Hot Foil Stamping Summary

Hot Stamping is dry printing method (No any degree in chemistry) in which a heated die and foil are used to apply graphics to a part. Hot stamping is a process in which an engraved image, hot stamping die or type, is heated then forced down against a part with a marking foil sandwiched in between. Using foil printing is a very effective way to add security to your document. It cannot be duplicated by scanners or copiers. Main Components of the Hot Stamping Process: ANVIL usually made of a hard rubber or phenolic FOIL ROLL LEAF is the ink of a hot stamping operation. It is made up of a carrier with a series of coatings to be transferred. SUBSTRATE a wide variety of substrates is suitable for the hot stamping process. Surface tension of the substrate has the same affect on hot stamping as it does on printing HOT STAMPING DIE the hot stamp die is an engraved plate where the non-printing areas are relieved. HEAT + PRESURE + TIME = FOIL TRANSFER Foil is transferred to the substrate when a heated die forces the foil onto the substrate against the anvil. A) Small and Medium sized production and substrates: - Principles are: 1. Flat Foil Stamping 2. Sculpted Foil Stamping (Multi-Level Foil Stamping) 3. Vertical Foil Stamping a maximum of 90 degrees 4. Peripheral Foil Stamping entire 360 degrees - Machines are: 1. Hand-operated Foil Stamping Machine 2. Pneumatic Foil Stamping Machine 3. Foil Fuser Machines B) Large sized production - Principles are: 1. Flat-Flat Principle 2. Round-On-Flat Principle 3. Round-On-Round Principle - Machines are: Categorized to web and sheet fed stamping or embossing machine ROTARY HOT STAMPING Short dwell time is also the reason rotary hot stamping is able to produce a greater level of detail than the best flat bed equipment. ROTARY HOT STAMP EQUIPMENT First it must maintain the desired temperature of the die. Second it must hold the die securely in position to produce even depth of impression through heavy and light coverage regions of the die. TEMPERATURE CONTROL IMPRESSION CONTROL The second task of any rotary hot stamping system is that it maintains an even depth of impression.

Die materials are divided in to metal and silicon rubber dies in which four metal materials are most often used for die construction: magnesium, copper, steel and brass. The material used for a specific application depends upon a number of factors Tooling is CNC engraving Silicon they will conform much better to parts that are not perfectly flat Types of Dies 1. Single-Level straight and level 2. Multilevel distinct levels of depth are used to add a variance in dimension to the image 3. Round Edge provides a soft edge effect rather than a hard ruled edge. 4. Beveled Edge provides the appearance of combining the softness of a round edge with the well defined lines of a distinct edge 5. Sculptured a hand-tooled die 6. Rotary Die Cylinders • Copper alloys used exclusively in rotary stamping in which the time taken in one stroke which is called dwell time is extremely and very short. • Thermally compensated for precise register and fit. • Available for all narrow to mid web presses. • Superior surface finish for improved accuracy.

Foil is an extremely thin polyester film material containing a dry pigment that is transferred to substrate (such as: paper) by the use of heat and pressure. Foil Composition: Film Carrier: The thinner the carriers while all other things being equal, the faster the foil will transfer Release Coat: Allows the other layers to release from the film carrier upon application of heat &/or pressure in which this layer affects whether or not a foil is suitable for fine copy or heavy coverage Lacquer, Tie or Color Coat provides a hard abrasion resistant surface to the foil when applied and carries the color tint in the form of pigments or dyes which is required to make gold or other colored metallic because the metallic layer is always made from aluminum. Metal Coat: Generally composed of aluminum to provide the reflective qualities and opacity desired in metallic foils. Adhesive or Sizing Coat: The final layer in the foil construction is the sizing which serves to bond the foil to the substrate being stamped.

Types of Hot Stamping Materials: Metallic Foil Construction: has a metal like sheen and gives a shiny and shimmering look to the foil stamped design. Such foil paper is available in different metal shades such as gold, silver, bronze, and copper just to name a few. Pigment Foil Construction: Gloss Pigment Foil Paper not have a metallic look but has a very high glossy finish. Matte Pigment Foil Paper a dull finish as opposed to a glossy finish

Holographic Foil Paper: hologram is a 3-dimensional image that can provide a distinctive appearance to specific areas of a digitally printed application. Many other applications can be applied on the hot stamping machines without stamping or with the addition of stamping to it like: • Debossing opposite of embossing it is indented • Embossing by providing a three dimensional or raised effect on selected areas • Blind Emboss provides a clean and distinctive or subtle image on paper stock does not include the use of ink or foil to highlight the embossed area. • Registered Emboss a process that places the embossed image in alignment with another element created with ink, foil, punching, or with a second embossed image. • Combination Emboss embossing is the process of embossing and foil stamping the same image. It involves imprinting and aligning foil over an embossed image to create a foil emboss. • Pastelling the process of using a combination die to provide a subtle antique appearance to a substrate that is embossed and foil stamped. • Glazing an embossed area that has a shiny or polished appearance. • Scorching similar to glazing except that it is not used to polish the stock. Instead, scorching does what it implies: as the temperature of the die heating plate is increased beyond a normal temperature range, a scorched effect is created in the embossed image, which results in an antique or shaded appearance.

Results: 1- Hot stamping process is a dry method of printing that no any types of chemistry. 2- The idea of hot stamping was not invented but was practiced from the ancient Egyptians. 3- Main Components of the hot stamping are: 1- Anvil, 2- Substrate, 3- Foil roll relief and 4- Die. 4- For foil transfer three main conditions must be achieved and they are: Heat, Pressure and Time. 5- Hot stamping machines can stamp any substrate except metals or non - porous materials. 6- Most of the machines of hot stamping were hand operated and still operated in this way and in addition to that the basic principle are based on the hand operated stamping machines. 7- Hot stamping machines were modified and developed in the European countries to supply the enlarging market of hot stamped products in all fields from printing paper products to polymers and others. 8- The development in the machines were in copying almost the mechanism of sheet fed and web fed printing machines to increase the speed and productivity. 9- Cylinders or die cylinders been used in the modern machines and it acts like gravure or flexo printing cylinders. 10- Foil represents the ink in the offset printing. 11- Foil is treated in the modern machines like a reel considering many factors like tension and the foil leads in the machine. 12- Hologram foils is used in most of the stamping productions as security logos and for decorations some times. 13- Any hot stamping technician must consider the type of substrate will be stamped and the design of the foil and the die that will take the heat and pressure. Hot Stamping Advantages: 1. The process and set-up is very easy 2. There are no chemicals or paints.

3. No unnecessary steps of mixing paints and solvents or cleaning up. 4. Both thermoplastics and thermo sets can be hot stamped along with: leather, fabrics, paper products, coated woods, and prepainted metals. 5. All types of shapes can be hot stamped as well. 6. After the hot stamping is complete, the parts are immediately ready for handling and packaging. Hot Stamping Disadvantages: 1- In manual stamping, the machines have cycle start buttons, which must be pressed and held simultaneously, to help avoid hands and fingers from being placed in harmful places on the machine. This is also the reason for there to be only one person operating a machine at a time. 2- One more hazard is the hot die. No matter if the die is made of silicone or metal, it does get very hot. Below the cycle start buttons are highlighted. Hologram Foil Advantages: 1- General design hologram hot stamping is available in silver, gold, green, blue, etc. as well as the custom design hologram hot stamping foil. 2- Selection of hologram hot stamping transfer products for use is on a wide range of substrates and application equipment. 3- It has a strong visual appeal and is easy to verify 4- It is a superior security device as it is virtually impossible to remove it from substrate and it is difficult to replicate. You can use it to authenticate credit cards or other items including security documents. 5- It is easy to incorporate or apply to product and packaging and they can be stamped on to the package or on to a pre-printed label, there by authenticating the carton or label and thereby associating it with product itself. 6- Hologram Hot Stamping is relatively cost effective to produce and use.