What is Thermography?

Thermography is an ancillary process to offset lithography. It creates a raised effect on paper. As as a job is being printed the wet inked sheets travel into the thermography unit which drops powder onto the sheet. The powder adheres to the wet ink and the excess is vacuumed up by the machine. The sheet continues on the conveyor and travels into a drier which melts the powder creating a raised feel.

Thermography has conventionally been used for stationary and business cards to create a “faux engraved” impression. It can be used in many more ways to create exciting design elements on pieces. The main limitation of thermography is the size of the press sheet that can feed through the thermo unit. Our limitation is a 11” wide sheet.

If using thermography for stationary it is important to specify that you want Laser Thermography. Conventional thermography may melt when the sheet is fed into a laser printer due to the head of the printer. To avoid this laser thermography uses an Ultra Violet light source to cure the ink and powder making it so it will not melt when printed on.


Got a printing question? Email Sheila at: sheila.donnelly@precisecorp.com. Want to brainstorm or speak to Sheila directly? Give her a call here in Brooklyn at 718-484-2041