What are the differences between hot stamping and printing with gold ink?

August 20th, 2024

I. Process Principles

It is a processing technique that uses a template installed on a hot stamping machine with certain pressure and temperature. Within a short period of time, the printed matter and the hot stamping foil are pressed against each other. The metal foil or pigment foil is transferred onto the surface of the printed matter according to the pattern and text on the hot stamping template.
Simply put, it transfers the hot stamping materials such as anodized aluminum with metal luster onto the surface of the substrate through heat and pressure.

It directly prints golden graphics and text on the substrate using gold ink or other golden inks.
Its principle is to transfer the gold ink onto the substrate through the printing unit of the printing press using a printing plate.

II. Presentation Effects

The finished product of hot stamping has a strong metallic texture and luster, which is extremely dazzling. It reflects light strongly under illumination, giving people a high-end and luxurious feeling.
The luster of printing with gold ink is relatively softer. Although it also has a golden effect, it is not as shiny as hot stamping and is closer to the texture of ink.
For example, when making high-end gift packaging boxes, the trademark or pattern with hot stamping will highlight its quality and value even more; while the gold-printed text on some book covers appears more restrained.

Hot stamping can create a certain three-dimensional effect according to needs. For example, through the embossed hot stamping process, the pattern or text can present a bumpy tactile and visual effect.
Printing with gold ink is generally printed on a flat surface and basically has no obvious three-dimensional effect. It only presents the golden graphics and text on a two-dimensional plane.

III. Process Difficulty and Cost

The hot stamping process is relatively complex and requires professional hot stamping equipment such as a hot stamping machine. During the hot stamping process, parameters such as temperature, pressure, and time need to be accurately controlled to ensure the quality of hot stamping. If the parameters are not set properly, problems such as unstable hot stamping, blistering, and smudging of the plate are easy to occur.
The printing with gold ink process is relatively simple and only requires conventional printing equipment for operation. However, to ensure the printing quality of the gold ink, certain requirements are also placed on the debugging of the printing press and the skills of the operator. For example, the viscosity and drying speed of the ink need to be controlled well.

The cost of hot stamping is relatively high. Not only because the price of hot stamping equipment is relatively expensive, but also the cost of hot stamping materials (such as anodized aluminum) is higher than that of ordinary inks. In addition, the production of the hot stamping plate also requires a certain cost. Especially for complex patterns or high-precision hot stamping requirements, the production cost of the hot stamping plate will be even higher.
The cost of printing with gold ink is mainly reflected in the price of the gold ink. But generally speaking, it is relatively lower than that of hot stamping. In some large-scale printing, if the area of the golden graphics and text is large, the cost advantage of printing with gold ink will be more obvious.

IV. Applicable Scopes

Hot stamping is suitable for a variety of materials, including paper, plastic, leather, cloth, etc. Especially on some materials with relatively smooth surfaces and high hardness, the effect of hot stamping is more prominent. For example, it is widely used in plastic cards, high-end packaging boxes and other products.
Printing with gold ink also has wide adaptability to materials. But for some special materials, such as those with rough surfaces and strong water absorption, printing with gold ink may face problems such as uneven drying of the ink and poor adhesion. However, in ordinary paper printing, printing with gold ink is a relatively common and convenient way to achieve the golden effect.

Hot stamping is often used in places where it is necessary to highlight key points, emphasize brand logos or increase decorative effects. For example, applying hot stamping treatment on key parts such as trademarks and text on business cards, certificates, and high-end wine packaging can instantly enhance the grade and attractiveness of the product.
Printing with gold ink is more suitable for large-area printing of golden patterns or for use in complex color printing designs in combination with other colors of inks. For example, in some promotional posters, book binding and other designs, printing with gold ink can be used to create an overall golden atmosphere or as a color element to be used in combination with other colors.