Offset Printing

1. Maximum of 6 spot colors.
2. Good halftone dot effect, good registration accuracy, suitable for multi-color printing and large solid color areas, good adhesion. However, color coverage is poor, color difference is significant and unavoidable.
3. High production capacity, fast printing speed, low cost.
4. Offset printing is suitable for products with high printing difficulty and demanding requirements for cost and capacity.
5. At the overlapping areas of large solid colors, a 2mm color block joining line is unavoidable.

Screen Printing

1. Maximum of 6 spot colors.
2. Ink has a three-dimensional feel, strong covering power, tactile raised texture; can produce vibrant colors even on colored tubes; color difference is relatively small. However, dot fineness and printing adhesion are average; 100% registration printing may show deviations in vertical and horizontal alignment.
3. Charged separately per color at $0.0142 per color; cost is higher than offset printing, production capacity is lower than offset printing.
4. Screen printing is suitable for use on dark-colored tube bodies, products with relatively simple patterns, and high-end printing processes. Screen printing registration deviation is greater than that of offset printing.

Hot Stamping / Foil Stamping

1. Colors have a glossy finish.
2. Final artwork submission; similar to screen printing, charged separately per color at $0.0142 per color.

Common Issues in the Printing Process

• Screen printing misregistration. Special requirements need to be confirmed in advance against a standard.
• White spots may appear in large-area printing. Special requirements need to be confirmed in advance.
• The seam line for matte finish on dark-colored tubes is difficult to avoid. The matte layer needs to be slightly thinner.
• On colored tubes, offset white might not be white enough, and bright colors might not be vibrant enough.
• Fonts that are too fine or too thick can easily appear blurred in printing.
• For large-area printing where color blocks extend into the shoulder area, scraping of the shoulder printing can occur. The acceptable limit sample needs to be confirmed in advance.
• Screen printed metallic colors can have issues with powder shedding and color change. Pink printing is prone to fading.
• Regarding color differences, it is recommended to sign off on a color difference limit sample.
• When screen printing and offset printing are overprinted, the underlying color block can be visible.