Cold Foiling Guide
By Image Printing Products International - www.coldfoil.com
ADVANTAGES OF COLD FOILING
Cold foiling is the process of applying adhesive to a substrate and then applying easy release foils onto the adhesive without the use of hot dies or heated rollers. Over the last 5 - 10 years only a few companies have commercially used cold foiling. We have worked with a number of pioneers in the use of these techniques, and now, with recent improvements and much experience, we are able to offer our expertise to you.
WHAT DO I NEED FOR COLD FOILING?
There are two different types of adhesives, Free Radical and Cationic. The difference between these products is that the free radical adhesive reacts only when exposed to UV light, whereas the cationic adhesive has an initial cure to become tacky and a post cure to completely cross link. The system you decide to use will depend on the configuration of your press.
ADVANTAGES OF COLD FOILING
- Fast set up
- No brass dies
- Eliminate up front tooling costs
- Short / Long print runs
- The ability to enter new markets
- Excellent registration
- Faster running speeds than hot foil
- Works on a wide variety of substrates
- In-line
- In-house
- Quick turnaround
Cold foiling is the process of applying adhesive to a substrate and then applying easy release foils onto the adhesive without the use of hot dies or heated rollers. Over the last 5 - 10 years only a few companies have commercially used cold foiling. We have worked with a number of pioneers in the use of these techniques, and now, with recent improvements and much experience, we are able to offer our expertise to you.
WHAT DO I NEED FOR COLD FOILING?
- UV Letterpress / UV Flexo machine
- Medium - hard printing plate
- UV curing adhesive
- Lamination station (85 durometer or harder)
- Cold foil
- Nip rollers (top-rubber / bottom-steel)
- UV lamp (min 400 watts per inch)
- Various anilox rollers
- Anilox - carefully selected to suit plate design and substrate
- Unwind and rewind laminating unit must be true
- Foil tension through web must be controlled
- Ability to alter the pressure on the nip roller for different substrates
- Debris on the substrate can reduce the quality and affect the cure of the adhesive
- Rollers must be clean with a smooth surface
- Durometer of the nip roller must be matched to plate design and substrate
- Bearer bars on plates significantly improve quality
- Coated or filled stock is recommended to prevent soaking in. (Paper or Board stocks)
- Films should be pre-treated or top coated
- Press speeds of between 150 and 300 fpm are recommended. Good results have been obtained at approximately 300 fpm with 2-600 watt per inch UV Bulbs.
- Use as sharp an angle as possible when lifting the foil away from the substrate to maintain sharp lines on your image.
There are two different types of adhesives, Free Radical and Cationic. The difference between these products is that the free radical adhesive reacts only when exposed to UV light, whereas the cationic adhesive has an initial cure to become tacky and a post cure to completely cross link. The system you decide to use will depend on the configuration of your press.
FREE-RADICAL METHOD
- Print adhesive
- Laminate foil to surface
- Pass substrate and laminated foil through UV lamp to harden adhesive and to bond the foil to the substrate
- De-laminate foil (die-cut / strip as needed)
CATIONIC METHOD
PLEASE NOTE
It is necessary to take care that the print unit is absolutely spotless and a special cleaning regime is highly recommended. Always consult your sales representative regarding any new application.
The information and recommendations in this publication are, to the best of our knowledge, reliable. Suggestions made concerning uses or applications are only the opinion of Image Group and users should make their own tests to determine the suitability of these products for their own particular purposes. However, because of numerous factors affecting results, Image Group makes no warranty of any kind, express or implied, including those of merchantability and fitness for particular purpose, other than that the material conforms to its applicable current Standard Specifications. Statements herein, therefore, should not be construed as representations or warranties. The responsibility of Image Group shall, in no event, be liable for special, incidental or consequential damages, including loss of profits. Statements concerning the use of the products or formulation described herein are not to be construed as recommending the infringement of any patent and seller assumes no liability for infringement arising out of any such use.
- Print adhesive
- Pass substrate under UV lamp to start the cure and make adhesive tacky
- Laminate foil to surface
- De-laminate foil (die-cut / strip as needed)
PLEASE NOTE
It is necessary to take care that the print unit is absolutely spotless and a special cleaning regime is highly recommended. Always consult your sales representative regarding any new application.
The information and recommendations in this publication are, to the best of our knowledge, reliable. Suggestions made concerning uses or applications are only the opinion of Image Group and users should make their own tests to determine the suitability of these products for their own particular purposes. However, because of numerous factors affecting results, Image Group makes no warranty of any kind, express or implied, including those of merchantability and fitness for particular purpose, other than that the material conforms to its applicable current Standard Specifications. Statements herein, therefore, should not be construed as representations or warranties. The responsibility of Image Group shall, in no event, be liable for special, incidental or consequential damages, including loss of profits. Statements concerning the use of the products or formulation described herein are not to be construed as recommending the infringement of any patent and seller assumes no liability for infringement arising out of any such use.