Thursday, 11 December 2014

Study Task 13: Print Finishes

Lamination


Production Method: Lamination adds a layer of protective coating (usually some type of plastic), often glossy or matte, to the printed surface while also improving its sturdiness and water resistance. Lamination also has the added benefits of improving the tactile feel of the of the printed surface, lending it a smooth finish. If a high gloss laminate is applied to the printed surface, photos and images appear to have more contrast and have better sharpness, as shown below:
Cost: Low 


Matte laminated prints are more subdued but add a very luxurious and elegant finish to the printed surface:




Spot UV Gloss/Varnish


Production Method: Spot UV varnishes are paper varnishes applied to the printing surface and is cured or hardened by UV light during the printing process. This results in a glossy coating on the surface of a print.
Digital Preparation: 
Cost:  High. As the application can add one or two working days onto the turnaround time. This is simply because each piece of the printed design must individually passed through the spot gloss machine. This is labor intensive and a very specialised process which is why the cost does ramp up quite a bit.

(theres gloss, matte, satin, silk and neutral finished to varnish) 




Foil Stamping


Production Method: Foil stamping is the use of a malleable metallic material applied to the print surface by using heat and pressure. It adds reflective elements to the design as well as luxury. 
Digital Preparation: 
Cost: High. As it is labor intensive




Embossing

Production Method: Embossing refers to raising parts of the page for emphasis and texture.Embossing also adds a tactile dimension to your design. Images and text are literally felt.Often, embossing can be combined with other printing techniques such as foil stamping to enhance the effects of both techniques. Embossing happens after laminating, foiling, varnish etc. 
Digital Preparation: 
Cost: Low. Not as expensive as you might think. 




Letterpress or Debossing 

Production Method: Letterpress was invented in the 15th century and was the first reliable and widely used method of printing. A worker composes and locks movable type into the bed of a press, inks it, and presses paper against it to transfer the ink from the type which creates an impression on the paper.
Digital Preparation: None
Cost: Medium. Labour intensive. 



Die Cutting 

Production Method: Die cutting is used for creating shapes or slits in printed items, eg. if you wish to create a circular invite, innovative mailing piece or slits to hold a business card then you will need to have your finished piece die cut.



Thermography 

Production Method: Thermography is also the name of a post print process that is achieved today using traditional printing methods coupled with thermography machines. Thermography machines consist of three sections with a through conveyor.

The first section applies thermographic/embossing powder, made from plastic resins, to the substrate (normally paper). The areas selected for raised printing are printed with slow-drying inks that do not contain dryers or hardeners so that they remain wet during the application of powder. This ink is dried and hardened later during the heating process.

The second section of the process is a vacuum system that removes excess powder from uninked areas of the substrate.

The third section of the process conveys the product through a radiant oven where it is exposed to high temperatures. The heating process takes on the order of 2.5 to 3 seconds. The substrate (usually paper) has a peak in IR absorption at the wavelength used. Through conduction from the paper, the powder temperature rapidly increases and starts melting. When the process is correctly adjusted, the center of the largest filmed areas reach sufficient quality level as the product exits the heater. The melted ink then solidifies as the product cools.

This process is sometimes produced using manual powdering. The substrate with the wet ink is dipped into the powdered polymer. The sheet is then tilted back and forth, rolling the powder across the image. The excess powder is then removed by raising the substrate to a vertical position and lightly tapping the back side. The powdered sheet is then fed into a radiant heating system (as above) at a speed that achieves a good-quality melted film. In the case of craft applications, the powder is melted using a heat gun that blows hot air.

It is commonly used on wedding invitations, letterheads, business cards, greetings cards, gift wrap, packaging and can also be used to print braille text. It is sometimes used in diploma printing as an attractive alternative to the more expensive engraving option.






Perforating 


Production Method: Perforations allow a document to be separated into smaller portions of the whole and they allow a document to be folded easily (similar to the function of a score). In terms of printing specifications, perforations are classified according to bursting strength or tpi, which refers to "ties per inch" or "teeth per inch."
Burst and Tear Strength
The burst strength is a measurement of the pressure (as measured with a burst strength gauge) that is required separate a document at the perforated location(s).

The tear strength is the resistance that a perforation offers in preventing a document from separating at the perforated location(s). This also correlates with the physical effort that is necessary to separate the document at the perforated location(s).Tear strength can be categorized as "light release," which is easily torn; "medium release," which provides moderate tear resistance; or "stiff release," which provides the greatest resistance to detachment even after the document is folded at the perforation and is subjected to rough handling.The purpose and function of a perforation often determines whether the perforation is to be an easy release variety (3 to 6 TPI) or a stiff release variety (10 to 18 TPI). The weight and thickness of the paper stock also affects the burst strength.





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