17 Common Printing Technologies

1.Emboss/ Deboss

01．Process Description

By using a convex template and applying pressure, the surface of the printed material is pressed to form a three-dimensional relief pattern, which is called embossing.

By using a concave template, through the action of pressure, the surface of the printed item is pressed to form a pattern with a recessed effect, which is called debossing.

02. Characteristics

Embossing: Making certain parts of the printed material protrude to create a three-dimensional effect and generate a visual impact.

Depression: Making certain parts of the printed material recess to create a three-dimensional effect and generate a visual impact.

2.Amboss

01. Process Description

Amboss is a common processing technique for decorating packaging materials. Using molds with raised and recessed patterns, under the action of certain pressure and temperature, the substrate undergo deformation, forming certain patterns, thereby achieving artistic processing on the surface of decorative packaging materials. According to the amboss method, it can include flat amboss and roller amboss.

02. Characteristics

After amboss, the surface of the packaging decorative material presents patterns of varying depths, achieving a distinct three-dimensional relief effect, which enhances the artistic appeal to the pressure-resistant material.

3. Spot UV

01. Process Description

UV includes full-page UV and spot UV. Full-page UV belongs to surface treatment, while spot UV belongs to decorative process. Spot UV is a process where a UV-based gloss coating is applied to a substrate in a specific area, and then cured with UV light to create a localized brightening effect. This technique enables the printed area to exhibit higher brightness, transparency, and durability.

02. Characteristics

The surface of the printed items that have undergone spot UV treatment has a more textured and three-dimensional appearance, highlighting the visual effect of the local highlights.

4. Reverse UV

01. Process Description

UV reverse printing is what we commonly refer to as reverse gloss printing. It is a printing effect achieved by mixing two types of ink. Through UV light, a frosted effect is produced. This can enable the same printed product to simultaneously have a high-reflective glossy effect and a matte or rough non-glossy effect. It creates a stronger contrast in brightness, thereby achieving a better gloss effect.

Meanwhile, since the non-highlighted areas use offset printing, the registration is extremely accurate, which also ensures the printing accuracy of the graphics and text on the highlighted areas.

02. Characteristics

It is possible to achieve high-contrast spot varnishing of graphics and text, and the accuracy of varnishing and overprinting is the key to the varnishing process.

Enhance the light resistance of the ink, increase the heat resistance of the ink, enhance the moisture-proof ability, provide protection, beautify the product, and offer two different gloss processing options.

5. Reverse Abrasion

01. Process Description

The reverse abrasion process is a new type of printing technology that has emerged in the past one or two years. This process involves printing the product in the normal color sequence, then, after the ink has completely dried or solidified, using offset printing connection method to print a special primer layer in the non-high-contrast local areas. After the primer layer is fully dried, apply UV varnish evenly on the entire surface of the printed product. In the area where UV varnish and primer layer come into contact, an internal reaction occurs, forming small granular ink films, resulting in a matte or sand-grain surface; while in the UV vanish area without the primer layer, a high-gloss mirror-like effect is formed.

Eventually, spot areas of the substrate with high gloss and local areas with matte low gloss were formed on the printed product.

02. Characteristics

It has a frosted effect, which can enhance the printing effect and can enhance the printing effect of the product, make it more exquisite, and improve the printing quality to a higher level.

6. Lamination

01. Process Description

Coating is also known as gluing. It is applying a layer of adhesive onto a plastic film and then bonding it to a paper-based printed product through processes such as heating, pressure application, and cooling. This results in a transparent plastic film covering the surface of the printed product, creating a post-printing processing technology that integrates paper and plastic (including crystal films, glossy films, and matte films, etc.).

02. Characteristics

The surface of the products coated with the glossy film is bright and has strong expressiveness.

The surface of products with matte coating does not reflect light.

7. Vanishing

01. Process Description

The process of “vanishing” involves applying a layer of vanish on the surface of the pattern, which serves to provide waterproofing, scratch resistance, and a high-gloss effect. It is relatively durable, resistant to pollution, and can prevent the ink on the surface from being easily wiped off. The materials use oil application include oil-based varnish, water-based varnish, and UV varnish. Generally speaking, “oil application”, “glossing”, and “varnish application” are actually the same thing. Oil application mainly includes gloss varnish and matte varnish.

02. Differences

The main difference between matte ink and gloss ink lies in their brightness. The printed products treated with gloss ink have a smooth texture and a glossy appearance. The gloss ink enhances the brightness of the printed items and increases the reflective effect; while matte ink makes the printed products more upscale.

8. Sprayed Edges

01. Process Description

Sprayed edges is a post-printing process that involves processing the sides or edges of printed  materials (such as the cutouts on books). It is commonly used for thicker paper and business cards.

02. Characteristics

This process targets the side edges of the paper for processing, highlighting the overall decorative effect of the printed matter. It can significantly enhance the refinement of the printed items and increase the value perception of the products.

03. Types

1. Gilding means hot stamping various colors on the side. 2. Spray color. 3. Silk-screen (silk-screen color on the side, including colored patterns)

9. Pressure Point Line

01. Process Description

The pressure line technique is a method used in the production process of printed materials, where strong pressure is applied to create patterns and printing dots, thereby achieving the visual effect on the surface of the printed materials.

02. Characteristics

It can be separated easily, quickly and accurately, which enhances the functionality and practicality of the printed materials, and increases their aesthetic appeal.

10. Gold Foil Stamping/ Silver Foil Stamping

01. Process Description

The scientific name is heat transfer printing, which is abbreviated as heat stamping. It is commonly known as gold stamping or silver stamping. It is a method that uses certain pressure and temperature to stamp metal foil onto the printed material. There is also a cold stamping method.

02. Characteristics

It has a metallic luster, with clear and beautiful patterns, bright and eye-catching colors, excellent wear resistance and weather resistance, and a high-class appearance, which creates a strong contrast in the printed image.

11. Laser Imprinting

01. Process Description

After applying UV varnish on the surface of the printed product and entering the pressing system, the printed product is combined with the laser transfer film. Then, it is exposed to UV light for instant curing. Finally, the printed product and the laser transfer film are separated, transferring the laser pattern on the surface of the laser transfer film to the printed product.

02. Characteristics

This material enables printed products to have a dazzling and eye-catching visual effect, which can significantly enhance the quality of packaging. Moreover, it has the characteristics of being biodegradable and easy to handle, making it a green and environmentally friendly high-end printing material for anti-counterfeiting and environmental protection.

12. Die-cutting

01. Process Description

Die-cutting technology involves creating specialized die-cutting tools based on the design requirements of the printing material, and then using pressure to shape the printed material or other substrates into the desired shapes or cuts.

02. Characteristics

The die-cutting and embossing process has transformed the simple linear or forms of printed materials, allowing various printed packages to be presented in the three dimensions and with curves, thereby creating a wide variety of shapes and designs.

13. Foaming

01. Process Description

The printing method that uses microsphere foaming ink and is printed on the substrate through screen printing, then heated to obtain raised graphic images; it is a new printing technology that combines printing with art.

02. Characteristics

The foamed printed graphics have a very good three-dimensional effect.

14. Flocking

01. Process Description

The method of fixing short fibers (with a length generally ranging from 0.03 to 0.5 meters) vertically onto a substrate coated with adhesive is called flocking; it makes the paper have a slightly fuzzy texture both visually and tactilely.

02. Characteristics

Strong three-dimensional effect, bright colors, soft touch, luxurious and noble, magnificent and warm, vivid image, non-toxic and odorless, heat preservation and moisture-proof, no shedding of fibers, resistant to friction, smooth and seamless.

15. Screen Printing

01. Process Description

Screen printing is a printing method that involves pressing ink from a screen onto the printing material. It is suitable for printing. Patterns with textures or special effects are currently one of the main forms for artistic creation to be realized.

02. Characteristics

It is not restricted by the size and shape of the printing substrate. The printing pressure is small and the printing method is flexible and diverse. The plate making is convenient, the price is low, the technology is easy to master, the adhesion is strong, it can be printed by hand or machine, and it is suitable for long-term display. The outdoor advertisement is very expressive.

16. CMYK

01. Process Description

CMYK is the color that produced by using the four colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). In simple terms, it is achieved by combining these four colors in different ways to obtain the desired color. Any color with a gradient effect is produced through CMYK. (CMYK is achieved by using dots, and these dots of different colors can be seen with a magnifying glass.)

17. Process Color Printing

01. Process Description

Spot color printing refers to a printing process that uses additional color inks besides the four primary colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black) to reproduce the colors of the original document. In packaging printing, the spot color printing process is often used to print large areas of base colors. Spot color printing is a single color, without gradation, and the pattern is a solid area. It cannot be seen through a magnifying glass as it has no dots. Also, since it is a single color, the four-color mixing and overlaying are omitted, so it is less likely to have the problem of overlaying when printing large areas of dark colors.

03. Under what circumstances is spot color printing used?

1. Monochrome or two-color books: If there are only 1-2 colors, a single-color or two-color printing machine can be used to reduce printing costs.

2. To achieve better results for large color blocks: Four-color printing uses dot overlay. If large color blocks are printed using spot colors, the colors will be more standardized and the base effect will be better.

3. Extremely strict requirements for color: such as enterprise standard colors, etc. Designers will specify Pantone specific color values. Due to the use of four-color ink, there will inevitably be color deviations in the printed products of different batches. However, Pantone color values are universally recognized worldwide, and the pantone ink manufacturers have professional blending capabilities, which can minimize color deviations to the greatest extent.

4. Special metallic inks such as gold and silver, as well as fluorescent inks, etc., cannot be produced by mixing the CMYK four-color inks. Therefore, special color printing is required.