FSEA News

Make a Resolution to Attend the FSEA·IADD Joint Conference: Registration Now Open

January 22, 2020

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) and the International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking (IADD) will hold the 2020 Joint Conference April 27-29 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

The conference offers a supplier trade fair, educational programming to address new technology and trends in the industry, and an awards reception where the recipients of the FSEA Gold Leaf Awards and FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award will be honored. New this year, conference attendees will have the opportunity to attend plant tours of local graphic finishing and diecutting/diemaking facilities.

Networking: A supplier trade fair and welcome reception kick off the event, providing attendees with the opportunity to discover what’s new from supplier partners and network with peers. Peer exchanges continue throughout the conference, with programming designed to let attendees share their challenges and find solutions from others in the industry.

Educational Opportunities: From professional keynote speakers to industry experts, educational content aims to give attendees knowledge that can be used to improve their operations. Programming will include discussions on sustainability; recruiting, retaining and training employees; effective marketing; the R&D Tax Credit and much more to be announced soon.

Supplier Access: More than 25 industry supplier companies are expected to be represented throughout the event, both at the tabletop exhibits and in panel discussions, providing immediate access to the people most able to answer questions about operational challenges and the latest technologies.

For more information – including detailed session descriptions, speaker biographies, travel information and easy registration – visit www.fsea-iaddconf.com or call 1.785.271.5816.

FSEA Association News

December 17, 2019

FSEA has Busy Fall for Tradeshows

This fall was busier than ever with FSEA exhibiting at three major industry events: PRINT 19, PACK EXPO Las Vegas and PRINTING United. At all three shows, FSEA provided details on the benefits of joining and being involved with FSEA, FSEA Sourcebooks for those looking for finishers and suppliers, the PostPress magazine and the new Foil Cheat Sheet. “It was a very busy September and October,” commented FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “We were able to reach audiences filled with printers, packaging companies and designers by providing them with a large number of FSEA Sourcebooks, PostPress magazines and the newly released second edition of the Foil Cheat Sheet.”

The fall tradeshows provide FSEA with a chance to visit with many FSEA active and supplier members. During PRINT 19, FSEA hosted its annual FSEA reception at the Hotel Chicago. It was well attended and provided a great opportunity for networking. Next year, APTech will partner with Label Expo for its Brand Print event, which replaces the PRINT show. FSEA will be involved with both Label Expo and Brand Print – and will provide more details on this later in 2020. In addition, FSEA plans to continue to grow its relationship with SGIA and the new PRINTING United event, which will take place next fall in Atlanta, Georgia. Again, look for more details on this as we move into the new year.

FSEA to Launch New Finisher Finder Website

FinisherFinder.com is an FSEA-sponsored resource for printers and designers looking for a finishing or binding partner. The website also features industry suppliers. Whether looking for foil stamping/embossing, diecutting, folding/gluing, cold foiling, cast and cure, laser cutting or other specialty suppliers, FinisherFinder will help connect the print industry to the right source for their finishing and binding jobs. The website has been completely revamped for 2020. FSEA members now can add photos of finished work to their listing on the site, and upgrades are available for videos and logos. Live links to the members’ websites also will be standard. To view the new site, visit www.finisherfinder.com. To update or enhance a company listing, contact gayla@fsea.com.

FSEA Offers Discounted Tickets to drupa

With 1,800 exhibitors from more than 50 nations, drupa 2020 will bring the global print industry to Dusseldorf, Germany from June 16 to 20. FSEA members can receive discounted tickets through the online ticketshop at www.drupa.com/ticketshop. Members should use the following codes:

1-day ticket: 000009g5w2zi
3-day ticket: 000009g5w8zi
5-day ticket: 000009g5w6zi

FSEA Announces Plant Tour Locations During Joint Conference

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) and the International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking (IADD) will hold their 2020 Joint Conference at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The event will run from April 27 to April 29. The conference offers a supplier trade fair, educational programming to address new technology and trends in the industry, and an awards reception where the recipients of the FSEA Gold Leaf Awards and FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award will be honored. New to the event will be plant tours. Attendees will tour two Indianapolis binding and finishing companies on the morning of Wednesday, April 29: Baugh Graphic Finishing House and Eckhart & Co. Baugh is a family-owned graphic finishing house, providing services that include diecutting, foil stamping, embossing, UV and other specialty coatings, and folding/gluing. Eckhart and Company in Indianapolis is a trade bindery providing quality book binding and custom information packaging to the printing industry. For more information, visit www.fsea-iaddconf.com. Detailed programming information and registration will be available over the next few months.

Entries Open Soon for Gold Leaf Awards

The FSEA will be posting the entry form for its 27th annual Gold Leaf Awards on December 15, 2019. FSEA urges its members and others in the industry to start collecting their best work from the past year. The Gold Leaf Awards are a great way for companies to gain recognition for creative work in categories that include foil stamping, embossing, cold foil, digital foil and coatings, specialty UV coatings, special diecuts and more. Gold Leaf Award winners will be announced during the FSEA•IADD Joint Conference, April 27-29, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Winners also are highlighted in industry magazines and are displayed at a variety of shows, including PACK EXPO and the new Brand Print event next fall. To download an entry form and for additional details, visit www.fsea.com and click on the Awards link.

FSEA and PaperSpecs Release Foil Cheat Sheet

November 19, 2019

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) and online graphics hub PaperSpecs have released the Foil Cheat Sheet, a metallic foil decorating reference for graphic designers.

The Foil Cheat Sheet contains a section detailing and illustrating each of the following techniques and materials: Hot Foil Stamping, Cold Foil Transfer, Toner Digital Foil, Varnish Digital Foil and Foil Substrates. FSEA and PaperSpecs worked closely to outline the advantages and disadvantages of each type of metallic foil process, providing valuable information to print and packaging designers who may be unfamiliar with the variety of available foil decorating options.

A video displaying the Foil Cheat Sheet can be viewed online.

For each process, the guide lists potential providers, available colors, run lengths, paper options (coated or uncoated), advantages and disadvantages. At the back of the piece is a foldout chart comparing all techniques side by side.

“It’s hard to make use of a finishing option if you don’t know what’s possible,” said FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “Designers want to use foil on their projects, but don’t always know what technology is available – or feasible, based on the project. There are a lot of questions about digital foil technologies and where they fit in with traditional hot foil stamping and cold foil options. The Foil Cheat Sheet helps to answer those questions.”

“This project was inspired by the countless times I’ve mentioned digital foiling in presentations or conversations at design conferences, only to discover that no one had any idea what I was talking about,” said Sabine Lenz, principal at design firm PaperSpecs, who spearheaded the project, along with FSEA. “To me it was vital that creatives have an overview of their foiling options – especially the short-run ones provided by digital; something that they could turn to as a reference time and time again.”

A free pdf download is available at www.foilcheatsheet.com. Information on ordering a print version of the Foil Cheat Sheet is available at www.fsea.com.

Join FSEA in Chicago with a Free Pass to PRINT® 19

September 19, 2019

Planning to attend PRINT^® 19 in Chicago, Illinois? Attend PRINT^® 19 free of charge by clicking here and entering promo code 10180, which will provide access to all three days of the show.

Coming to Chicago’s McCormick Place North, Oct. 3-5, 2019, PRINT^® 19 will offer many opportunities for learning, networking and more. Those in attendance will see what’s RED HOT at the PRINT^® 19 event, network with peers and attend the Celebrate PRINT^® 19 Opening Reception on Oct. 3. Some 80-plus learning sessions will be available to attendees, in addition to TechWalks, the hot ticket from PRINT^® 18.

For more information, go to https://postpressmag.com/articles/2019/print-19-reveals-red-hot-tech/.

Association News

September 12, 2019

Foil Cheat Sheet Available Soon

An original short run of the Foil Cheat Sheet, which has been a collaborate effort between FSEA and PaperSpecs, was introduced late last year at PRINT 18. It has received a great deal of buzz from FSEA members, graphic designers and others in the industry.

“Sabine Lenz (founder of PaperSpecs) created a document for her popular website (www.paperspec.com) to help graphic designers understand the different foil and metallic effects available today,” stated FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “I contacted Sabine and we started discussions on how we could expand upon her current Foil Cheat Sheet and bring the Foil Cheat Sheet to life as a true printed and embellished guide.”

Through discussions with several FSEA members and the staff at PaperSpecs, appropriate changes were made to the original version and a new version is in production that will be available for PRINT 19. “We have made several improvements to the original version of the Foil Cheat Sheet to make it even more of a ‘must have’ tool for creatives and to help further describe the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of metallic finishes,” commented Lenz. “The new version will use a similar artistic image to showcase the different possibilities available through hot foil, cold foil, digital foil (polymer and toner adhesive) and metallic substrates.”

All FSEA members will receive a free copy of the new Foil Cheat Sheet and will have the opportunity to order additional copies for customers and designers at a special rate. An order form for the Foil Cheat Sheet can be found at www.fsea.com/cheatsheet. For questions, email jeff@fsea.com or call 785.271.5816.

FSEA Gearing Up for PRINT 19

PRINT 19 is around the corner, and FSEA will be involved with several initiatives within and around the event. First, FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson will be presenting a seminar during PRINT 19 entitled Shine On! The Complete Guide to Foil & Metallic Decorating. The seminar will take place from 11-11:50 a.m. on Thursday, October 3. In addition, Peterson also will be the tour leader for the 2019 “Metallic Decorating Options for Print” TechWalk. Exhibitors included in the TechWalk will be Absolute Printing, Brandtjen & Kluge, Duplo and Therm-O-Type. The TechWalk will move from booth to booth, giving attendees the opportunity to see specific equipment and learn from industry experts in a personalized setting. There is no cost, but attendees must register – spaces are limited. For more information on the complete list of seminars and TechWalks, visit www.printtechnologies.org/PRINT19 and click on the Education link.

FSEA also will host its annual reception during the PRINT 19 event. It will take place at the Hotel Chicago (adjacent to the House of Blues) from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 3, following the show. Tickets to the reception are complimentary for active FSEA members (up to two people from each active member company) and $30 for associate FSEA members and other non-members who would like to attend. To learn more and to register for the FSEA Reception, visit www.fsea.com. For questions, call 785.271.5816.

FSEA Announces Conference Location and Dates

The conference offers a supplier trade fair, educational programming to address new technology and trends in the industry, and an awards reception where the recipients of the FSEA Gold Leaf Awards and FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award will be honored. Conference attendees also will have the opportunity to share best practices on a variety of subjects with industry peers as part of the Networking Workshops held during conference programming.

New to the event will be plant tours: Attendees will tour two Indianapolis binding and finishing companies on the morning of Wednesday, April 29.

A supplier trade fair and welcome reception kick off the event, providing attendees with the opportunity to discover what’s new from supplier partners, network with peers and sample regional fare. More than 25 industry supplier companies are expected to be represented throughout the event, both at the tabletop exhibits and in panel discussions, providing immediate access to the people most able to answer questions about operational challenges and the latest technologies.

For more information, visit www.fsea-iaddconf.com. Detailed programming information and registration will be available over the next few months.

First Webinar in New Series Planned for November

FSEA and PostPress are planning a new series of webinars. The first one will be scheduled for mid-November, featuring speaker Deborah Corn (see her article on page 18).

Continuing her message from the 2019 Binding Summit, held last May in Atlanta, Corn will provide insights into the mind of the print buyer and discuss ways binders and finishers can create meaningful and profitable relationships with their print partners. With more than 25-plus years of experience working in advertising as a print producer, Corn now works behind the scenes with printers, suppliers and industry organizations to help them achieve success with their social media and content marketing endeavors.

The FSEA and PostPress are hosting this webinar series as a way to educate, encourage and bring together the print finishing industry. With webinar events beginning in November and continuing throughout 2020, FSEA and PostPress plan to provide information that will help association members and readers of the magazine grow their business reach, plan for the future and address customer demands. For more information, visit www.fsea.com.

Association News

June 12, 2019

Binding Summit Draws Attendees From Across the US

FSEA engaged its membership in the first-ever Binding Summit on April 30, the day before the opening of Odyssey Expo 2019. The event, held in Atlanta, Georgia at the Cobb Galleria Centre, was a great opportunity for Binding & Loose Leaf Division members of FSEA to interact and exchange new ideas. “The Binding Summit was a great experience,” stated Nick Graham, R & R Bindery Service, Inc. “I feel any time you can get owners, manufacturers, salespeople, operators in one room to talk about the industry and share ideas, it is a positive thing.”

The Binding Summit kicked-off with a keynote presentation from Deborah Corn, Print Media Centr. Corn shared with the audience ideas on how to create meaningful and profitable relationships with print partners, including ideas that trade binderies should consider and some key To Dos. Additional panels and discussions included Training and Retaining Employees, Sales Tactics and Smart Expansion and The Future of Bindery. Technical Showcase presentations allowed supply partners such as Duplo USA, Standard Finishing Systems and Absolute Printing Equipment/Perfecta USA to discuss the newest advances in bindery equipment.

Foil Recycling/Repulpability Study Remains Relevant

With the use of metallic decorating on the rise in several market segments, sustainability questions continue to be a hot topic for brand owners and end users alike. There has been a recent uptick in requests for FSEA’s study on the “Repulpability of Foil Decorated Paper” from FSEA members and others seeking information from the detailed report.

The study, which was conducted by third-party research firm Pira International, describes the pulping and screening methods used in the research and provides a complete analysis of the reporting results from the testing methods. The study validates the recyclability of paper products decorated by both hot stamping foil and cold foil transfer. In addition, the study finds that neither hot nor cold foil-decorated products would give rise to problems found with other decorating processes that may render the decorated paper products unsuitable for recycling. “It is quite apparent that this study is extremely important to the long-term health of our industry,” stated FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “We are making every effort to continue to communicate the availability of the full study to our FSEA members and the entire graphic arts and packaging industries.”

To receive more information on the FSEA study “Repulpability of Foil Decorated Paper,” email jeff@fsea.com.

Next Odyssey Expo Set For Cleveland in 2021

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) and International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking (IADD) have announced that Odyssey Expo 2021 will take place in Cleveland, Ohio in May 2021. “Moving Odyssey Expo to different US regions is important to the success of the Odyssey Expo,” said FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “Cleveland should provide a central location that will drive attendee traffic from both the Midwest and Northeast sections of the US, while allowing attendees and suppliers to enjoy a new and improved downtown Cleveland area.”

Odyssey Expo is the industry’s only three-day event targeted specifically to the diemaking/diecutting, foil stamping/specialty effects, folding carton, corrugated and specialty markets. On-press classroom demonstrations, live equipment running on the event floor and experts from all sectors of the graphics finishing industry are just a few of the reasons Odyssey is a must-attend event. From interactive educational sessions taught by industry experts (both on-press in the Techshop and in the classroom) to a Technology Hall brimming with industry-related products and services from supplier companies, Odyssey Expo is the smartest way to obtain and retain a powerful market position. Watch for more information at www.odysseyexpo.org.

Odyssey Expo 2019: Diemaking, Diecutting and Print Finishing Industries Come Together in Atlanta

June 12, 2019

Odyssey Expo 2019 has been declared a success by attendees, exhibitors and event organizers. The print finishing, diemaking and diecutting industries came to learn, share and network, drawn to Atlanta by Odyssey Expo’s live equipment demonstrations, classroom education sessions and networking opportunities.

Odyssey Expo 2019, held May 1-3, boasted 1,500 registrants for the three-day program. The event floor was hopping with 30 interactive educational sessions, both on-press in the Techshop and in the classroom; 53 pieces of running equipment, which represents a significant increase over the previous event; and 101 suppliers specific to the fields of diecutting/diemaking, foil stamping, folding/gluing, UV coating and more.

“I was extremely impressed with the Odyssey show this year,” said Steven Roberts, president of Elite Print Finishing. “I had a wonderful time and found this to be an amazing source for information and vendors.”

In addition to the Odyssey’s Techshop workshops, classroom sessions and Technology Hall, winners of the 26th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards competition were announced, with the Best of Show going to D.E. Baugh, Indianapolis, Indiana, for its entry in the Greeting Card, Self-Promotion: Most Creative category.

Educational content addresses real-world challenges

Whether the priority was improving profits, increasing sales or decreasing production costs, the Odyssey’s 30 technical and education sessions helped attendees hit their targets. All technical programs were conducted by industry experts – either on-press or in the classroom – each culminating with interactive Q&A sessions to address real-world challenges.

In the classrooms, programming included topics such as Adhesives in Layflat Laminating, Cold Foil Process: Ask the Experts, Calculating Press Capacity, Foil Waste Disposal and Sustainability; and Common-Sense Solutions for Blanking Issues.

Techshops bring running equipment to the event floor

In the Techshop™, which simulates a working production shop floor, technical sessions were taught on-press throughout the three-day event. Equipment suppliers led on-press demonstrations on topics that included improving the flatness of a die, using steel counters, improving equipment uptime and reducing makeready and setup time.

In the Technology Hall, attendees could see 53 pieces of equipment – a significant increase over the 2017 event. Demonstrations were given on a wide range of equipment from industry-leading companies that include American International Machinery, Bobst North America, Carton Craft Supply, CCM Die Supply, Elcede, Konica/Minolta, Lasercomb, Manufacturing Supplies, Marbach Group, PPC Technologies and Solutions LLC, SDS Automation, Serviform SRL, Suntex Co., Therm-O-Type Corp. and many others.

Multiple opportunities available for networking

With attendees from across the United States – and across the world – in Atlanta, opportunities were plentiful for networking, idea sharing and problem solving.

NextGen/Young Alliance Reception:
With the talent crisis at the top of mind for many attendees, the IADD and FSEA were pleased to bring together younger industry members during a reception on Wednesday, May 1. The IADD NextGen and the FSEA Young Alliance groups are targeted to industry members under the age of 45 or with less than five years of experience, and the event provided an opportunity for members to network at the end of the first day of Odyssey Expo programming.

WomenConnect Networking Breakfast:
Women in diecutting, diemaking and print finishing gathered early on Thursday morning, May 2, to discuss issues in manufacturing and make important connections with others throughout the world. The Print Media Centr’s Deborah Corn was featured in a special SHEnote presentation on “Finding Your Voice.” The connections made by attendees will be continued through a LinkedIn group.

FSEA Gold Leaf Awards:
The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) has announced the honorees in its 26^th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition at a reception on Thursday, May 2. Entries were received from countries around the world, including the US, Canada, Denmark and Taiwan. Gold, silver and bronze winners were honored in 41 categories, and the Best of Show and two Best of Show Honorable Mention honorees were revealed.

D.E. Baugh, Indianapolis, Indiana, was recognized as the 2019 Best of Show for “A Baugh Christmas Story,” which was entered in the category of Greeting Card, Self-Promotion: Most Creative. D.E. Baugh channeled its annual holiday greeting to customers into an opportunity to impress clients with not only its structural design capabilities, but also its high-end, value-added services – while playing on the classic movie “A Christmas Story.”

Big Big BIGGER BASH
This bigger, better-than-ever, house-rocking celebration is not to be missed! Food, drinks, games, prizes, music by the 80ators – all in a fun, casual atmosphere. Let loose and party with industry colleagues!

Odyssey Expo 2021 will be held in Cleveland, Ohio.

26th Annual Gold Leaf Awards

June 12, 2019

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) has announced the honorees in its 26th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition. Entries were received from countries around the world, including the US, Canada, Denmark and Taiwan. Gold, silver and bronze winners were honored in 41 categories. Best of Show and two Best of Show Honorable Mention honorees were revealed during a reception held at Odyssey Expo 2019, Atlanta, Georgia, in mid-May.

Visit our online gallery of the winners at https://www.fsea.com/content/awards/gold-leaf19.shtml.

Special thanks to our sponsors

Platinum: Bobst North America; Eagle Systems, Inc.; h+m USA, L.P.; Infinity Foils, Incorporated; Kurz Transfer Products; Metal Magic; Owosso Graphic Arts, Inc.; Univacco Technology Inc.; Universal Engraving, Inc. – a UEI Group Company

Gold: API Group – Americas; Brandtjen and Kluge; Brausse Group – Canada; Breit Technologies; Crown Roll Leaf; Gietz AG;
Konica Minolta/MGI; Sun Chemical

26th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Award Winners Announced

May 16, 2019

D.E. Baugh, Indianapolis, Indiana, was awarded the 2019 Best of Show award for “A Baugh Christmas Story,” which was entered in the category of Greeting Card, Self-Promotion: Most Creative. D.E. Baugh channeled its annual holiday greeting to customers into an opportunity to impress clients with not only its structural design capabilities, but also its high-end, value-added services – while having a little fun along the way. Playing on the classic movie “A Christmas Story,” recipients opened a “crate” containing a special surprise. Once the card is opened, the shadowbox inside shows the leg lamp glowing against a holiday scene. In addition to foil stamped and embossed elements on the flap, interior elements were multi-level embossed, while some design elements also were diecut.

Two Honorable Mention certificates were awarded – the first was presented to Gravure Choquet for “Kallima Swatch Book,” in the Client Promotion / Brochure category; and the second to J.S. McCarthy for its “2019 Calendar of 19th Century Inventions,” which was submitted in the Self Promotion category.

The competition evaluates submissions which utilize a wide range of specialty finishing techniques, from foil stamping and embossing to specialty coating, film laminating, laser cutting, diecutting and cold foil applications. Submissions come in a variety of formats, including book covers, point-of-purchase displays, folding cartons, promotional pieces, calendars and more. The pieces are assessed on design, execution and level of difficulty, with the highest honors going to those companies that best execute the decorative enhancements. The FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition celebrates the quality, added value, shelf presence, security and brand recognition that these finishing processes lend to the printed sheet.

Winners in the 26th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards, along with the categories in which the submissions won, are listed here.

FSEA Helplinks Brings Industry Members to the Rescue

May 15, 2019

“Who you gonna call?” That depends on the problem. If Slimer is stealing your lunch, the Ghostbusters would be the obvious choice. If you’re running into issues with a foil stamping or other specialty job, fellow FSEA members may just be the best bet. This was the case recently when Jon Reck of Excel Press, Inc. took to the FSEA Helplinks email list looking for advice on a flatstamping job.

“We are quoting a flatstamp foil job with design elements as wide as 2″, tapering to about .5″ over a distance of about 12″. The customer is considering a 120# endurance silk cover, .0134″ thick. Ink and aqueous coating will cover both sides of a cover-weight stock. The stamping using gold foil will only occur on one side.

We have had success with stamping large areas over aqueous on ONE side of the sheet – if we first hit the sheet with sandpaper to break the coating. I can’t think of an instance where we did this with aqueous on BOTH sides, and I am a little concerned. It seems to me that, with the coating on BOTH sides of the sheet, the gasses would have a greater tendency to become entrapped and the sandpaper impression on only one side might not be as effective. I doubt that we would be able to hit both sides with sandpaper because it does leave a slight image that is hidden by the subsequent foil stamping.

Does anyone else have experience with this?”

Fellow FSEA members immediately came to Reck’s assistance with several suggestions for how he might proceed. David Hutchison of BrightMARKS had the following advice.

“You are correct to have some reservations. Under any circumstances, a two-sided print with AQ will show some bruising. If it is not printed yet, for quality sake, foil stamp after one side is printed and before side two is printed. Otherwise, dependent upon the shade of foil, make a request from the foil supplier for the heaviest adhesive option for the shade. Generally, this will fall into the grades used for book cloth foil stamping. The heavier body of adhesive will assist in absorbing any trapped air. Doming your makeready also can help with gassing and air entrapment. Dome the makeready from the center out and stay off the edges of the die.

If sanding is necessary, try 600 grit first and use reduced pressure. The weight of the stock has enough bulk to accept the fine grit without showing on the back. You do not need to sand at normal stamping pressures for it to be effective. Then, increase pressure to an acceptable level and stamp – it should show no more bruising than stamping normally would.

Also, if the customer is not fixed on a mirror finish but would accept a rich gold look, suggest having the die textured or blasted with a finish. This is inexpensive and can make all the difference on a stamping project like this.”

Hutchison wasn’t the only on to weigh in on the project. Craig Robinson of Trojan Litho offered the following suggestions.

“You could knock out and trap the ink and coating by a 16th of an inch. If you choose to do this, you may want to run a quick test by stamping an image that spans over the edge of the ink and coating onto blank stock to make sure a pressure mark does not show up in a bright metallic foil.

Using a foil designed for uncoated stocks is a good idea due to the thicker adhesive, as long as the image does not have any fine detail.”

From Greg Greenwald at Scarab Printing Arts:

“We have taped a sheet of fine sandpaper to the foil die and run some sheets. The sandpaper roughs up the surface. Then we remove the sandpaper and run the sheets back through. We have had very good results with this method. Doubles the press run, but it can save a job.”

Eventually, the customer decided they were willing to eliminate the aqueous coating and run the job using UV inks. This was met with one last piece of advice from Glenn Schuster of Data Graphic.

“For what it’s worth, we have had problems foiling on top of UV, especially if the inks are not 100% cured. We have sent sheets back through the UV drier and it solved the issue. Be careful not to overdo it though, because the sheet gets dried out and might crack if being folded.”

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when fellow industry professionals are willing to share their experiences in overcoming common – and not so common – challenges. With FSEA Helplinks, members are able to quickly and easily connect with one another as they seek out the best methods for tackling tough jobs.

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