Vulcanized rubber stamp
The traditional red rubber stamp that everyone is familiar with will be produced in a vulcanization press. The first rubber stamp vulcanizing press was patented in 1890 by Charles Schultze of New Orleans, USA. Today, vulcanization is one of the most cost-effective ways to make large-scale stamps. Each batch of stamps is produced using a mold. This manufacturing method is more suitable for stamping, in which the same mold is used again and again. Using a vulcanizing press to make custom stamps, only one time ' molds will significantly increase manufacturing costs.
Making Molds - Before you make a mold, you must have a motherboard made of metal or polymer that has the necessary relief [artwork is raised] to form an impression in the mold. Each time a mold is required to manufacture the motherboard, the manufacturing cost of the vulcanization stamp is increased. Press the motherboard into the Matrix board to create a mold that accepts rubber. Heat and pressure are applied to the main plate and the substrate plate in the vulcanization press. The Matrix follows the relief shape provided by the motherboard and then hardens when cooled.
Making rubber stamps - Making a stamp is a simple process. Place the rubber stamp on the top of the mold and place it in the stamp machine. Hydraulic pressure is applied from the rubber and the mold inside the stamper to melt the rubber into the mold area containing the image and text, and it takes about 10 minutes to cure and harden. Once cured, the rubber sheet is rolled out of the mold and cut into individual stamps to secure to the stent.
The cost of the vulcanization system is approximately $12,000
Advantages - Mass production of stamps has low production costs and good ink transferability.
Disadvantages - The cost of producing custom stamps for motherboards and molds.
Laser engraving rubber stamp
Conventional raw rubber for vulcanization stamps is highly unacceptable for the production of laser stamps that require very uniform thickness and flawless surfaces to produce acceptable printed images from the stamp. The rubber must also undergo a specific curing process prior to exposure to the high temperature of the laser beam.
The depth of the engraving depends on the laser speed, wattage and rubber density. For example, a 50 or 100W engraver will engrave the rubber deer and be faster than a 25W machine, which may require a second pass to achieve similar results. Usually available in A4 size sheets, high quality laser rubber is required for engraving the impression and must also have suitable compressive strength and ink transfer properties.
To assist in the engraving process, an efficient exhaust filter system must be used to remove excess dust that is constantly generated by the laser cutting action. Very few [if any] CO2 laser engraving machines were originally designed for engraving and cutting rubber. Installation and maintenance of an effective dedusting system can cover long-term partitions. The mirror, lens and any exposed bearing surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned as part of a regular maintenance program. Any negligence in this area will adversely affect the overall trouble-free laser operation, as the accumulation of dust and residue will affect the operating efficiency and quality of the finished impression. The laser is directly controlled by a computer, and the software drivers included with the laser can be used with many graphics programs such as CorelDraw.
The approximate cost of a 25 watt laser for stamp making is $40,000
Advantages - Production is computer controlled and it is easy to make custom stamps
Disadvantages - High capital investment, maintenance costs and operation will be much higher than vulcanization or polymer manufacturing methods.
Liquid polymer rubber stamp
It is very attractive to convert the rubber stamp polymer from liquid to solid to make a seal. A polymer stamp is produced between the two sheets of glass using precisely controlled UV light that passes through the backsheet containing the stamp pattern of the cured polymer. With the introduction of water-based negative technologies, negative production has been simplified and photographic chemicals used to produce negatives are now a thing of the past.
The first step in making a polymer rubber stamp is to print an image, clip art or text onto Velum, an almost transparent paper such as film.
To produce high-quality stamp patterns, you must use a laser printer that is translucent and allows UV light to pass where it should not. After a few minutes of exposure in a UV exposure stamp, the water substrate is easily washed away.
The polymers contained in the pouch now replace the older cumbersome method of making dams and casting rubber stamp polymers using foam tape, which also solves the ancient problem of removing bubbles from the scattered polymer.
The negatives of your artwork and polymer pouch are sandwiched between two 2-3 mm glass and exposed to the machine for a few minutes. Once the exposure is complete, this is a simple process of cutting the pouch and washing off the excess unexposed polymer, then returning the stamp to the machine for 10 minutes to cure. Once the stamps are cured, they can be cut individually. Polymer pouches are available in a variety of sizes.
The processing time for a batch of polymer stamps is approximately 30 minutes.
The cost of the polymer stamp manufacturing machine ranges from $3,500 for Australian-made stamps to high-end imported units with computer-controlled flushing for $15,000.
Advantages - Reduced capital investment, the polymer makes almost clear stamps, making it an ideal choice for scrapbooking and card making. The stamp relief can be easily controlled during exposure.
Disadvantages - Early polymers did not accept inks and currently available polymers, which together with the new technology caused the initial tolerance of the polymer seal.
Summary
Most large stamp manufacturers use a mix of these devices. Unmounted rubber stamps produced using these manufacturing methods can be cut and pasted onto simple handprints, stamps or self-ink stamps. The process stamp is usually applied to a wooden block or to a polymeric acrylic seal with an adhesive or an InstaGrip mounting pad. Various manufacturers produce stamp mounts. Australia's Astron Industries produces a clear handprint "Vuestamp' and distributes the ideal series of self-ink tops. Other brands of automatic inkings are Trodat, Colop and Shiny.
Orignal From: How to make a rubber stamp: comparison of production methods
No comments:
Post a Comment