Craftsman Lecture Hall | Experienced craftsmen teach you small tips for die-cutting and hot stamping modifications, it's actually very simple!
Ma GuangshengMa Guangsheng has been working in the tobacco packaging printing industry for 26 years, starting as an operator in offset printing, gravure, screen printing, die-cutting, and hot-stamping, then moving on to technical R&D, production scheduling, and quality management. He has shown initiative by leading the establishment of a cost accounting method based on the printing process, helping the company win orders worth over 70 million yuan. He also led the formation of multiple QC quality management and lean project groups in the printing team, carried out 12 QC quality management activities, and made over a hundred rationalization suggestions. Through innovation and change, he has completed dozens of technical improvement projects in the company, obtaining one invention patent and four utility model patents. He is good at summarizing and sharing knowledge, publishing over 60 articles in his spare time, organizing and compiling training materials for internal technical training, and actively serving as a mentor.It is widely known that the manufacturing industry is currently facing many adverse factors, such as rising material and labor costs, product price reductions, and increased environmental and safety costs.To overcome the pressure brought by these adverse factors and maximize profits, tobacco packaging printing companies have increasingly implemented innovation-driven strategies and lean management, intensifying process integration and innovation. This aligns perfectly with the national strategy of transforming old and new growth drivers and pursuing high-quality development.After completing technical upgrades to the printing process (equipment upgrades, process modifications such as increasing the number of combined plates, changing imposition methods, and reducing waste margins), tobacco packaging printing companies have shifted their innovation focus to hot-stamping and die-cutting processes. In this article, I will share specific measures.Increasing investment in technical upgrades to improve equipment production efficiency01Application of dual-station hot-stamping machines and fully waste-clear die-cutting machinesIn recent years, as the manufacturing technology of dual-station hot-stamping machines and fully waste-clear die-cutting machines has matured, tobacco packaging printing companies prefer dual-station machines, which complete two stamping operations in a single pass compared to single-station machines, and fully waste-clear die-cutting machines, which save labor for waste removal compared to ordinary die-cutting machines. Many companies have increased investment in these upgrades, purchasing dual-station and fully waste-clear die-cutting machines to replace the original single-station and ordinary die-cutting machines, significantly reducing labor costs in the stamping process year-on-year.02Application of rotary hot-stamping technology to match die-cutting efficiency with gravure printing pressesLarge tobacco packaging printing companies, according to the process characteristics of their products (high-volume single-item orders requiring multiple stamping processes), have purchased rotary hot-stamping machines and rotary die-cutting machines, making the application of rotary hot-stamping technology possible. The production speed of 120 to 150 meters per minute can generally match that of gravure printing presses.Of course, to apply rotary hot-stamping technology, the gravure presses must first be technically upgraded, converting the sheet-fed system to a roll-to-roll system. Roll-to-roll production saves material compared to sheet-feeding. Hence, the application of rotary hot-stamping technology not only multiplies production efficiency but also saves paper and laminated aluminum (rotary hot-stamping versus flat hot-stamping provides more stable foil tension, more stable line contact pressure, and more even aluminum foil feed, saving materials). The economic benefits are clear. After adopting rotary hot-stamping technology, the rotary die-cutting machines can directly connect with inspection machines and packing machines, completing multiple processes such as product forming, waste removal, and packaging in one go, reducing labor costs and shortening delivery times, achieving multiple benefits at once.
Implementation of Process Optimization or Integration01Electrolytic Aluminum Foil Routing OptimizationFor small-area hot stamping positions, when the width of the electrolytic aluminum foil is reduced to the minimum during slitting (to accommodate normal hot stamping speed, so that the aluminum foil does not deform or break during normal production), yet it is still more than twice the width of the hot stamping pattern, the original straight foil routing can be changed to diagonal foil routing (angle about 15°). This allows what could previously only stamp one row of patterns on a slit aluminum strip to now stamp two rows, directly saving 50% of the aluminum foil. For example, for the 'Sun and Moon' hot stamping pattern on Diamond (Hard Special) stamps (as shown in Figure 1) with a relatively small area, using the diagonal foil routing method allows stamping two rows of patterns on one strip of aluminum foil. The layout effect of the pattern on the aluminum waste foil after Diamond (Hard Special) stamping is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 1 Diamond (Hard Terol) Gold Stamping Pattern 'Sun and Moon Design'
Figure 2 Electrolytic Aluminum Waste Foil After Hot Stamping02Integration of Multiple Hot Stamping ProcessesFor products with several hot stamping patterns involving different types of electrolytic aluminum, if the distance between multiple patterns is appropriate (ensuring that the electrolytic aluminum foil does not interfere with each other during the hot stamping process), communicating with the electrolytic aluminum manufacturer to adjust the stamping temperatures of the two (or more) types of aluminum to a consistent range (taking into account the thickness of the aluminum base film and the melting temperature of the hot melt adhesive) can allow products that previously required multiple stamping passes to be completed in a single pass, thus significantly improving production efficiency.03Integration of Embossing and Hot StampingFor products with separate embossing patterns and separate hot stamping patterns, if the locations of the embossing (or embossing pattern) and hot stamping (or relief stamping) are sufficiently far apart, the two processes can be integrated. The key to process integration is the production of the embossing plate. This type of embossing plate differs from ordinary embossing plates in that its back is lined with a hard heat-insulating material (such as Bakelite) that does not conduct heat, ensuring that during normal production even if the foil contacts the embossing plate, it will not stamp the product surface. By installing this heat-insulating embossing plate and the hot stamping plate on the same honeycomb board and adjusting the pressure and temperature, both embossing and stamping can be completed simultaneously, achieving maximum efficiency.04Integration of Die Cutting and EmbossingFor products with only embossing, if the embossing locations do not conflict with the creasing lines and cutting lines on the die-cutting plate, collaboration with the die-cutting manufacturer can allow the embossing plate to be embedded into the die-cutting plate, creating an integrated die-cutting and embossing plate (see Figure 3). This integrates the two processes into a single form, enabling embossing and die-cutting to be completed in one pass, which doubles production efficiency.Figure 3 Integrated Die-Cutting and Embossing PlateIn summary, innovation does not always require a large amount of capital and manpower, nor does it always involve sweeping transformations. Innovation is often found in the little details of normal production. A seemingly trivial idea or a minor adjustment during regular production can bring significant economic benefits. Innovation is everywhere, and whether it happens depends on whether employees have innovative thinking. Various forms of innovation and numerous small modifications continuously provide momentum for the development of enterprises, propelling printing companies toward a path of high-quality development.
