Post press processing of printed materials mainly refers to surface finishing, binding techniques, and other processing methods aimed at improving the pressure resistance, water resistance, sealing, or environmental performance of printed materials. The post printing processing referred to in the industry mainly focuses on the surface finishing of printed materials. Generally speaking, the post printing process (hereinafter referred to as printing technology or process) mainly refers to a series of processing steps after the substrate is printed, including shaping, cutting, embossing, indentation, hot stamping, gluing, folding, punching, polishing, laminating, die-cutting, binding, packaging, etc.
Excellent printed materials must have the following basic conditions to add value to the packaging items they carry and add value to the product: creative design, suitable printing media, accurate printing color reproduction, and meticulous post press processing. Printing and post press processing can be regarded as two processing techniques in the printing process of finished products. For example, the conception, topic selection, and creation of calligraphy and painting works are the main processes, but there are still many processes to go through before they are put on the market. Exquisite calligraphy and painting works always need to go through professional packaging before they can be considered completed. Printing technology is also a crucial process for printed products.
Post press processing technology is more complex than the printing process because it involves a wide range of equipment, materials, and technical categories, from simple cutting and binding, common concave convex embossing or hot stamping gold foil processes, to complex irregular die-cutting, advanced digital control fiber cutting, etc. Post press technology has exceeded the scope of narrow printing itself, providing designers and printing technicians in the printing and packaging design industry with a wider and deeper space to express their free creativity.
In the process of planning, design, and post printing processing, several aspects need to be noted:
- Prepare printing process samples as reference standards for design
- The choice of printing medium has a decisive impact on the printing process
- If possible, compare the various materials needed more
- Develop a detailed processing plan and discuss it together with the printing supplier
- Special processing operating procedures must be specified
- Even with simple craftsmanship, do not overlook the requirements for details
- If it involves manual labor, making samples by oneself is the best way
As a customer, many of them are designers who liaise with clients, but more often they are procurement personnel. Therefore, when understanding the quotation of printed products, procurement needs to understand some simple printing process background, so that packaging printing factories can communicate and serve more efficiently.
