How Raised Printing Works

Have you ever received a business card or wedding invitation and admired those letters that seem to stand out in 3D against the paper’s surface? Raised printing is a unique process that produces elegant and interesting printed media – let’s find out more about how it works.

Thermal-powered printing

While most of us use the term ‘raised printing’, the official industry term is thermography – simply put, it’s the process of using heat during the printing process that gives raised print its distinctive look.

The raised printing effect is created like this:

• Sheets of paper or card are printed using a regular offset press, using a type of ink that takes a while to dry.
• While the ink is still wet, a resin or polymer powder is applied to the page – this sticks to the letters as the page is dusted and vacuumed off.
• Finally, the printed media is placed in a thermal oven that bonds the powder to the printed letters, creating a raised 3D effect.

A wealth of uses – business cards, letterheads, invitations & tickets (where it can be used as a security feature)

Raised printing can be used for a variety of applications – from striking business cards that give their bearers an edge during meetings, and introductions to memorable wedding invitations.

Raised printing offers an alternative to regular printing and is a great way to make an impact with something classy and effective.