S E R V I C E S :
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facts about various services
{ O F F S E T P R I N T I N G }
Offset printing which is also known as offset lithography is one of the most popular types of printing. The image and non-printing areas are essentially on the same plane of a thin metal plate, an the distinction between them is maintained chemically. The major distinctions between offset printing and other processes is that offset printing is based on the principle that grease and water do not mix and that ink is offset first from the plate to a rubber blanket and then from the blanket to the paper.
When the printing plate is made the printing image is made grease-receptive and water repellent, and the non printed areas are made water-receptive and ink repellent. The plate is mounted on the plate cylinder of the press and when it rotates it comes in contact with rollers wet by water, dampening solution or ink. Depending on the area it comes in contact with the dampening wets the non-printing area, and prevents the ink from wetting these areas. The ink wets the image areas that are transfered to the intermediate blanket cylinder and then the inked image is transferred to the paper as it passes between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder.
------------------benefits------------------
* clearer image
* wide variety of paper can be used
* metallic ink can be used
* used for medium and longer runs
{ D I G I T A L P R I N T I N G }
Digital printing is used when data representing the images are in digital form. It is a pressureless and plateless printing process that uses computers, electorinics, electrostatics and special toners and inks to compose and produce images.
------------------benefits------------------
* short runs
* variable information
* coding
* addressing
* billing
* 4/4 short runs
{ F O I L S T A M P I N G }
Foil stamping uses heat and metallic film in a specialty printing process that produces a shiny design on paper, vinyl, textiles, wood, hard plastic, leather, and other materials. Foil stamping, also called hot stamping, dry stamping, foilimprinting, or leaf stamping, can be combined with dimensional embossing to make letters and images on business cards, book covers, gift cards office folders, and basically anything you can think of.
Instead of using magnetism, plates, or inks to print words and shapes, foilstamping uses dies, or sculpted metal stamps. The heated dies seal a thin later of metallic leaf (the "ink") onto a surface. The foil comes in a wide roll, large enough for several passes, backed by Mylar. The hot die works similarly to a letterpress. Once heated, it presses the foil against the substrate material with enough pressure that the foil sticks only in the intended places, leaving a slight imprint.
Using several layers of foil in different colors or combining ink and foil can embellish this simple "flat" stamp. Imprinting and embossing adds even more dimensionality. The edges of the foil stamp may be straight, curved, or sculpted to make the image pop or float above the page.
Foil leaf is available in every imaginable color and pattern, like standard gold or marbleized green. Rarer types of leaf come in matte, pearlescent, holographic, opalescent, or glossy finish. Semi-transparent layers allow an under color to show through. Not only does it provide a uniquely vibrant image with depth, foil stamping can be applied to a much more diverse selection of substrates in comparison to ink.
------------------benefits------------------
* unique process
* dimensionality
* can be used on material that you cannot digitally or offset print on
* can do any type of runs small medium or long
{ D I E C U T T I N G }
Die cutting is a manufacturing process used to generate large numbers of the same shape from a material such as wood, plastic, metal, paper, or fabric. The die cut shapes are sometimes called “blanks,” because they are usually finished and decorated before being sold. The process is widely used on an assortment of materials all over the world, and many manufactured products contain several diecut components, often assembled together in a series of steps to create a finished product.
Sharp specially shaped blades are used in die cutting. The blade is bent into the desired shape and mounted to a strong backing. The result is known as a die. The material being cut is placed on a flat surface with a supportive backing, and the die is pressed onto the material to cut it. Depending on what is being made, a single die might cut one piece of material, or it might be designed to slice through multiple layers, generating a stack of blanks.
It can be helpful to consider a cookie cutter when thinking about die cutting. The cookie cutter is a type of die which is capable of cutting out a potentially infinite amount of blanks. Each blank will be exactly the same shape and size, meaning that the blanks can be cooked uniformly together and decorated at will for individuality. The alternative is cutting out each cookie by hand, a painstaking process which would result in irregular final products.
------------------benefits------------------
* ability to get same shape over and over
* ability to do small, medium and large runs
* efficient/ quick turn around time
