press and laminated to thicker substrates,
then cut into puzzle pieces for a toy manufacturer. Another is a clothing maker's
catalog, featuring an insert of dye-cut
labels. A clothing buyer at a retailer can
pull off the labels and easily stick them
on any of the pictured items to show
they will buy those lines, she says.
Matching Substrates to Devices
One question perplexing many printers is how to make sure particular types
of digital substrates are compatible with
their specific output devices. Niesen
urges gaining specific information from
the press maker, discussing the potential
match with substrate specialists, and
then testing the material. "We go a lot
further than many in that we have a
print trial process," he says.
"With our partners, we give them education and a file, coupled with any
substrate they want to test, so they can
understand how that substrate will perform. It's not just a matter of whether it
will feed or get good toner adhesion. It's
about how well will it fold, will it score,
will it go through the mail, will it have
to be coated or laminated, and can it be
coated or laminated? It goes back to that
need for education I spoke about earlier."
Choosing the right substrate requires a
consultation with the substrate manufacturer, agrees Kirby. "In Appleton Coated's
case, it's the sales rep on premise, the
management and the technical services
team," he adds. "The consultation focuses on compatibility, what you can expect
on press, and to provide insight if what
you're trying to do will be a challenge for
that equipment."
"It's all about what you're trying to
do," adds Neenah Paper's technical sales
specialist Tony Difford. "If you're looking
for that first moment of impact, look at
colors. If you have a bright color, like a
bright pepper ink that will really stand
out, then your second moment of impact
would be any of the textures you could
add to that. Now it really begins to get
your attention."
When storing digital media, acclimate
the media to the print environment
for 24 hours prior to printing, Kimpton
recommends. "For digital, it should be in
a climate controlled environment," she
warns. If media's left over, she adds, "it
should be returned to the carton or the
wrapping, and stored flat in the same
print lab where it is being run, or adjacent to that." ◗◗
RESOURCES:
Appleton Coated,
MyPRINTResource.com/10118101
GPA, Specialty Substrate Solutions,
MyPRINTResource.com/10005603
MACtac Printing Products,
MyPRINTResource.com/10006499
Neenah Paper,
MyPRINTResource.com/10170422
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September 2013 / QUICK PRINTING
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