A distinct touch.
Thermography, or raised printing, is an attractive alternative that provides image-enhancing impact at an economical price. This process was developed to simulate the look of engraving. Richer than standard printing yet lacking the distinctive crispness of engraving, thermography allows your firm to project a level of sophistication that matches your budget.
The Process
With thermography, your piece is printed on an offset press using a slow drying ink. While the ink is still wet, it is lightly dusted with resin powder, vacuumed and then exposed to high heat (1200°F), which melts and fuses the powder with the ink to produce a raised surface.
ASL combines a state-of-the-art thermographic process with skill and finesse to produce the finest quality, laser safe raised printing results for your firm's communications.
Paper Selections
The high heat used with thermography can affect paper stock and has a tendency to dry out those with cotton-fiber content and lighter weight. While this must be taken into consideration, ASL provides a wide range of paper choices to bring you an ideal finished product.
Ink Colors and Types
With thermography, you can choose from an array of Pantone Matching System (PMS) colors to give your piece a distinctive look using a one- or two-color process. However, as thermography applies transparent inks and high temperatures, the color results will appear one shade darker than shown in the PMS book. To achieve the ink color you want, it is suggested that you choose the next lighter PMS color than the color desired. You can refer to the coated side of the PMS book to get a better idea of what your color will look like after thermography.
Due to absorption differences, the same PMS number ink can create a completely different shade or color when engraved, printed or thermographed. It is also important to note that color variances may be apparent when on different color and finished stocks.
Also note that metallic inks do not work well with thermography as they tend to lose both luster and shine. As always, your ASL representative will work closely with you to minimize any impact regarding ink colors or types.
Typestyles/Fonts
In order to achieve the desired raised effect on stationery and other materials, it is also advised that you use a font style that is more conducive to thermography. This process requires fonts with a surface area that can hold ample ink and powder. Larger fonts offer a better "raise" because of the amount of ink being used. Conversely, thin fonts carry less ink, making the proper "raise" harder to achieve.
Images/Graphics
For the majority of logos, images and graphics, thermography gives you a polished look with cost-effective results. However, there are times when your design elements may trigger a loss of detail with thermography that would not occur with alternative processes.
It is also recommended that you avoid using screens with thermography. When the resin powder interacts with the ink and heat, it swells or raises the image, which in turn causes the screen to fill in. ASL can help you work through these complex design issues to meet your particular needs.
