HOW we do it

PAD PRINTING

Pad printing is achieved by transferring an image from a printing plate via a silicone pad and on to a product.

Ink is applied with a squeegee to the etched image area of the printing plate, filling it with ink. The top layer of ink becomes tacky as soon as it is exposed to the air. The transfer pad presses down onto the printing plate; the pad is compressed and pushes air outwards, causing the ink to lift from the etched image area and adhere on to the transfer pad.

The pad then moves over and compresses down on to the product surface, transferring the ink from the pad to the product.

LITHO PRINTING

A piece of film produced from artwork is placed on to a flexible aluminium plate covered with a photosensitive emulsion and is exposed to ultraviolet light.

When the plate is developed, it shows a reverse image of the original; this image is the exposed emulsion that remains on the plate after developing.

Dampening rollers apply water to the blank parts of the plate. Water is repelled from the emulsion of the image area. Ink is then applied to the plate by inking rollers. The inked plate then rolls against a cylinder covered with a rubber blanket, which squeezes away the water, picks up the ink from the plate then transfers the image to the paper as it rolls.

LASER ENGRAVING

Laser engraving is used to engrave or mark metal, wood and some plastic products.

The artwork is loaded into a computer programme which controls a laser. The laser then passes over the product and either vaporizes of fractures the surface layer to create an engraving. The laser's focal point is less than a fraction of a millimeter, allowing for fine details in complicated, intricate designs to be achieved.

TRANSFER PRINTING

Heat transfer printing is used to produce high quality single, multi colour or 4 colour process images on a variety of fabric and nylon products.

Transfer printing is the recommended print method for reproducing any designs that incorporate tints of a solid colour.

The heat transfer process uses a specially coated carrier paper on which a design is printed. The carrier paper is then placed on to the product surface; when heat and pressure are applied to the carrier paper by means of a heat press, the ink is transferred on to the product.

FOIL BLOCKING / EMBOSSING

Diaries and various leather products can be branded using either foil blocking or embossing.

A block is made usually of metal or wood bearing the image to be printed in relief. The block is then mounted to the print head of a machine which applies heat to the block. Coloured foil is placed over the area of the product to be embossed; the block and product are then brought together under pressure.

The combination of heat and pressure releases the pigment from the foil and transfers the image to the product's surface. Foil is available in gold and silver as standard. Other colours are available.

DIGITAL PRINTING

Digital printing refers to methods of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media.

It usually refers to professional printing where small-run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers.

Digital printing can also be described as a larger version of your standard office printer which is great for a small run as it is fast and efficient.

You are, however, restricted to using CMYK or Black Ink which means you cannot Pantone Match.

FULL COLOUR VS. SPOT COLOUR

So what’s the difference?

One colour, plus black allows you to choose one colour to be used with traditional black ink. Full colour printing uses the same four colours of ink — cyan, magenta, yellow and black — to create all the different possible colour combinations. These are called 'process colours.'

Spot colour often requires inks to be specially mixed just for that job – which can be labour intensive. Before you decide on your colours, speak to one of our team to find out more.

He or she can help you look at the most cost-effective way to add colour to your job, and explain all your options.

PMS

The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a popular colour matching system used by the printing industry to print spot colours.

Most applications that support colour printing allow you to specify colours by indicating the Pantone name or number. This colour-specification assures that you get the right colour when the file is printed, even though the colour may not look right when displayed on your monitor.

PMS works well for spot colours but not for process colours, which are generally specified using the CMYK colour model.

Embroidery

Embroidery is the handcraft of decorating fabric with a needle and thread. Here at ID-I we use the latest machine technology to deliver cutting-edge embroidery. All of our embroidery is done to the highest standard.

Embroidery is designed to produce a high-quality finish every time. The stitching looks sophisticated and stylish while the accuracy in the high-quality embriodery also ensures that it stays ands lasts.

For further information regarding embroidery, make sure you speak to a member of our team and they will be more than happy to help.

OVERS AND UNDERS

As a preventitive measure, to protect both ourselves and our valued customers, we use a system known as Overs and Unders.

Although it is rare, this policy basically means that we can deliver and invoice up to 10% overs or 10% unders on top of the printing costs to cover any mishaps.

For example, we always print 10% over the quantity of the order; if you order 1,000 leaflets, we will print 1,100 to ensure that, if there are any mistakes during the printing process, you will still receive 1,000 perfect prints.