Laser Thermography

Thermography produces a permanent image that is raised above the paper. It is an effect similar to engraving.

Finely ground resin is sprinkled on the sheet just after it is printed and while the ink is still wet. Some of the resin adheres to the wet ink; the excess is vacuumed off. The sheet is moved into a heat tunnel where the heat melts the resin, fuses it to the ink, and causes the image to expand, raising it above the surface of the paper. The raised images are chip- and crack-proof.

The result is a hard, level surface with an even color value throughout. Large expanses of thermography may reveal an undesirable "orange-peel" effect. Type can be thermographed, although small type must be an open face; otherwise, the expansion of the resin may tend to fill the letters. There are three finishes: dull, semi-dull and glossy. Thermography can be applied anywhere on the sheet and is not limited by a plate size, as is engraving. For thermographed stationery to be put through laser printers, a special resin and UV (ultra violet) drying process must be used.

Applications
Laser thermography is often used as an economical alternative to engraving and for the same materials: stationery, invitations and announcements.