Anyone using MetalFX?

Re: Anyone using MetalFX?

We've printed a few jobs where I have used it to create separations, and it works well with the right subjects. If you are a printer you do need to be licensed to use MetalFX Technology. You must print and submit a MetalFX test form to accomplish this. I think the real strength is the LiteFX and HoloFX that you can do with vector art/text. Drop them a line at http://www.metal-fx.com/ and they will send you some real world samples. One more thing, the ink is extremely expensive, $300.00US/lb.
Best regards,
Todd
 
Re: Anyone using MetalFX?

I would also like to add that one of the nicest MetalFX pieces that I have seen was "The Best Use of MetalFX in Education Award, 2007" printed by the students at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, WI. The kids did a great job!
-Todd
 
Re: Anyone using MetalFX?

Pardon me, but $300/lb is somewhat incorrect. I think that is the old price that MFX was charging when the product first came out.

MetalFX makes 2 silver inks and 1 gold ink. The silver comes in a super-shiny Premium, which is $200 per +kilogram+, or 2.2 lbs, so it's actually less than $100 / lb.

The gold and the non-Premium silver inks are around $20 / lb, depending on your supplier.

Edited by: pmonkey on Jun 30, 2008 1:35 PM
 
We've printed a few jobs where I have used it to create separations, and it works well with the right subjects. If you are a printer you do need to be licensed to use MetalFX Technology. You must print and submit a MetalFX test form to accomplish this. I think the real strength is the LiteFX and HoloFX that you can do with vector art/text. Drop them a line at Welcome to MetalFX® Technology +44 (0) 1943 88 48 88 and they will send you some real world samples. One more thing, the ink is extremely expensive, $300.00US/lb.
Best regards,
Todd

Hi guys,

As usual, the ink price is something that is always mis-quoted, not by the printer using it, but by the ink salesman. $300 a lb, that is for the premium, foil replacement ink, and should really only be used on a UV press, flexo, screen or gravure printing and in areas no greater than 30% coverage. I would certainly never use it on conventional litho offset press. Crazy! Ink salesmen should be shot for trying to sell that. I came across this all the time... by the way, I was the CTO for MFX so I know what I am on about lol. The ink you should really use is one called Silvercoat, that was $30lb and was the mid-range ink The ink code you need to order is MFX 06 9000 NL.. The basic cheap MFX ink was around $15lb and that code is MFX 07 5000. It is only for litho though. That ink was special, it could be UV varnished, aqueous coated, gloss laminated, used on blister packs etc. Amazing ink. $300 a lb, lol, sorry but it still amazes me the greed of some ink makers that only push the top range ink.

Richard Ainge
 
Thank you for the ink information Richard, I hope your current endeavors are going well. We print MetalFX with a UV silver ink which explains the cost. We will look into the other inks that you mentioned for any future projects.
Best regards,
Todd
 
UV silver

UV silver

Hi Todd,

The cheap standard UV silver ink is less than satisfactory on a UV press, the orientation of the pigment is altered due to the UV curing and as such dulls back. Hence the premium silver being the only one that really delivers and punch. However, if your press is fitted with combi rollers then it is possible to use the MFX Silvercoat (MFX 06 9000 NL) silver your press! I know what you might be thinking "how can you possibly use a conventional ink on a UV press" well, all I can say is it is worth trying if you have a press with combi rollers. I ran extensive press tests with Komori and we even ran it on their UV press at IPEX in the UK, so I know it works. However, as this ink is not designed for a UV combi press there are no guarantees, but for the sake of a short while washing the unit what have you got to loose? The methodology I tried was wet trapping the CMYK over the metallic and UV curing at the end, but I also tried UV curing after the first unit (silver) and that also worked. We settled on this working due to the wetting of the pigment in the Silvercoat ink and the dispersion of that pigment. What this means in short is that if it works on your press config then you have an ink that you can varnish that will give you the same results as the $300lb ink but for only $30lb. Quite the saving ;-) Give it a whirl if you have a suitable press and see for yourself. Oh, I also recommended this type of printing to a UK printer called Clays, they are one of the larger book publishers in the UK and it worked a treat on their press. It's a classic case of managing to persuade the press minder to forget 40 years of working practice and to boldly go where other printers dare not... even more so now with the current economic downturn. Lots of extra press time to trial and test things... and believe me, I have lots of ideas for testing ;-)

good luck with it and let me know if you need any help

regards

Richard Ainge
[email protected]
 
Hi Richard,
I should have been more specific, we do have a Heidelberg 6/c and a Komori 6/c that we can run the Silvercoat on. Your suggestions for running Silvercoat on the UV press are interesting and sound like they would be worth testing. Thanks again for the information!
Best regards,
Todd
 

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