Give your products and marketing communications materials increased visibility and an enhanced perception of quality that conveys creativity, professionalism and holds the attention of your audience. Whether utilizing single or multi-level embossing or any of the hundreds of metallic, pigmented or holographic foils available, you will achieve movement and dimension unachievable with ink on paper.
In today’s competitive market, however, building brand identity is much more than putting on a pretty face. LPI is all about creativity, flexibility and award winning performance. Our customers rely on us to partner with them and integrate enhancement services with design objectives and other graphic elements to achieve the greatest return on investment. Every product you see on these pages is a testimony to focused strategic planning and execution.
Foil stamping and/or embossing are ideal choices for the broadest range of traditional paper substrates, from smooth to heavily textured, to light weight and heavy boards.
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Especially dramatic are the results on hybrid metallic sheets, ultra-suede’s, box wrap products and book binding materials.
LPI has kept pace with the most current trends and is experienced working with the ever growing demand for non-paper synthetic substrates such as acetate, styrene, polyester, polypropylene, foam core, coroplast, cloth, leather and yes, even wood.
Embossing/Debossing Die Profiles – Click Here
Glossary of Terms
Artwork, Camera-Ready
Final drawings or stats in high-contrast black-and-white, used to reproduce the image with all blemishes and imperfections removed.
Artwork, Digital-Ready
Preferably Adobe Illustrator vector files, smooth images without bitmapping, CMYK, 100% black, 100% image size and all strokes/fills/text converted to outlines. Accompany with a complete PDF file for visual reference.
Beveled Edge
The edge of an embossed or debossed area made to a specific angle to the paper plane. These beveled edges range from 30 to 80 degrees from the paper and image planes.
Blind Emboss/Deboss
Raising or lowering the image without color or foil. Reshaping the paper fiber produces the image.
Border
Opposite of panel. Referred to as a line to be printed, stamped, embossed or debossed. It is open inside its perimeter, rather than solid.
Chiseled
A shape put into embossed or debossed images resembling a V-shape.
Color Register
Having design elements fit each other through various press operations, such as printing, embossing, debossing, foil stamping, die cutting or folding.
Countercast Epoxy Glass Board
Extremely hard product specifically designed for crisp, clean stamping applications and for long-running jobs.
Countercast Phenolic Board
A very hard makeready board mounted on the platen of the press for extra sharp detail when flat stamping.
Countercast Polyurethane Sheet
Used as flat stamping counter for large coverage applications. An excellent makeready board for holograms.
Deboss
Lowering the image below the paper surface.
Die, Combination
A raised image die used to hot stamp and emboss simultaneously. It has a cutting rule around the image area to aid in a clean cut of the foil.
Die, Counter
A mirror image counterpart molded from the original dies used to press the paper into the die to emboss or deboss. It is usually made of epoxy, fiberglass or other resins (precast counter).
Die Cutting
Piercing the paper or other substrate with a knife-edge steel blade. These can be straight single cuts, slots for the insertion of other items, or holes cut to any shape or size.
Die, Debossing
A hand-sculpted, machine-tooled or photo-etched die with the image raised above the main surface level of the die material. Used to deboss or reshape the paper under heat and pressure.
Die, Duplicate
Molded duplicate made from an original embossing or debossing die. These can be made of various materials, but are usually bakelite or metal compositions. Used to cut costs when making multiple dies.
Die, Embossing
A hand-sculpted, machine-tooled or photo-etched die with the image recessed below the main surface level of the die material. Used to emboss or reshape the paper under heat and pressure.
Die, Foil-Embossing
Same as a combination die
Die-Making
The process of photo-etching, machining or hand finishing images or shapes into metal dies. The image may be raised, recessed or a combination of the two depending on the process and application.
Die, Stamping
A photo-etched or machined die used to flat stamp foil to paper or other substrates.
Die, Steel Rule
A cutting die used to pierce or cut paper or other substrates. Made type high (.918″) with 1/32″ thick steel blades, or rules, cut and bent to specific patterns and mounted in a wooden base. The steel blades have knife-like cutting edges.
Domed
A shape put into embossed or debossed images resembling a semi-circle or half-moon.
Emboss
Raising the image above the paper surface.
Engrave
To mark, print or incise letters or designs onto a surface, usually paper, with a photo-etched and hand-finished die. The die, or engraving, is usually metal, although it can be stone, wood or other materials. Engravings are one level and shallow to carry ink in the recessed areas of the die before transferring the ink to the paper.
Foil
General term for hot stamping material, consisting of a film carrier (usually 1.5 mil polyester) coated with additional ultra thin layers such as a release coat, color coat, metal coat and an adhesive coat.
Foil Embossing
Raising an image and applying foil at the same time with one press run using a combination, foil embossing die.
Foils, Dusted
Foils utilizing a metallic powder on the carrier. Easily applied, but easily rubbed off without an over-coating. Limited colors available.
Foils, Flat Pigment
Opaque or semi opaque foils of intense color, resembling flat paint.
Foils, Gloss Pigment
Opaque or semi opaque foils of intense color, resembling glossy enamel paint.
Foils, Holographic
Foils which include a holographic image embossed onto an additional ultra thin layer. Many unique patterns are now readily available.
Foils, Metallic
Foils available in many colors, either shiny (mirror) or satin in their finish, all manufactured with a metallic coat or layer as part of their construction. The most widely used metallic foils are gold and silver.
Foils, Patterned
Foils manufactured with specific patterns rather than one color such as woodgrains, marble or multi-colors.
Foils, Pearlescent
Gloss foils having a translucent pearl appearance and available in different color shades.
Foils, Tint or Pastel
Flat or dull translucent stamping foils available in different colors. Can be applied in varying degrees of color density by changing the press temperature when stamping.
Glazing
Smoothing out a textured stock with controlled heat and pressure. Varying amounts of shine can also be achieved.
Gripper Edge
The lead edge of the press sheet which sets up against a predetermined stop on the press. For registration purposes, the same designated edge is used during all press applications. No embossing, debossing, die cutting or other operations can be performed in this area.
Hologram
A three-dimensional picture that is made on a photo-sensitive glass plate using lasers as the light source. From this plate a “shim” is made and the image is then manufactured into a metallic foil.
Hot Stamping
Applying foil with the use of heat, pressure, and dwell to various substrates, such as paper, plastic, wood and leather.
Image Area
Printed, stamped, embossed/debossed text and design elements and the live area they cover.
Light or Color Fastness
The ability of foil products to resist fading when exposed to light.
Multi-Level
Embossing and/or debossing utilizing images on more than 1 level. The actual paper surface level is not counted as a level.
Non-Image Area
All press sheet area other than image area.
Paper, Uncoated
Paper which is ideal for embossing and debossing because its softer finish allows for greater depth and it has less tendency to wrinkle or crack. Foils will appear less glossy on these stocks and textured sheets may sometimes be difficult to smooth out when foil stamped.
Paper Level
Reference point for all embossing or debossing.
Photo-Mechanical
Sometimes referred to as chemical milling. For foils stamping and some embossing and debossing dies, an image is exposed to a light-sensitive emulsion on the die material. Then the die is acid-etched to a specific depth and angle. Depending upon the die function, the image is etched into an embossing die or the non-image area is etched away on a stamping or debossing die.
Press Proof
A short press run for approval by the client prior to the actual production run. It generally uses the paper, inks, dies, foils etc. specified for the actual run.
Reverses
Openings in the image where the background or paper shows through the printed, embossed, debossed or foiled areas.
Scorching/Heat Tint
Changing the paper color in the embossed or debossed area by using additional heat, which creates a two-toned effect, with the image being the darker tone.
Scoring
Sharply creasing a material to facilitate folding. It should be made the same direction as the grain of the paper when ease of folding is of prime concern. For greater strength, a score can be made perpendicular to the paper grain.
Sculpted Embossing
Raising and/or lowering an image with sculptural realism with any of a variety of shapes, angles, and edges, as opposed to flat levels. Dies are made by craftsmen with meticulous hand tooling.
Side Guide
The press sheet edge, either right or left of the gripper edge, which is pushed or pulled to square up the sheet against a predetermined stop. For registration purposes, the same designated edge is used during all press applications.
Single Level
Raising or lowering an image one flat level from the paper level.
Step and Repeat
Same image precisely repeated one or more times horizontally and/or vertically to predetermined distances. These distances from one image to another are referred to as “center” when measured from a point on one image to the same point on an adjacent image.