Business Card Printing

Every print job, or order, depends upon typesetting, ink color, stock choices and skills of the printer for the process to work and produce an attractive and workable card.

Business Card Typesetting Has Changed

In the old days, typesetting was produced by hand, with metal dies placed by hand backwards in a metal rack to complete a line of type fitted into a press. Today computers have taken over this task, producing type economically and quickly, allowing for fast changes.

The Offset Business Card Printing Process

During the offset printing process, metal or paper plates are “burned” or stamped into a heavy paper or metal sheet producing a combined image of text and design elements such as a logo. Paper plates generally can’t be re-used, while metal plates are more durable and can be stored for reorders. Business cards are usually printed four, eight or ten up: four, eight or 10 cards per page for as many pages as it takes to complete the run.

Set up is the time it takes to burn the plates, adjust the paper rollers and feeders, and create an ink color that matches the design. Colors are matched to a standardized color palette with manufacturers producing inks to match a particular palette color, assigning a particular ink a number matching the palette’s number. A special order ink color requires the printer to mix combinations of primary colors of black, cyan (blue), magenta (red) and yellow, until he gets the desired one. Each color requires a separate plate and run with each color printed directly on a full sheet of card stock. Registration marks are what the printer uses to secure his plate and match it to the exact location on the paper that the individual color will be printed.

Raised Ink Business Card Printing

Thermography, or raised ink printing, uses a slightly different process. Plates are still used. But the stock is first printed then removed from the press. Next a plastic powder is sprayed on the wet ink with the excess powder blown off. The plastic powder absorbs the ink color. Then the paper is heated until the powder melts, resulting in a raised ink which you can feel with your fingertips when you rub the surface of the card. Some folks think that raised lettering is classier than offset. It’s used a often in invitations when traditional engraving can’t be used because of budget constraints. It looks good and sometimes the raised ink cards are cheaper than offset. Plates can be saved for reorders. Usually printers and office supply stores offer catalogues filled with designs and stock logos that you can order printed with your card. Or computerized typesetting can be used to create originals.

After the run is done, the business cards are cut to size, boxed and presented to a customer.