What does it mean when printing companies say they need to get a die made? There are multiple types of dies used for different processes.
There are engraving dies. These are made of steel and copper. The process wipes ink across the die and then the paper is hit with that die injecting the ink into the paper. These dies last a long time and can be used multiple times. This is usually for fine type with serifs.
There are embossing dies. These are usually made of brass or copper but sometimes magnesium on the low end. The brass or copper are good for multiple uses and can have multi levels to give great detail. The edges can be beveled to achieve the maximum depth allowed by the paper. These are the dies that artistic or 2 dimensional effects are created on. The magnesium die is primarily made for short runs and will not stand up to wear and tear real well. You can only achieve one level in magnesium. All embossing dies require a counter die that fits into the die as a mirror image. These two dies actually squeeze the paper fibers between them and give the raised image. An interesting note is while embossing many times you apply heat to iron the paper texture. The brass and copper while expanding will not create a problem but the magnesium die due to the magnesium will actually expand a great deal and can cause fit problems if you have tight register to another part of the printed piece.
There are foil stamping dies. These are made of the same materials as the embossing die. A flat foil stamping die will not have a counter die. That is where the foil is flat on the sheet or no raised image. The combination die (embossing & foil stamping) has a counter and is made of brass usually. The foil is transferred via heat and pressure on both processes but with a combination stamp it is also raised at the same time to the level of the paper.
A steel rule die is not like any of the above mentioned dies. It is used to diecut or cut the paper in whatever shape the die is made in. Within the steel rule die, you have a cutting rule where the metal is sharp enough to cut through the paper when pressure is applied and you have scoring rules which have rounded edges and are made to crease the paper so it folds accurately and crisply.
All of these types of dies are done in house at The Odee Company.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Printing Services - Recognize Its Various Importance
- Printing Services Today and Tomorrow
- Printing Services: 4 Cues you Should Read
- Printing Services Myths Busted: Identify the Facts From the Lies
- Printing Services: 5 Advantages you Should Find and Enjoy
- Postcard Printing Services: Get the Complete Deal
- Printing Services: are you Getting the Complete Printing Package?
- Printing Services: the Multiplicity of Prints in Everyday Life
Importance of accurate air jet set up in plasma spray
By: Raj Krishnaswamy | 05/07/2009This article describes the importance of air jet set up accuracy in plasma spray coatings.
Thermal spray with poor grit blast -- a guaranteed disaster
By: Raj Krishnaswamy | 05/07/2009Poor grit blast preparation prior to thermal spray operations is a guaranteed disaster waiting in the wings. Read on to learn more.
Thermal spray masking materials
By: Raj Krishnaswamy | 04/07/2009This article explores the minimum characteristics that thermal spray masking materials need to exhibit in order to withstand the harsh environments.
Bharatbook.com : Impact of IMS on the telecoms landscape
By: Bharat Book Bureau | 04/07/2009Bharatbook.com added a new report on "IMS Report Market Forecast" describes the key drivers to successful future of IMS services, applications and handsets.
An Introduction to Popular E-book File Formats
By: GMarco | 03/07/2009As we know there are various devices for reading e-books, there are also popular file formats associated with several of such devices. There have always been debates as to which is the best among them, though each of these formats has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the popular file formats include Adobe PDF, Microsoft LIT, Amazon AZW, Mobipocket PRC, PDB, etc. Some popular PC content formats, such as HTML, TXT, and DOC, may also compete as e-book formats. In this article, let’s ha
Solar Power History and Uses
By: Detlef Warner | 03/07/2009A quick history of solar power and the uses of solar energy today.
Common Myths Associated with Energy Saving Light Bulbs
By: Joseph | 03/07/2009The modern florescent lamp was first conceived by Peter Cooper Hewitt in the late 1890s and they were initially used for large industrial buildings and photographic studios. However, despite their obvious efficiency and monetary advantages there are still some critics. This article will detail the history of the CFL and examine one of its harshest critics, British newspaper, the Daily Mail.
Climate change, energy saving light bulbs and the Daily Mail
By: Joseph | 03/07/2009The modern florescent lamp was first conceived by Peter Cooper Hewitt in the late 1890s and they were initially used for large industrial buildings and photographic studios. However, despite their obvious efficiency and monetary advantages there are still some critics. This article will detail the history of the CFL and examine one of its harshest critics, British newspaper, the Daily Mail.
Ganging Print Runs
By: Printing Guy | 25/04/2006 | ComputersWhen you have multiple pieces that are all on the same paper and same ink colors you can sometimes gang or put multiple pieces up on the same press sheet. This saves on makeready, setups, plates and washups and can save $$$ if you are comfortable with some of the limitations that you might have.
Picking a Printing Company
By: Printing Guy | 25/04/2006 | TechnologyWhile it is not as critical as choosing who you are going to marry, choosing a printer does hold similarities. My wife loves the "Bachelor" TV Show so since she loves it, I must also show enthusiasm toward it. It is always interesting to see who is going to crack under pressure. Last night I was trying to write this article and thought of how funny it would be to be picked as a printer this way. What could I say that would keep me in the running.
Diecutting in Printing
By: Printing Guy | 25/04/2006 | TechnologyEver wonder how printers cut odd or irregular shaped products like pocket folders out of paper? It is a process called diecutting and it uses a steel rule die to actually cut through the surface of the paper. The steel rule die is made of cutting rules and scoring rules. Scoring rules are metal with a rounded edge where cutting rules are metal with beveled sharp edges. These are usually mounted on a base made of wood.
Folding of Printed Products
By: Printing Guy | 25/04/2006 | TechnologyHere are a few thoughts on folding brochures or any other printed products. Paper always has a grain direction. Folding with the grain direction will give you a cleaner fold with less cracking. We all have seen brochures that are cracking on the folds. How do you reduce cracking? Folding with the grain will help.
Should my Job be Printed or Photocopied?
By: Printing Guy | 25/04/2006 | TechnologyThis article could also be called digital printing or offset printing. Photocopy is an old term that primarily describes black on white copy work. The business has evolved into color as well.
Bindings for Printed Products
By: Printing Guy | 25/04/2006 | TechnologyHow many different ways can you bind printed products? There are numerous ways you can bind manuals, books, calendars, guides, directories, catalogs, full color brochures and all other printed products. Here are a few very basic guidelines:
Quality of Digital Printing
By: Printing Guy | 25/04/2006 | TechnologySo you want one guys opinion on color digital printing quality? Here it is. If you are a mom and pop color copiers are an option although you don't pay much more for much better quality. Toner based machines no matter how much they cost are still toner particles. Nexpress & IGen3 do a very good job but will still show their toner ancestry on many jobs. These 2 machines will be very consistent on color from print to print.