One thing people struggle with is printing on foils. To help, we want to talk about what you should pay attention to here. Then, if you need the most reliable foiling services, you can rely on us.
When people get their hands on a printer, not many understand what it can do in detail. In truth, contemporary printers can do more than everyone thinks. Primarily, they can load and print copy paper. However, they can also work on special stocks. It can open up the world of possibilities.
Foil film belongs to a specific variety of paper. This film is smooth and shiny, making it not always simple to print on. Even laser printers can have trouble with it. However, some tricks and tips exist that you can use to get great results.
Comparing printers
In principle, you can use all printers for foil printing. You could be using inkjet or laser ones. Whatever the case, you can use both without much hassle. But, you must pay close attention to the little details in advance. This will produce a result without bad impressions.
An inkjet printer offers you the simplest way of printing on transparencies. This model needs to have an individual paper tray. Users should also make use of the appropriate film papers. It is essential for the film to absorb the ink from your printer. If this didn’t happen, the ink would bead off and immediately become blurred following printing. Alternatively, it would be completely wiped off.
Regular laser printer
Things get more complex with these printers. They utilise heat for burning the subject onto the paper. It can lead to papers becoming statically charged. As a result, it can end with various film papers sticking together when they are in the unit in bigger quantities. Due to this reason, a laser printer should always only have a single sheet of paper within the slot. An individual paper tray is suitable here. If you don’t use one, your paper could crumple. Please speak to us if you need the UK’s leading foiling services.
Furthermore, you always need to choose the right paper for a laser printer. An inkjet printer film would burn when you insert it into your printer. This paper needs to withstand temperatures reaching 220ºC.
When you utilise the right paper types, foil printing is doable with both printer variants. You simply need to put slides in the right tray.
Preparing for the foil print
If you intend to load and print transparencies, it is best to do some preparation and follow up. With prep, it depends on the correct slides at the first moment. Once you obtain these, you put the transparencies in the printer. Within a laser printer individually, multiple documents will be possible.
Usually slides are statically charged and adhere to one another. In inkjet printers, the antistatic guide typically isn’t an issue. In a laser printer, films can’t always be grasped. This is because the image drum functions with heat. The fanning can be done manually, so you should do it this way. With the paper stack, it is taken in the hand and fanned out after. As such, air gets between the films. In turn, this means they don’t stick to each other.
Films with moisture
If there is an issue with moisture, you should stop the pressure right away. Most films are able to form if you don’t store them properly. Particularly in the basement, moisture is capable of penetrating into the materials. In turn, this means they stick to each other. Neither laser nor inkjet printers can handle wet film. Because of this, drying is integral.
Errors during printing can manifest if your films have grease stains. Particularly with inkjet printers, they can cause issues as the colour does not correctly adhere to the paper. With laser printers, the chances of this happening are far lower.
We know the potential of foiling services
We chose to specialise in this area because we are aware of the potential that foil holds for many items. Similar to laminating, foiling can generate outstanding appearance results. Using our skills and experience, we ensure this happens for all kinds of projects.
So, if you need our foiling services, please let us know. We can advise you about all of the options, including printing on foil.