Detailed technical recommendations are available upon request. Summary information for each printing method is listed below:

Offset, Flexo, Gravure, and Screen: All major ink suppliers will recommend special film inks. For web offset where inks can be dried/cured with IR, special care must be taken when the press stops, as excessive heat can lead to web breakage and/or register distortion.

Best to apply primer or use top coated grades for UV offset printing.

Need to choose the right ink and aqueous materials, take special care in drying and perform trials for in-line aqueous coating when using non-top coated grades.

Thermal Transfer: Excellent results with SONY ribbons (wax, resin or wax/resin combination) or equivalent quality ribbons. Combination types produce best overall results.

Laser: Requires additional top coating and special care. Pre-testing must be performed. In unsupported stock, thicker gauges above 7mil are recommended. Adhesive coated laminated stock has shown good results on all gauges, where the appropriate release liner is used.

Ink Jet: Use injet top coated grades.

Dot Matrix: Use CPI or CPG grade.

Direct Thermal: Requires special top coatings.

No special problems are associated with guillotining, slitting, die cutting, drilling/hole punching, grommeting, embossing, or folding (calendered grades are recommended for folding applications). All internal corners should be radiused, since a sharp notch will greatly reduce the initial tear strength. Cutting tools must be kept sharp to produce a clean cut. Detailed processing suggestions are available upon request.

Flat bed die cutting is fine with synthetic paper. While some grades are friendlier to rotary die, some will wear out rotary die knife quicker.

Perforating: Micro perforations not to exceed 1/64 inch cuts are suggested, and cuts must extend to the edge of the material to insure proper tear initiation.

Foil Stamping: The recommended processing condition for a 10-mil product is 220°F with 0.1 second. However, pre-testing is essential.

Binding: The grain direction should be perpendicular to the right/left axis.

Stapling: Grain direction should be parallel to the right/left axis.