The Beginner’s Guide to Foil Stamping Machines - Metallic Elephant

1. The Beginner’s Guide to Foil Stamping Machines Foil stamping adds a sleek and decorative finish to just about everything, from personalised stationery to business cards and packaging. These metallic accents have become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to the eye-catching aesthetic, the on-the-shelf appeal that they have for customers and the range of options that there are when it comes to customisation and distinctive design. Foil stamping is created using foil stamping machines and there are a number of different options available. HOW DOES THE PROCESS OF FOIL STAMPING WORK? Metallic foil, heat and pressure are the main components of hot foil stamping. When these are combined in a foil stamping machine they can be used to create something beautiful and memorable. The sleek and shiny aesthetic is achieved thanks to a metal plate or die, which is applied to the foil to transfer a thin layer of the foil onto another material in whatever design is on the die itself. It’s the process of heating up the die – and applying pressure – that means the foil sticks to the surface and the design is transferred. The foil stamping machine is key to the ease with which this is achieved. FOIL STAMPING MACHINES – THE OPTIONS  A hand operated foil stamping machine. This machine is manually operated so you’ll be doing the foil stamping by hand. There will normally be a lever that you pull in order to make the foil stamping happen. A pneumatic foil stamping machine. This is a more automated process – the machine uses an air compressor that moves the printer head so that it makes contact with the material to be stamped on. All you need to do with a machine like this is hit the start button. A foil fuser machine. Strictly speaking, this isn’t a foil stamping machine but it’s another mechanism for achieving a metallic finish so is worth mentioning. A foil fuser machine will adhere the foil onto a printer toner so that the foil sticks to the toner and the end result is a foil stamped appearance.   

2. WHICH MACHINE IS THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOU? There are a number of considerations if you’re looking at foil stamping machines and trying to pick the right one for you:  The material you want to stamp on – some machines will not be suitable for certain surfaces.  Quality and load capacity –if you’re looking at high volume then a manual machine could be very time-consuming and pneumatic may be the better choice.  The space you have available – do you have room for a floor foil stamping machine or is a countertop model more realistic?  Is it for business or personal needs –if you’re using hot foil stamping for business needs then you’ll need to meet certain standards of quality that may not be as applicable if foil stamping is a creative hobby. Foil stamping machines are crucial to achieving your desired designs and picking the right one could make the process a lot easier for you.