Have you ever looked at your grocery store rewards membership card and wondered what it’s made of? Most likely, it’s printed paper that was laminated. If you have a project that demands resilience for continued use, then look no further than Ultra‑Shield™. With Ultra‑Shield™, you’re guaranteed protection with one of the most prevalent and durable plastics known to man, PET. What is PET? PET, or Polyethylene Terephthalate, is a lightweight and durable plastic in the polyester family of polymers. You may have seen it used for: soda bottles, peanut butter jars, salad dressing containers, clamshell containers for fruit, clothes, spun as polyester fibers, film for cameras + x-rays, and some to-go food containers. It’s a hard, stiff, strong, and stable material that absorbs little water – making it virtually waterproof. It was first synthesized in the US in the 1940s by chemists attempting to make new textile fibers. It’s used …
Health-Shield™ Laminate
Looking to lessen your exposure to harmful germs? If you or a loved one work in healthcare, childcare, food service, or another essential business then you’ll benefit from learning about the most recent innovation in protective lamination technology: Health-Shield™ by Advanced Print & Finishing. Until now, film laminate was limited to enhancing durability and the look & feel for printed materials. With the introduction of Health-Shield™ by Advanced Print & Finishing, lamination now has the added ability to protect us from disease. This is made possible by embedding the film surface with an effective and durable antimicrobial solution. What is an Antimicrobial? An antimicrobial is designed to reduce the presence of microbes. Microbes are germs, such as: bacteria, fungi, rusts, molds, and mildews. Limiting the spread of bacteria through Health-Shield™ Health-Shield™ works by permanently incorporating a silver based antimicrobial agent with the laminate film the antimicrobial laminate encases your printed …
What is… Finishing? (part 2)
Part Two… If you missed it, you can jump to Part 1 for an introduction to finishing and for some of the particulars of Decorative Finishes. Click here for Part 1. Otherwise keep reading to find out more about Conversion options in Print Finishing. CONVERSION As stated earlier, conversion processes enhance usability of a product. In some cases, such as lamination, conversion may also enhance the look and feel of a product. In no particular order let’s explore some of the more popular conversion options… Lamination – When it comes to durability, lamination should be your go-to choice. And the number of choices for material is both wonderful and intimidating. A quick look at our materials inventory and I see gloss, matte and soft touch finishes, standard and super stick adhesives and a myriad of options of each with different thicknesses of lamination and adhesion layers. And we can laminate …
What is… Finishing? (part 1)
Part One… Finishing, or Print Finishing, encompasses all processes that occur between printing and shipping. Finishing steps can be broken into three general categories; Binding, Conversion and Decoration. Although Binding is a finishing category, we typically exclude it (collating, saddle stitching, wire-o, etc.) when referring to finishing. Binding is complex enough to deserve it’s own consideration. What’s left are the decoration and conversion categories. Decorative process typically will enhance the look or feel of a printed product but can also increase durability. Conversion processes may also enhance the look and feel of a product but the primary purpose of this category is utility. Whether we are laminating for extra durability or index tabbing, conversion makes a printed product more useable. Decoration Foil Stamping – Everyone is familiar with gold and silver foil but don’t stop there. There are hundreds of foil colors and sheens to choose from along with options such as …
Plastic Coil and Wire-O Binding
Among the many ways to bind sheets of paper together, two of the most popular are coil and comb binding. To make things confusing there are coil and comb options for both metal and plastic materials. Of those options, the two that have risen to the top for professional purposes are Plastic Coil and Wire-O (metal comb). Although these methods are similar there are a couple of distinctions that can help you decide which method will be best for your project. Durability vs. Appeal Generally speaking, Wire-O is considered to be a better looking product and Plastic Coil is considered more durable. Both are very durable and will almost certainly keep those pages together. However, if really smashed the plastic option will spring back to its original shape where the metal coil may remain deformed. Because of this durability, Plastic Coil binding is often employed on volumes that will see …
Gusseted Pocket Folders
Standard pocket folders are great for general presentation. But what about those times when you have bulky materials such as a perfect bound catalog or if you have a large volume of materials to include? Maybe you need to include digital media, a folded poster or a book of samples. A Box for All That Stuff Gusseted Pocket Folders are the answer. A gusset is simply an extension of the pockets and flaps. We add scores to create a boxed area to accommodate those thicker contents. Go BIG! While we’re at it, why not include a custom diecut shape on those pockets or flaps. How about a velcro dot to keep everything together? Or to really stand out, consider embossing or foil. Whatever your requirements, Advanced Print & Finishing can create a custom gusseted pocket folder to meet your needs. A Lasting Impression By tailoring your pocket folder to the …
Steel Rule Dies / Die Cutting
A steel rule die consists of various shapes or lengths of steel blades that are formed or bent to cut unique shapes or designs in different types of material. Dies can be made into just about anything imaginable, from a simple shape such as a circle or square to more detailed shapes such as pop ups inside of a book to candy or video boxes. Metal, Rubber and Wood To make a die, the cutting rule is formed and then typically placed onto a wood block with small pieces of rubber that are used to help with the pressure of the cutting process. The wood block is then attached to the press and readied for cutting. Measure Twice, Cut Once The press operator will then measure where the paper needs to be underneath the die and cut a series of test sheets to make sure things are properly lined up …
Multi-Level Stamping Dies
Multi-level stamping dies are used for several types of embossing and for combination dies. Multi-level refers to the dimensional quality of the die. Die Types In the case of a logo there may be details that are more pronounced that need to be raised above the rest of the embossed area. Think of this type as a stair step. Other times the emboss may require a rounded bevel or in some cases a sculpted die is called for, an example of which is in the photo above. Another type of multi-level die is a Combination Die or “combo die”. This type of die can emboss and foil stamp in one pass. Combo Dies A combo die is almost always sculpted to give great dimension and detail to what you are working on. They are made from brass which is the hardest metal from which stamping dies are made. Brass dies …
Pocket Folders
Keep it Together Not only are pocket folders a great way to stay organized, but they are a wonderful way of displaying your company’s branding and print collateral. The standard pocket folder is 9”x12″ with 2-4” pockets with or without business card slits. We also offer custom printed folders on the paper of your choosing. Customize If you need plain folders with a die cut window like those used for tax preparation we produce those too. But, if you want your folders to be a bit more unique, get creative with: • Custom Shaped Pockets • Embossing and/or Foil Stamping • Business Card Slits • Printed Stepped or Stitched Inserts • Unique Sizes • Velcro Dots And the paper options are endless! Need Help? Call or email us to discuss how our team of designers and craftsmen can assist with your pocket folders : 770-664-8199 / info@advancedpf.com.
Index Tab Dividers
Mylar Advanced Print & Finishing custom die cuts each index tab order to your specifications. For extra durability, add mylar reinforcement to the tab and/or binding edge. Keep in mind that there is an array of mylar colors available for the tabs. Custom Tabs The majority of tab jobs are for a 9” x 11” sheet size and typically require anywhere from two to ten tabs per bank. The standard tab height is 1/2” with a minimum width of 1”, but we can create custom index tabs if needed. We of course offer a much greater capability. Please don’t hesitate to contact us about your special requirements. Tab Finishing After the tabbing process is completed, we can also hole punch the dividers in various sizes and placements. And don’t forget that we can collate, assemble or kit your project as well. Watch Out Keep an eye out for future posts …
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