Sign making is one of those businesses that can bring in huge profits to the owner, with companies, schools, and individuals needing some sort of printed materials and signage. Now, if you’ve been playing with the idea of putting up a sign making business (or you already have one and are planning to upgrade), you must have essential materials, equipment, and supplies. These may include the popular Roland Eco Solvent inks, which are specifically designed for large-format printers.
Additionally, you should invest in the following pieces of equipment and materials for your sign making business:
Computer
Make sure you’re getting a computer (whether laptop or desktop) that has high-end specifications, from the GPU and processor to memory and hard drive.
Let’s break them down simply (Note: Specifications mentioned are minimum. You can go higher depending on your budget and specific performance requirements):
- GPU – A computer that is intended for sign making projects should have the best graphics card or GPU. The better the GPU your computer has, the better its graphics performance would be.
- Processor – Since the processor is like the brain of your computer, it should be as intelligent as possible. Get a processor that can run anywhere between 1Ghz to 2Ghz (or higher) to avoid lags when you’re already doing some serious graphic design jobs.
- Memory – The higher the RAM, the better/faster your computer will run. Depending on your budget, you should have at least 8Gb of RAM up to 16Gb if you want your computer to handle really serious design projects with ease.
- Hard drive – You may choose between a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD) depending on your budget and needs. An HDD is at least 50% cheaper than an SSD, but an SSD is sturdier than an HDD, plus the SSD boots and launches programs considerably faster than the HDD. HDDs should be anywhere between 1Tb and 2Tb, while SSDs should range between 128Gb to 256Gb.
- Monitor – Whether you’re gunning for a desktop or a laptop, remember that the larger the monitor, the better. A large monitor will help you work with ease as you have generous space to display the designs you’re working on.
Design software
Like your choice of computer, you should also get an above-average design software. While there are free graphic design software applications out there, any serious sign maker would want one that is up for the toughest design challenges.
Here are some of the most in-demand paid graphic design software available on the market:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign CC
- Canva
- Corel Paintshop Pro
- CorelDraw Graphics Suite 2018
- Pixlr
Substrates and printer
Having the perfect design hardware won’t be enough if you can’t turn the finished designs into actual products for clients. You’ll need different substrates such as acrylic, coroplast, black PVC, and many others. You should also invest in one or two large-format printers, so you can always have a backup in case one breaks down or if you have to print multiple designs.
Fortunately, there are companies in Australia that offer affordable and high-quality substrates and large-format printers, so this should be an easy task for you. With these three essentials, you should be able to kickstart or upgrade your sign making business soon.