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Printing Knowledge: A Technical Guide to Common Paper Types, Packaging & Gift Boxes, and Book Binding Formats

印刷全科知识：从纸长到制版到特殊承印物实战手册

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第一部分：印前工艺

第1章 制版工艺详解

1.1 传统制版 vs CTP直接制版

传统制版流程：设计完稿 → 输出菲林（胶片） → 拼版 → 晒版 → 显影 → 修版 → 上机印刷

传统方式的核心中间产物是菲林（又称胶片、负片）。菲林是一张透明的聚酯薄膜，上面承载着待印刷的图文影像。晒版时，将菲林覆盖在涂有感光层的印版上，用紫外光曝光，菲林上黑色部分遮光、透明部分透光，使印版上形成“亲油”和“亲水”的图案区域。

传统制版的主要局限：

• 菲林本身成本不低，存放需要防尘防刮
• 多色印刷需要多张菲林，存在套准误差累积
• 从设计到上机中间环节多，周期较长

CTP直接制版（Computer-to-Plate）：
CTP省去了菲林环节，电脑处理好的数字文件直接驱动激光在印版上曝光成像。CTP于20世纪90年代商业化，到2010年左右已成为规模化印刷厂的主流配置。

CTP的核心优势：

对比维度	传统菲林制版	CTP直接制版
中间环节	需输出菲林、手动拼版	无菲林，数字文件直出
网点质量	经过两次光学转换，网点扩大明显	激光一次成像，网点还原精准
套准精度	多张菲林拼版存在误差	数字套准，误差小于0.01mm
制版速度	较慢	快30%以上
成本结构	菲林材料费+人工费	设备投入高，运行成本低
环保性	菲林显影产生废液	部分CTP可免化学处理

1.2 印版类型

不同印刷方式使用不同类型的印版：

PS版（Presensitized Plate，预涂感光版）：
胶印最常用的印版。铝基版材上预先涂布感光层，通过曝光和显影形成亲油的图文区域和亲水的空白区域。PS版耐印力一般为5-10万印，烤版后可达到20-30万印。

树脂版：
柔性版印刷使用的感光树脂版，图文凸起。曝光时，未感光部分被洗去，留下凸起的图文。硬度有不同级别：软版适合粗糙表面（如牛皮纸），硬版适合精细网点印刷。

凹版滚筒：
凹印的印版是圆筒形的钢辊，表面通过电子雕刻或化学腐蚀形成无数微小的“网穴”。网穴的深度和面积决定了墨量大小。凹版滚筒耐印力极高，镀铬后可超过500万印，因此适合烟包、钞票等超长印量场景。

丝网印版：
丝网印刷的版材是在网框上绷紧聚酯或不锈钢丝网，再涂布感光胶。曝光后，需要漏墨的部分感光胶被洗掉形成网孔，不需要印刷的部分感光胶保留封住网孔。

1.3 拼版与折手

折手（Imposition）是指将多页内容按特定顺序排列在一张全张纸上，使得纸张经过折叠和裁切后，页码顺序正确。

以16开骑马订为例：一张全张纸正反面共印刷32页，需要将这32页按特定位置分布在印版上。后排错一页，整本书都会乱。

不同装订方式的拼版规则：

装订方式	拼版特点	每帖页数
骑马订	跨页对称拼版，中间订钉	通常4-8页
胶装	按顺序叠帖，每帖独立	16页、32页常见
锁线装	每帖可单独锁线再合并	8-32页不等
精装	书芯+硬壳单独处理	同胶装/锁线

1.4 晒版与冲版

晒版参数控制：

• 曝光时间：过长则图文变细甚至丢失，过短则空白部分感光不彻底容易上墨
• 显影温度：通常保持在28-32°C，温度越高显影越快但控制难度大
• 显影时间：过长会腐蚀图文区域，降低耐印力

烤版：将晒好的PS版放入高温烘箱（约200-250°C），使图文区域的感光层进一步固化，耐印力可从常规的5-10万印提升到20-30万印，适合长单印刷。

UV版特殊处理：UV印刷用的印版需要更强的耐化学腐蚀性，通常采用特殊烤版工艺或专用UV版材。

第2章 印前文件处理规范

2.1 色彩模式：CMYK

印刷必须使用CMYK四色模式（青Cyan、品红Magenta、黄Yellow、黑Black），不能直接用RGB。

为什么不能用RGB？RGB是光色（加色模式），显示器通过发光显示颜色；CMYK是油墨色（减色模式），油墨吸收部分光线、反射剩余光线。RGB色域远大于CMYK，RGB中很多亮丽的颜色（如荧光绿、亮橙色）在CMYK中根本印不出来。软件转换时，这些“超色域”颜色会被强行替换成一个相近但往往发灰的颜色，导致印刷品和屏幕显示差异巨大。

实用建议：在设计之初就使用CMYK模式，或至少在设计完成后用软打样（屏幕模拟）检查超色域提醒。

2.2 分辨率

文件类型	最低要求	建议值
位图照片	300 DPI	350-400 DPI
黑白线条稿	600 DPI	1200 DPI
大幅面海报（远距离观看）	150 DPI	200-250 DPI
网页截图（不可印刷）	72 DPI	不适用

常见问题：从网页上直接下载的图片通常是72 DPI，放大到印刷尺寸后会出现明显的锯齿和马赛克，无法使用。

2.3 出血位

出血位是指印刷成品边缘有颜色的部分需要向外多延伸的区域，防止裁切时的微小偏差导致白边。

标准出血：四周各3mm。也就是说，如果一张名片的成品尺寸是90×54mm，设计文件尺寸应为96×60mm。

特殊场景：

• 精装书封壳：出血需要5-10mm，因为硬壳包边后会吃掉一部分画面
• 模切产品：出血需要5mm以上，因为模切刀的定位精度低于常规裁切
• 满版底色：强烈建议做到5mm出血，尤其是深色或黑色背景

2.4 文字转曲

将设计文件发给印刷厂之前，必须将所有文字转曲（Convert to Outlines）或嵌入字体。转曲后文字不再是可编辑的字体，而是变成了矢量图形。

为什么要转曲：印刷厂的电脑上不一定安装了你的设计文件所用的字体。如果没有，系统会自动用一个缺省字体替代，导致版面错乱、文字偏移、甚至出现乱码。

注意事项：

• 转曲前建议另存一个副本，保留原始可编辑版本供后续修改
• 转曲后检查是否有文字变形（尤其是细小的中文和特殊符号）
• 小字号文字（6pt以下）转曲后注意检查是否仍然清晰

2.5 陷印（Trapping）

陷印是指在相邻的不同颜色之间人为制造一个微小重叠区域，防止因印刷套准误差而露出白边。

基本原理：印刷时不同颜色的印版不可能100%叠准，通常有0.1-0.2mm的误差。如果两个颜色刚好相邻，误差就会露出纸张底色（白）。陷印让较浅的颜色“扩”到深色区域里，误差就看不出来了。

实用指南：

• 大部分印刷厂会自动做陷印处理，设计师不需要手动操作
• 但需要避免设计细小的反白文字（金色、银色反白尤其危险）
• 细线条（小于0.2mm）跨越不同颜色时风险较高
• 深色与深色之间风险较低，浅色与浅色之间风险较高

第二部分：纸张与材料

第3章 纸张规格与厂家品牌

3.1 纸张尺寸规格

纸张分为平板纸（单张供应）和卷筒纸（成卷供应）两种形态。

平板纸全张规格：

规格名称	尺寸（mm）	说明
正度	787×1092	国内传统规格，源于英制（31×43英寸），逐步淘汰中
大度	889×1194	目前书刊印刷主流规格，利用率高
国际A系列	880×1230	符合ISO标准，略大于大度
特殊B系列	1000×1414	用于海报、挂图等大幅面产品

卷筒纸常用宽度（mm）：1575、1562、1400、1280、1230、1092、1000、900、880、787。卷筒纸长度一般每卷6000米，允许宽度偏差±3mm。

3.2 克重与令重

定量（克重）：单位g/m²，即每平方米纸张的重量。这是纸张最基本的厚薄指标。

克重范围	常见数值（g/m²）	典型用途
薄纸 ≤60	40、50、60	速印机、报纸、字典纸
中厚纸 60-120	70、80、100、120	办公打印、书刊内页、信纸
厚纸 120-250	150、180、200、250	封面、折页、明信片
纸板 ≥250	300、350、400	名片、吊牌、包装盒

令重计算公式：

令重（kg）= 纸张幅面（m²）× 500（张/令）× 定量（g/m²）÷ 1000

举例：大度889×1194mm（约1.06m²）、157g铜版纸的每令重量：
1.06 × 500 × 157 ÷ 1000 = 83.21 kg/令

3.3 国内造纸厂家

岳阳林纸股份有限公司（股票代码：600963）
始建于1958年，是国内大型文化用纸生产企业，总部位于湖南岳阳。其前身为岳阳造纸厂，2004年在上交所上市，现为中国纸业投资有限公司旗下核心企业。

主要品牌及产品：

品牌	产品类型	特点
天岳彩画纸	高档彩印纸	松厚度高，微涂技术，色彩还原佳
银光系列	双胶纸	规格齐全，性价比高
皓月双胶纸	全木浆双胶纸	白度高，挺度好，适合彩色印刷
丰岁兰复印纸	复印纸	办公用纸主力产品
瑞雪系列	文化用纸	多用途书刊纸

山东银河瑞雪纸业
位于山东临清，年造纸能力80万吨，在文化用纸领域尤其是教材用纸方面有较高市场份额。

主要品牌特点：

• 瑞雪双胶纸：白度高达110%以上，采用高速纸机抄造，匀度好
• 银光防伪水印纸：内置水印，用于需要防篡改的文件
• 银河抑菌书纸：添加抑菌材料，对金黄色葡萄球菌等抑菌率达99.8%以上，适合教材、儿童读物

龙口玉龙纸业
成立于1978年，位于山东龙口。国内轻型纸领域的标杆企业，轻型纸国家标准即在该公司产品标准基础上起草。

代表产品：

产品	特点	知名案例
玉龙轻型纸	松厚度高、不透明好、不含荧光增白剂	《话说中国》《朱镛基答记者问》
玉龙纯质纸	触感细腻，呈淡米色	高端文学作品、珍藏版图书
高档字典纸	极薄（28-40g）、不透明度高	字典、圣经、工具书

轻型纸的特点是“蓬松”——同样克重下厚度更高，手感轻软，且不含荧光增白剂，呈自然的米黄色，长期阅读不伤眼。缺点是不适合彩色印刷（色彩表现不如铜版纸），且容易吸潮变形。

金东纸业（江苏）股份有限公司（APP金光集团）
1997年成立于江苏镇江，是全球单厂规模最大的铜版纸生产企业，年产能超过200万吨。总投资逾40亿美元，拥有两条德国VOITH原装纸机，车速可达1500米/分钟。

金东纸业在铜版纸领域的地位极高，其核心品牌太空梭被印刷行业视为铜版纸的标杆。

旗下品牌矩阵：

品牌	定位	说明
太空梭	顶级铜版纸	中国驰名商标，光泽度60%以上，粗糙度≤1.4μm
东帆	高档铜版纸	江苏省著名商标
长鹤	中高档铜版纸	江苏省著名商标
神盾	功能型特种纸	耐磨、防伪等功能性涂布
NEVIA	特种艺术纸	含艺术纸、数码纸等

太空梭铜版纸的核心竞争力：

• 印刷适性好：网点还原锐利，光泽均匀
• 品质稳定性高：克重公差控制在±4g以内，翘曲控制出色
• 已有多款产品通过零碳认证，符合国际环保要求
• 远销日本、印度、泰国、俄罗斯、秘鲁、智利等国家

什么时候选太空梭？

场景	推荐度	理由
高档画册、企业样册	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	色彩还原精准，档次感强
品牌杂志、定期刊物	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	长期印刷稳定性好
艺术品复制	⭐⭐⭐⭐	亚光系列不反光，细节表现好
出口包装材料	⭐⭐⭐⭐	国际认可度高
普通办公打印	⭐⭐	性能过剩，成本偏高

3.4 国际品牌

UPM（芬欧汇川）常熟
UPM是芬兰森林工业集团，在华最大单项投资项目位于江苏常熟，总投资超过10亿美元，年产能80万吨文化用纸。

主要品牌：

• 优光™/雅光® 铜版纸：高光泽/亚光两个系列，品质稳定
• 丽印® 双胶纸：全木浆，挺度好
• 佳印®、益思®、未来™ 复印纸：办公纸品主力

3.5 开本知识

开本是指书刊幅面的规格大小——一张全开印刷用纸裁切成多少张，就是多少开。例如将全开纸裁成16张，每张就是16开。

常用开本成品尺寸（已扣除修边余量）：

开数	正度尺寸（mm）	大度尺寸（mm）	常见用途
全开	781×1086	844×1162	海报
对开（2开）	530×760	581×844	报纸、挂图
4开	390×543	422×581	画册插页
8开	271×390	290×422	杂志、画册
16开	195×271	210×285	杂志、教材
32开	130×184（竖）	140×203	普通书籍
64开	约92×126	105×148	字典、口袋书

国际标准A/B系列：

系列	基准尺寸	特点
A系列	A0=841×1189，面积1m²	ISO国际标准，最通用
B系列	B0=1000×1414	面积介于A0和A1之间
C系列	用于信封、文件夹	尺寸介于A和B之间

开本选用建议：

用途	推荐开本	尺寸（mm）	理由
教材、教辅	16开（大度）	210×285	阅读舒适，图文排版灵活
文学作品	32开（大度）	148×210	单手可持，便携
杂志、画册	16开或8开	210×285或290×422	图文并茂，视觉冲击力强
字典、手册	64开	105×148	小巧便携
办公打印	A4	210×297	国际通用，设备适配好

第三部分：印刷工艺（所有商用印刷种类）

第4章 传统四大印刷方式

4.1 凸版印刷

原理：图文部分凸起，空白部分凹下。墨辊滚过印版时只接触凸起的图文部分，油墨在压力作用下转移到承印物上。

工艺特点：

• 印迹轮廓清晰，线条边缘锐利
• 印刷品背面有轻微凸起（用手抚摸可感知）
• 印刷压力较大（约30kg/cm²），油墨被压入纸张微孔深处
• 墨色鲜艳饱满，适合文字、线条为主的印刷品

主要子类：

子类	说明	现状
活版印刷	铅字排版，传统书刊主力	基本淘汰，仅用于收藏
铜锌版印刷	照相制版到金属版	少量用于名片、烫金底版
感光树脂版	激光照排制版，现代凸印主流	仍在标签、号码等领域使用

适用场景：邀请卡、名片、标签、小型包装盒、号码打印、烫金/击凸的底版

4.2 平版印刷（胶印/柯式印刷）

原理：利用油水相斥原理。印版上图文部分亲油斥水，空白部分亲水斥油。印刷时先供水（润版液）润湿空白区域，再供墨，图文区域吸附油墨后经橡皮滚筒转印到承印物上。

“胶印”的“胶”指的就是中间的橡胶布（橡皮滚筒）。由于图文不直接接触承印物，属于间接印刷。

工艺特点：

• 制版简便、成本相对低廉
• 套色准确，适合多色高速印刷
• 色调柔和，层次丰富，网点再现效果好
• 是目前使用范围最广泛的印刷方式，占商业印刷市场60%以上

适用场景：

• 海报、画册、产品说明书
• 报纸、书籍、杂志
• 月历、明信片、信封
• 纸质包装盒（裱糊前的面纸）

印刷速度：单张纸胶印机通常1万-1.8万张/小时，轮转胶印机可达6万-12万张/小时（双面同时印刷）。

4.3 凹版印刷

原理：图文部分凹陷于版面（形成“网穴”），空白部分光滑平整。印刷时整个版面涂满油墨，用刮墨刀刮去空白部分油墨，凹穴中的油墨在巨大压力下转移到承印物上。属于直接印刷。

工艺特点：

• 墨层厚实，色彩饱和度高（表现力可达原稿的90%）
• 线条精细分明，暗调区域层次感强
• 印版耐印力极高，常规50万印，镀铬后可超500万印
• 制版费极其昂贵，完全不适用于小批量生产

主要子类：

子类	说明	应用
雕刻凹版	手工或机械雕刻，防伪性强	钞票、护照、有价证券
照相凹版（影写版）	照相腐蚀制版，网穴均匀	精美画刊、邮票
电子雕刻凹版	电脑控制电子雕刻，现代主流	塑料薄膜包装、烟包、装饰纸

适用场景：

• 钞票、有价证券、护照（防伪要求极高）
• 高档烟包、酒盒包装
• 塑料薄膜软包装（食品袋、洗衣粉袋）
• 长单杂志（如《国家地理》曾用凹印）

4.4 孔版印刷（丝网印刷）

原理：图文部分由镂空的网孔构成。印刷时，刮板将油墨从网孔挤压漏印到承印物表面。

工艺特点：

• 墨层极厚（可达几十微米，是胶印的5-10倍），图文隆起有立体感
• 承印物范围极广：纸张、布料、塑料、金属、玻璃、陶瓷、木材、皮革等
• 可在曲面、球面等异形表面上印刷
• 制版相对简单，适合小批量、多品种
• 速度慢，不适合大批量

适用场景：

行业	典型产品
纺织品类	T恤印花、横幅、旗帜、锦旗
电子产品	PCB电路板、手机涂层、触摸屏
包装类	瓦楞纸箱、玻璃瓶、塑料桶
广告类	大幅面户外广告牌（早期工艺，现多被喷绘替代）
工业产品	仪表盘、面板、标签

印刷精度：普通丝网可达100线/英寸，精密丝网可到150-200线/英寸（但较难稳定生产）。

第5章 柔性版印刷

地位说明：柔性版印刷原理上属于凸版印刷，但由于版材、油墨、设备及应用的独特性，国际上已将其与胶印、凹印、丝印并列为四大印刷方式。

原理：使用橡胶或感光树脂制成的柔性印版（图文凸起），采用网纹辊定量传墨，通过刮墨刀控制墨量，将油墨转移到承印物上。

工艺特点：

• 版材柔软有弹性，适合软性材料和粗糙表面
• 使用水性油墨或UV油墨，不含挥发性有机溶剂，环保性好
• 印刷速度快，适合卷筒纸/薄膜连续印刷
• 印版耐印力高（树脂版可达100万印以上）
• 精细度略逊于胶印和凹印，不适合高精度彩色网点印刷

核心组件——网纹辊：柔性版印刷的定量传墨装置。网纹辊表面雕刻有无数微小的网孔，不同线数的网纹辊对应不同的传墨量。高线数（大角度）用于精细印刷但墨量小，低线数用于实地印刷墨量大。

适用场景：

应用领域	具体产品
塑料包装	购物袋、垃圾袋、保鲜膜
不干胶标签	日化标签、饮料标签
瓦楞纸箱	外箱印刷（水性油墨）
卫生用品	卫生巾包装、纸巾包装
纸杯纸碗	食品包装容器

设备类型：

• 机组式：每组颜色一个独立单元，灵活但占地大
• 卫星式：中央压印滚筒周围排列各色组，套准精度高
• 层叠式：结构紧凑，适合窄幅印刷

第6章 数字印刷

地位说明：21世纪发展最快的印刷技术，无需制版，属于非接触式无压印刷，与传统印刷方式形成互补而非完全替代的关系。

原理：电脑处理好的数字文件直接输出到印刷设备，无需任何物理印版。

两大技术路径：

技术类型	原理	典型设备	特点
喷墨印刷	将墨滴通过喷嘴直接喷射到承印物表面	大幅面喷绘机、工业喷码机	无需接触，适合粗糙/曲面，速度快
静电印刷（激光）	感光鼓带电吸附碳粉图文，转印到纸张后高温定影	数码印刷机（富士Revoria、柯尼卡美能达）	精度高，适合纸张和部分薄膜

核心优势——可变数据印刷：
传统印刷每一张都一样，数字印刷可以做到每一页内容都不同。典型应用：

• 二维码/条形码流水号
• 带收件人姓名的直邮广告（可变文字）
• 防伪码、验证码（每一盒都不同）
• 个性化产品（可口可乐姓名瓶、定制明信片）

市场数据参考：2017年数字印刷占全球印刷市场约16.2%，较2012年的2.9%大幅增长。

适用场景：

场景	说明
短版书刊	个人出版、断版书重印、50-500本的学术专著
可变数据印刷	账单、发票、直邮广告、防伪标签
打样	数码打样（合同签样前确认颜色和内容）
个性化定制	照片书、邀请函、纪念册
大幅面喷绘	海报、易拉宝、灯箱片、展板

数字印刷 vs 传统印刷成本对比：

数量	数字印刷成本	传统胶印成本	建议
1-50份	很低	很高（版费摊薄不起）	选数字
50-500份	中等	中等	看具体情况
500-2000份	开始高于胶印	开始低于数字	临界点
2000份以上	明显高于胶印	远低于数字	选传统胶印

第7章 其他特种印刷方式

7.1 移印

原理：将凹版中的油墨用硅胶头“取”起，然后转印到承印物上。移印头是一个成型的弹性硅胶头，形状可随承印物表面变形。

特点：非常适合平面、曲面、球面、不规则面的组合，印刷精度可达0.05mm。

适用场景：玩具上的Logo、笔杆上的文字、手机壳图案、键盘字符、高尔夫球上的标记、医疗器械。

典型配置：单色→四色移印机，开放式墨槽或封闭式墨杯。

7.2 热转印

原理：将图案先打印在特殊的转印纸上，然后通过高温高压将转印纸上的染料升华转移到承印物表面（以聚酯纤维布料最典型）。

两种主要方式：

方式	原理	适用
烫画	胶质图案+热熔胶，高温剥离	棉质T恤、帆布袋
升华转印	染料高温气化渗入纤维	聚酯运动服、涤纶旗帜

特点：色彩鲜艳、耐水洗、图案不龟裂，但只能用于浅色或白色聚酯材质。

适用场景：个性T恤、团体服、运动服、手机壳、马克杯、鼠标垫、拼图、金属板照片。

7.3 水转印

原理：将水溶性薄膜上的图案（先通过凹印或胶印印在PVA薄膜上）通过水的作用转移到立体工件表面，可分为水披覆转印和水标转印。

水披覆转印（立体曲面）：薄膜放入水中活化，工件压入水中，水压使薄膜图案包裹立体表面。适合不规则3D产品，如汽车内饰、头盔、玩具。

水标转印（平面/轻微曲面）：类似于水贴纸，适合玻璃瓶、球棒、运动器材。转移后需烘干或喷涂保护层。

适用场景：汽车仪表板、排挡杆、头盔、手工具手柄、运动器材、玻璃杯、球棒。

7.4 3D印刷/光栅印刷

原理：利用光栅片（凹凸透镜阵列）的折射原理，使左右眼看到不同图像，形成立体视觉效果或“变图”效果（翻转/动画/缩放）。

分类：

类型	效果
3D立体	图像有纵深，物体凸出平面
变图（Flip）	两个画面切换（如孙悟空变二郎神）
动画	多个画面连续播放（简易动画）
缩放（Zoom）	图案逐渐变大或重复

适用场景：3D卡片、变图纪念品、广告礼品、包装盒、儿童书、动漫周边。

工艺要点：对位要求极其严格，光栅板与打印画面必须完全对准（误差<0.05mm），否则头晕眼花。一般是先设计好软件视图，再输出到UV平板打印机。

7.5 防伪印刷

原理：综合采用特殊油墨、特殊版纹、特殊材料和工艺，使印刷品难以复制或容易鉴别真伪。

常见防伪技术：

技术	原理	识别方式
荧光油墨	紫外光下显色	紫外线灯
温变油墨	温度变化时变色	手指摩擦/体温
光变油墨	不同角度不同颜色	倾斜观察
全息烫印	激光全息图案	肉眼观察光泽变化
微缩文字	极小文字（0.2mm以下）	放大镜
开窗安全线	钞票上嵌入金属/塑料线	肉眼
防伪底纹	纽索纹、团花、潜影	复印后变模糊
二维码加密	带有数字签名或层码	专用App识别

适用场景：钞票、护照、发票、证书、门票、防伪标签、药品/化妆品包装、品牌商品吊牌。

第8章 印刷翻身方式

在单张纸双面印刷时，如何安排纸张的正反面印刷顺序，涉及三种翻身方式。

8.1 正反版（正反印）

操作方式：制作两套印版（一套正面、一套反面）。先印完所有纸张的正面，待油墨干透后，换版再印反面，纸张本身不翻动，只是换版。

优点：

• 正反面印刷相互独立，色彩控制精准
• 适用于厚纸（超过200g），不易透印
• 版面设计无需对称，灵活性最高

缺点：

• 需要两套版，版费翻倍
• 需要两次上机，工时增加
• 适用于大批量生产（印量足够摊薄两套版费）

适用场景：大批量印刷、厚纸、封面/精装书芯、对颜色要求极高的产品。

8.2 自翻身（左右轮/自翻版）

操作方式：只做一套版，正面和反面的内容拼在同一张版上（左右对称排列）。先印完一面后，纸张左右翻转（咬口方向不变），再将纸张送入印刷机印另一面。

优点：

• 只用一套版，版费减半
• 一次上机即可完成双面印刷
• 用时短，适合小批量

缺点：

• 版面设计需要左右对称或精确对应
• 对纸张的横向膨胀/收缩比较敏感
• 要求纸张较薄（透印风险低）

适用场景：小批量印刷、成本敏感的订单、名片、单页、DM宣传单、较薄的纸张。

8.3 滚翻版（天地轮）

操作方式：只做一套版，但正反面内容在版面上成“头对头”或“脚对脚”排列。印完一面后，纸张上下翻转（咬口方向改变，变成纸张的尾端做新咬口）。

优点：

• 一套版完成双面印刷，版面设计无需左右对称
• 适合不对称出血/特殊版面

缺点：

• 需要纸张有足够的天头地脚余量，因为咬口方向改变会导致印面偏移
• 套准要求更高，调节更复杂

适用场景：非常规版面设计、出血位左右不对称、个性印刷。

8.4 选型对比表

条件	推荐方式	原因
印量 >2000份	正反版	质量稳定，效率高
印量 <500份	自翻身	省版费，省时间
纸张 >200g	正反版	避免透印，咬口稳定
纸张 <100g	自翻身	可双面一次印，省工序
左右对称设计	自翻身	拼版方便
不对称出血要求	滚翻版	灵活调整
高档画册/封面	正反版	颜色精准，不留遗憾

第四部分：印后工艺

第9章 表面整饰工艺

9.1 覆膜

原理：在印刷品表面覆上一层塑料薄膜（BOPP薄膜为主，厚度12-25微米），通过热压或冷压贴合。

类型：

类型	效果	适用场景
亮膜	高光泽，色彩更鲜艳	画册封面、海报、包装盒
哑膜	哑光质感，不反光，手感温润	高档书籍、名片、礼品盒

功能：防刮擦、防潮、增强挺度。覆膜后的纸张不易撕裂，但无法回收（膜与纸难分离），环保性较差。

注意：覆哑膜后油墨颜色会变深（因为哑光表面减少了镜面反射，让颜色看起来更沉），打样时需要预先补偿。

9.2 烫金/烫银

原理：通过模具加热（通常100-150°C）和压力，将电化铝箔（烫金纸）上的金属/颜色层转移到承印物上。

类型：

• 烫金（金色、古铜金、哑金、拉丝金）
• 烫银（银色、哑银、拉丝银）
• 烫彩（红、蓝、绿等彩色电化铝）
• 烫镭射（彩虹光变效果）
• 烫透明（隐形烫印，用于防伪）

工艺要求：被烫印的表面必须有足够的“吃墨性”，烫在纸张上效果好；烫在覆膜上需要专用电化铝，附着力稍差。

9.3 UV上光

原理：涂布UV光油后经过紫外光照射，瞬间固化形成坚硬光亮的涂层。“UV”代表紫外光固化工艺，而非颜色。

类型：

类型	效果	说明
全版UV	整版光亮	提高整体光泽和耐磨性
局部UV	局部高亮，形成对比	文字、Logo、图案突出
磨砂UV	颗粒触感	类似磨砂玻璃质感
皱纹UV	不规则裂纹	艺术效果

特点：固化极快、环保（无溶剂挥发）、硬度高、耐刮擦。可与胶印连线或离线加工。

与覆膜的区别：UV是光油涂层，更硬、更亮、更光滑，但韧性低于覆膜，对折时易裂。UV更环保（可回收），覆膜更耐用。

9.4 击凸/压凹

原理：通过凹凸模具（阳模和阴模）在压力下使纸张局部变形隆起或凹陷，形成立体浮雕效果。

类型：

类型	效果
击凸	文字/图案凸起（从正面摸凸出）
压凹	文字/图案凹陷（从正面摸凹下）
素击凸	无墨、无烫金，纯纸张变形
烫金+击凸	先烫金后击凸，或一步成型（立体烫）

适用场景：Logo、书名、包装盒Logo、贺卡、邀请函。需要纸张有一定厚度（至少200g以上），太薄的纸会击穿。

9.5 压纹

原理：通过压纹辊将纹路压印在纸张表面，使纸张产生布纹、皮纹、细格等纹理。

类型：布纹、皮纹、细格纹、条纹、莱尼纹、亚麻纹。

适用场景：书籍封面、名片、包装面纸。压纹后会降低纸张表面平滑度，影响后续印刷或烫金效果。

9.6 磨砂/触感膜

原理：在覆膜（哑膜）基础上通过涂布特殊涂层或使用特殊薄膜，使表面产生柔软、丝滑的触感。

效果：

• 磨砂：微观颗粒感，视觉哑光，手摸有涩感
• 触感膜：类肤质涂层，手摸柔和顺滑，类似天鹅绒

适用场景：高档化妆品包装、手机盒、酒盒、书籍封面。触感膜成本较高（比普通哑膜贵30%-50%），但对提升产品档次效果明显。

9.7 激光雕刻

原理：高能激光束在承印物表面烧蚀，形成凹陷或变色，无需油墨。

特点：永久标记，耐磨耐腐蚀，无耗材，精度极高（可达0.01mm）。

适用场景：木质包装/贺卡刻字、亚克力奖牌、金属表面打标、皮革烫印、防伪追溯码。
不适用：常规纸张（会烧穿）。

第10章 裁切与异形加工

10.1 模切

原理：利用钢刀（或钢线）弯折成所需形状的模切版，在模切机的压力下将纸张或材料切穿（或压痕），形成异形轮廓。

类型：

类型	作用
钢刀模切	切断材料，形成异形外轮廓
压痕（压线）	不切断，压出折痕，便于折叠
虚线刀	切出一条虚线，用于撕开
双刀（拉链刀）	两条平行刀，挖空中间部分

适用场景：异形名片、包装盒展开结构、吊牌、标签、不干胶、立体卡片。

成本：模切刀版制作费根据复杂程度，简单形状约200-500元，复杂形状1000-3000元。

10.2 压痕/折页

原理：压痕与模切类似，但使用钝头的压痕线（不是刀），在纸张上压出槽，引导纸张沿固定线折弯，防止爆裂。

为什么需要压痕：纸张纤维有一定刚性，直接折叠会在折痕处出现裂纹（厚纸尤其严重），甚至断裂。压痕预先破坏了折痕处的部分纤维结构，使纸张沿痕迹“听话”折叠。

适用场景：厚纸折页（200g以上）、包装盒、贺卡、邀请函、地图。

10.3 激光切割

原理：高能激光束聚焦在材料表面进行非接触式切割，切口光滑，可切出比模切更精细的曲线和镂空。

特点：

• 无模切版费用，适合小批量
• 数字控制，改图灵活
• 切割精度可达0.1mm
• 不适用于带氯的塑料（PVC会腐蚀设备）

适用场景：小批量包装、打样、精细镂空贺卡、亚克力字、木制拼图。

第11章 装订形式

11.1 骑马订

原理：将书页套叠后，用两个或多个钉书钉从书脊折缝处穿过，沿中心线装订。

特征：

• 页面必须为4的倍数（因为一张纸对折后形成4页）
• 书页完全平摊，中间无胶脊
• 最厚可订约64页（128面）
• 不适合厚书（太厚会“炸开”）

适用：薄册子、产品说明书、宣传册、杂志、儿童卡片。

11.2 胶装

原理：将书页按顺序叠齐后，把书脊铣背拉毛（打毛以增加胶的附着面积），涂上热熔胶或PUR胶，再粘上封面。

分类：

类型	胶的类型	特点
热熔胶装	EVA热熔胶	最常用，成本低，但时间久了胶会变脆断裂
PUR胶装	聚氨酯反应型胶	柔韧性好，耐高温低温，更耐用，成本高30-50%

特点：可装订较厚的书（常规3-5cm，最厚8cm），成品书脊方正，适合大批量，但书籍不能完全平摊（需要用重物压住才能保持打开）。

适用：教材、小说、杂志、产品目录、年报。

11.3 锁线胶装

原理：先对每个书帖（一组折叠好的页面）进行锁线（穿线缝合），再将各书帖胶粘合并装上封面。

特点：书籍可180°完全平摊，非常耐用，即使胶老化断裂，锁线仍能保持书页不散落。成本高于普通胶装。

适用：精装书内芯、画册、大开本图录、字典（频繁翻阅）、艺术画册。

11.4 精装

原理：书芯锁线后单独加工，再与硬质书壳（灰板+面纸）贴合。书脊处有装订布和堵头布加固。

组成：

• 书芯：锁线或锁线胶装
• 书壳：灰板（2-4mm厚）+ 面纸（特种纸、布、PU皮）
• 环衬：连接书芯与书壳的厚纸（通常对折裱在书芯前后）
• 书签带：可选

特点：档次高、耐用、完全平摊。工序多。适合收藏级书籍、礼品书、纪念册、企业年报、相册。

11.5 其他装订方式

方式	原理	适用
螺旋装	打孔后用塑料或金属螺旋圈串起	台历、笔记本、菜谱
活页装	打孔后用夹子或圆环固定，可随时增减	活页笔记本、文件夹
圈装（O型/双线圈）	打孔后穿入金属或塑料圆环	笔记本、挂历、说明书
夹条装	塑料夹条卡入	文件、标书

11.6 装订方式选型速查表

装订方式	页数范围	平摊度	耐用性	成本	典型应用
骑马订	8-64页	180°	一般	极低	宣传册
胶装（热熔）	50-400页	有限	一般	低	教材
胶装（PUR）	50-600页	有限	好	中	高档说明书
锁线胶装	100-800页	180°	好	中	画册
精装	100-1000+	180°	很好	高	礼品书

第五部分：礼盒与包装结构

第12章 礼盒分类与结构

礼盒是包装印刷的高端形态，不是直接印刷在纸板上，而是将印刷好的面纸裱糊在灰板（或中密度板）上，手工或半手工成型。

12.1 常见礼盒类型

书型盒（翻盖盒）
盒体像一本书，打开时盒盖像书页一样向右（或左）翻开。内部通常有磁铁吸附关闭。盒脊可以是直的或带圆弧。高档化妆品、珠宝、茶叶、中秋月饼、礼品套装、电子产品。

抽屉盒（抽拉盒）
外套盒＋内抽盒，将内盒像抽屉一样从一端抽出。部分高端设计有两个或三个抽屉。手机盒、巧克力礼盒、手表包装、收藏品。

天地盖盒
分上盖（天）和下底（地），盖子从上往下盖住底盒。最常见、最经典的礼盒形式，加工最简单。适用鞋盒、酒盒、食品礼盒、化妆品套装、电子产品。

双开门盒
左右两扇门向两侧打开，打开后可看到内部的产品（有时带衬垫或内托）。适用于高贵礼品，打开时有仪式感。珠宝、艺术品、手表、香水、高端茶叶。

异形盒
非矩形的特殊形状：多边形、圆形、心形、六边形、扇形。需要开特殊刀模和模具，比矩形盒复杂，成本高。适用于特殊节日礼品（情人节心形盒）、创意包装。

开窗盒
盒子的某个面有一个开窗区域，用透明PET或PVC覆盖，让消费者看到内部产品而不打开包装。适用玩具、食品（可见食物本身）、化妆品（小样/口红）、文具。

12.2 礼盒材料

面纸：印刷图案的面层材料，裱糊在灰板上。

• 铜版纸：最常用，印刷效果好
• 特种纸：有纹理（珠光、磨砂、彩烙纸等）
• PU皮/布料：高档感，柔软
• 触感膜面纸：柔软丝滑触感

灰板：组成礼盒骨架的硬质纸板。

• 高光灰板：表面光滑，适合高档裱糊
• 普通灰板：稍粗糙，成本低
• 中密度板：用于超大型/重型包装

内衬：盒内放置产品的缓冲和装饰材料。

• 海绵：弹性缓冲，外贴绒布/绸布
• EVA/珍珠棉：开槽嵌放产品，常用于电子产品
• 绒布/绸布：视觉高贵触感好，覆盖在海绵或灰板表面
• 植绒：静电植绒，柔软但容易掉毛
• 吸塑托：透明PET吸塑成型，固定产品

12.3 磁铁与扣件

较多礼盒使用磁铁吸附闭合，或搭配金属扣件、丝带。磁铁通常嵌入灰板内部，不外露。

第13章 礼盒成型工艺

13.1 裱糊成型

V槽开槽
在灰板上开出一道V形槽，使灰板可以沿着槽线折弯90°形成盒子。V槽深度必须精确控制在灰板厚度的80%左右，太浅折不动，太深会断开。

包边/折入
将面纸通过胶水包裹灰板的边缘并折入内侧。四个角需要精密的折角处理——45°切角，折叠后角部平整不露灰板。

流程图：灰板开料 → V槽开槽 → 面纸印刷/覆膜 → 面纸涂胶 → 粘贴灰板 → 包边折入 → 压平定型 → 组装 → 除尘清洁 → 包装

13.2 成型工艺对比

工艺	特点	适用
手工裱糊	灵活，适合复杂结构，但一致性差，效率低	打样/小批量，异形盒
半自动裱糊	部分工序自动化，效率和质量平衡	大多数礼盒订单
全自动生产线	效率极高，但只能做标准矩形天地盖	超大数量（年百万级）

第14章 包装印刷附加工艺

条码/二维码喷印：通常是喷墨方式在线或离线打印可变条码，用于物流、追溯、防伪。药监码、追溯码、微信小程序码、电商物流条码。

可变数据印刷：数字印刷的核心优势，在包装上印刷唯一码，实现“一物一码”。每张标签或每个包装上的二维码或流水号不同，可用于防窜货、积分营销、产品溯源。

封套/腰封：印刷物外的一个附加纸质套，用于展示宣传文字、促销信息或保护包装。常见于书籍（书腰）、CD/DVD、化妆品礼盒外封套。

第六部分：特殊承印物

第15章 塑料印刷

15.1 常见塑料承印物

材料	特点	常见用途
BOPP（双向拉伸聚丙烯）	透明、挺度好、常用	食品袋、标签覆膜
PET（聚酯）	耐高温、机械强度高	蒸煮袋、标签、透明盒
PVC	柔软、透明、印刷适性好	标签、收缩膜、信用卡
PE	柔软、低成本	购物袋、垃圾袋、保鲜膜
PP	半透明、韧性好	食品容器、薄膜

15.2 塑料印刷的主要方式

凹印：凹版印刷是塑料软包装的主流方式，用于大批量（长单）。印刷速度快（最高300m/min），墨层厚实，色彩饱和度极高，适用于BOPP、PET、PE等薄膜。制版费昂贵。

柔印：使用水性或UV油墨，环保性好，适合中小批量。越来越受欢迎。适用不干胶标签、PE袋、纸塑复合包装。

丝网印刷：用于硬质塑料（如瓶体、亚克力面板），墨层厚，有立体感。适用于洗发水瓶Logo、塑料仪表盘、亚克力标牌。

数字印刷：用于小批量、打样、可变数据。UV喷墨可在多种塑料上直接打印，无需制版，附着力稍差。

15.3 塑料印刷关键工艺

电晕处理：塑料表面能很低，油墨和涂料难以附着。电晕处理通过高压放电轰击塑料表面，增加表面能（达因值，目标38-42 dyne/cm），使油墨能良好附着。几乎所有塑料薄膜印刷前都需要电晕处理，但效果有时效性，一般1-3个月后会衰退。

油墨类型：

油墨类型	适用	特点
氯化聚丙烯油墨	BOPP、PP	附着好，溶剂型，VOC较高
聚氨酯油墨	PET、NY（尼龙）	耐热、耐蒸煮，用于食品包装
水性凹印油墨	环保需求	绿色，但干燥慢，成本高
UV油墨	柔印、丝印、数字	零VOC，瞬间固化，但成本高

干燥方式：溶剂型油墨需热风烘干并排出溶剂；水性油墨需较长烘道；UV油墨使用紫外灯瞬间固化。

里印 vs 表印：

• 里印：油墨印在薄膜内侧，再复合一层薄膜，图案被夹在中间，永不磨损。用于大多数食品包装。
• 表印：油墨印在薄膜外表面，直接暴露，易磨损。用于卫生纸包装、某些购物袋。

15.4 常见问题

问题	原因	解决方案
附着力差	电晕处理不够或失效	测量达因值，重新电晕
溶剂残留	干燥不充分	延长烘道或降低车速
静电	薄膜摩擦带电	加装静电消除器
套色不准	薄膜张力波动	调整张力控制系统

第16章 马口铁印刷

16.1 马口铁是什么

马口铁是电镀锡薄钢板的俗称：基材为低碳钢（厚度0.15-0.5mm），表面电镀纯锡层（很薄，约2-3g/m²），兼具钢的强度和锡的耐腐蚀性。主要用于食品罐、油漆桶、气雾罐、礼品盒、电池壳、玩具等。

16.2 马口铁印刷的主要方式

平版胶印（柯式印铁）：和纸张胶印原理相同（油水相斥，经橡皮布转印），但设备经过了彻底改造——因为承印物是刚性金属片，无法像纸张那样在压印滚筒和橡皮滚筒之间柔软地通过。印铁机配有磁力或双张检测、专门进料和收料系统。

印铁油墨与纸张油墨不同，必须耐热（因为后工序有高温烘烤，甚至121°C蒸煮消毒），并且耐机械冲击（因为后工序要经过冲压拉伸）。

16.3 印铁关键工艺

前处理（清洗）：马口铁表面有油污或杂质会导致底漆脱落。清洗流程：碱性清洗→热水洗→热水洗→烘干（全部在线进行）。

底漆涂布：在铁皮上印刷白色或透明底漆（白可丁）。白色底漆是90%以上印铁的基础，因为铁基色灰暗，不涂白漆颜色无法还原。底漆提供白色基底、增强油墨附着力、防腐蚀（隔离铁与外部物质）。

印刷：四色或多色胶印，使用特殊的金属油墨（耐热、柔韧性好）。与纸张胶印相比，油墨对压力更敏感，因为铁皮无吸收性，油墨完全靠氧化结膜干燥。

上光：印刷完成后涂布一层保护光油（罩光油），增强耐刮擦、耐腐蚀性，增加光泽。光油同样需要耐热。

高温烘烤：每印一色都要烘干（烘道150-200°C），使油墨和光油彻底固化。印铁厂拥有长烘道（多层结构，数十米长），一次性烘干多张铁皮。

16.4 印铁后加工

内涂：罐头内部接触食品的区域，必须涂布食品级清漆，防止铁皮生锈、防止金属味污染食品。这是卫生安全的核心工序，必须符合FDA或GB 4806食品接触材料标准。

冲压成型：印刷完成的铁皮经过模具冲压，裁切→冲盖→卷边→成型为最终容器（罐身、罐盖）。

16.5 与纸张印刷的区别总结

对比维度	纸张印刷	马口铁印刷
承印物特性	柔性，有吸收性	刚性，无吸收性，需底漆
油墨干燥	渗透+氧化	高温烘烤固化
套准精度	±0.1-0.2mm	极高（±0.05mm），因为铁皮不伸缩
耐性要求	一般	耐刮擦、耐蒸煮（121°C）、耐冲压
工序	印刷+表面处理	清洗+底漆+印刷+光油+高温烘烤×N+内涂
成本	相对低	极高（设备、能耗、材料）

第17章 其他特殊材料

17.1 布料印刷

丝网印刷：传统T恤印花主力，墨层厚、透气性差一点，但最成熟、成本低。适合大批量、简单图案。

热转印：个性T恤主流方式，先将图案打印在转印纸上，再高温加压转移到布料上。适合小批量、照片级图案，但胶质感较重，不耐水洗（相比丝印）。

数码直喷（DTG）：用改装喷墨打印机直接在布料上喷印，适合极小批量、多色复杂图案，但速度慢，设备贵，深色布料需打白底。

17.2 玻璃/陶瓷印刷

丝网印刷：最传统的玻璃/陶瓷印刷方式，使用高温玻璃釉料（一种无机颜料浆料），印刷后经过高温烧结（600-800°C），釉料熔化进玻璃/陶瓷表面，永久坚固。

UV喷墨：近年兴起的替代方式，在低温条件下直接喷印UV墨水到玻璃上，无需烧结。适合小批量、打样、室内装饰，但耐刮擦性不如烧结。

适用：玻璃杯Logo、酒瓶、建筑玻璃装饰、瓷砖、马克杯、陶瓷盘。

17.3 木材印刷

UV平板喷墨：主流方式，直接在木板上喷印UV墨水，即打即干，无需制版。适用于小幅面、多品种、个性化。背景墙、木相框、木制工艺品、橱柜门板。

热转印：适用于平整木板，将图案从转印纸上热压转移，适合批量较大（需制版）的木地板、复合板材装饰。

17.4 亚克力/PET透明片印刷

丝网印刷：传统方式，墨层饱和度高，适用广告灯箱片、亚克力标牌、透明塑料面板。

UV平板喷墨：更灵活，可以打印全彩渐变、照片级图像，无需制版。适用有机玻璃装饰画、透明展示架、水晶奖牌。

第七部分：印刷形式与生产形式

第18章 按印刷形式分类

单色印刷 vs 多色印刷

• 单色：只印一种颜色（通常是黑色），成本最低，用于文字书刊、表格、底单。
• 双色/三色：两种或三种特定颜色，用于企业宣传品（Logo+辅助色）。
• 四色印刷：CMYK四色，用于彩色照片、画册、全彩产品。
• 专色印刷：特定预调颜色（如金色、PANTONE 185C红），代替或补充CMYK。颜色准确统一、不会出现网点；通常成本更高。

单面印刷 vs 双面印刷

• 单面：只印一面，用于海报、单页、包装。
• 双面：正反面都印，用于书籍、说明书、名片。可通过正反版、自翻身、滚翻版实现。

卷筒印刷 vs 单张印刷

• 卷筒印刷：使用卷筒纸/薄膜连续印刷，速度快（凹印/柔印300m/min），适合大批量、后加工连线（如复合、分切、模切）。
• 单张印刷：使用平板纸，灵活性高、换单快，适用于大多数胶印、丝印及小批量包装。

连线加工 vs 离线加工

• 连线加工：印刷机串联后道工序（上光、模切、压痕），一气呵成。效率高、省人工，占地大、设备投资高。适用于柔印标签、凹印软包。
• 离线加工：印刷完成后，单张纸堆叠好，再运到另一台机器后加工。灵活、通用性强、投资低，效率较低（需二次上料）。

第19章 按生产形式分类

大批量长版印刷：传统胶印、凹印优势领域。印数通常5000份以上，甚至百万级。单位成本极低，版费/开机费被摊薄。适合教材、香烟包装、饮料标签、大众杂志。

小批量短版印刷：通常500份以内，单位成本较高，但总成本低（因为无需长版储备）。适合企业样本、画册小批量、个人出版。

按需印刷：零库存，客户下单后印刷1本、10本或100本。主要依赖数字印刷技术。适合断版书重印、学术专著（只印50本外送）、个人照片书。

打样：签样确认。数码打样（数码印刷机出样，成本低、速度快，但不能100%模拟胶印网点）、上机打样（正式版上机印刷几张，最可靠，但费用高、耗时）。

第八部分：实战速查（附录）

附录A：纸张克重与厚度速查表

克重（g/m²）	铜版纸厚度（mm）	胶版纸厚度（mm）	轻型纸厚度（mm）
70	—	0.09-0.10	—
80	—	0.10-0.12	0.11-0.14
100	0.08-0.10	0.12-0.14	0.14-0.18
120	0.10-0.13	0.14-0.17	0.18-0.22
128	0.11-0.14	—	—
157	0.15-0.18	—	—
200	0.20-0.24	0.24-0.28	—
250	0.28-0.32	0.30-0.35	—
300	0.35-0.42	0.38-0.45	—
350	0.42-0.50	—	—

附录B：常用开本成品尺寸速查表

开本	大度尺寸（mm）	正度尺寸（mm）	A系列（mm）
全开	844×1162	781×1086	A0 841×1189
对开	581×844	530×760	A1 594×841
4开	422×581	390×543	A2 420×594
8开	290×422	271×390	A3 297×420
16开	210×285	195×271	A4 210×297
32开	148×210	130×184	A5 148×210

附录C：印刷翻身方式选型表

因素	正反版	自翻身	滚翻版
版数	2套	1套	1套
纸张翻法	不翻，换版	左右翻（咬口不变）	上下翻（咬口改变）
适用印量	大批量	小批量	小批量
厚纸适合度	✓	不推荐	不推荐
版面要求	无限制	左右对称	无限制（可不对称）
成本	高	中	中

附录D：礼盒结构类型速查表

类型	结构特征	开启方式	复杂度	典型应用
书型盒	书脊+上下翻盖	翻开	中	茶叶、化妆品
天地盖	上盖+下底	揭开	低	鞋盒、酒盒
抽屉盒	外盒+内抽	抽出	中	手机、巧克力
双开门	左右两扇门	推开	高	珠宝、手表
异形盒	非矩形	多种	高	节日创意礼品
开窗盒	透明窗口	多种	中	玩具、食品

附录E：印后工艺适配速查表

工艺	适用材质	最低克重要求	效果	成本级别
覆亮膜	纸张	128g	光亮	低
覆哑膜	纸张	128g	哑光、温润	中
烫金	纸张/覆膜/皮革	157g	金属光泽	中
UV上光	纸张	157g	局部高亮	中
击凸	纸张	200g	立体浮雕	中
模切	纸张/灰板	任意	异形	中
激光切割	纸张/亚克力/木	任意	精细镂空	高

附录F：塑料/马口铁工艺对比表

维度	塑料薄膜凹印	马口铁胶印
主要方式	凹印、柔印	平版胶印（印铁机）
关键前处理	电晕处理	脱脂清洗+底漆
油墨特性	溶剂型/水性	耐热金属油墨
干燥方式	热风	高温烘道（150-200°C）
耐性要求	耐揉搓、耐低温	耐刮擦、耐蒸煮、耐冲压
后工序	复合、分切、制袋	内涂、冲压、卷边
成本	版费高，单位成本低	极高门槛

附录G：印刷报价影响因素清单

因素	影响说明
印量	数量越大单价越低（但版费固定）
用纸	克重越高越贵、特种纸贵、进口纸贵
印色	四色＞双色＞单色，专色按每色计费
印版	CTP版费（用量×版材单价）
后道工艺	每加一道工序都增加成本
装订	精装＞锁线＞胶装＞骑马订
急件	加急费20%-100%不等

附录H：常见问题避坑清单

问题	原因	解决方案
颜色偏色	显示器与印刷色域不同	参考潘通色卡，打样确认
黑色不够黑	只用了K=100	用四色黑（C30 M20 Y20 K100）
小字号模糊	反白字太小或字体过细	字号不小于6pt，用粗体
大面积黑色有白印	压力不均	加C40%打底，更均匀
裁切偏位露白	未留出血位	四周至少3mm出血
照片发闷	未做曲线调整	印前适当拉高对比度
扫描文件印刷模糊	原图分辨率不足	300DPI以上，不能用网页图
跨页颜色不一致	左右页不同批次印刷	大单要同批次拼版

附录I：印前文件检查清单（交付印刷厂前确认）

• ☐ 色彩模式是否为CMYK
• ☐ 分辨率是否≥300 DPI（位图）
• ☐ 四周出血是否≥3mm
• ☐ 所有文字是否已转曲或嵌入字体
• ☐ 黑色文字是否为单黑（K=100），不是四色黑
• ☐ 是否检查过超色域颜色（荧光绿、亮橙等）
• ☐ 专色是否已定义（如PANTONE色号）
• ☐ 是否已提供样板或色样（如有特殊要求）
• ☐ 叠印效果是否正确设置（白色叠印等）
• ☐ 陷印是否已处理（或已确认由印刷厂处理）

English Version

Complete Printing Knowledge Handbook: From Paper Sizes to Plate Making to Specialty Substrates

Part One: Prepress Processes

Chapter 1: Detailed Plate Making Processes

1.1 Traditional Plate Making vs. CTP (Computer-to-Plate)

Traditional Plate Making Workflow:
Design Finalization → Film Output → Film Assembly → Plate Burning → Developing → Plate Touching Up → Press Ready

The key intermediate in the traditional method is the film (also known as negative or positive). Film is a transparent polyester sheet that carries the image to be printed. During plate burning, the film is placed over a photosensitive plate and exposed to UV light. The black areas on the film block light, while transparent areas allow light to pass, creating ink-receptive and water-receptive areas on the plate.

Key limitations of traditional plate making:

• High film cost; requires dust and scratch protection during storage
• Multi-color printing requires multiple films, leading to register error accumulation
• Numerous intermediate steps from design to press, resulting in long lead times

CTP (Computer-to-Plate):
CTP eliminates the film stage. The processed digital file on the computer directly drives a laser to expose the image onto the printing plate. CTP became commercialized in the 1990s and, by around 2010, had become the standard configuration for large-scale printing houses.

Core advantages of CTP:

Comparison Aspect	Traditional Film-Based Plate Making	CTP Direct-to-Plate
Intermediate Steps	Requires film output, manual assembly	No film, direct from digital file
Dot Quality	Two optical conversions, noticeable dot gain	Single laser imaging, precise dot reproduction
Register Accuracy	Errors from assembling multiple films	Digital registration, error < 0.01mm
Plate Making Speed	Slower	30%+ faster
Cost Structure	Film material cost + labor cost	High equipment investment, low running cost
Environmental Friendliness	Film development produces waste liquid	Some CTP systems are chemical-free

1.2 Types of Printing Plates

Different printing methods use different types of plates:

PS Plate (Presensitized Plate):
The most common plate for offset printing. An aluminum base is pre-coated with a photosensitive layer. Through exposure and development, it forms ink-receptive image areas and water-receptive non-image areas. PS plates typically have a press life of 50,000 to 100,000 impressions, which can be increased to 200,000-300,000 after baking.

Resin Plate:
A photosensitive resin plate used for flexographic printing, with raised image areas. During exposure, unexposed parts are washed away, leaving raised images. Hardness varies: soft plates suit rough surfaces (e.g., kraft paper), hard plates suit fine dot printing.

Gravure Cylinder:
The printing plate for gravure is a cylindrical steel roller with countless tiny “cells” engraved chemically or electronically. The depth and area of the cells determine ink volume. Gravure cylinders have extremely high press life, exceeding 5 million impressions after chrome plating, making them suitable for very long runs like cigarette packs and banknotes.

Screen Printing Stencil:
The stencil for screen printing is made by stretching polyester or stainless steel mesh over a frame and coating it with photo-sensitive emulsion. After exposure, areas where ink should pass through have the emulsion washed away to form mesh openings; areas that should not print retain the emulsion, blocking the mesh.

1.3 Imposition and Sheet Folding Scheme

Imposition is the arrangement of multiple pages in a specific order on a single parent sheet so that after folding and trimming, the page sequence is correct.

Example: For a 16-page saddle-stitched booklet, a single parent sheet printed on both sides yields 32 pages. These 32 pages must be positioned specifically on the plate. Misplacing one page will mess up the entire book.

Imposition rules for different binding methods:

Binding Method	Imposition Characteristic	Pages per Signature
Saddle Stitch	Symmetrical cross-over layout, stapled in the middle	Typically 4-8 pages
Perfect Binding	Signatures stacked in sequence, each signature independent	16, 32 pages common
Smyth Sewn	Each signature sewn separately before binding	8-32 pages
Case Binding	Book block + case handled separately	Same as perfect binding/sewn

1.4 Plate Burning and Developing

Plate exposure parameter control:

• Exposure time: Too long, image areas become thinner or disappear; too short, non-image areas may not be fully exposed and can pick up ink
• Developer temperature: Typically kept at 28-32°C (82-90°F). Higher temperature speeds development but makes control harder
• Development time: Too long erodes image areas, reducing press life

Plate Baking: Placing the developed PS plate in a high-temperature oven (approx. 200-250°C / 390-480°F) to further harden the photosensitive layer in image areas. This can increase press life from the typical 50,000-100,000 impressions to 200,000-300,000, suitable for long-run jobs.

Special UV Plate Treatment: Plates for UV printing need higher chemical resistance, typically achieved through special baking processes or dedicated UV plate materials.

Chapter 2: Prepress File Handling Specifications

2.1 Color Mode: CMYK

Printing must use the CMYK color mode (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). RGB cannot be used directly.

Why can’t RGB be used? RGB is light color (additive color mode) – monitors display color by emitting light. CMYK is ink color (subtractive color mode) – inks absorb some light and reflect the rest. The RGB gamut is significantly larger than CMYK. Many vibrant colors in RGB (e.g., fluorescent green, bright orange) cannot be reproduced in CMYK at all. During conversion, these “out-of-gamut” colors are forcibly replaced with a similar but often muddy color, causing huge discrepancies between the printed piece and what you see on screen.

Practical advice: Use CMYK mode from the start of your design, or at least after completing the design, use soft proofing (on-screen simulation) to check for out-of-gamut warnings.

2.2 Resolution

File Type	Minimum Requirement	Recommended Value
Photographic Bitmap Images	300 DPI	350-400 DPI
Black & White Line Art	600 DPI	1200 DPI
Large Format Posters (viewed from distance)	150 DPI	200-250 DPI
Screenshots (not suitable for print)	72 DPI	N/A

Common issue: Images downloaded directly from websites are typically 72 DPI. Enlarging them to print size results in visible jagged edges and pixelation, making them unusable.

2.3 Bleed

Bleed is the extension of colored areas beyond the finished trim edge of the printed piece. It prevents white edges from appearing due to minor variations during trimming.

Standard bleed: 3mm on all sides. For example, if a business card’s finished size is 90×54mm, the design file should be 96×60mm.

Special scenarios:

• Hardback book covers: Bleed of 5-10mm needed because the hard cover wrapping consumes part of the image
• Die-cut products: Bleed of 5mm or more needed because die-cutting刀模 positioning is less precise than常规 trimming
• Full-page bleed (flood coat): Strongly recommended to use 5mm bleed, especially for dark or black backgrounds

2.4 Converting Text to Outlines

Before sending your design file to the printer, you must convert all text to outlines or embed the fonts. After conversion, text is no longer editable font data but becomes vector shapes.

Why convert to outlines? The printer’s computer may not have the specific fonts used in your design file. If missing, the system will automatically substitute a default font, leading to layout errors, text shifts, or even garbled characters.

Important notes:

• Save a copy of the original editable version before converting, for future modifications
• After conversion, check for any text deformation (especially small Chinese characters and special symbols)
• For very small text (below 6pt), verify it remains clear after conversion

2.5 Trapping

Trapping is the technique of creating a slight, intentional overlap between adjacent different colors to prevent white edges from appearing due to printing register errors.

Basic principle: During printing, plates for different colors cannot be aligned 100% perfectly; there is typically a 0.1-0.2mm error. If two colors are perfectly adjacent, this error can reveal the paper color underneath (white). Trapping causes the lighter color to “spread” into the darker color area, making the register error invisible.

Practical guidelines:

• Most printers handle trapping automatically; designers usually don’t need to do it manually
• However, avoid designing fine reversed-out text (especially dangerous with metallic colors like gold or silver)
• Fine lines (thinner than 0.2mm) crossing different color areas are high-risk
• Dark-on-dark has lower risk; light-on-light has higher risk

Part Two: Paper and Materials

Chapter 3: Paper Specifications, Manufacturers, and Brands

3.1 Paper Size Specifications

Paper comes in two forms: sheet paper (supplied as individual sheets) and roll paper (supplied in rolls).

Standard parent sheet sizes (flat sheets) :

Specification Name	Dimensions (mm)	Description
Standard (Zhengdu)	787×1092	Traditional domestic size,源自英制 (31×43 inches), gradually being phased out
Large (Dadu)	889×1194	Current mainstream size for book printing, high utilization rate
International A Series	880×1230	ISO standard compliant, slightly larger than Large/Dadu
Special B Series	1000×1414	Used for posters, wall charts, and other large format products

Common roll paper widths (mm) : 1575, 1562, 1400, 1280, 1230, 1092, 1000, 900, 880, 787. Roll length is typically 6000 meters per roll, with width tolerance ±3mm.

3.2 Grammage and Ream Weight

Basis weight (grammage) : Unit g/m², the weight of one square meter of paper. This is the fundamental indicator of paper thickness.

Grammage Range	Common Values (g/m²)	Typical Uses
Thin paper ≤60	40, 50, 60	High-speed copiers, newspapers, bible paper
Medium paper 60-120	70, 80, 100, 120	Office printing, book interiors, letterhead
Thick paper 120-250	150, 180, 200, 250	Covers, brochures, postcards
Paperboard ≥250	300, 350, 400	Business cards, hang tags, packaging boxes

Ream weight calculation formula :

Ream weight (kg) = Paper area (m²) × 500 (sheets per ream) × Basis weight (g/m²) ÷ 1000

Example: Weight per ream of Large/Dadu size (889×1194mm, approx. 1.06m²), 157gsm coated paper:
1.06 × 500 × 157 ÷ 1000 = 83.21 kg/ream

3.3 Domestic Paper Manufacturers

Yueyang Forest & Paper Co., Ltd. (Stock Code: 600963)
Founded in 1958, a major producer of cultural paper in China, headquartered in Yueyang, Hunan. Its predecessor was Yueyang Paper Mill; it listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2004 and is now a core subsidiary of China Paper Investment Co., Ltd.

Main brands and products:

Brand	Product Type	Characteristics
Tianyue Huacai Paper	High-end color printing paper	High bulk, slight coating technology, excellent color reproduction
Yinguang Series	Woodfree offset paper	Wide规格 range, cost-effective
Haoyue Woodfree Paper	All-wood pulp woodfree paper	High whiteness, good stiffness, suitable for color printing
Fengsuilan Copy Paper	Copy paper	Mainstream office paper product
Ruixue Series	Cultural paper	Multi-purpose book paper

Shandong Yinhe Ruixue Paper Co., Ltd.
Located in Linqing, Shandong, with annual papermaking capacity of 800,000 tons. Holds a significant market share in cultural paper, especially textbook paper.

Key brand characteristics:

• Ruixue woodfree offset paper: Whiteness up to 110%+, made on high-speed paper machines for good formation
• Yinguang security watermark paper: Built-in watermark for tamper-evident documents
• Yinhe Antibacterial Book Paper: Contains antibacterial agents, >99.8% inhibition rate against bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, suitable for textbooks and children’s books

Longkou Yulong Paper Industry Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1978, located in Longkou, Shandong. A benchmark enterprise in China’s lightweight paper sector. The national standard for lightweight paper was drafted based on this company’s product standards.

Representative products:

Product	Characteristics	Notable End-User Examples
Yulong Lightweight Paper	High bulk, good opacity, no fluorescent whitening agents	“The Story of China”, “Zhu Rongji Answers Journalists”
Yulong True Paper	Fine tactile feel, light beige color	High-end literary works, deluxe edition books
High-end Bible Paper	Extremely thin (28-40g), high opacity	Dictionaries, bibles, reference books

Lightweight paper is characterized by being “bulky” – higher caliper at the same grammage, soft feel, and contains no fluorescent whitening agents, presenting a natural cream color that reduces eye strain during long reading sessions. Disadvantages: not suitable for color printing (color performance inferior to coated paper) and prone to deformation when absorbing moisture.

Jindong Paper (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. (APP Sinar Mas Group)
Founded in 1997 in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu. The world’s largest single-site coated paper producer, with annual capacity exceeding 2 million tons. Total investment over $4 billion USD. Operates two German VOITH original paper machines capable of speeds up to 1500 m/min.

Jindong Paper holds a very high position in the coated paper sector. Its flagship brand, Space Shuttle, is regarded as the benchmark for coated paper in the printing industry.

Brand portfolio:

Brand	Positioning	Description
Space Shuttle	Top-tier coated paper	China Well-Known Trademark, gloss >60%, roughness ≤1.4μm
Dongfan	High-end coated paper	Jiangsu Famous Brand
Changhe	Mid-to-high-end coated paper	Jiangsu Famous Brand
Aegis	Functional specialty paper	Wear-resistant, anti-counterfeit functional coatings
NEVIA	Specialty art paper	Includes art paper, digital paper, etc.

Core competencies of Space Shuttle coated paper:

• Excellent printability: sharp dot reproduction, uniform gloss
• High quality stability: grammage tolerance within ±4g, superior curl control
• Multiple products have zero-carbon certification, meeting international environmental requirements
• Exported to Japan, India, Thailand, Russia, Peru, Chile, and other countries

When to choose Space Shuttle?

Scenario	Recommendation	Reason
High-end brochures, corporate lookbooks	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Accurate color reproduction, strong sense of quality
Brand magazines, regular publications	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Good long-run printing stability
Art reproductions	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Matte series non-glare, good detail rendering
Export packaging materials	⭐⭐⭐⭐	High international recognition
General office printing	⭐⭐	Over-engineered, cost relatively high

3.4 International Brands

UPM Changshu
UPM is a Finnish forest industry group. Its largest single investment project in China is located in Changshu, Jiangsu, with total investment exceeding $1 billion USD and annual production capacity of 800,000 tons of cultural paper.

Main brands:

• UPM Finesse™/Finesse Classic Matt® coated paper: High-gloss and matte series, stable quality
• UPM Fine® woodfree offset paper: All-wood pulp, good stiffness
• Yes®/Copy®/Future™ copy paper: Main office paper products

3.5 Format Knowledge

Format refers to the dimensions of a book or publication – essentially, how many pages a single full-sized parent sheet is cut into. For example, if a parent sheet is cut into 16 pieces, each piece is called 16mo (16°).

Common finished format sizes (after trimming allowance):

Format	Standard/Zhengdu Size (mm)	Large/Dadu Size (mm)	Common Uses
Full Sheet	781×1086	844×1162	Posters
Folio (2°)	530×760	581×844	Newspapers, wall charts
4°	390×543	422×581	Brochure inserts
8°	271×390	290×422	Magazines, albums
16°	195×271	210×285	Magazines, textbooks
32°	130×184 (portrait)	148×210 (portrait)	Regular books
64°	approx. 92×126	105×148	Dictionaries, pocket books

International A/B Series:

Series	Base Size	Characteristics
A Series	A0=841×1189, area 1m²	ISO international standard, most common
B Series	B0=1000×1414	Area between A0 and A1
C Series	For envelopes, folders	Size between A and B

Format selection recommendations:

Use Case	Recommended Format	Size (mm)	Reason
Textbooks, educational materials	16° (Large)	210×285	Comfortable reading, flexible for图文 layout
Literary works	32° (Large)	148×210	Portable, one-hand hold
Magazines, art albums	16° or 8°	210×285 or 290×422	Rich in images, visual impact
Dictionaries, manuals	64°	105×148	Small, portable
Office printing	A4	210×297	International standard, good device compatibility

Part Three: Printing Processes (All Commercial Printing Types)

Chapter 4: The Four Traditional Printing Methods

4.1 Letterpress Printing

Principle: Image areas are raised, non-image areas are recessed. When the inking roller passes over the plate, it only contacts the raised image areas, and ink is transferred to the substrate under pressure.

Process characteristics:

• Sharp, clearly defined impression, with crisp edges on lines
• Slight physical indent on the back of the paper (can be felt by touch)
• High printing pressure (approx. 30 kg/cm²), ink is pressed deep into paper fibers
• Vivid, saturated ink colors, suitable for text and line-art based prints

Main sub-categories:

Sub-category	Description	Current Status
Hot metal/typesetting printing	Lead type composition, traditional book/print method	Largely obsolete, used for artisan/collector items
Copper-zinc plate printing	Photomechanical plate making onto metal sheets	Rarely used for business cards, hot foil stamping base plates
Photopolymer resin plate	Laser imagesetting plate making, modern letterpress	Still used for labels, numbering, etc.

Suitable applications: Invitation cards, business cards, labels, small packaging boxes, numbering, base plates for hot foil stamping/embossing.

4.2 Planographic Printing (Offset/Lithography)

Principle: Based on the mutual repulsion of oil and water. On the plate, image areas are oil-receptive and water-repellent; non-image areas are water-receptive and oil-repellent. During printing, the plate is first dampened with a fountain solution to wet non-image areas, then inked. The ink is transferred from the plate to a rubber blanket cylinder, and from there to the substrate.

The term “offset” refers to the intermediate rubber blanket. Since the image does not directly contact the substrate, it is an indirect printing method.

Process characteristics:

• Relatively simple and cost-effective plate making
• Accurate color registration, suitable for high-speed multi-color printing
• Soft tones, rich gradations, excellent dot reproduction
• The most widely used printing method, accounting for over 60% of the commercial printing market

Suitable applications:

• Posters, brochures, product manuals
• Newspapers, books, magazines
• Calendars, postcards, envelopes
• Paper packaging boxes (the face paper used for laminating)

Printing speed: Sheet-fed offset presses typically run 10,000-18,000 sheets/hour. Web offset presses can reach 60,000-120,000 sheets/hour (printing both sides simultaneously).

4.3 Gravure Printing (Intaglio/Heliogravure)

Principle: Image areas are recessed (cells) below the surface of the plate; non-image areas are smooth. The entire plate is flooded with ink, and a doctor blade removes ink from the non-image surface. Ink remaining in the recessed cells is transferred to the substrate under high pressure. This is a direct printing method.

Process characteristics:

• Heavy ink laydown, high color saturation (can reproduce up to 90% of original)
• Sharp, well-defined lines, strong gradation in shadow areas
• Extremely high plate press life, typically 500,000 impressions, over 5 million after chrome plating
• Very expensive plate making, completely unsuitable for short runs

Main sub-categories:

Sub-category	Description	Applications
Engraved intaglio	Manual or mechanical engraving, strong anti-counterfeit	Banknotes, passports, security documents
Photogravure (Heliogravure)	Photo-etching plate making, uniform cell structure	High-end illustrated magazines, postage stamps
Electronic engraving	Computer-controlled laser or diamond engraving, modern mainstream	Plastic film packaging, cigarette packs, decorative paper

Suitable applications:

• Banknotes, securities, passports (extremely high security requirements)
• High-end cigarette packs, liquor boxes
• Plastic film flexible packaging (food pouches, detergent bags)
• Very long-run magazines (e.g., National Geographic曾经 used gravure)

4.4 Porous Printing (Screen Printing)

Principle: Image areas consist of open mesh openings. During printing, a squeegee forces ink through these mesh openings onto the substrate.

Process characteristics:

• Very thick ink film (tens of microns, 5-10 times thicker than offset), creating a slightly raised, tactile image
• Extremely wide range of substrates: paper, fabric, plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, wood, leather, etc.
• Can print on curved, spherical, and irregular surfaces
• Relatively simple stencil preparation, suitable for short runs and variety
• Slow speed, not suitable for very long runs

Suitable applications:

Industry	Typical Products
Textiles	T-shirt prints, banners, flags, pennants
Electronics	PCB circuit boards, phone coatings, touchscreens
Packaging	Corrugated boxes, glass bottles, plastic buckets
Advertising	Large format outdoor billboards (historically; now mostly replaced by wide-format inkjet)
Industrial Products	Instrument panels, faceplates, labels

Printing precision: Conventional screen printing can achieve about 100 lines/inch. Precision screen printing can reach 150-200 lines/inch, but stable production is difficult.

Chapter 5: Flexographic Printing

Positional note: In principle, flexography belongs to the letterpress family. However, due to the uniqueness of its plates, inks, equipment, and applications, it is internationally recognized as one of the four major printing methods alongside offset, gravure, and screen printing.

Principle: Uses flexible rubber or photopolymer relief plates. An anilox roller meters a precise film thickness of ink, a doctor blade controls the ink quantity, and the ink is transferred to the substrate.

Process characteristics:

• Soft, flexible plate, suitable for soft materials and rough surfaces
• Uses water-based or UV inks, containing no volatile organic solvents, making it environmentally friendly
• High printing speed, suitable for continuous web (roll) printing
• Good plate press life (resin plates can exceed 1 million impressions)
• Slightly lower detail reproduction than offset/gravure, less suitable for high-precision color halftone printing

Key component – The Anilox Roller: This is the metered inking device for flexo. The anilox roller surface is engraved with countless tiny cells. Different line screens on the anilox roller correspond to different ink transfer volumes. High line screens (often with a specific cell angle) are used for fine printing but transfer less ink; low line screens are used for solid areas requiring more ink.

Suitable applications:

Application Area	Specific Products
Plastic packaging	Shopping bags, trash bags, cling film
Self-adhesive labels	Personal care labels, beverage labels
Corrugated boxes	Outer box printing (with water-based inks)
Hygiene products	Sanitary napkin packaging, tissue packaging
Paper cups/bowls	Food packaging containers

Equipment types:

• Stack/Stack-type: Each color unit is stacked vertically; compact but can have register issues.
• Central Impression (CI) : A large central impression cylinder with color units arranged around it; best register accuracy.
• In-line: Color units arranged linearly; suitable for narrow-web, often integrated with other converting processes like die-cutting.

Chapter 6: Digital Printing

Positional note: The fastest-growing printing technology of the 21st century. Requires no plates (plateless) and is a non-impact printing method. It complements rather than completely replaces traditional printing.

Principle: The processed digital file on the computer is sent directly to the printing device; no physical plate is needed.

Two main technology paths:

Technology Type	Principle	Typical Devices	Characteristics
Inkjet Printing	Ink drops ejected through nozzles directly onto substrate	Wide-format plotters, industrial jetting systems	Non-contact, suitable for rough/curved surfaces, fast
Electrophotography (Laser)	Photoreceptor drum charged to attract toner (dry or liquid) which is then transferred to paper and fused by heat	Digital presses (Fuji Revoria, Konica Minolta, HP Indigo)	High precision, suitable for paper and some films

Core advantage – Variable Data Printing (VDP) :
Traditional printing makes every single print identical. Digital printing can make every page or print different. Typical applications:

• Unique QR codes/barcodes, serial numbers
• Direct mail with personalized recipient names (variable text)
• Unique anti-counterfeit codes for each item
• Personalized products (e.g., “Share a Coke” bottles, custom photo books)

Market data snapshot: In 2017, digital printing accounted for approximately 16.2% of the global printing market, a significant increase from 2.9% in 2012.

Suitable applications:

Scenario	Description
Short-run books	Self-publishing, out-of-print book reprints, academic theses (50-500 copies)
Variable Data Printing	Invoices, direct mail, anti-counterfeit labels
Proofing	Contract proofs to confirm color and content before press
Personalization	Photo books, invitations, commemorative albums
Wide-format Inkjet	Posters, roll-up banners, lightbox films, display boards

Cost comparison: Digital vs. Traditional Offset Printing:

Quantity	Digital Cost	Traditional Offset Cost	Recommendation
1-50 copies	Very low	Very high (plate cost cannot be amortized)	Choose digital
50-500 copies	Moderate	Moderate	Depends on specifics
500-2000 copies	Starts becoming higher	Starts becoming lower	Tipping/breakeven point
2000+ copies	Significantly higher	Significantly lower	Choose traditional offset

Chapter 7: Other Specialty Printing Methods

7.1 Pad Printing

Principle: Ink is picked up from an engraved plate (cliché) using a silicone pad and then transferred to the substrate. The pad is a formed, elastic silicone tool that can deform to the shape of the part.

Characteristics: Very suitable for planar, curved, spherical, and irregular surfaces. Printing precision can reach 0.05mm.

Applications: Logos on toys, text on pen barrels, phone case patterns, keyboard keycaps, golf ball markings, medical devices.

Typical setup: Single-color to four-color pad printing machines, with open ink cup or sealed ink cup systems.

7.2 Heat Transfer Printing

Principle: An image is first printed onto specialized transfer paper (using sublimation or gel inks). Then, through heat and pressure, the ink is transferred from the paper to the substrate.

Two main types:

Type	Principle	Suitable For
Hot Peel/Cold Peel (Plastisol)	Plastisol ink layer + hot-melt adhesive, peeled hot or cold	Cotton T-shirts, canvas bags
Dye Sublimation	Dye turns into gas under heat, penetrates polymer fibers	Polyester sportswear, polyester flags, mugs

Characteristics: Vibrant colors, wash-resistant, no cracking. However, dye sublimation typically requires high polyester content (65%+) or a special polymer coating and is best on light/white backgrounds.

Applications: Custom T-shirts, team uniforms, sportswear, phone cases, mugs, mouse pads, jigsaw puzzles, metal photo panels.

7.3 Hydrographic Printing (Water Transfer Printing)

Principle: A pattern printed on a water-soluble PVA film is transferred onto a three-dimensional object using water pressure. Two main types: hydro dipping (for complex 3D) and hydrographic labeling (for simpler or cylindrical items).

Hydro Dipping (for complex 3D shapes) : The PVA film with the printed pattern is floated on water and activated chemically. The object is then immersed into the water, water pressure wraps the pattern around its surfaces. Suitable for car interior trim, helmets, toys.

Hydrographic Labeling (for flat or slightly curved/cylindrical items) : Similar to a water-slide decal. Suitable for glass bottles, baseball bats, sports equipment. Requires drying and sometimes an over-lacquer coating.

Applications: Car dashboards, gear shift knobs, helmets, hand tools grips, sports equipment, glassware, baseball bats.

7.4 3D Printing / Lenticular Printing

Principle: Uses a lenticular lens (an array of small convex lenses) to refract light differently to each eye, creating an illusion of depth (stereoscopic 3D) or image flips, motion, zoom effects.

Key effect types:

Type	Effect
Stereoscopic 3D	Images appear to have depth, objects seem to pop out
Flip	Two different images swap between each other as the viewing angle changes
Motion/Animation	Series of images creates a short, simple animation
Zoom	Image appears to scale or morph

Applications: 3D postcards, novelty flip items, advertising specialties, packaging, children’s books, anime merchandise.

Critical process note: Registration alignment is extremely strict. The lens on the sheet must be perfectly aligned with the printed interlaced image beneath (error <0.05mm), otherwise the effect fails (causing eye strain or blurriness). Typically, software calculates the interlaced image, which is then output on an UV flatbed printer.

7.5 Security Printing

Principle: Combines specialized inks, design elements (guilloche patterns), substrates, and processes to make printed items difficult to counterfeit or easy to authenticate.

Common security features:

Technology	Principle	Authentication Method
Fluorescent Ink	Invisible under normal light, glows under UV	UV lamp
Thermochromic Ink	Changes color with temperature change	Finger or body heat
Optically Variable Ink (OVI)	Changes color when viewing angle changes	Tilt the item
Holographic Foil/Stamping	Laser-generated holographic image	Observe change in light reflection
Microtext	Extremely small text (often <0.2mm)	Magnifying glass
Windowed Security Thread	Embedded metalized or plastic thread in banknote paper	Visible, may have magnetic or color-shift properties
Anti-copy Design (Guilloche)	Complex, fine line patterns	Appears blurry or produces moire patterns when copied/scanned
Encrypted QR Codes	QR with digital signature or layered code	Proprietary app or reader

Applications: Banknotes, passports, tax stamps, certificates, event tickets, security labels, luxury brand hang tags.

Chapter 8: Sheet Turning Methods for Duplex Printing

When printing on both sides of a sheet on a single-sided press (or specifying the layout for a perfecting press), certain methods determine how the sheet is turned.

8.1 Work-and-Turn (Sheer/Tumble) [Using Two Sets of Plates]

Method: You create two separate plate sets – one for the front (obverse) side, another for the back (reverse) side. All sheets are printed with the front plate set, the stack is allowed to dry or is turned over as a stack (keeping the same gripper edge), and then the back plate set is used to print the reverse side.

Pros:

• Front and back printing are independent, allowing for precise color control
• Suitable for thick paper (over 200g), less show-through risk
• No layout symmetry constraints, maximum flexibility

Cons:

• Requires two plate sets, doubling plate costs
• Two press runs, increasing time and labor costs
• Economically viable only for larger print runs

Best for: Large runs, thick stocks, critical color matching (e.g., covers, deluxe book blocks), very high quality demands.

8.2 Work-and-Turn (Using One Set of Plates & Flipping Sideways)

Method: A single plate set contains both front and back images positioned symmetrically left-to-right. After printing the first side, the sheet is flipped sideways (left to right) – the gripper edge remains the same. The sheet is then fed through the press again to print the reverse side.

Pros:

• One plate set, halving plate costs
• One press load/unload cycle (though two passes)
• Faster turnaround, suitable for shorter runs

Cons:

• Requires left-to-right symmetric layout or very precise corresponding positioning
• Sensitive to paper expansion/contraction (cross-grain direction changes)
• Better for thinner papers (less show-through risk) and smaller sheet sizes

Best for: Short runs (e.g., under 500), cost-sensitive jobs, business cards, flyers, thin papers.

8.3 Work-and-Tumble (Using One Set of Plates & Flipping Head-to-Foot)

Method: A single plate set contains front and back images arranged head-to-toe (or foot-to-foot). After printing the first side, the sheet is flipped over (head to foot) – the gripper edge becomes the opposite edge (the tail of the sheet becomes the new gripper). The sheet is then fed again.

Pros:

• One plate set enables duplex printing without strict left-right symmetry
• Suitable for asymmetrical bleeds or special layout requirements

Cons:

• Requires sufficient gripper margin on both top and bottom edges of the sheet, as the gripper changes
• More challenging register, more complex press setup

Best for: Unconventional layouts, asymmetrical bleed requirements, specialty printing.

8.4 Selection Guide for Sheet Turning Methods

Condition	Recommended Method	Key Reason
Run length >2000 copies	Work-and-Turn (2 plate sets)	Quality stability, overall efficiency
Run length <500 copies	Work-and-Turn (1 plate, side flip)	Saves plate cost and time
Paper weight >200g	Work-and-Turn (2 plate sets)	Avoids show-through, stable gripper
Paper weight <100g	Work-and-Turn (1 plate, side flip)	Efficient, single setup for both sides
Left-right symmetrical layout	Work-and-Turn (1 plate, side flip)	Easiest imposition
Asymmetric bleed/imposition	Work-and-Tumble (1 plate, head-to-foot)	Flexible positioning
High-end brochure/cover printing	Work-and-Turn (2 plate sets)	Precise color control, no quality compromise

Part Four: Post-Press Processes

Chapter 9: Surface Finishing Processes

9.1 Lamination

Principle: A thin plastic film (primarily BOPP, thickness 12-25 microns) is bonded to the printed paper using heat or pressure.

Main types:

Type	Effect	Best For
Gloss Lamination	High shine, enhances color saturation	Brochure covers, posters, folding cartons
Matte Lamination	Non-glare matte finish, smooth, warm feel	High-end books, business cards, luxury boxes

Functions: Protects against scuffing/marking, increases moisture resistance, adds stiffness. A laminated sheet is much more durable but becomes difficult to recycle (paper-plastic separation is not standard).

Note: Applying matte lamination will typically darken the appearance of ink colors (the matte surface reduces specular reflection, making colors appear denser/slightly darker). Proofs may need to compensate for this.

9.2 Hot Foil Stamping (Hot Stamping)

Principle: Heat (typically 100-150°C / 212-302°F) and pressure are applied through a metal die to transfer a metallic or pigmented layer from a carrier film (foil) onto the substrate.

Types of foil:

• Gold (bright gold, antique gold, matte gold, brushed gold)
• Silver (bright silver, matte silver, brushed silver)
• Pigment (red, blue, green, etc.)
• Holographic/Laser (rainbow/ color-shifting effect)
• Transparent (invisible, for security or subtle effect)
• Pearl, metallic, special effect foils

Process requirement: The substrate’s surface must be receptive to foils. Paper works well; film-laminated surfaces require special adhesive foils and may have lower adhesion.

9.3 UV Coating (Varnishing)

Principle: A liquid UV varnish (coating) is applied, then instantly cured (hardened) by intense ultraviolet light exposure. “UV” denotes the curing method, not the color.

Types:

Type	Effect	Description
Full UV Coating	Whole sheet high gloss	Adds overall gloss and scuff resistance
Spot UV Coating	Glossy raised pattern on a matte/dull background	Highlights specific areas (logos, text, images)
Matte UV Coating (with silica)	Flat, matte, smooth texture	Non-glare, soft touch (often used as overall matte coating)
Textured UV (e.g., Sandpaper, Stucco)	Textured tactile feel	Specialty aesthetic effects
Holographic/Patterned UV	Cured through a patterned roller to create a holographic or ripple effect	Decorative, anti-counterfeit

Characteristics: Very fast curing, environmentally friendly (no solvent evaporation), hard, high scuff resistance, high gloss. Can be inline (on press) or offline.

Difference from lamination: UV coating is a much thinner, harder, polymer film layer. It is more rigid, more brittle, and can crack if folded sharply. It is generally more recyclable than lamination. Lamination provides more durability, moisture protection, and flexibility.

9.4 Embossing / Debossing

Principle: A metal die (male) and counter-die (female) are pressed together under pressure with the substrate between them, raising (embossing) or lowering (debossing) the substrate to create a three-dimensional relief.

Types:

Type	Effect
Embossing	Image/text is raised above the paper surface
Debossing	Image/text is recessed below the paper surface
Blind Emboss/Deboss	No ink or foil, purely the deformation of the paper/film itself
Combination (Foil + Emboss)	Foil stamped and embossed simultaneously (or sequentially for different effects)

Applications: Logos, book covers, packaging, greeting cards, invitations. Requires sufficiently thick paper (generally 200g/m² or more) and a strong fiber structure; thin paper may tear.

9.5 Texturing (Embossing with pattern rolls)

Principle: The substrate is passed through engraved rollers under pressure to impart a uniform texture across its entire surface (e.g., linen, canvas, leather, fine grid).

Types: Linen, canvas, leather, fine line grid, silk, laid.

Applications: Book covers, business cards, box wrapping paper (face paper). Texturing will typically reduce surface smoothness, which can affect subsequent printing or foiling.

9.6 Soft Touch Coating / Film

Principle: Achieved either by a specialized soft-touch UV coating, or by laminating with a specialized soft-touch matte film. It creates a velvety, smooth, rubber-like tactile feel.

Effect:

• Soft-Touch Coating/Film: A velvety, smooth, luxurious feel, similar to peach skin or fine suede.
• Standard Matte or Satin feel can also be achieved with coatings and films without the specific soft-touch additive.

Applications: High-end cosmetic packaging, phone boxes, liquor boxes, book covers. Soft-touch materials generally cost more but significantly enhance the perceived luxury and tactile quality of a product.

9.7 Laser Engraving/Cutting

Principle: A high-energy laser beam is focused onto the surface of the substrate. For engraving, it burns, melts, or vaporizes a very shallow area, creating a mark or slight depression. For cutting, it fully penetrates the substrate.

Characteristics: Permanent mark, high wear and chemical resistance. No consumables, high precision (can achieve <0.01mm).

Applications (Cutting) : small run packaging, prototyping, intricate lace-pattern cards, acrylic letters, wooden puzzles.
Applications (Marking/Engraving) : wood packaging engravings, acrylic awards, metal surface marking, leather branding, security serials.
Not suitable for: Standard paper (cuts completely through), or materials containing chlorine (PVC, which releases corrosive fumes).

Chapter 10: Cutting and Shaped Processing

10.1 Die-Cutting (Flatbed or Rotary)

Principle: Steel rule blades (or scoring/creasing rules) are bent into the desired shape and mounted in a die board. Under pressure from a die-cutting press, this die cuts through (or creases) the paper or material.

Rule/Blade Types:

Rule Type	Function
Cutting Rule	Cuts fully through the material to shape the outline
Creasing/Scoring Rule (not a blade)	Depresses a groove without cutting, guides folding and prevents cracking
Perforating Rule	Cuts a dashed/serrated line for easy tearing
Double Edge/Kiss Cutting	Two parallel rules to cut out a center strip (e.g., for magnet openings)

Applications: Shaped business cards, folding carton nets/structures, hang tags, labels, sticky notes, pop-up cards.

Cost: Tooling (die) cost depends on complexity; simple shapes $20-50, complex shapes $100-300+.

10.2 Scoring / Creasing

Principle: Similar to die-cutting but using a dull-edged rule or a matrix/creasing channel. This compresses the paper fibers along a line, creating a groove/hinge to guide folding.

Why it’s needed: Paper fibers have inherent stiffness. Folding thicker paper without scoring will result in a rough, lumpy fold, cracking along the crease, or even complete breakage. Scoring selectively weakens fibers along the intended fold line, making the paper “obey” the fold.

Applications: Thick paper folding (200g+), folding cartons, greeting cards, invites, maps.

10.3 Laser Cutting (Digital Die Cutting)

Principle: A focused, high-energy laser beam moves over the substrate to cut it according to digital vector path data. This is a non-contact method.

Characteristics:

• No physical die/tooling cost, ideal for short runs and prototyping
• Digitally controlled, design changes are very quick and easy (no new die)
• High precision (can achieve tolerances of 0.1mm or better)
• Can cut very intricate, delicate patterns
• Not suitable for materials containing chlorine (PVC), which releases toxic/corrosive fumes.

Applications: Short-run packaging (e.g., small brands, bespoke), prototyping, intricate lace-cut cards, acrylic signage/letters, wooden puzzles.

Chapter 11: Binding Methods

11.1 Saddle Stitching

Principle: Sheets are nested (folded signatures placed inside each other) and stapled through the fold line with two or more staples.

Characteristics:

• Page count must be a multiple of 4 (each folded sheet creates 4 pages)
• Booklet lays completely flat when open (no spine loss)
• Maximum thickness around 64 pages (approx. 5mm / 0.2″ )
• Not suitable for thick books (will “bust” open)

Best for: Thin booklets/catalogs, product manuals, pamphlets, magazines (small thickness), comic books, children’s board books.

11.2 Perfect Binding

Principle: Pages are gathered in sequence, the spine is milled/roughened and ground to create a rough surface, hot-melt or PUR adhesive is applied to the spine, and a cover is wrapped around.

Main types:

Type	Glue Type	Characteristics
Hot-Melt (EVA)	Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) thermoplastic	Most common, lower cost, but can become brittle over time/cold
PUR Binding	Polyurethane Reactive adhesive	More flexible, durable, temperature resistant, stronger bond, higher cost (30-50%+)

Characteristics: Can bind thicker books (3-5cm / 1.2-2″ standard, up to 8cm/3″ with advanced equipment). Square spine, good for shelving/labeling. Cannot lay fully flat; the book will want to close. Good for large volumes.

Best for: Textbooks, novels, magazines, product catalogs, annual reports.

11.3 Smyth Sewing (Section Sewn)

Principle: Each folded signature (section) is sewn individually through its fold using thread. The sewn sections are then glued together and attached to the cover.

Characteristics: Extremely durable and flexible. The book can lay completely flat (180°) without breaking the spine. Very resistant to aging; even if glue fails, the thread holds the pages together. Higher cost than perfect binding.

Best for: Case-bound book interiors, high-end art/coffee table books, large format plate books, dictionaries (books designed for frequent use), bibles, annual reports.

11.4 Case Binding (Hardcover)

Principle: The book block (typically Smyth sewn) is prepared and then glued to a hard case (rigid board + covering material). Features like headbands, spine linings/tapes, and bookmark ribbons are typically added.

Components:

• Book block: Smyth sewn or sewn + glued
• Case: Sturdy board (2-4mm thick) + covering material (special paper, cloth, leatherette, PU)
• Endsheets: Heavyweight folded paper connecting the book block to the case.
• Optional: Headbands (fabric at top/bottom of spine), bookmark ribbon.

Characteristics: Highest perceived quality, exceptional durability, and the book lays completely flat. More complex, longer production time, higher cost.

Best for: Keepsake/collector’s books, corporate annual reports, guest books, children’s picture books (board book cases), heirloom editions, photo albums.

11.5 Other Binding Methods

Method	Principle	Best For
Spiral Coil Binding	Holes are punched, plastic or metal continuous coil is threaded through	Calendars, notebooks, cookbooks, technical manuals (lies flat, can fold back 360°)
Wire-O (Twin Loop) Binding	Holes are punched, pre-formed double wire loops are inserted	Presentation booklets, calendars, high-end reports (clean, professional look)
Comb Binding	Plastic comb with teeth is inserted into punched rectangular holes	Simple documents, reports, educational materials (easy to edit pages)
Loose-leaf Binding (Ring)	Pages are punched and held in a ring binder	Notebooks, reference manuals, folders (add/remove pages)

11.6 Binding Selection Guide

Binding Method	Suitable Page Count (approx.)	Lays Flat?	Durability	Relative Cost	Typical Applications
Saddle Stitch	8 – 64 pages	Yes (180°)	Fair	Very low	Thin brochures, pamphlets, program guides
Perfect Binding (EVA)	50 – 400 pages	No (needs weight to hold open)	Fair	Low	Textbooks, novels, mass-market paperbacks
Perfect Binding (PUR)	50 – 600+ pages	No (lays flatter than EVA)	Very Good	Medium-High	High-end manuals, books needing durability
Smyth Sewn + Soft Cover	100 – 800+ pages	Yes (180°)	Excellent	Medium-High	Art/photo books, high-end paperbacks
Case/Hardcover (Sewn)	100 – 1000+ pages	Yes (180°)	Excellent	High	Deluxe gift books, library editions, photo albums
Spiral / Wire-O	Any (up to ~500)	Yes (360° fold-back)	Medium	Low-Medium	Calendars, cookbooks, technical manuals

Part Five: Gift Boxes and Packaging Structures

Chapter 12: Gift Box Types and Structures

Gift boxes represent the high-end segment of packaging printing. Unlike standard folding cartons printed directly on paperboard, they are constructed by laminating a printed face paper onto a rigid board (or medium-density fiberboard), often assembled manually or semi-manually.

12.1 Common Gift Box Types

Book Style Box (Hinged Lid Box) :
The box body resembles a book. The lid opens like a page, pivoting on a hinge (often cloth or paper tape). Magnets are usually embedded in the front edge to keep the box closed. The spine can be straight or have a rounded arc. High-end cosmetics, jewelry, tea, mooncakes, electronics.

Slipcase / Drawer Box:
A two-part box: an outer sleeve (case) and an inner tray (drawer). The inner tray slides out from one end. Some designs have two or three stacked drawers. Phone boxes, chocolate boxes, watch packaging, collectibles.

Lid and Base Box (Two-Piece, “Pillow” or “Presentation” Box) :
Two separate rigid components: a top lid and a bottom base. The lid fits over the base. This is the most common and classic rigid box construction, typically the simplest to manufacture. Shoe boxes, liquor boxes, food gift boxes, cosmetics sets, electronics.

Double Door Box:
The box front consists of two hinged doors that open from the center to the left and right. Opening reveals the product inside, often with a plush or custom-fitted inner tray. Jewelry, art pieces, watches, perfumes, high-end tea.

Shaped / Irregular Box:
Non-rectangular special shapes: polygon, oval/round, heart, hexagon, fan, etc. Requires custom tooling and fixtures. More complex and expensive than standard rectangular rigid boxes. Special occasions (e.g., Valentine’s Day heart box), creative packaging, promotional items.

Window Box:
A die-cut opening is made in one face of the lid or base. A transparent plastic film (PET or PVC) covers the opening, allowing the consumer to see the product without opening the package. Toys, food (visible product), cosmetics (samples/lipstick), stationery.

12.2 Gift Box Materials

Face Paper: The printed decorative paper laminated to the rigid board.

• Coated paper (C2S): Most common, excellent print quality.
• Specialty/Textured paper: Pre-embossed patterns (e.g., linen, leather).
• PU Leather / Fabric: High-end look, soft, pliable.
• Soft-Touch Laminated Paper: Paper laminated with a soft-touch film.

Rigid Board (Paperboard, Greyboard/ Chipboard) : Forms the rigid structural skeleton of the box.

• High-density (e.g., “greyboard”): Higher quality, finer surface.
• Standard density: Slightly rougher surface, lower cost.
• MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard): For very large/heavy duty boxes.

Inner Tray Materials (to hold the product) :

• Foam (polyurethane) covered with fabric (flocking/velvet/leatherette)
• EVA / PE (Polyethylene) foam: Cut with a custom die to fit product precisely (electronics).
• Flocked material: Electrostatic flocking, soft, but can sometimes shed.
• Plastic blister (clear PET/PVC): Vacuum-formed to hold product.
• Paperboard dividers.

12.3 Magnets and Closures

Many rigid boxes use embedded magnets for closure. Magnets are usually set into the rigid board and covered by the face paper or lining. Metal components (e.g., clasps, corner brackets) or ribbons are also used.

Chapter 13: Gift Box Fabrication/Assembly Process

13.1 Lamination and Case Making

V-Grooving (for lid and base) : Grooves are cut into the rigid board to allow it to fold cleanly at 90-degree angles to form the box walls. Depth and angle must be precisely controlled (approx. 70-80% of board thickness) – too shallow, won’t fold well; too deep, board may crack/separate.

Wrapping (Corner folding and Gluing) : The printed face paper is glued to the rigid board. The corners are cut at 45°, and overlapping edges are folded over the board’s edges and glued to the inside. Precise, sharp corner folds are a mark of quality.

Typical assembly flow: Board cutting → V-grooving → Face paper printing/laminating → Glue application → Board and paper bonding → Wrapping/folding of edges → Pressing (to set flat) → Assembly (e.g., gluing hinge tape) → Final cleaning/inspection → Packaging.

13.2 Manufacturing Methods Comparison

Method	Characteristics	Best For
Manual Assembly	Flexible, suitable for complex structures, low volume. But inconsistent quality, slow.	Prototyping, very short runs, unusual shapes.
Semi-automated	Some processes automated (e.g., gluing, wrapping), balancing speed and quality.	Most standard rigid box orders (short-to-mid runs).
Fully Automated Line	Very high speed, but limited to standard rectangle shapes (e.g., lid and base).	Extremely high volume (e.g., millions/year for electronics, shoes).

Chapter 14: Packaging Printing Secondary Processes

Barcode / QR Code Jetting: Typically inkjet, applied online (during printing/converting) or offline to print variable data barcodes for logistics, traceability, and anti-counterfeit. Examples: Pharmaceutical track-and-trace codes (Drug Admin codes), logistics QR codes, WeChat mini-program codes.

Variable Data Printing (VDP) : A core advantage of digital print. Printing unique codes or text on each package – enabling “one-code-per-product” for anti-diversion/tracking, loyalty/points marketing, product traceability (farm-to-fork).

Wrap-around Band / Belly Band (Obi) : An extra, removable paper band (often printed) placed around a book, CD, DVD, or box. Used for promotional messages, campaign information, or to secure a lid. Common on books (book obi), magazines, CDs/DVDs, cosmetic boxes.

Part Six: Specialty Substrates

Chapter 15: Printing on Plastics

15.1 Common Plastic Substrates for Printing

Material	Characteristics	Common Uses (Printed)
BOPP (Biaxially Oriented PP)	Transparent, good stiffness, very common	Snack food bags, labels, lamination film
PET (Polyester)	High heat resistance, high mechanical strength	Retort pouches (sterilizable), labels, clear rigid boxes, plastic cards
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)	Flexible, transparent, good printability for some methods	Labels, shrink sleeves, credit cards (some), binders
PE (Polyethylene)	Soft (LDPE), low cost, inherent print adhesion difficult	Grocery sacks, trash bags, cling wrap, squeeze tubes
PP (Polypropylene – cast or oriented)	Translucent (natural), good hinge properties, chemical resistance	Food containers (yogurt tubs, lids), candy wrap, CD/DVD cases

15.2 Main Printing Methods for Plastics

Gravure (Rotogravure) : The traditional dominant method for long-run flexible packaging. Very high speed (up to 300 m/min), heavy ink laydown, excellent color saturation, good for BOPP, PET, PE films. Very high plate cylinder engraving cost.

Flexography : Uses water-based or UV inks, more environmentally friendly, better for short-to-medium runs. Increasingly popular. Self-adhesive labels, PE bags, paper-plastic laminates, many stand-up pouches.

Screen Printing (for rigid or pre-formed plastic parts) : Thick ink film, good opacity, tactile feel. Suitable for shampoo bottles, plastic instrument panels, acrylic nameplates/signs.

Digital Printing (UV Inkjet or Electrophotography) : For very short runs, prototyping, and variable data. UV inkjet can print directly on many plastics without plates, adhesion can be a challenge on some substrates.

15.3 Key Plastic Printing Processes

Corona Treatment (Surface Treatment) : Most plastics have low surface energy, making ink adhesion difficult. Corona treatment uses high-voltage discharge to oxidize the surface, increasing its surface energy (measured in dynes/cm). Standard target is 38-42 dynes/cm. Essential for nearly all plastic film printing. Effect decays over time (1-3 months).

Ink Types:

Ink Type	Suitable For	Characteristics
Chlorinated Polypropylene	BOPP, PP	Good adhesion, solvent-based, VOC content
Polyurethane-based	PET, NY (Nylon)	Heat resistant, retortable, for food packaging
Water-based Gravure/Flexo	Environmental compliance	Lower VOC, lower color strength (often), slower drying
UV Ink	Flexo, Screen, Digital	Zero VOC, instant cure, higher cost

Drying/Curing: Solvent-based inks need hot air drying and exhaust of solvents. Water-based inks need longer hot air drying (or IR). UV inks instantly cure under UV light.

Surface vs. Reverse Printing (for films) :

• Reverse Printing (Laminate) : The image is printed in reverse on the back (non-sealing) side of the transparent film, then a second layer (sealant film) is laminated over it. The ink is sandwiched between layers, protected from abrasion/chemicals. Most common for food packaging.
• Surface Printing : Ink printed directly on the outer surface. Lower durability. Used for some tissue over-wraps, simple bags.

15.4 Common Plastic Printing Problems

Problem	Cause	Solution
Poor Adhesion	Insufficient or degraded corona treatment	Check dyne level, re-treat or use different ink
High Solvent Retention	Inadequate drying	Increase drying temperature/airflow, slow line speed
Static Issues	Friction of moving film	Install static eliminator bars
Mis-registration	Film tension variation	Adjust tension controls on press

Chapter 16: Printing on Tinplate (Tin Free Steel – TFS/ETP)

16.1 What is Tinplate?

Tinplate is low-carbon steel sheet (thickness 0.15-0.5 mm / 0.006-0.02 in) with a very thin layer of tin (approx. 2-3 g/m²) electrolytically plated onto its surface. It combines the strength of steel with the corrosion resistance and solderability of tin. Used for food cans, paint tins/pails, aerosol cans, some decorative boxes, battery cases, toys.

16.2 Main Printing Method for Tinplate

Offset Lithography (Using specialized metal-decorating presses) : The printing principle (oil/water repulsion, indirect via blanket) is the same as paper offset. However, the press is a highly specialized, heavy-duty machine designed to handle rigid metal sheets, not flexible paper. Features include magnetic or vacuum feed tables, double-sheet detectors, and specialized delivery systems.

Inks for Tinplate: Must be heat-resistant (to withstand subsequent high-temperature baking, up to 150-200°C or even can retorting at 121°C), and resistant to mechanical stress (to survive forming/stamping). They are also often more chemically resistant.

16.3 Key Tinplate Printing Processes

Pre-treatment (Cleaning) : The tinplate surface must be chemically cleaned to remove any oil, grease, or dust for proper adhesion. An inline process (alkaline wash → rinse → hot air dry).

Coating (Primer / Base Coat) : Application of a white or clear epoxy-based base coat. A white base coat is used for >90% of jobs because the natural steel color is grey/dark and dull; white provides a bright, consistent foundation for color printing. Improves ink adhesion and provides corrosion protection.

Printing (Multi-color) : The cleaned, coated sheets are fed through the metal decorating press, printing each color (CMYK or spot) using specialized heat-resistant inks. Ink setting is by oxidative polymerization, not absorption (metal is non-porous).

Overprint Varnish (OPV) : A protective clear coat is applied over the printed ink. Increases gloss, scuff and chemical resistance, and adds a layer of protection. Must also be heat resistant.

Baking (Stoving/Curing) : After each printed color and the OPV, the sheets pass through a long, multi-level hot air oven (150-200°C / 300-390°F). This cures and cross-links the coatings, making them hard, durable, and heat-resistant.

16.4 Post-Printing Tinplate Processes

Internal Coating (for food/drink cans) : The inside surface of the can (which contacts the food/beverage) is sprayed with a food-grade sanitary lacquer. This prevents the steel from corroding, prevents metal taste transferring to the product, and ensures food safety. Strict compliance with FDA or GB 4806 standards.

Stamping/Forming : The printed, cured, and internally coated flat tinplate sheets are fed into high-speed presses. They are blanked, drawn, and formed into the final container (can body, can end). This stamping process is severe; the coating and print must have flexibility and adhesion to survive.

16.5 Summary: Paper vs. Tinplate Printing

Aspect	Paper Printing	Tinplate (Metal Decorating)
Substrate Nature	Flexible, porous (some absorption)	Rigid, non-porous, requires base coat
Ink Drying/Curing	Absorption + Oxidation	High-temperature baking (150-200°C / 300-390°F)
Register Accuracy	±0.1-0.2 mm	Very high (0.05mm), as metal is dimensionally stable
Key Required Resistance	Moderate	High: scuff, heat, sterilization (121°C), stamping
Process Steps	Print + optional finish	Clean + prime + print + varnish + bake (x colors) + internal coat
Cost	Lower	Very high (equipment, energy, materials, complexity)

Chapter 17: Other Specialty Substrates

17.1 Fabric Printing

Screen Printing : Traditional workhorse for garment (T-shirt) printing. Thick ink layer (plastisol), durable, less breathable (plastisol). Best for large volumes, simple designs, opaque colors on dark shirts. Lower cost per print at volume.

Direct-to-Garment (DTG) : Specialized modified inkjet printer that prints directly onto fabric (typically cotton). Best for very small runs, full-color photographic images. Slower, higher equipment cost, requires pre-treatment for dark garments.

17.2 Glass / Ceramic Printing

Screen Printing with Glass Frit / Ceramic Inks : Traditional method. Uses specialized inorganic glass/ceramic “frit” pigments mixed with a medium. After printing, the item is fired in a high-temperature kiln (600-800°C / 1100-1470°F). The frit melts into the glass or ceramic surface, creating a permanent, highly durable, scratch-resistant mark. Used for high-volume, durable applications (bottles, mugs, tiles).

UV Inkjet Printing (direct to rigid substrate): Newer alternative. Cured instantly with UV light, no firing needed. Lower durability (can scratch). Good for short runs, prototyping, interior decorations (no dishwasher/microwave use for functional ware).

17.3 Wood Printing

UV Flatbed Inkjet Printing : Dominant method for rigid wood panels. Direct printing, no plates, instant cure. Excellent for short runs, variety, personalization. Acoustic guitar bodies, decorative wall panels, wooden frames/crafts, cabinet doors.

17.4 Acrylic / PET Sheet Printing

Screen Printing : Traditional method for thicker ink, good opacity, vibrant spot colors. Lightbox films, signage, control panels.

UV Flatbed Inkjet Printing : More flexible, full-color process, photographic images, no plates. Acrylic photo prints (backlit or front-facing), clear POP displays, crystal awards.

Part Seven: Printing Formats and Production Types

Chapter 18: Classification by Printing Format

Single-Color vs. Multi-Color Printing:

• Single color (spot): One ink (e.g., black). Lowest cost. Text-heavy books, forms.
• Two/Three-color: Two or three spot colors. Often used for corporate collateral (logo + accent).
• Four-color (CMYK process): Overlapping dots of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black to simulate full color. Photographs, art, packaging.
• Spot Color (Pantone, Custom-mixed): Pre-mixed specific color. Accurate, consistent, no dot pattern. Higher cost, used for critical brand identity.

Single-Sided vs. Duplex (Two-Sided) Printing:

• Single-sided: Printed on one side only (e.g., posters, some packaging, single page flyers).
• Duplex: Printed on both sides (e.g., books, brochures, business cards, many leaflets).

Web vs. Sheet-fed Printing:

• Web (Roll-fed) Printing: Uses continuous rolls of paper/film. Very high speed (gravure/flexo up to 300 m/min). Best for very large runs, often inline with finishing (lamination, die-cutting).
• Sheet-fed Printing: Uses pre-cut sheets of paper/board. High flexibility, quick job changes. Used for most offset printing, screen printing, short-run packaging, die-cutting.

Inline vs. Offline Finishing:

• Inline: Finishing units are integrated into the printing press (e.g., coating, die-cutting). High efficiency, less labor. High equipment investment, less flexible. Common on modern flexo presses, some offset perfectors, and digital press lines.
• Offline (Roll-to-Sheet, etc.): Printing is done. The printed stack/roll is moved to separate finishing machines (folder, cutter, die-cutter). Flexible, lower investment per unit, but slower (multiple setups/transfers).

Chapter 19: Classification by Production Type

Long Run (High Volume) : Traditional offset or gravure domain. Print runs typically 5,000+ up to millions. Lowest unit cost (fixed plate/make-ready costs amortized over huge quantity). Textbooks, mass magazines, cigarette packs, beverage labels.

Short Run : Typically under 500-1000 copies. Higher per-unit cost, but lower total cost and no large inventory. Business collateral (small run), self-published books, samples.

Print-on-Demand (POD) : Zero inventory. Customer orders 1, 10, or 100 copies, they are printed and bound then shipped. Relies on digital printing technology. Out-of-print books, academic theses (short runs), personalized books, manuals.

Proofing (pre-press sample) : “Contract Proof” for sign-off before press.

• Digital (inkjet or laser): Low cost, fast, but may not simulate specific press/paper perfectly.
• Press Proof (make-ready sheets): The actual press is set up and a few sheets are run. Most accurate, but high cost, time-consuming.

Part Eight: Quick Reference (Appendix)

Appendix A: Paper Basis Weight to Caliper (Thickness) Approximate Guide

Basis Weight (gsm)	Coated Paper (C2S) caliper (mm)	Uncoated Offset (Wove) caliper (mm)	Lightweight/Bulky Paper (mm)
70	—	0.09-0.10	—
80	—	0.10-0.12	0.11-0.14
100	0.08-0.10	0.12-0.14	0.14-0.18
120	0.10-0.13	0.14-0.17	0.18-0.22
128	0.11-0.14	—	—
157	0.15-0.18	—	—
200	0.20-0.24	0.24-0.28	—
250	0.28-0.32	0.30-0.35	—
300	0.35-0.42	0.38-0.45	—
350	0.42-0.50	—	—

Appendix B: Common Trimmed (Finished) Format Sizes

Format	Large/Dadu size (mm)	Standard/Zhengdu size (mm)	ISO A Series (mm)
Full Sheet	844×1162	781×1086	A0 841×1189
Folio (2°)	581×844	530×760	A1 594×841
4°	422×581	390×543	A2 420×594
8°	290×422	271×390	A3 297×420
16°	210×285	195×271	A4 210×297
32°	148×210	130×184	A5 148×210

Appendix C: Sheet Turning Methods Comparison

Factor	Work-and-Turn (Two plate sets, no sheet turn)	Work-and-Turn (One plate set, side flip)	Work-and-Tumble (One plate set, head-to-foot flip)
Number of Plate Sets	2 sets	1 set	1 set
Sheet Handling	Not turned, press re-loaded with different plates	Flipped left/right (gripper unchanged)	Flipped head-to-foot (gripper changes)
Suitable Run Length	Large/long runs	Short runs	Short runs
Suitability for Thick Paper	✓ (preferred for >200g)	Not recommended	Not recommended
Layout Requirement	Unrestricted	Requires left-right symmetry	Unrestricted (can be asymmetrical)
Cost	Highest (two plates, two runs)	Medium (one plate, two runs)	Medium (one plate, two runs)

Appendix D: Gift Box Structural Types Quick Guide

Type	Structural Features	Opening	Complexity	Typical Applications
Book Style (Hinged Lid)	Spine hinge, lid lifts like book page	Lift & pivot	Medium	Tea, cosmetics, high-end chocolates
Lid & Base (Two-piece)	Separate top lid and bottom base	Lift lid off	Low	Shoes, liquor, many mass-market rigid boxes
Drawer / Slipcase	Outer sleeve + inner sliding tray	Pull tray out	Medium	Phones, chocolates, watches
Double Door	Two front doors hinged at sides	Swing doors open	High	Jewelry, watches, heirlooms
Shaped / Irregular	Non-rectangular (heart, round, polygon)	Varies	High	Novelty, holiday gifts, special promotions
Window Box	Cutout covered with clear plastic	Varies	Medium	Toys, food (visible product), cosmetics (sampling)

Appendix E: Post-Press Finishing Process Compatibility

Process	Suitable Substrate	Minimum Grammage/Substrate	Primary Effect / Feel	Relative Cost
Gloss Lamination	Paper	128 gsm	High gloss, shiny, durable	Low-Medium
Matte Lamination	Paper	128 gsm	Non-glare, smooth, warm	Medium
Hot Foil Stamping	Paper, laminated paper, some plastics, un-coated board, leather	157 gsm (paper)	Metallic or pigmented mirror-like or matte effect	Medium
Spot UV Coating	Paper (coated stock)	157 gsm	Glossy, slightly raised tactile layer on matte background	Medium
Embossing/Debossing (Blind)	Paper, some boards, soft plastics, leather	200 gsm (paper)	Raised (or recessed) texture, tactile dimension	Medium-High
Die-cutting (platen)	Paper, paperboard, corrugated, films	Any practical	Custom shapes, cut-outs	Medium (tooling cost + press time)
Laser Cutting/Engraving	Paper, wood, acrylic, some plastics, leather, metal (engraving)	Any practical	Very intricate cut-outs, fine engraved marks	High (time-based, slower)

Appendix F: Plastic Film Gravure vs. Metal Decorating (Tinplate) Comparison

Aspect	Plastic Film Gravure	Metal Decorating (Tinplate)
Primary Method	Rotogravure, Flexography	Offset Lithography (on metal press)
Key Pre-treatment	Corona or Flame treatment	Cleaning (degreasing) + Base coat (primer)
Ink Characteristics	Solvent-based, Water-based, or UV	Heat-resistant, stamping-resistant oxidizing inks
Drying/Curing	Hot air (solvent/water) or UV	High-temp baking oven (150-200°C/300-390°F) per color/varnish layer
Durability Requirements	Rub resistance, seal strength, flex crack	Scuff, chemical, heat (retort), stamping/formability
Typical Post-printing	Lamination, slitting, pouch-making	Internal coating, stamping (forming), seaming
Primary Cost	High plate cost, low unit cost at volume	Very high equipment & tooling cost, very long runs

Appendix G: Factors Affecting Printing Quotes

Factor	Impact on Quote
Print Quantity (Run Length)	Higher quantity = lower unit cost (fixed costs like plates/setup are amortized over more units)
Paper Type & Grammage	Higher gsm, specialty papers, imported papers cost more
Number of Colors	4-color (CMYK) > 2-color > 1-color. Each spot color adds cost
Plate Making	CTP plates (cost per plate, number of plates determined by colors/sheet size)
Post-Press Processes	Each additional finishing step adds cost (lamination, die-cutting, binding)
Binding Method	Case > Sewn > Perfect > Saddle stitch
Turnaround Time (Rush)	Rush charges of 20-100% or more are common

Appendix H: Common Prepress/Printing Problems Checklist

Problem	Common Cause	Solution
Color shift	Monitor vs. print color gamut	Use Pantone swatch, request contract proof
“Muddy” or weak black	K=100 only	Use rich black (e.g., C30 M20 Y20 K100)
Small text blurry/filled in	Reversed-out type or text too thin/fine	Minimum 6pt, use bold or semi-bold, avoid reversed-out for very small text
White lines on large black area	Insufficient pressure or blanket issue	Add 30-40% cyan (or other CMYK) to black for solid areas (achieve even coating)
White unprinted edges	Insufficient bleed	Ensure 3mm (1/8 in) bleed on all sides
Photos look dull/flat	No curve/gamut mapping for press	Ask prepress to adjust curves/contrast
Pixelated/jagged images	Resolution too low (<300 DPI)	Source or create images at 300 DPI or higher
Layout mis-registration across center spread	Incorrect imposition	Check with printer using their imposition template

Appendix I: Prepress File Delivery Checklist (Confirm before sending to printer)

• [ ] Color mode set to CMYK (not RGB)
• [ ] Bitmap/photo resolution ≥ 300 DPI
• [ ] Bleed of at least 3mm (1/8 in) on all sides
• [ ] All text converted to outlines or fonts embedded/supplied
• [ ] Black text is 100K (single black), not rich black (unless design)
• [ ] Out-of-gamut colors checked (e.g., pure screen RGB greens, oranges)
• [ ] Spot colors defined with Pantone/Lab* values if critical
• [ ] Sample/color reference provided if exact color match is needed
• [ ] Overprint settings correct (e.g., white objects set to overprint)
• [ ] Trapping considered (or confirmed handled by printer)
• [ ] File packaged with all links & fonts

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