The Imprint Process. Presented by: Bruce J. Felber, MAS

Transcription

1 The Imprint Process Presented by: Bruce J. Felber, MAS

2 In today s session we will concentrate on the different methods of decorating products in the promotional products industry. By understanding the process, distributors gain more trust from their clients. Knowing the process will help when designing a new look, logo or brand.

3 We will discuss these different imprinting techniques and how and why they are used: Printing (offset, digital, letterpress, and flexography) Screen Printing Embroidery Pad Printing Foil Stamping Engraving/Etching Deboss & Emboss Sublimation Combined Processes The Digital Revolution

4 First, why is it important to have an understanding of these methods? Second, what will you gain with this knowledge?

5 Understanding Of These Methods 1. Will enable you to talk to your suppliers on the same level 2. Will give you the information on why the costs, limitations and production times are in the suppliers information and why the items are priced accordingly. 3. Will give you the knowledge to speak to your clients 4. Will elevate you to something other than a commodity salesperson

6 Printing Letterpress: Moveable type was invented by Johannes Guttenberg in the mid-15th century and revolutionized communication. The type and cuts were inked and this was transferred to the substrate where an impression was made. Type and cuts were visible but upside down and backwards. This was used in our industry for signs, tickets, forms, business cards, letterhead, labels and posters and has made a re-bound in artistic circles. Each color had to be put down separately. Critical match-up is where talent comes in.

7 Printing Letterpress: Custom colors were mixed at the time of printing until the Pantone Matching System (PMS) was established. Now inks can be custom ordered to specific PMS colors or blended for a particular color. Inks used to be part pigment and part varnish (the dying agent). Modern inks today are vegetable based inks that do not require alcohol substance to clean the presses.

8 Printing Offset: This process uses three cylinders to transfer the image onto the substrate. The first cylinder is mounted with the printing plate. The image on the printing plate is right reading and is inked. The image is transferred or offset onto the second cylinder, which is mounted with a rubber blanket. The image on the second cylinder is now reversed or wrong reading. Final step the image is transferred from the blanket cylinder onto the third cylinder or the substrate. The substrate is mounted on the third cylinder also known as the impression cylinder. The image once again is reversed and becomes right reading or right side up in the final printed version.

9 Printing Offset: Offset printing requires a certain balance of water and ink as these inks are transparent in nature. This allows for precise color matching and density. This method is used for paper or thin substrates that may be laminated, placed in plastic or inserted into products. Items can be labels, decals, thermal mugs, under the lens items, magnets, name badges etc. and all general printing.

10 Printing Flexography: This process is similar to letterpress but uses a flexible plate making it ideal for printing in a roll environment and in hi-speed application. Great for large quantity a variety of substrates from paper, plastic, films and thin metals. It uses a similar ink to offset and can be custom matched or married with other processes. Products used the most are labels, decals, tags, nameplates & packaging films.

11 Printing Digital: This process uses toner based technology like a DeskJet or laser printer. While more sophisticated the concept is the same in that ink does not penetrate the substrate but sits on the surface. Using the CMYK model of the four basic colors allows for almost any color. Make sure to check PMS conversion. Since closer to process printing using dots you are able to blend most colors for a true image. You might have to have a 5 th unit for exact PMS matching.

12 Printing Digital: Digital printing is heavily used for brochures, catalogs, postcards, and general purpose applications. Over the last 10 years digital printing has become more common and used on many promotional products. Variable data allows for personalization and custom applications. Common uses today are magnets, plastic products, tags, key fobs, pens, repositional notes, awards, bags, drinkware, USB products etc.

13 Screen Printing This process may still be referred to as silk screening. This is due to the fact that the original screens were made from silk while today either polyester or nylon based. This direct print method is accomplished when an image is burned into a screen and the only mesh areas where the ink should flow is not blocked. Since ink must flow through the mesh the details are not as fine as other printing methods due to different ink viscosity and complexity of the image. A squeegee pushes the ink through the mesh onto the substrate where it is air dried, heat dried or passed under a UV source for curing.

14 Screen Printing In our industry the most common use is fabric decoration. There are a variety of products that still use screen printing from flat plastics, metals, leathers and wooded products and also used in round items such as bottles, mugs, cans, and dimensional objects. Screen printing uses a different screen per color so multiple colors might have a tight register restriction on some items. In fabric decoration such as T-shirts you must flash dry between colors in automatic multi-head machines for faster production and registration of colors.

15 Screen Printing Keep in mind that some types of ink are thick so fine detail is difficult in screen tint or gradation patterns. UV inks used on non-apparel items are very thin and transparent without the typical drying agent (varnish) so mixing exact colors and fine detail is accomplihsed. UV inks are not dried but cured when passed under a UV source where a chemical reaction cures the ink. Common items are: T-shirts, sweatshirts, bottles, key fobs, tags, bags, pens, cups and mugs.

16 Embroidery The process of sewing an image into fabric using needle and threads. While this craft dates back hundreds of years, modern techniques have computerized the process. By scanning the art and applying to a grid pattern the images converts to thread directions. Thickness of thread and complexity of the art will determine stitch count. This is important as the price is based on the material and the time the machine take to complete the design. Material thickness also plays a role. Compared to inks there are not as many color choices and you can t match thread colors unless the run is large enough to purchase custom thread.

17 Embroidery The range in equipment is from single head to multiple head. The more heads the more product you can embroider at the same time which will reduce the production cycle. Adding metallic and different types of thread can produce some stunning designs. Common uses: Shirts, jackets, caps, bags, towels, blankets and luggage.

18 Pad Printing Similar to screen printing this is a direct method. Ink is transferred from a plate to a soft pad and then on to the substrate. The pliable pad is what allows for printing on irregular, round and multi-surface objects. The inks are similar to offset printing and can be blended to almost any color. This method also allows for printing very small art on small products for logo and message readability.

19 Pad Printing Multitude of products are printed this way and allows for multi-color and process imprint. Common items: Golf Balls, pens, flashlights, USB drives, etc. This list is endless.

20 Foil Stamping Foil stamping uses a combination of heat and pressure to transfer the metallic foils to the substrate. There is no chemistry involved compared to ink methods. Using a variety of foil colors (not just gold, silver or black) you can stamp on to many items, but you need a flat surface. Originally for paper, leather, and ribbons this method has been used for years in the promotional industry. Due to limited color and fine detail both pad printing and digital printing is slowly taking over.

21 Foil Stamping Foil stamping is still used heavily in printing invitations, awards, books, product labels and can create many effects when combined with printing, debossing and embossing. Common uses are: Bags, boxes, calendar covers, journals, and certificates.

22 Engraving/Etching Engraving is the craft of cutting into an item either deep or shallow to create an image or lettering. The range varies on the item. Glass can vary from a laser to jeweler s engraving and can be shallow or deep. Color fill is possible on some items but not always desirable. Laser allows for computer controlled image including screen tints and halftones. Roto (jeweler s) is great for one at a time specialty shaped items.

23 Engraving/Etching Some of the many items are: Name tags, awards & plaques (wood, metal acrylic), pens, USB drives, etc. Glassware, leather, plastic, wood, acrylic are all substrates that can be engraved.

24 Deboss/Emboss The difference between embossing and debossing is the way the substrate and the plates are positioned. With embossing you hit from the top and bottom to form the raised image. Debossing is similar to foil stamping only using no foil, just a plate. Heat is applied in some material as in the case of vinyl to create effects using appliqué cut vinyl. These terms have become interchangeable but there is a difference.

25 Deboss/Emboss Items that use this process are: Leather, vinyl, paper and fabrics. Products range from padfolios, book cover/binders, luggage, tags, invitations and apparel.

26 Sublimation Sublimation may also be called dye-sublimation due to the type of ink originally used. Basic principal is the image is fed into a computer and transferred on to paper, plastic, films and other substrates for transfer to the product. Originally designed for polyester fabrics around 1970 this technique is used now for soft surface items, ceramics, plastic and apparel.

27 Sublimation Many of today s products using sublimation are: Drinkware, mouse pads, lens cloths, ties/scarves, pad holders etc. Direct digital printing is starting to replace this process allowing for smaller quantity full color runs.

28 Combined Processes & The Digital Revolution Opportunities are all around us to create very exciting products by combining processes such as foil stamping and screen printing or debossing.think about this next time you speak to your suppliers. Advantages of digital printing is variable data and smaller quantities. Great way to introduce a new product to your client and offer custom personalization. This is true on most products, not just paper.

29 Today We discussed these different imprinting techniques and how and why they are used: Printing (offset, digital, letterpress, and flexography) Screen Printing Embroidery Pad Printing Foil Stamping Engraving/Etching Deboss & Emboss Sublimation Combined Processes The Digital Revolution

30 Q & A Thank you. Please contact me for additional information Bruce J. Felber, MAS Vantage Point Promotional Consulting bruce@vppromotionalconsulting.com Copyright 2014 VPPC Bruce Felber, MAS