What Foil Embossing Is All About

By Mamie Conrad


If you would like to create a raised impression on any of your business materials, foil embossing would be a good process to invest on. It creates a 3D effect on its outputs and can be used for practically any substrate. Often done with stamping, it is a powerful method to improve your company's name and image.

The process is completed with the use of heat and the presence of two dies. The substrate such as your foils will be placed in between the two dies, namely the recessed and the relief dies. The two dies will exert pressure against each other to create the embossed effect on the substrate placed in between them.

There are generally five types of dies being used. The type will depend on the shape or effect to be achieved on the substrate surface. These include the sculptured die, the beveled edge die, the round edge die, the multi level die, and the single level die. The sculptured and multilevel dies create more 3D effects due to the complexity in their layers.

You will have to plan carefully about a few things first before proceeding with the embossing process. You need to decide on how much pressure you should let the dies apply. The pressure will influence the depth of the design later on. Not just that, you also need to adjust the level of heat to an appropriate to ensure the right degree of impression.

Of course, the depth of the die will also matter. The depth will be determined by the one in charge of artwork. Therefore, during the designing process, it is very important for all things to be set. Nevertheless, the dies can be retooled if they find out that they are not providing the results needed.

Choosing the material to be used for the dies is another thing. There are generally three metals used for the dies. These are magnesium, copper and brass. Magnesium is the lest costly of all. It can be etched photomechanically and can run for about 5 thousand impressions before losing its capacity. It is ideal for smooth stocks only.

Copper dies are more expensive than magnesium dies. However, they are more durable as they can be used for a hundred thousand impressions. The strongest of the three though are brass dies. They can be used for 1 million impressions and produce far better image produce compared to copper dies.

If you plan to buy the dies yourself, you will have to consider the frequency at which you are going to use them. There are also various embossing types you have to consider. Ask experts regarding pastelling, scorching, glazing, registered emboss, blind emboss and combination emboss. All these produce different effects on your material.

Foil embossing surely will provide a lot of benefits to commercial facilities. They can be used on applications such as graphics, company logos, document security, packaging and accents surrounding logos. Just make sure that you work with the right embossing company if you intend to get the service commercially.




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