DESIGN PRACTICE: Design for Print / Heat press foiling / Testing

9 / 10 / 13

OUGD504

DESIGN FOR PRINT.
PRINTING PROCESS - FOILING.

I have used the process of heat press foiling at collage last year. I really do like the effect this process gives and I feel that when used correctly and in the the right circumstances, can really add a depth to design. Because of time constrictions during the last time I used foiling, during this brief I am really excited to experiment more with this method.

This is some of the foiling that i did last year. As you can see the print that has been foiled is pretty straight forward with a simple image and type.
There are a few thing I would like to try while foiling such as different coloured foil and different types of stock combinations as well as shapes and texture to foil and how successful these aesthetics are.

The type of foiling that is available for me to use and be hands on and experimental with is the facility with in collage. This method consists of laser printing your image/type in black on chosen stock and then using a heat press to stick the foil on to the laser jet print.
I have found that this type of foiling method is called 'Foil fusing'

FOIL FUSING
Traditional foil fusing technology uses a series of heated rollers to fuse foil to toner image areas on certain papers and plastics. While this technology has important applications, it also has several limitations, which include slow speed, excessive foil waste, restrictions in suitable papers and finishes, and the inability to selectively apply foil within surrounding toner image areas.
SOURCE

(PLEASE EXCUSE THE CHEESY VIDEO BUT IT WAS THE BEST ONE TO SHOW THE PROCESS).

The video above is not the same machinery available in the collage however the process is pretty much the same. The image/type is printed via a laser jet printer. While the foil is still fresh it is then fed through a heated roller sandwiching the foil and printed image together. The heat then causes the foil to fuse to the toner and when the print is fed all the way through, the toner is now foiled and the excess foil is discarded.

The method used in collage is the nearly the same. Were this process uses a heated roller, we use a heat press which presses down the foil onto the toners surface and the heat causes the foil to fuse.

There is a wide range of colours that are available when foiling. As you can see from my own example above, this technique gives a metallic tone and lays flat on the page barely disturbing the stock underneath. There is no indentation or raised surface with this technique making it almost look one with the stock.

Even though this process works well it is only used for one off, small scale printing and is not how the foiling process works in industry. It is also quite restrictive when considering the type of stock you wish to use as only certain stock can be put through a laser jet printer.

I started to look into the most commonly used form of foil printing used for large numbers.

FOIL STAMPING
Foil stamping, typically a commercial print process, is the application of pigment or metallic foil, often gold or silver , but can also be various patterns or what is known as pastel foil which is a flat opaque color or white special film-backed material, to paper where a heated die is stamped onto the foil, making it adhere to the surface leaving the design of the die on the paper. Foil stamping can be combined with embossing to create a more striking 3D image.

TECHNIQUE
Foil stamping machines, also known as hot foil stampers, use heat to transfer metallic foil to a solid surface. Examples of items that are foil stamped include pencils, napkins, matchbooks, photographs and books. The foil stamp is a permanent process. These machines are popular with wedding businesses, photography studios and other businesses that need to brand or mark products.

TYPES
There are two primary types of foil stamping machines. The first type is manual and the second is pneumatic (air powered). Manual foil stampers are ideal for low to medium volume jobs and the pneumatic is ideal for medium to high-volume jobs.
SOURCE

Here are some example I have found on Google that have been printed using the foil stamping method.

As you can see the surface of these examples differ in depth and height. This method of foiling can either be done while embossing or 'debossing' or the printed area can be kept level depending on preference. This means that this foiling process has more variables in print and give you the option to give you print more texture.

HOW IT WORKS

At its simplest form, Foil Stamping comes down to three things: Heat, Pressure, and Time.

The foil film is positioned between the heated metal die and the material receiving the foil.

The die presses the foil onto the material and the heat activates the adhesive.

Under pressure, the foil fuses onto surface of the item and is released from the mylar carrier everywhere the raise image has pressed. If the heat is too low or the time is too short, then the foil won’t fuse and stick. If the heat is too high or the time is too long, the foil may bubble or blister; or the image edges may appear rough or ragged.

SOURCE&IMAGE

While looking for an example of an industrial style foil stamping machine, there were many different types that came up. Here are a few examples.

These two examples shape the same method however the first one shows foiling simple paper stock were as the second one shows stamping on what looks like a plastic material.

The most complicated aspect of this process is the making of the die. The die is the metal plate that has the reversed image carved into it to create a raised surface. The die plates are usually made from copper, brass or magnesium. Even though they can be complicated to make, once you have it, that can be used over and over again.

ETCHED BRASS

Brass wears better than copper or magnesium, but does not etch as deeply as either one. Good for hot stamping flat surfaces.

Engraved brass offers durability and the engraving depth can be controlled to suit the application. Excellent for hot stamping fine detail on plastic. Deeply engraved brass is a good choice for branding

wood and leather. Can be shaped to fit contoured substrates.

ETCHED COPPER

Copper wears better than magnesium, but are not etched as deeply. Good for hot stamping, embossing and branding plastic, wood and leather with fine detail. Can be mounted onto a riser block if required.

ETCHED MAGNESIUM

Photo-etched magnesium dies are commonly used for hot stamping on plastic, leather, cardboard, paper and wood. Magnesium is relatively soft and the best choice for short runs and low cost.

SILICONE RUBBER

The best material for many hot stamping applications. Rubber can conform itself to slight surface sinks or irregularities and reduces rejections.

ENGRAVED STEEL

Like engraved brass, we make engraved steel dies in any configuration. Hardened tool steel is the most durable material and is a good choice for long production runs.

SOURCE

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FINISHING

The processes of foiling as part of a printing method is classed as a finish.

To find out more about the different printing processes and everything involved with in them I went to the library and got out the book 'The production manual'.

This book is very helpful in explaining different processes it terms that are easy to understand. Regarding the term 'Finishing' this is what The Production manual explain it to be:

FINISHING

'Finishing includes a wide range of processes to provide the finishing touches to a design once the substrate has been printed. These processes die cutting, binding, special print techniques, laminates, varnishes, folding, foil blocking and screen printing, all of which can transform an ordinary-looking piece into something much more interesting and dynamic.

Finishing processes can add decorative elements to a printed piece, such as the shimmer of a foil block or the texture of an emboss. They can also provide added functionality to a design and even be a constituent part of a publication's format, for example, a matt lamination protects a substrate, making it last longer.

Although the application of print-finishing techniques signals the end of the production process, these techniques should not be considered as afterthoughts, but as an integral part of design at the planning stage.'

THE PRODUCTION MANUAL / A GRAPHIC DESIGN HANDBOOK / P164.

This explanation is very clear on the process of finishing is by far something that sets a piece of work to life and can add intrigue and a sense of quality to a design. In my experience, this is defiantly the case for the process of foiling.

This is what the Production Manual has to say on the topic of foiling/foil blocking:

FOILS

'Foil blocking is a process whereby a coloured foil is pressed on to a substrate via a heated die. Also called foil stamp, heat stamp or foil emboss, the process allows a designer to add a shiny finish to a specific design elements such as title text. pictured above is a cover submission design for Project Perfection, created by Gavin Ambrose.'

THE PRODUCTION MANUAL / A GRAPHIC DESIGN HANDBOOK / P170.

There are many different colours and effects available when using foil. This something that i would like to look into and experiment more with. there are many colours available at the print room at collage however foils that have a certain effect are not. I am defiantly going to look at foils available outside of collage and, if not too expensive, will purchase and play with.

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9TH / 10TH OCTOBER

A TEST OF COLOUR COMBINATIONS.

STOCK & FOIL

On the Wednesday (9th) A group of us decided to go testing together so we printed our designs using the laser jet printer before our seminar. After the lecture we went to the print room to buy foil and use the heat press. When we got to the print room to buy our foil the Tutor in there told us that we could only use the shop between 9:00 and 9:30 or 13:00 and 13:30 however we had not been informed on these changes. Because we didn't know about this, the Tutor let us off and sold us the foil. We went to the room that housed the heat press equipment but when we got there there was a class on. Im not sure why we weren't told this while we were speaking to the print room tutor. It was safe to say that this day felt quite waisted so we decided o go back the following day. On the Thursday after We re-printed our designs before the lecture and went back to the print room with our foil after the lecture during the lunch hour.

Unfortunately, we think, because our print wasn't that fresh the foil did not stick properly. Even though many of the prints were not very good quality, we still got a very good idea on the successfulness of each colour combination.

Because there was group of us we had to consider the colours of stock and foil between all of us. For stock we got: Stone, Blue, Dark red and Black. For foils we got Gold, Copper Orange and Black.

I really want to do more experimental work with different colours and stock, but for a starter, I felt that this would be a good opportunity to reintroduce my self to the method and what it gives.

To foil using the heat press at collage you simply lay the foil colour side up over the laser inked image. Make sure the heat press is set to 160 degrees (when foiling to paper) and timed to 12 seconds. You then press the bar down so the press is locked flat and wait until the timer goes off after 12 seconds.