| Thermography is a printing process where the ink is | | | | but has been used as a design accent on brochures |
| raised on the sheet. | | | | and all other advertising pieces. |
| It was originally created to simulate engraving at a | | | | The thermo units are mostly made for smaller presses |
| lesser cost. The process is done with a normal offset | | | | so you usually will not see them on big quantity jobs. |
| press and a "thermo" unit. is attached to the end of the | | | | Most times the resin is clear so you can actually |
| press or duplicator. The sheet is printed with ink and | | | | thermo a varnish to give a raised varnish or wet look. |
| comes off the press with wet ink on a conveyor belt | | | | You also can get resin in very limited colors usually |
| that takes it under a unit that drops a resin over the | | | | silver or gold. The popularity has decreased since the |
| whole sheet. It then passes through a vacuum unit that | | | | wide adoption of laser printers. The laser printers |
| removes the majority of the excess resin that is not | | | | generate heat and sometimes it can be enough heat |
| attached to the wet ink. | | | | to actually melt the resin again in the printer and |
| The sheet then passes through a heating unit that | | | | possibly do damage. |
| actually melts the resin over the ink giving it the raised | | | | Different printers generate different amounts of heat |
| effect. Thermography is usually much shinier than | | | | so it depends on the maker of the printer. |
| engraving and also if the sheet is turned over you do | | | | Thermography still has a resurgence in the design |
| not see a crushing of the paper fiber like on engraving. | | | | community about once every 3-5 years as an accent. |
| It originally was used on stationery and business cards | | | | |