Hot foil problems: causes and fixes
7 Hot foil problems in offset and finishing: symptoms, causes and how to spot them. Step-by-step fixes with your account.
Hot foil · TPG-188
Foil not transferring or transferring patchy
Motif zones without foil; 'freckled' transfer
Hot foil · TPG-190
Poor foil adhesion (scratches or peels)
Foil transfers well but lifts with tape or at folding
Hot foil · TPG-192
Foil registration shifted vs print
The stamping doesn't land where the design says
Hot foil · TPG-189
Foil filling in fine detail
Small letters closing up, foil halos around the motif
Hot foil · TPG-191
Foil wrinkles in the transfer
Broken lines or metallic folds within the motif
Hot foil · TPG-193
Dull or burnt foil brilliance
The metallic loses its mirror; matte or brownish look
Hot foil · TPG-194
Micro-scratching of stamped foil in later processes
Foil leaves stamping perfect but shows scratches after die-cutting/gluing
Other categories
Binding (hotmelt/PUR) (8)Blankets (7)Die-cutting/Cracking (12)Feeder/Delivery (9)Folder-gluer (18)Folding (12)Fountain solution (10)Gathering/Stitching/Gluing (10)Grippers/Sheet travel (8)Guillotine/Cutting (6)High rulings/Stochastic (12)Ink (material) (12)Inking calibration (6)Lamination (5)Metallized (9)Offset – Ink/Water (14)Offset – Mechanical/Paper (12)Paper/Board (10)Plates (CTP) (7)Polyboard/Corona (14)Prepress (10)Pressroom climate (5)Rollers (7)Stripping (8)Substrates GC/Bond/Coated (11)Three-knife trimmer (8)UV coating (7)Water-based coating (8)Wire/Spiral binding (7)