
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
INSIDE ENGRAVINGBy John McDaniel Apply
Hardware Design: Bearings, Part 2
Individual machine components work together to
produce the engraved products we sell. Thesecomponents include Motors, the Drive Unit, GuideRails, Encoders, Tachometers (Speed Control),Bearings, Spindles, Material Hold Down, and theElectronic Interface.
Many engineering techniques are used in differentmachines to accomplish a similar result. Thedifferences between these techniques determine themachines Accuracy, Reliab ili ty, Servi ceabi li ty, an dObsolescence.
The quality and accuracy of machine components,properly chosen during the design of the machine, havea direct effect on the reliability of our machine, and thequality of our products.
In past articles, weve discussed Motors, the DriveUnit, Guide Rails, Encoders, and touched on Bearings.This time well conclude our look at bearings and theirapplication in spindles that are used in mechanicalengraving machines.
Parts Move on BearingsAs we pointed out last time, every part that moves inan engraving machine moves on a bearing. Bearingsare in the motors; they attach the table or gantry to thelead screws. They allow the gantry or table to move onthe rails. They attach the Z platform to the frame. Inmechanical engravers, they are contained within thespindle, and allow the cutting tool to rotate.
The type and quality of bearings used in a machinesdesign have a tremendous impact on the type of workthe machine is capable of; and the quality of work
the machine will produce. For mechanical engraving
equipment, lightweight bearings will not stand up under
the loads produced in deep 3D cutting or in shallowcutting of some materials. In laser engraving equipment,transport bearings keep the laser beam properlypositioned. Sloppy bearings will always produce sloppywork.
In previous articles, weve discussed the lead screw andlead screw nut, lead screw bearings, and rail bearings.The last remaining area for discussion of bearings isthe spindle.
Spindle Bearings
In a mechanical engraver, the cutting tool must be freeto rotate without wobble; while at the same time, it mustnot be able to move in an axial direction. Cutting toolwobble is referred to as run-out, and axial movement ismovement in the direction of the axis of a shaft. (SeePicture 1)
Largely, the bearings used in a spindles designdetermine how well it can perform its functions andovercome natural mechanical forces exerted duringcutting.
Rotational MovementThe rst and rimar motion of a sinde is rotationa.Every spindle is equipped with some type of radialbearing (picture 2), which permits shaft rotation in astationar xture.
The radial bearing must permit the cutting tool to rotateon the exact center of the shaft. If it doesnt, andthe cutter wobbles, it will produce little donut-shapedmovements, which will at least, widen the cut path, andat worst, produce visible irregularities.
Radial bearings can be sleeve or ball bearings. Sleevebearings are less expensive to implement, but will wearover time and produce run-out. Ball bearings providesuperior wear and tighter tolerances.
An ABEC number grades ball bearings in quality; ABECstands for Annular Bearing Engineers Committee.
ABEC-1 is standard; ABEC-3 is a precision bearing andhas less looseness and run-out than ABEC-1. ABEC-3,-7, and -9 progressively decrease looseness and run-out, and increase their degree of precision as
the dash number increases.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
InSIDE EnGRAvInG
-
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
22/34July 2009 22
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
InSIDE EnGRAvInG
Ax ial Movemen tAnother motion the spindles cutting tool is subject tois plunging into the material. This motion creates anupward push on the cutter. If the cutter is loose in theshaft, it will simply move up and not cut into the material.In addition, if the cutter were a sira uted end mi,once it began cutting, it would tend to pull itself down
into the material. In either case, the depth of cut wouldnot be consistent.
Standard radial bearings are not designed to resist axialmovement. No matter how precise the bearing, all radialbearings will allow some axial movement.
There is a special class of bearings, known as thrustbearings (picture 3), which do resist axial movement.Thrust bearings can be as simple as brass-washers,wave-washers; or as sophisticated as angular contact
ball bearings. All are designed to resist axial movement.
Many spindles are produced without any form ofthrust bearings. They rely on the resistance of theradial bearings for thrust movements. This design isacceptable for very light duty engraving.
Some spindle designs incorporate brass washersor wave washers to resist thrust movement. Thesedesigns, although an improvement, are not much better;they should only be considered for light to medium work.
The most rugged designs will incorporate angularcontact ball bearings. Angular contact means that thebearing race is offset on an angle.
An ang ula r con tact bal l bear ing wil l res ist axi almovement in one direction. They are designed to beused in pairs, one to resist movement in one direction,the other to resist movement in the opposite direction.The bearing pairs are preloaded, that is locked togetheron the spindle shaft, thereby resisting axial movementin either direction.
ConclusionThe most critical bearing in a spindles design is theradial bearing(s). In any engraving application, a poorquality radial bearing will produce run-out, which in turncan affect engraving quality.
As far as thrust bearings are concerned, if your primaryapplication is diamond drag, and you are using a spring-loaded tool; or if youre using a nosecone that rideson the materials surface, then you shouldnt be tooconcerned about minor axial movement.
On the other hand, quality thrust bearings are vital ifyour work requires precisely controlling cutting depths.
As with any design feature, it is important to decide thetype of work your machine will be required to perform.Spindle designs that incorporate high quality, heavy-
duty bearings will generally cost more. In fact, precision
spindles can cost more than some entire engravingmachines. However, if performance, quality, andversatility are requirements, theyre worth every penny.
Next time well conclude our look at spindles, and focuson tool holding methods.
Judy and John McDanielare owners of JHM Marketingand CorelDRAWhelp, Inc. They provide consultingand training services for the industry. Currently theyare both Corel Training Partners and offer private andgroup training seminars. They also offer one-on-oneapplication support consulting through CASS, an emailsubscription service. (For more information, pleasevisit www.CorelDRAWhelp.com.) They can be reached
via email, at [email protected]. CDH
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
GETTING AHEAD
http://www.coreldrawhelp.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.coreldrawhelp.com/ -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
23/34July 2009 23
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
GETTING AHEADBy Deborah Sexton Grow
Auto Digitizing: Is it Right for You?
A look at the pros and cons of automatic digitizing software.
Everyone loves the fantasy of simply pressinga button to complete a task, no matter itscomplexity. Imagine quickly cleaning your messy
ofce b just hitting a button. Or nishing a of ourincomplete orders at the touch of a button. Or digitizingdesigns with the press of a button.
Good news: You really can convert artwork into anembroidery-ready design with just a few button presses,thanks to auto digitizing software. However, youmust have a realistic understanding of thestrengths and limitations of the technology ifyou want to get the most out of it instead ofgetting distracted by fantasies, suppliers say.Many people get the impression that they
just scan in the design, and theres nothingmore that needs to be done, says TobyDiamond, software support specialist, Brother,Bridgewater, N.J. Thats not the case.
Beyond the FantasyBasically, auto digitizing softwares magic isthat it converts artwork into embroidery withonly limited user input. This type of program,which generally is part of a larger embroiderydesign software package, also can do letteringusing any True Type font from your computer.The software does all the thinking and heavylifting, explains Preeti Suri, director, marketingservices, Pulse Microsystems, Mississauga,Ontario. It automatically applies stitches tosegments based on mathematical algorithms.
However, the seemingly straightforward promise ofauto digitizing software converting graphics intoembroidery-ready digitizing is sometimes eithermisrepresented or misunderstood. You have to makesure you understand what youre getting, says JoshOrosco, support manager and education director,Pantograms, Tampa, Fla. Its not going to take care ofall your digitizing needs.
Adds Suri : Some companies give peop le a false
belief that they can magically transform artwork intoembroidery with just the click of a button. No technologyavailable today can create stellar designs from artworkin a completely hands-free, automated way, shesays. Technology cannot substitute for the skill andexperience of a digitizer but it can come close insome cases, depending on the artwork.
It does speed up the process, but it will never replacethe quality of manual digitizing, notes DJ Anderson,
director, Floriani Embroidery, Knoxville,Tenn. However, some elements convertproperly and you can use it along with manualdigitizing.
Whats most important to understand aboutauto digitizing software is that it doesntmagically eliminate the variables involved inembroidery, including type of fabric, artworksize and quality, and stitch densitybut
that its still a useful tool, if used for the rightapplications.
In the absence of human judgment and input,an automatic digitizing tool can only follow itsbasic written instructions, says Joe Wirsing,sales manager, Compucon, Greensboro,N.C. It requires intelligent human evaluationsfor decisions such as the best sequence forsewing color blocks, ideal placement of therst/ast stitch ocations for each coor, orefficient routing from one block
of color to the next.
Some auto digitizing programs will let you choose from a limitedselection of fabrics t hat the design will be sewn on. But even if it hasa piqu knit selection, for example, there are many varieties of p iquknits that will require digitizing adjustm ents that the program can not
automatically compensate for.Photo courtesy of Wilcom, Norcross, Ga.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
GEttInG AHEAD
-
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
24/34July 2009 24
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
GEttInG AHEAD
Charuta Maranthe, product manager, WilcomDecoStudio and EmbroideryStudio, Wilcom, Norcross,Ga., agrees. You still need to understand what makesembroidery-friendly artwork and adjust your designsbefore converting to embroidery.
At Its BestWhich applications make the most sense, then forauto digitizing software? Suppliers say that its ideal forsimple, clean artwork with a minimum of colors, oftenrequiring only a minimum of adjustments. It works wellfor smaller orders, Diamond says, as well as simpledesigns like lettermans jacket logos and block or scriptlettering.
The software lends itself well to simple designs andboder shaes, as we as stitches and satin stitches,
Diamond says. Higher-end auto digitizingsoftware also works well with smalllettering.
An educ at io nal to ol . Auto digit izingsoftware also can serve as a learning tool,industry veterans say. I wouldnt consider
it a digitizing lesson, but it might tell youon a small shape that you shouldnt usesilk, for example, Diamond says.
You can get up to speed a lot quickerand its a less daunting way to startembroidery. It doesnt replace humancreativity or judgment, but is a tool toimprove productivity or to help beginnerscreate embroidery designs with little orno experience, Maranthe says. Start with the autodigitizing, and when youre ready, you can learn moreadvanced, feature-rich programs.
However, some suppliers say that auto digitizingsoftware is a less-than-ideal way to learn digitizing.It helps you get a leg up while youre learning how todigitize, but your time is better spent with a full-featuredprogram, Orosco says. Theres only one way to learnto digitize, and thats to sit down and do it.
A start ing po int . The software can be extremely helpfulin digitizing a design that users can then edit to create
a na design. you cant tweak densit or undera oradd pull compensation but you can do basic editing,Orosco says.
Professionals can speed up their digitizing time byusing the automatic conversion to stitches as a startingpoint, Maranthe suggests. Then they simply edit andadd more creativity to it using manual digitizing tools.
Just be sure that youre aware of the true extent to whichyou can edit designs using auto digitizing software. Youcant edit your way to paradise, Wirsing says. But you
can edit your way to an improvement.
Small orders. Auto digitizing software is great if youdont want to wait for turnaround on digitizing, or youdont want the expense of sending it out for just one ortwo pieces, Diamond says.
Estimates. For complex designs, auto digitizingsoftware can be helpful as a stitch estimator, supplierssay. Embroiderers can use the program to estimate thenumber of stitches the na design wi have, Suri sas.This saves them a lot of time and effort, as they donthave to digitize the design rst and the estimates arequite accurate for the purpose of quoting.
Adds Wirsing: In two minutes, you can have an idea ofthe designs stitch count. Auto digitizing is a very quickway to get an overview of the count for pricing purposes.
Best ResultsUsers who get the most satisfaction from their autodigitizing software are those who understand where itshines, and where its less than optimal. For instance,it does we at digitizing artwork in the most efcientmanner possible. For example, the software might notput an even number of points on both sides of a columnin a satin stitch, requiring the user to make
manual adjustments. However, such limitations
Shopping for SoftwareAccording to some industry veterans, many autodigitizing programs offer comparable features, soshoppers should focus more on the entire digitizingpackage rather than just the auto digitizing module.However, others rm disagree: There is a widespectrum of quality that youll achieve in differentauto digitizing packages; they are not all createdequal, says Charuta Maranthe, product manager,Wilcom DecoStudio and EmbroideryStudio, Wilcom,Norcross, Ga. The quality of the stitchout is thereal test.
According to Maranthe, questions to consider whenchoosing an auto-digitizing program include:
Does it maintain individual objects andlayers so you can move them and adjustthem independently?
Does it factor in the underlay, pullcompensation, and stitch densities to suitthe fabric you will be stitching the design on?
Does it automatically create appliqu fromyour artwork?
Does it stitch well?
Auto digitizing doesntreplace human creativity
or judgment, but is atool to improveproductivity or tohelp beginners
create embroiderydesigns with little
or no experience, says CharutaMaranthe, product manager, Wilcom.
Photo courtesy of Wilcom, Norcross, Ga.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
GEttInG AHEAD
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/GeoK.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
25/34July 2009 25
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
GEttInG AHEAD
may be less of an issue for smaller shops, Diamond says. If youre doing oneiece, ou ma not care about sewing inefciencies.
Youll also get higher-quality results by starting with higher-quality artwork,Maranthe says. If you use a scanned-in blurry image, you will not get a goodresult compared with a clean vector
image, she says. Rubbish in, rubbishout, so to speak.
Finally, stick with simple, solid color,shapes, text and logos, Maranthe says.Depending on the sophistication of thesoftware, you can get great results withmore complex designs also.
By understanding these limitationsand strengths, youll be able to make abetter-informed decision about how autodigitizing software may be able to helpyour shop.
Deborah Sexton, former editor of Impressions Magazine, has been in theapparel graphics industry since 1981. She currently does marketing and publicrelations for apparel graphics companies. She can be reached at [email protected].
The purpose of an autodig i t iz ing program is toscan in artwork and havethe program automaticallyconvert i t to s t i tches. I tcannot replace the sewingqual i ty and eff ic iency ofmanual digitizing, but maybe useful for simp le shapes
and lettering.Photo courtesyof Pulse Microsystems,Mississauga, Ontario.
What an auto digiti zing programshould not be expected to
do is replace an experienceddigiti zer. Sophisti cated designssuch as th is one can onlybe created by using a ful l -featured manual d ig i t iz ingprogram. Photo courtesy of RNKDistributing, Knoxville, Tenn.
CDH
Share CorelDRAW TipsIn recent surveys, readers of this magazine have said theyd like to havemore tips on CorelDRAW, and theyd like to know how other peopleare using the program for different projects. So we invite you to submitexamples of artwork youve created, along with a description of how youdid it, and your bio with a photo. We are looking for everything frombrochures and flyers to sign and t-shirt artwork.
To share your tips, just send an email to the editor [email protected]. Thanks much!
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
SPONSORS: MAGAZINE These are the proud sponsors of CorelDRAWHelp magazine. Be sure to thank
http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/PSI.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/GeoK.htmhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/[email protected] -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
26/34
July 2009 26
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
SPONSORS: MAGAZINEClick these Logo-Links to go directly to sponsor websites
These are the proud sponsors of CorelDRAWHelpmagazine. Be sure to thankthese companies for bringing you this magazine free of charge.
SPONSORS IN THE NEWS
This month, our sponsors have been making these headlines:
SPONSORS: TOURClick these Logo-Links to go directly to sponsor websites
Visit the CorelDRAW Digital Help Tour!
Great DaneGraphics has fournew Kids Theme
Stock Art
Imprintables Warehouse hasnew blog on heat transfers
Johnson Plastics offersChromaLuxe Clear
Stahls ID releases newCAD-PRTINZ Zebra Fil l
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/RED1/SP-ACDRP.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/GeoK.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RED1/SP-GeoKnight.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RED1/SP-Corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RED1/SP-Epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/Topmost.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/IW.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/GreatDane.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/StahlsID.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/PSI.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/ProLinkgs.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/NR.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/LaserSketch.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/GeoK.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/epilog.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/JP.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/corel.htmhttp://www.coreldrawpro.com/RE/JBL.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
27/34
July 2009 27
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
The Association of CorelDRAWProfessionalsis The Education & Business Resource for CorelDRAW Users Worldwide.Is goa is o hep: 1) IMPROVEyour CoreDRAW sis, ad 2) MAKE MONEY wih hose sis! You ca paricipae i ACDRP serices i four ways:
THE WORLDS ONLY ASSOCIATION FOR CORELDRAWUSERS
INVITES YOU TO MAKE MORE MONEY WITH CORELDRAW!
CorelDRAWHelp E-Newsis a free digia ewseer deieredo you wice a moh focused o Idusry news ia he Graphicsnews Wire, lis o auae resources, ad a compee educa-io ad show Caedar. S
CorelDRAWHelp, he Erepreeuria magazie for CoreDRAWusers, feaures i-deph coe o: How to UseCorelDRAW -- ips, rics, adacedar wor , success s or ies , ier iews, ad more.How to Apply CorelDRAW -- for graphic producioprocesses such as emroidery, egraig, hea priig, aser,promo producs, priig, sadasig, sigmaig, suimaio,ad screepriig.How to Prot from CorelDRAW-- Produc ews, usiesscoums, reiews, proes, ad aderisig wih ie is.
SUBSCRIBE -- NO CHARGE JOIN -- $60 PER YEAR
A users of CoreDRAW Graphics Suie are quaied osuscrie free o CorelDRAWHelpmagazie (PDF forma) adCorelDRAWHelp E-News.
Subscription toCorelDRAWHelp&CorelDRAWHelp E-News
TTF Newsletter. Suscripio o hemonthlyTips, Templates & Fixturesnewseer oy aaiae o memers.
GSG Basic List ing. You ca is yourserices i he Graphic Serices Guide
i oe caegory as par of memership (a$25 aue).
Ac ces s to Qu ic kL ear n. A eywordsearchae daaase of 100s of ariceso CoreDRAW, graphics producio, adbusiness.
A users of CoreDRAW are iied o joi he Associaio adae adaage of excusie coe, discous, ad profes-sioa recogiio. ACDRP memership icudes:
TTF
QuickLearn
QuickTNT
Archives
BASIC GSG LISTING -- $25 PER YR
the Graphic Services Guide is he Idusry Yeow Pages forSerices ad Fiished Goods. GSG is promoed i a our pui-caios ad our wesie o he word of CoreDRAW users. Yourisig gies you he opporuiy o promoe your serices (i ayof 40 caegories) o oher CoreDRAW users.the basic lisig icudes:your compay descripioemai i, adisig i oe caegory.Addiioa serice caegories are $10 each per year.
the Ehaced GSGlisig is for compaies ha wa o is iwo caegories ad add a phoo or ogo.
ENHANCED GSG LISTING -- $50/$75 PER YR
Classifeds
Access to QuickTnT.A growig daaaseof CoreDRAW ips for udersadig hee pois of he program, ad empaesha ca e dowoaded o speed up yourproducio.
Ac ces s to Ar ch iv es. Past issues ofCorelDRAWHelpare aaiae o memerswih ie is.
Bookstore Discounts.Memers receie
a 10% discou o a producs i heCorel-DRAWHelpboosore.
Professional Recognition.Use of theACDRP ogo for professioa ideicaioo usiess cards, wesies, ad eerhead.You aso receie a memership cericae.
Classified Ads. Memers ca paceoe cassied ad per year a o charge wihphoo, ad ru i i he iem is sod! (a $35aue)
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
To Subscribe (no charge)To Join ($60/yr)To List in the Graphic Services Guide
($25 Basic $50/$75 Enhanced,
or $120/145 for Multi-Service)
CorelDRAW is a registered trademark of Corel Corp., and is used with permission.
Visit www.coreldrawhelp.comand click on the appropriate links.
800-276-8428
the Mui-Serice GSGlisig aows you o is up o 40 differ-e serice caegories wih deaied descripios ad add a phooor logo.
MULTI-SERVICE GSG LISTING -- $120/$145 PER YR
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
MARKETING SECRETS
http://www.coreldrawpro.com/http://www.coreldrawpro.com/ -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
28/34
July 2009 28
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
MARKETING SECRETSBy Donna M. Gray, CRM Grow
Staying Sharp in Summers Slump
Donna Grays 2nd book,Its All Relative!Surviving & Thriving in a Family Busi-
ness, was published in September 2007.
It describes herquest to identify thekeys to success forsmall business, andfamily businesses inparticular. She inter-viewed top businessesnationwide and dis-covered ve commonqualities implementedby successful businessowners. Check it outat the CorelDRAWProBookstore,www.corel-drawpro.com/AllBookstore.htm
It doesnt take a genius to recognize the symptomsthe summer slump has arrived. Customers are eitheron vacation or just lookingbut not ready to orderproducts for their fall projects. Business friends are
complaining to one another about how slow things are.Those that use our kinds of products and services arenot in a hurryto buy.
Staing shar during the summer sum is difcut inordinar ears. This ear, with a difcut econom, its
downright painful for some. Its affecting every business,
in every industry. Its a challenge for most every
company to get customers to sign on the dotted line.
But even with all the whining and complaining about howbad it isIm still seeing those who are holding their own.
New ways to sellTheres no doubt that times are tough. Companiesand organizations are cutting back on their spending.Cities, counties and states are tightening their belts.Decision makers are holding offon making buying plans.
So comanies have to ook for and nd new was to
increase productivity and make more money. Selling,in this difcut econom, requires a different aroachthan the way many of us grew our businesses.
Remember the old sell the sizzle not the steakadvertising rue? We, vaue and benets (the sizze)are now important pieces of our selling tool box.Our industrys sizzle is sometimes appreciation andapplause. Sometimes our sizzle is ideas. Sometimesits our ability to take that idea and turn it into a whole
program. Sometimes its all of the above and more.
New stories for our productsJuly is historically a slow month in our trade except,maybe, for those who are big into summer sports
awards. Some of us have time to create some sizzleto sell. Ive heard that when things are slow, its timeto create a new story for each of our products andservicesthat means writing down a the benets, thepoints that stand out, the things that make us unique.
Mary Kay Plantes, in her new book, Beyond Price,
explains why we should not consider our products and
services to be commodities. Companies should work todifferentiate themselves from the competition; however,selling in this economy does not mean we should makeourselves different by giving away the store. Giving
awa rots with the hoe that we wi make it u involume is not the answer for how to get more business.
Companies, all over the world, spend millions of dollarstelling their team what to say, but much less than thaton educating them about the companys history, its
mission, and about the value of their product or service.
None of us should assume that everyone has the sameknowledge of what our company is about. Summersslump is a good time to train and share. Its also agreat time to get team members ideas on new products,
ways to improve production techniques, and their inputon prospective customers. Team members, becausethey can see the forest for the trees, have good inputon ways to:
Find new product ideas for customers.
Find ways to increase customer contacts. Even
when we have all the business we can handle,we need to keep that customer contact goingstrong.
Develop ideas for special customer events.
Find products to use as leave behinds atcustomer visits.
Find information we can pass on that will bevaluable to customers and prospects.
Plan unique ways to follow up after a sales call.
Develop questions to ask at after sale
opportunities.
BACK NEXT FULL SCREENCONTENTSINFOSPONSORS
MARkEtInG SECREtS
http://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htmhttp://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htmhttp://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htmhttp://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htmhttp://%20www.coreldrawpro.com/AllBookstore.htm -
8/10/2019 Corel 09 Iul
29/34
July 2009 29
Click ads to go directlyto advertisers web site.HelCorelDRAW
Get back to basicsBecause the selling / buying environment is not thesame as it was a couple years ago, its time to get back
to basics. Staying sharp in summers slump includesbasics like:
Choose where we spend time prospecting.It doesnt make a lot of sense to waste time
chasing business that we really dont wantjust to make a sale. Its better to concentrateon romancingexisting clients or to dig deeperinto those accounts. Remember 80% of goodbusiness comes from 20% of our customers.
Find ways to get our offerings to the top of the
customers priority list. Since many clients arewaiting and seeing, nd was to show them thebenet of acing their order and getting it offtheir to-do list.
Plan and practice for the objections. Avoid
being negative. Look for and present exciting new product ideas
for the coming season. Draft some good questions to ask customers.
Good questions and good listening skills oftenget the sale were looking for.
Communicate with prospects. Create proposals.Follow up with details.
Find ways to make it easy for customers tobuy. If you dont already take credit cards, get
a program in place. Ask for referrals. Dont get discouraged. This too shall pass.
Time for R&DSummers slump will fade away, however, while were inthe middle of a slow time why not invest in research and
development? This is a great time to go through all lastears industr information with an ee to nding newvendors, new product ideas, and reading about all thechanges that took place in the industry when we were
too busy to look. This is a good time to do research on
how good your support team of accountants, attorneys,bankers, attorneys and insurance companies are doingfor your company.
Are they on top of your needs? Are they looking for waysto help your company succeed? Are they introducingyour business to their contacts? Have you askedthem to introduce your company to their connections?
Typically, July and August are our companys timeto make sure were getting our moneys worth fromour