Corrugated Print Guide Primer

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Corrugated Print Guide Primer
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Technical Tutorial

• The Corrugated Print Guide was designed to help
  promote graphics grades and fitness for use
  awareness in the corrugated industry. One key use
  is helping customers understand the value of
  white substrates in promoting their products.
• The guide provides two major elements to educate
  and inform users
• The book or content section is designed to give
  a basic 101 overview of corrugated, linerboard,
  types of graphics and terminology, and
  tools/guidelines helpful to designers. Beneficial
  to both sales and customers alike, this is a
  valuable reference tool for designers and
  agencys who service the corrugated industry.
• Eight printed inserts on a variety of linerboard
  substrates allow for a comparison unlike any
  other available in corrugated today.

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Technical Tutorial

• Content Tutorial
• The content section is intended to be a basic
  101 in the following areas
• Flute Types and Applications (Section 2)
• Substrates- Paper or Linerboard (Section 3)
• Printing Applications (Section 4)
• Graphics Terminology (Section 5)
• Types of Graphics (Section 6)
• Color and Process Control Tools (Section 7)
• Graphic Designer Guidelines (Section 8)

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Technical Tutorial

• Section 2
• This section reviews common flute profiles
  (except F N), and some applications. The flute
  heights are NOT combined board total heights, but
  rather the typical flute (medium) heights.

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Technical Tutorial

• Section 3
• Section 3 describes commonly used substrates
  (linerboard) used in corrugated. Each linerboard
  description includes a call out that
  illustrates the accompanying insert on the
  substrate discussed.

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Technical Tutorial

• Section 3 (continued)
• Each substrate described is presented in
  generic terms so the descriptions might apply
  to many of the linerboards available in the
  market. If unsure as to whether or not a
  substrate is coated or uncoated refer to the
  descriptions adjacent to the arrows in each
  substrate graphic.

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Technical Tutorial

• Section 4
• The printing applications section illustrates the
  various ways ink is applied to linerboard. Note
  the grey boxes next to each illustration are
  meant to cover a broad range of printing presses.

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Technical Tutorial

• Section 5
• This section defines and illustrates some common
  terms used in print and corrugated. Wherever
  possible, images from the inserts were used to
  help illustrate a term or concept.

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Technical Tutorial

• Section 6
• Some common terminology to describe graphics is
  covered in this section.

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Technical Tutorial

• Section 7
• This section covers color in technical terms as
  well as control techniques available to the
  industry. It is important to note that not all
  corrugated plants utilize the control techniques
  discussed.
• However, other packaging segments such as offset,
  gravure, and screen printing utilize these tools
  and have educated there customers as to there
  value in monitoring and controlling color.

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Technical Tutorial

• Section 8
• A valuable section for designers or agencies that
  work with corrugated producers. Often designers
  who work in other print processes do not
  understand the needs of corrugated graphic
  design.
• This section offers tips in design and art prep
  to help prepare graphics for corrugated print.
  Everything from font selection to the best way to
  build color with a limited number of print
  stations is covered. This section helps customers
  and designers understand the advantages and
  limitations of direct print corrugated.

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Technical Tutorial

• INSERTS
• General Design
• The E-flute inserts have the same printed images
  across 7 different substrates available in direct
  print corrugated as well as a litho-lam sample.
  Whether your customer is currently running only
  brown boxes or purchasing litho-lam, the samples
  span common liners for graphics. (Keep in mind
  that graphics are simple block text to high-end
  process)

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Technical Tutorial

• Insert Key
• To better understand how the inserts were
  produced and the graphic elements that were
  printed a call out or key is provided on the
  outside panel of the insert pocket. The key
  describes each graphic element as well as print,
  board and liner specific information for each
  insert.

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Technical Tutorial

• Large Solid Ink Coverage For customers who use
  solid ink coverage in there packaging. The solid
  blue ink was adjusted to try to match each insert
  as close as possible to the litho-lam print.
  However, because of the range of substrates the
  color, gloss and intensity of the color vary by
  insert.

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Technical Tutorial

• If a customer is interested in comparing the
  differences in solid ink coverage, follow the
  instructions below to best illustrate the solid
  coverage across the 8 different prints.
• Comparing large solid ink coverage, Steps 1 - 4
• Step 1 Remove inserts from Pocket
• Step 2 Place on end with your fingers on the
  outside of the Kraft and Litho-Lam TABS

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Technical Tutorial

• Step 3 Push in on tabs so they align in the
  center.
• Step 4 Lay inserts flat on table for viewing

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Technical Tutorial

• By switching the order of the inserts the same
  affect can be achieved to view shingled inserts
  from the opposite side. First reverse the
  sequence of ALL the inserts so the Kraft insert
  is first, white top second, etc. Then repeat
  steps 2 4 above. See example below

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Technical Tutorial

• Insert Design Considerations (Continued)
• Unprinted Areas To compare substrate appearance
  without print, several areas were left unprinted.
  One or several inserts can be laid side by side
  with the adjacent unprinted areas for comparison.
  Two main areas are illustrated below. Keep in
  mind that every insert has aqueous varnish except
  in designated areas, (refer to the insert key for
  location of UN-varnished areas)

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Technical Tutorial

• Varnish An aqueous varnish was applied to all
  the inserts to protect them and allow the viewer
  to see the impact of varnish across all
  represented substrates.
• Two areas were left UN-varnished to compare print
  and paper, with and without varnish. It is easier
  to see the varnished and un-varnished areas on
  the coated substrates. (refer to the insert key
  for location of UN-varnished areas)

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Technical Tutorial

• General Insert Graphics Description Whether a
  customer is running simple block text or high-end
  graphics they can find graphic elements they
  currently use on the inserts. The following
  graphics elements are available to compare
• Solids Solid blue ink in wave shape
• Halftones Shown in Black, Cyan, Magenta and
  Yellow, in the wave
• Duo-Tone Two color (black magenta) screened
  image in upper left corner of fruit picture
• Special affect Halftone Mezzotint single color
  black
• Control strip or Print Targets Just under fruit
  image
• Process Color Full color image of fruit

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Technical Tutorial

• How the inserts were printed In addition to the
  information printed on the insert key, see below
  for a brief summary of how each insert was
  printed.
• Art and plate separations Three sets of plates
  were used to print the direct print inserts (does
  not apply to Litho-Lam). Color correction and
  dot-gain curves were segmented by the following
  three substrates.
• Double Coated 120lpi
• Lightly Coated 85lpi
• Regular Hold Out Bleached 85lpi
• Screen Ruling or Line Screen used for each
  insert. (also printed on the control strip or
  print target for each insert)
• Press All inserts with the exception of the
  Litho-Lam were direct print flexo printed on a
  Cuir Mark II 5-color press.
• Flexo print sequence
• 1st down Cyan
• 2nd down Black
• 3rd down Magenta
• 4th down Yellow
• 5th down Special Match Blue (all transparent inks
  with the exception of blue printed on Kraft)

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Technical Tutorial

• Production Notes
• Cover N-Flute. Offset litho printed 10pt SBS
  printed sheet laminated to a 1.5mil
  poly-laminate, then combined to N-Flute with
  Kraft inside liner
• Content pages First and last page 80 cover
  digitally printed (for customized guides). Inside
  pages printed offset on 70 text weight
• Inserts 7 E-Flute inserts printed using direct
  print flexo, 1 printed offset and laminated to
  E-Flute. All inserts cut with automated
  cad-table.
• Assembly All books are assembled by hand

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