Differences in print quality on ceramics (1 Viewer)

[Psypher1000]

I'm working on a ceramic set and have been reviewing samples, designs, colors, etc. while waiting on art. What I've noticed is there seems to be a pretty dramatic difference in print quality from stock to custom sets. I'll see if I can describe what I'm referring to.

The Happy Days set by @Potsie1 and the Nine Dragons set by @p5woody are two of my favorite ceramic sets, manufactured by @OldWestPokerSupplies and @GameOnChipCompany, respectively. The colors are bright, the images are pretty sharp, and the print quality is rock solid. Not far behind them in terms of my preferences are the PCF tournament chips (@p5woody again in conjunction with @Tommy) which turned out really well. Again, great colors, sharp printing. The same can also be said on the various WSOP main event replica chips that are floating around out there (who makes such wonderful toys, anyway?).

Then I look at samples from some of the stock sets from Sunfly/BR Pro/Mr. Chip, and the images seem just slightly blurry to me, and the colors don't quite pop as much.

Can someone explain to me the difference that I'm seeing? Are different print quality settings used for customs vs. stocks? Different inks, perhaps?

Any insights out there to be shared?

 

[Mental Nomad]

They are also made by different manufacturers with different equipment.

Perhaps you should ask yourself why you expected them to be the same?

 

[Psypher1000]

They are also made by different manufacturers with different equipment.

Perhaps you should ask yourself why you expected them to be the same?

Whelp, GOCC and OWPS are obviously different manufacturers, but their print quality seems pretty similar to me. Same with ABC. All different blanks, all different manufacturers, but still high quality.

Then there's the stock stuff which seems to have a different print quality. When I see three that have high quality, and I want to ensure high quality on my set, it seems reasonable to ask what it is that makes those different sets and different samples from different vendors/machines all look pretty darn good; or, conversely, why do I perceive the stock sets to be of lower print quality since I can't explicitly account for the difference just because it's a different vendor. I don't know if there's something specific I should be asking for with the customs vendors to do to make the colors and sharpness look good like they do for others.

 

[BGinGA]

I think a lot of it may have something to do with the quality of the image(s) submitted for printing. Pretty much all of the printers involved (GOCC, PGI, OWPS, ABC, Sun-Fly) are capable of producing top-notch work. Items produced in China are another matter, imo.

 

[Potsie1]

I think a lot of it may have something to do with the quality of the image(s) submitted for printing.

With the Happy Days chips Salvatore required very high resolution images/scan to work with. I just told him what I wanted and he worked his magic on said image.

 

[Mental Nomad]

GOCC and OWPS are obviously different manufacturers, but their print quality

OWPS doesn't actually manufacture. They design, and then match the job to a manufacturer.

But, to BGinGA's point, OWPS does good design work, and does a good job matching jobs to manufacturers who produce that specific item well.

 

[SleepInPC]

I got a Lucky Dragon sample from BR Pro Poker and some of them did look a little blurry. After a little use though, they look fine. The plaque sample they sent me is pretty bad quality in my opinion. A bit worried since I planned on getting a sample set from them.

 

[CdnBeerLover]

I always assumed that many of the stock designs (Tiki Kings, B2006, Lucky Dragon, etc) were all produced by the same manufacturer and re-sold by some vendors. If that's the case, perhaps differences may be due to different batch runs, etc.

If my assumption is incorrect, though, it would be good to know.

 

[Psypher1000]

I think a lot of it may have something to do with the quality of the image(s) submitted for printing.

Ohhh...good point. Never thought of that aspect.

OWPS doesn't actually manufacture. They design, and then match the job to a manufacturer.

Huh...never knew that. Thanks! Do they farm out to anyone other than Sun-fly? They're the only blanks I'm aware of that come from OWPS orders.

 

[xdan]

@Psypher1000 i have Chinese ceramics that I think came out really nice.id like to send u some samples to compare, if you wouldn't mind.
All I ask is for honest feedback on how they look and compare to the other ceramic chips u have from more reputable suppliers.

 

[Gunnar]

First of all it is not fair to thow all Chinese manufactures under the same hat.

There are only handfull of chip factories in China but thousands of vendors claiming to make their own chips.

I have ceramics from China and their printing quailty is top notch. I can send you samples to compare also.

To be fair then all US chips are not high quality and all Chinese chips are not bad quality.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Huh...never knew that. Thanks! Do they farm out to anyone other than Sun-fly? They're the only blanks I'm aware of that come from OWPS orders.

Don't know - trade secret.

 

[SleepInPC]

View attachment 38964
I have ceramics from China and their printing quailty is top notch. I can send you samples to compare also.

Where did you order your chips from? What do they feel like? Do they do customs? Do they sell samples? I've been looking into making a custom ceramic set but I'm troubled on where to order them from. Never thought about ordering China ceramics, so now I have even more to choose from.

 

[stocky]

View attachment 38964 First of all it is not fair to thow all Chinese manufactures under the same hat.

There are only handfull of chip factories in China but thousands of vendors claiming to make their own chips.

I have ceramics from China and their printing quailty is top notch. I can send you samples to compare also.

To be fair then all US chips are not high quality and all Chinese chips are not bad quality.

To be fair your set is probably the best quality of printing I've seen from Chinese chips. I haven't seen yours in person but all the ones I have from China don't even come close to GoCC.

 

[Gunnar]

Where did you order your chips from? What do they feel like? Do they do customs? Do they sell samples? I've been looking into making a custom ceramic set but I'm troubled on where to order them from. Never thought about ordering China ceramics, so now I have even more to choose from.

I got then through an Icelandic Pokerstore, I can pm you for more details.

To be fair your set is probably the best quality of printing I've seen from Chinese chips. I haven't seen yours in person but all the ones I have from China don't even come close to GoCC.

Thanks man Would be fun to show them to you in person one day

 

[SleepInPC]

I got then through an Icelandic Pokerstore, I can pm you for more details.

Yes, I'd love that. Thank you.

 

[ChrisB]

Most dye sub printers print at 1200 DPI or dots per inch. That is really high detail. The main reason you see differences in quality of chips comes down to blanks and technique. If you have crappy blanks that don't open up very much in the heating process and take the dye sub ink you will have a faded looking chip. If you use good blanks you still need the correct temps pressure and timing or you will have issues too. You can get a blurry look called gassing where not enough pressure is applied and when the dye sub ink heats it turns to a gas and doesn't go directly into the chip pours it moves around the surface and mixes with other colors etc. If you apply too much heat and pressure you end up warping the chip and cause spinners etc.

 

[Lemonzest]

@Gear knows stuff.

 

[Gear]

@Gear knows stuff.

Not about ceramic printing or dye-sub, I'm afraid.

 

[ABC Gifts and Awards]

Fairly easy answer to this one...at the time of the original post, all of the chips he listed as "slightly blurry" were manufactured by the same company.