Hot Stamping can be defined as custom printing napkins, pens, key chains, etc. usually with a logo and promotional message. Hot Stamped impressions are especially nice looking. They can be bold colours or very expensive looking “metallic ink” because they are actually printed with melted plastic.
Hot Foil Stamping is a very versatile method of printing. Using foils (available on a roll) it offers instant dry printing without using any messy inks. Hundreds of colors and shades from metallic matte, gloss, pearl and even 22k gold are available
Hot Stamping machines have electrically heated type holders. A type is a block of metal with a reversed raised letter or sign at the printing end. The operator loads the type holder with the appropriate reverse type, logo, illustration or die, and positions it in the machine with set screws.
When the type reaches the desired temperature, pulling a lever causes the hot type to be pressed against a strip from a roll of plastic (mounted on the machine), and a reverse image is “melted” onto the paper or other receiving item held position by the machine’s jaws.
The basic principle is similar to iron-on transfers. You can tell hot stamped materials by the especially vivid colours and slight indentation where the design is applied as apposed to top printing (smooth) or embossing (raised) |
