Different Ways to Brand a Promotional USB drive

The most common branding methods for a custom flashdrive is via laser engraving or pad printing.  These popular methods offer advantages and disadvantages in the final result.  

Pad Printing (Pad Printed USB Drives)

Pad printed flashdrives look terrific.  It involves an ink transfer of your intended image directly onto the flashdrive.  Pad printed flashdrives can be done on plastic as well as metal cases.  They can be printed in any spot colours (generally up to 3 spot colours).  The cool thing is that virtually the entire Pantone range of colours can be printed.  This is the most economical way to brand custom memory drives.  Their are several things to note about pad printed thumb drives though:

Positives:

-  Low in cost and economical
-  Choice of any close match to the PMS colour chart
 

Negatives
-  Pad printed images can be scratch off over time
-  Not recomended for smooth surfaces made from metal
-  Does not allow for minute small details
 

(below is an image of a pad printing machine)

Laser Engraving (laser engraved flashdrives)

The 2nd most popular method for branding usb keys is by laser engraving.  This method involves a high intensity laser beam which basically scorches the surface resulting in an image.  Laser engraving is done via sophisticated digital machines which work off software.  Laser engraving offers both and advantage and disadvantage compared to promotional flashdrives printed via pad printing.

Positives: 
-  Permanant long lasting branding that cannot be scratched off
-  Classy luxurious finish
-  Printing of fine details possible

Negative:
-  No colour can be printed.  Engraving is a mark or an etch
-  Cannot be performed on most plastic surfaces
 

Full Colour Printed USB Keys (Full Colour branded flashdrives)

We are all familiar with digital printers or bubble jet printers.   This is similar conceptually.  With full colour custom flashdrives there is 2 methods of branding.  The one with the best result and the one we recomend is for a full colour printed photo which is encased in a small cavity available in certain styles of flashdrives.  As you can imagine the result is quite stunning and allows for details not available to pad printing and laser engraving such as full colour photographs.  

Alternatively we are now introducing full colour printing on plastic surfaces which is available for certain styles of promo flash memory.  This essentially is a full colour image which is transfered using a special technique directly onto a plastic surface.  This method will lose some sharpness and detail though.  This is unavoidable but it does offer an extra option for our clients!!