Paper and Board Forming,finishing And Printing Flashcards
Die cutting and creasing
Cutters are used to ‘stamp out’ ‘Nets’ and ‘developments’
Steel cutting dies cut the paper/board
Creasing rules crease the paper/board so they can be folded easily
The hardened steel blades have serrated edges
Bending
After die cutting the stamped-out net is placed onto a folding table which be folds the net into the desires shape which will then be glued
Some die cutters may also bend and fold the net as well as cutting it out
Laser cutting
Ideal for prototype or small-scale production because it can be used to cut, engrave and perforate papers and boards
It’s faster than traditional methods
Gives repeated accuracy
Provides a high level of detail
Allows the design to be quickly edited and then manufactured
Why are finishes used?
Prevent the material from absorbing moisture
Protect against decay or corrosion
Protect against insect attack
Enhance the appearance of the final product
Lamination via encapsulation
The sheet of paper is encapsulated by a polymer pouch or film roll
This process is used by desktop laminated
Lamination via a surface coating
A surface coating of lamination is applied to the paper/board
Liquid lamination - for signage
Film lamination - menu cards
Embossing
Creates a raised design on the surface of the paper or card to give a visual and tactile effect
E.g. Greetings cards and chocolate box lettering
Debossing
Produces an imprinted depression that sits below the surface of the card
The opposite of embossing
Varnishing
Clear, non-pigmented ink used on papers and boards to enhance the colour and offer protection against dirt, fingerprints and water
UV varnishing - provides a very smooth finish, usually gloss or matt, and abrasion and chemical resistance. Applied via a set of rollers and then passed under UV light to cure (set
Spot varnishing - applying varnish in specific areas or spots rather than to the whole surface area
Foil blocking
Heat and pressure applied to a metallic foil onto paper to create areas of depth, texture and add aesthetic impact
A heated die is stamped down onto the paper/board and the pre glued foil to create the metallic finish
Screen printing
Can be carried out in a workshop with minimal set up costs due to the use of basic screens and printing inks
Screen has open areas for the ink to pass through
A different screen in required for each colour
Quite a slow process with reasonably high cost per product
Used for small print runs of items e.g. Posters, display boards and textile t-shirts
Flexographic printing
Uses a 4 colour process CMYK (K means black)
Four colours are printed on top of one another in various quantities on the substrate surface to create the required print colour
Colours must line up exactly to ensure a non-blurry image
Simple process, least expensive - due to fast drying water based inks
Used for:
Newspapers Comics Catalogues Folding packaging cartons Labels Carrier bags Wallpaper Gift wrap
Advantages of flexographic printing
High print speed
Ideally suited for long runs
Prints on a wide variety of substrates
Low cost of materials
Low maintenance
Fast drying inks
Can be combined with web fed systems - cheaper and faster
Offset lithography
Extremely versatile printing process capable of producing one colour (single roller) or five colours (CMYK and an additional metallic colour)
Makes use of rollers to transfer ink to the paper/board
Oil based inks - non image areas are covered in water to repel the ink
Ten feature machine - CMYK, metallic, varnishing, spot varnishing and duplex (both sides printed)
Used for medium and long print runs - books, business forms and documentation, magazines, posters and packaging
Advantages and disadvantages of offset lithographic printing
Consistently high image quality
Suited to high-volume print runs of 1000 or more
Long life of printing plates because they only come into contact with the printing blanket which is softer and less abrasive than the substrate
Expensive set-up and running costs for small quantities
Some colour variation can occur
