Board Game Manufacturing
How is the custom board game manufacturing process different from other printing projects?
The custom board game manufacturing process is far more complex than book and card printing, for one main reason: game pieces. Board games require several game pieces and components; on top of the number of components that your game includes, there are many customizable options for each of those items. Other processes, like custom book printing, do not require as many steps as they are typically only paper components with custom artwork. In contrast, board game printing can require upwards of 5 different materials depending on what you choose. To see some of the components we offer up close, order one of our sample packs.
The process of manufacturing a game relies heavily on your customization. At PrintNinja, we can make that process easy. We build your custom game with plenty of communication between you and our customer service team to make sure it ends up exactly how you want it – and we’ll handle all the technicalities so you don’t have to.
What is the custom board game manufacturing process?
After quoting, prototyping and thoroughly playtesting your board game, the next step is manufacturing it. We prioritize custom components first in the manufacturing process. Our vendors are very time-sensitive during the process, so we prepare game pieces like custom miniatures before anything else.
Because board games require a lot of components, the number of vendors we work is more than with other projects, like books or comics. If you specified to have both wooden and glass game pieces for your board game, this means we’d be in contact with both of those vendors. As a result, board game turnaround times can be considerably longer.
Typically, we have 3 to 5 vendors for any given project, each supplying different components to make the board game. In the past, however, we’ve had as many as 12 vendors working with us.
After all custom components are manufactured, we move onto cards, instructions and other components. These usually start during the latter half of the production process.
Quality assurance for board game manufacturing
At PrintNinja, we specialize in completing large projects with excellent service at every stage of production. As a result, our manufacturing team in Shenzhen, China is comprised of dedicated professionals, including quality control experts to catch potential problems as quickly as possible. This team works every day to make sure our customers are happy with their board game.
The factory workers have implemented several procedures to protect the quality of your product. They wear white cotton gloves in the assembly area to prevent fingerprints or smudges on your custom board game. Then, they package your finished product in reinforced boxes so that jostling during the shipping process doesn’t harm your games. On top of that, we always produce an additional 2% overrun free of charge so that if something does go wrong, you can just discard the damaged product. Orders over 2500 units will cap off at 75 overrun defect variance units.
We have a small staff so that we can provide personalized, friendly service to each customer. Our employees make up the backbone of our company – while the machines that make your board games are important, it’s the human touch that sets us apart.
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We’ve created a custom pricing calculator for you to explore all our different printing choices, shipping methods, and get an instant price for your project. You can also customize just about anything, from size and paperweight, to specialty options like metallic ink, foil stamping, and so much more.
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