The commercial applications for foil fusing, using existing fusing roller(s) type equipment, have been limited due to five significant issues:

1) Speed: existing foil fusing equipment is slow, typically running less than 800 linear feet per hour.

2) Foil waste: existing foil fusing equipment consumes foil at the linear feed rate regardless of image size on each sheet.

3) Paper restrictions: acceptable, repeatable foil fusing quality was only achievable with select stocks, usually with a smooth surface finish.

4) Unable to combine spot foil fusing with spot plain toner image areas aligned with the foil path: it was impossible to have a non-foil fused toner image area which was covered by the foil path.

5) Multiple pass/secondary operation registration: as most laser printers do not register precisely, it has been difficult or impossible to accurately register foil to an offset image on the sheet or to emboss a foil fused image in a secondary operation.

Using the latest foil fusing technology, developed by THERM-O-TYPE Corporation, it is now possible to use the foil fusing process for many commercial application.

Using the new foil fusing process:

1) Foil fusing speed can now reach up to 5,500 sheets per hour.

2) Excessive foil waste has been eliminated.

3) The range of papers, and surface finishes, that can be foil fused has been greatly expanded.

4) Spot foil fused and spot plain toner image areas can be aligned with the foil path with foil only applied to the areas requiring foil (this capability has some restrictions).

5) The multiple pass/secondary operation registration issues have not been resolved with the new process as this is a laser printer registration issue.

The high speed fusing process is run on a standard NSF A3+ press. This allows customers to quickly switch between traditional foil stamping, embossing and die cutting, using dies, to foil fusing which does not require a die.

The high speed foil fusing process requires five basic elements:

1) Good temperature control and a solid heat transfer chase

2) Special foil (formulated to adhere to toner, not paper)

3) Special, heat transfer plate which is attached to the chase

4) Special, self adhesive makeready material

5) Special, self adhesive thermal masking material

An air blast foil release system is necessary for certain high speed foil fusing situations.

A set up procedure has been established which allows operators to quickly and easily set up jobs. Set up time is similar to what is required when using a metal flat foil stamping die. However, no die is needed and “spot makeready” is usually not necessary.

While this system is ideal for many applications, it is especially well suited for personalizing greeting cards and other products. When used for personalization, if a standard image area format is established , it is possible to run thousands of sheets with a different personalization on each sheet while foil fusing at high speed. This is a unique capability.

A video clip showing the high speed foil fusing process can be seen on this web site.