A tension fabric display needs more than a frame size and a print file. This guide explains TFS and SEG terminology and the decisions sign makers, shopfitters and printers should agree before choosing a profile, ordering graphics or planning repeat changes.
A brief asking for a “TFS frame” or an “SEG display” leaves several questions unanswered. Is the requirement for a frame, a replacement graphic or a complete display? Will the graphic be illuminated? How will the frame be supported, and who will change the graphic?
The TexSign tension fabric system from Brownings Ltd brings together silicone-edge graphics and aluminium frame profiles for trade display applications. Understanding how those parts relate makes the specification easier to communicate.
What do TFS and SEG mean?
TFS means tension fabric system in this guide. It describes a display system that holds a fabric graphic under tension.
SEG means silicone-edge graphics. A silicone strip is sewn around the edge of the fabric and fitted into a channel in the frame to hold the graphic in place. The term describes the graphic finishing method, rather than a particular frame depth or lighting specification. [1]
The two terms are therefore not competing product choices. A tension fabric system can use an SEG graphic. In a TexSign enquiry, specify both the frame requirement and the graphic requirement rather than assuming that either abbreviation defines the whole job.
Start with the application, not the profile number
First establish where the display will go and how it needs to work. For a wall-mounted display, identify the available space, the supporting surface and access to the frame. For a freestanding or suspended proposal, ask which profile and supporting arrangement are appropriate before treating that format as settled.
State whether graphics are needed on one face or both. Include the proposed dimensions, orientation and any surrounding joinery or display elements. These are questions for the specification, not a suggestion that every profile supports every arrangement.
A useful enquiry describes the finished display and its constraints. The profile can then be selected against that brief, using the current product information for the exact system.
Agree illumination before ordering the graphic
A non-illuminated graphic is viewed using light falling onto its face. A backlit graphic is designed to be viewed with light passing through it from behind. That distinction affects the choice of fabric and print preparation; a graphic produced for one arrangement should not automatically be treated as suitable for the other. [2]
Tell the printer about the intended illumination at the start. For a backlit proposal, agree the frame, lighting arrangement and graphic material together, then decide how the printed result will be checked under the intended lighting.
TexSign has profile and lighting options, but the selected combination still needs confirming. Avoid specifying a profile solely because its depth suits a drawing, then treating illumination as something to resolve afterwards.
Artwork and printing requirements for TexSign
Brownings does not print TexSign fabric graphics in-house. Printing is carried out by our external print suppliers, with dye-sublimation printing as standard.
For TexSign graphics supplied through Brownings, our printers require high-resolution artwork as a PDF. Set up the artwork to the frame or box size, plus 20 mm bleed on every edge, whichever print method is selected. This adds 40 mm to the overall artwork width and 40 mm to its height.
An overall frame dimension, a visible graphic area and a finished fabric dimension are different pieces of information. Label the frame or box dimensions clearly, and check where important lettering, logos and image details sit relative to the visible area.
The silicone edge needs to fit the frame channel. Do not assume that a graphic made for another frame will fit just because both displays are described as SEG. Agree the edge-finishing detail and the fabric specification with the frame supplier and printer. [1]
For a new frame-and-fabric combination, discuss a sample or first-off fit check before committing to a production run. Make responsibility for measuring, printing, sewing and checking the fit explicit in the brief.
Artwork details that can affect your quote
Dye-sublimation is our standard print method, but some artwork may require a different print specification. Highlight the following requirements when requesting a quotation so that the print method can be agreed with our external print suppliers.
Large areas of solid colour
For illuminated displays, large areas of solid or block colour may require triple-layer printing. This uses three layers of ink: colour / white / colour, not three layers of fabric. It helps increase colour vibrancy and diffuse the light, helping to reduce visible LED spotting through the graphic.
Images or text spanning multiple graphics
Where images or text continue across separate fabric panels, we recommend UV printing for improved alignment between the graphics. Make this requirement clear when submitting the artwork so that the print method can be agreed with our print suppliers.
These requirements can affect the quotation. Contact Brownings before approving the order if the artwork calls for a revised print specification. The 20 mm bleed on every edge applies whichever print method is selected.
Plan the next graphic change as well as the first
TexSign supports repeat graphic changes. That makes the next campaign part of the original specification, rather than a separate issue to address later.
Ask who will remove and replace the graphic, how they will reach the frame, and whether surrounding fittings leave enough access. Record the chosen profile, frame dimensions, graphic template and finishing requirements so that replacement graphics can be ordered against the same information.
For several display locations, give each frame a clear reference. Keep the approved artwork and graphic specification with that reference. This is a practical way to organise repeat orders without assuming that every frame in a scheme is identical.
What to include in a TexSign enquiry
Display brief: The application, location within the scheme, proposed dimensions and quantity. State whether the proposal is wall-mounted, freestanding or suspended, and whether one or both faces carry graphics.
Graphic brief: Who is supplying the print, whether the job needs new frames or replacement graphics, and whether an existing frame or sample needs identifying. Include the expected frequency of graphic changes.
Frame and lighting brief: The proposed finish, space constraints and whether illumination is required. Ask for confirmation of the suitable profile and lighting combination rather than assuming that options are interchangeable.
Supply and access: The required delivery date, how the display will reach its position, who is responsible for installation and what supply format is needed. Request confirmation of what is included in the quotation; do not treat printing, assembly, fixings or installation as automatically included.
Where TexSign fits for trade buyers
TexSign is a Brownings product brand for sign makers, shopfitters, printers and point-of-sale display companies. The common requirement is a frame system for fabric graphics, with the profile and lighting options selected for the application.
For a printer, the frame-to-graphic detail is a key discussion. For a shopfitter or sign maker, the surrounding scheme, support and access may need resolving first. Both need the same agreed specification before their parts of the job move into production.
Brownings is a trade-only sign manufacturer specialising in extrusion-built signage and display systems. Its role is to support the trade customer, not compete for their end-user work.
A practical specification comes first
TFS and SEG are useful shorthand, but neither replaces a brief. Confirm the application, frame, graphic, illumination and access requirements together before production.
Review the TexSign profile options, then send Brownings your trade display brief. Start with what the finished display needs to do and use that to select the system.
Technical references
[1] Orbus: SEG graphics – general explanation of silicone-edge graphics and the frame channel. [2] Imaginators: Silicone Edge Graphics – general print considerations for backlit and non-illuminated fabric graphics. These references explain industry principles; they are not TexSign product specifications.
