Hot Foil Stamping Alternatives

Highlights from GAM's “Ask a Print Expert” web log, where NAPL's Ray Prince tackles challenges.

Question: We are currently hot stamping gold, silver and color foil for book covers and cartons. We basically like the results but are hearing about less-expensive ways. What are the options?

Answer: Hot stamping has many advantages—and you can emboss at the same time. While the cost is high, the speed is also slow. We are seeing come to market several alternatives, such as Eckart Top Star inks (conventional and UV) and the MetalFX system for sheetfed and web. There's inline cold foiling, too, now offered by several press manufacturers. There are a number of specialty UV coatings that have pigment as well.

There are differences in the look of each system, and it deserves careful study and a look at costs. Generally, if you can do it inline, the savings are large.

Question: We are standardized on ISO colors, but are wide-color-gamut inks worth looking at?

Answer: It depends: If you are a boutique printer and willing to develop the necessary match for a wide-gamut ink to a proofing system—and you create all your own digital files—go for it.

But if you accept outside proofs and digital files that others have created, my advice would be to stick with ISO colors. The new inks and colors are best used when you have full control of the process. If you wish to pursue wide-gamut printing with only four colors, look at the Color Control Network.

Question: All I heard about from drupa is inkjet, inkjet, inkjet. Why?

Answer: There are two big reasons for this. The first is that inkjet quality has increased.

The second—and most important to printing companies—is that the format size has changed. We are seeing sheetfed inkjet models in the 29´´ and a web at 30´´. That hits at the center of the commercial market for size and has been a much-awaited development.

Question: If I have a full UV press and I turn off the UV lamps, can I print? Is the ink going to dry?

Answer: You should not do that—ever. The beauty of UV is that it dries instantly: That is why the system was purchased and why it is so popular. If you print UV ink on paper it will dry, but you and your customer will not want to wait forever.

Question: I'm checking out a used 4-color 40´´ press and only have one day to make up my mind. What should I look at?

Answer: First, see what work the press has produced recently—look for dated pieces. And look at its overall condition; examine the paint for abuse or rough handling. With that time constraint, focus on dry solids. Using a blank plate and cyan ink at a density of 1.40, pull breakaway dry solids. This will allow you to look at two major items: condition of the cylinders and whether the press can print a solid.

ONLINE: e-mail questions to Ray at rprince@napl.org