By Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress

Foil stamping and embossing engravings are the tools that drive the design and look of a final piece. The importance of engravings sometimes is forgotten – all foil stamped or embossed projects start with how the artwork is prepared for the final die. At FSEA’s Print Embellishment Conference in April 2024, a panel of engraving manufacturers shared information on the latest technologies and uses for foil stamping and embossing engravings. The panel included Daniel Rivera, H+M USA; Ross Hutchison, Universal Engraving, Inc.; and Mark Schumacher, Metal Magic.

What new technologies has your company introduced in recent years in the development and manufacturing of foil stamping and embossing engravings?

Schumacher: One of the newer additions that we have added to Metal Magic is our 3D simulations. These allow customers to have a vision of what the emboss will look like before the project begins. Once the simulation is created from the initial artwork, customers have an opportunity to see what the final emboss will look like and make modifications. Customers can increase or decrease depth or include more or less texture, and these changes can be accomplished before any type of die is produced. In the past, the customer really relied on the engraver to create the proper depth and embossing levels. Today, customers can have input on the final look before the die is made.

A newer advancement for us is to take the 3D simulation and mirror it to the print file. It is the same simulation with the print file included in perfect register. The 3D simulation technology allows the customer to see a proof faster and, in turn, receive the die faster as well.

Hutchison: One of newest introductions to the market has been our NW SpeedChase® NTX™ for hot stamping, embossing and combination flatbed dies and pre-cast counters on a narrow web flatbed press. With this system, lock-up is reduced to one UniLock-Up® NW steel plate for engraved dies and another for pre-cast counters. Typically, job changeover is accomplished in mere minutes. The engraved dies are pre-mounted and pre-registered onto a UniLock-Up® plate and are ready for press right out of the box. Set-up and changeover can be done hot or cold. This lock-up technology uses magnetics and replaces the typical grid or honeycomb and includes an air ejector box to easily release the UniLock-UP plate from the chase. In addition, because of the smaller size of a narrow web chase, we can pre-set-up the counters as well. So, makeready is 80% complete when the dies and counters are received.

For offset applications, both small and large, we offer another system. The SpeedChase®, our air pneumatic magnetic chase, utilizes another type of UniLock-Up die plate. As with the narrow web system, all the engraved dies come pre-locked in register to the file supplied by the customer.

These systems have been a game changer, especially with foil stampers trying to find skilled operators and the labor shortage overall. It makes training simple and overall set-up much easier for the operators.

Rivera: One of our newer technologies for engravings is our NanoEmbossing effects. This technique provides amazing lenticular and photorealistic effects through H+M’s laser. This technique makes it possible to create textures that are up to 40% finer than standard micro-embossing effects, along with other effects that no other embossing technology can match. It is a perfect way to add a unique highlight to a foil stamped image.

Another product we offer is the EasyFix die lockup system to minimize set-up time on press, suitable for flat stamping, embossing and combo stamping. With this system, the dies are pre-mounted and pre-positioned on the plate and corrections can be made quickly to compensate for printing tolerances. Once the customer receives the plate, everything already is in place. It is a system for efficient set-up of foil stamping and embossing dies when there are several die positions on one sheet.

Other metallic decorating processes, such as cold foil transfer and digital foil processes, have continued to grow. How do you think this has impacted more traditional foil stamping and embossing applications?

Hutchison: I believe adding more decorative foil effects onto all types of printed work is great for the entire industry. No matter how it’s done, whether it’s cold, digital or hot foil decorating, they all have their place and have their correct applications. It is just about knowing when to apply each process and what jobs are best suited to a foiling process. An example of this is in the wine industry, where big-name brands were the primary ones adding foil. Today, due to machinery and other technological advances, there are smaller wineries that now can decorate their labels, too, with all the different foil decorating options available to them.

Schumacher: I totally agree. The more metallic enhancements that are out there, the more visibility there is. We have seen a decline in certain longtime hot foil jobs that have switched to cold foil transfer, but the overall pie is growing. All of us win. We now can reach a variety of different markets from small to large. Markets, such as wedding announcements, are adding metallics with digital enhancements, and these would have just been printed in the past.

The growth of CNC engravings continues. What are the advantages of CNC engraved dies and is there new technology now available in their manufacturing?

Rivera: Discussing CNC engravings, the longevity of the die is a key advantage. Another is the defined edges that help with the foil release to provide quality results of the stamped image. The other advantage of CNC is the ability to create a combination engraving to allow foil and embossing in one pass vs. two passes on press. Choosing CNC is design specific. It will continue to grow, technology wise, opening up even more possibilities.

Hutchison: CNC technology is a common manufacturing process and, in our industry, it typically is used to produce a brass engraved die. For our company, we manufacture both copper and brass dies, but we choose which manufacturing process best suits the customer’s needs and application. When brass dies are chosen, it often is based on the desired effects and/or duplicity of dies, among other factors – and we generally engrave these dies with a CNC. The metal itself determines the recyclability and durability. Brass and copper are similar, but an inherent value of CNC brass manufacturing is the ability to have precision and the ability to easily duplicate. Another benefit of CNC engraved dies is the use of interchangeable counters, meaning that if several brass dies (of the same image) are ordered, the counters can be interchanged. This provides cost-savings as well as reduces challenges.

Schumacher: For us, our CNC technology continues to improve and continues to grow. Years ago, CNC was limited in how dimensional it could get. We could achieve one to two dimensions and then we would finish the die by hand. But the CNC technology is much improved, and we can achieve more three-dimensional engraved images. This helps drive quality and consistency. We certainly are cutting more CNC dies that may have been cut by a master engraver in the past.

What type of recycling programs do you have in place at your engraving facilities?

Hutchison: At Universal Engraving, Inc., we recycle 100% of our scrap copper and brass metal. We also have developed a compliant process to remove the metals from our spent etching baths. In addition, we ‘internally’ recycle a large percentage of our etching bath back to our manufacturing process.

Schumacher: Our system at Metal Magic is 100% contained, so the waste acid is recycled by a certified recycler. We have zero discharge of hazardous materials – all copper/brass gets recycled, and we are diligent at recycling paper and plastic as well.

Rivera: H+M only works with brass engravings, so all the brass scrap and shavings are recycled. We have a recycling program for the entire facility at H+M.