Personalized Invitations & Stationery; Raised Ink Printing

Raised ink printing, technically known as thermography printing, refers to the technique that creates an engraved effect on the printing substrate material. Standard prints are often unable to create the right effect, especially when the design requires highlighting certain items such as text or images. It is true that the required effects can be created through engraving, but it is not preferred because the process is costly and time-consuming. However, the importance of engraved prints cannot be underestimated because it does help in creating the desired first impression on clients and customers. Raised ink printing provides a good alternative because it not only creates similar effects, but also is economical.

The various aspects of raised ink printing

Raised ink printing is effective because it simulates the appearance created by engraving without the use of steel or copper engraving dies. The raised appearance created by engraving is quite attractive to look at, which is why this process was used extensively for designing business cards, letterheads, brochures, envelopes, wedding cards etc. With all the functions now available at much cheaper rates, raised ink printing has become the most preferred printing technique for creating the engraved look. It also provides a good alternative to offset lithography printing, which is also used to create the engraved look. Raised ink printing may lack the clarity and distinctiveness of the original engraving method, but when we consider the costs, it proves to be the best available alternative.

The printing process

The raised ink printing process starts with printing the required design on the substrate material. The printed sheets then pass under a powder funnel, which sprinkles a fine layer of powder-like substance on the entire sheet. The fine particles that fall on the still wet ink remain there for further processing. The powder-coated sheets are then passed under a heated oven that firmly fuses the fine powdered particles with the still wet printing ink. A high power vacuum is then used to remove the excess powder remaining on the sheets, and then returning it to the feed funnel for further use. When the fused mixture hardens, it creates a ‘raised’ appearance. The powder used in this technique is colorless and takes the color of the ink used while printing. This makes it possible to print multi-colored prints at half the cost because the engraved look is achieved through a single linear printing process.

The attractiveness of the engraved look created through raised ink printing depends on the quality of powder used during the printing process. A few decades back, it was very difficult to create a rich engraved look because the powder available at that time did not fuse easily with the wet ink. However, recent advances have enabled companies to produce specially formulated powder that easily integrates with the wet printing ink, leaving very little scope for botched prints. With the availability of specially formulated powder, it has now become possible to print very fine letters and small serifs without adversely affecting the overall resolution and clarity of the final print.

Some drawbacks

Every technology, no matter how beneficial or cost-effective, has its drawbacks, and raised ink printing is no exception. If printer-friendly printing paper is not used, the high temperatures generated during the fusing process can cause the paper to curl up, leaving the user with a botched up print. This problem also occurs while using printing substrate material such as envelopes with gummed flaps and paper stocks containing cotton fiber. However, this is considered a minor problem as it occurs only when the right substrate material is not used. The problem can easily be overcome by utilizing only those products that are manufactured specially for raised ink printing technique.

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