How are spot varnishes done?

[ScotJ]

i'm not to offset press equipment, and don't really dabble in custom stuff like this - but as more of curiosity thing I'm curious as to how spot UV finishes are done. Can you load it in as a 5th colour on a 5 or 6 colour machine? Or do you need to do it offline using a certain type of machine?

Any info would be greatly apprecaited!

 

[JOHNYPRINT]

Hi scotj
two answers to one question. A UV varnish can be applied in-line using a coating unit and then cured with UV lamps, this would be a specially adapted machine using UV curing inks as well. or secondly you could print a job using conventional inks and drying process and then out-source the UV coating to a company that would specialise in this application. It is applied to the printed job via a flexographic polymer plate(raised image). Hope this helps. regards johnyprint

 

[ScotJ]

Thanks for the info.

For offline coating - what are some various brands of machines that do this? Are they terribly expensive (compared to presses)?

 

[JOHNYPRINT]

Thanks for the info.

For offline coating - what are some various brands of machines that do this? Are they terribly expensive (compared to presses)?

Hi scotj
Forgot to mention before , in most cases offline you would have your work laminated of wich there are plenty of company's who do this, you could also choose the finish matt/gloss. this is a different type of application than a uv varnish, in principal the same as an office laminator. the laminating machine would be considerably cheaper than a UV press . hope i have filled in some more gaps for you. regards johnyprint
P.S Hiedelberg do a laminator, my knowledge beyond this is limited. never done any laminating personally, try posting a thread in the finishing foram there will be people there who can answer about this better.

 

[David_Modprint]

Spot Varnish applied by screen printing

Spot Varnish applied by screen printing

Many spot varnishes can also be applied by screen printing.
In addition to clear varnishes there are other special effect options such as glitter, glow in the dark, scratch and sniff and many others.
Screen printing can produce many special effects other forms of printing can't offer.

 

[Cornishpastythighs]

We run Spot UV in various ways, we print a spot UV varnish in our last print unit(usually Matte) and then we UV spot gloss coat using our coater, we can get a reticulating effect if we turn the Varnish lamps off and allow the gloss to print over it. We also can use a Flexo plate in our coater instead of a rubber blanket to achieve better register of spot coating