The present invention relates to a colored metal film comprising a metal article and a plurality of pores. The plurality of pores further comprises a high layer, an intermediate layer, and a low layer, in which the three layers together forms an embossed image. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing colored metal films. The method is used to manufacture a flat image or an embossed image on a metal article. The method comprises a finishing process, a first coating process, a color adjustment, a first printing process, an etching process, a second coating process, a second printing process, a sealing process, and a cleaning process.

An apparatus and methods for using coatings for metal applications are disclosed. According to one embodiment, an article comprises a cured polymeric film having a first reaction product of a cationic photoinitiator and a compound suitable for cationic polymerization. The article has a second reaction product of a free-radical photoinitiator and a compound suitable for free-radical polymerization; The article has a metal substrate, wherein the cured polymeric film coats the metal substrate.

An object is to provide an ink composition for inkjet printing that permits inkjet printing, particularly on metal surfaces, wherein such ink composition possesses sufficiently high adhesion and heat resistance with respect to metal surfaces. As a means for achieving the object, a photocurable inkjet printing ink composition is provided, which contains, relative to the entire ink composition, 0.1 percent by mass or more of an acid-modified acrylic monomer and 10 to 30 percent by mass of a monofunctional monomer with a Tg of 100 C. or above, wherein the monofunctional monomer accounts for 80 percent by mass or more of all monomers.

An object is to provide an ink composition for inkjet printing that permits inkjet printing, particularly on metal surfaces, wherein such ink composition possesses sufficiently high adhesion and heat resistance with respect to metal surfaces. As a means for achieving the object, a photocurable inkjet printing ink composition is provided, which contains, relative to the entire ink composition, 0.1 percent by mass or more of an acid-modified acrylic monomer and 10 to 30 percent by mass of a monofunctional monomer with a Tg of 100 C. or above, wherein the monofunctional monomer accounts for 80 percent by mass or more of all monomers.

A method of manufacturing printed images on metal with tight bends provides for crack free edges at the tight bends, something previously unattainable in the marketplace. Specifically, prior to bending the metal, the at least coated metal (if not dye sublimated printed) is at an elevated temperature in a range of 90 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, such as in a range of 190-200 degrees. The metal is then bent which has been found to permit self-leveling of the coating throughout the tight bend, as opposed to it being so narrow that cracking occurs.

A method of manufacturing printed images on metal with tight bends provides for crack free edges at the tight bends, something previously unattainable in the marketplace. Specifically, prior to bending the metal, the at least coated metal (if not dye sublimated printed) is at an elevated temperature in a range of 90 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, such as in a range of 190-200 degrees. The metal is then bent which has been found to permit self-leveling of the coating throughout the tight bend, as opposed to it being so narrow that cracking occurs.

A foam printing method includes producing and programming a design being formed on a substrate using a computer program, forming the design on a plate, removing a part of a surface of the substrate along the design, combining the substrate and the plate to coincide a designed portion formed on the plate and a removed portion of the substrate, printing a foam constituting the design on the plate combined with the substrate, separating the plate from the substrate and drying the substrate, and applying a pressure to the foam passing the plate to be set on the substrate to be foamed. The foam passes the designed portion of the plate to be set on the removed portion of the substrate during the printing.

A foam printing method includes producing and programming a design being formed on a substrate using a computer program, forming the design on a plate, removing a part of a surface of the substrate along the design, combining the substrate and the plate to coincide a designed portion formed on the plate and a removed portion of the substrate, printing a foam constituting the design on the plate combined with the substrate, separating the plate from the substrate and drying the substrate, and applying a pressure to the foam passing the plate to be set on the substrate to be foamed. The foam passes the designed portion of the plate to be set on the removed portion of the substrate during the printing.

A gravure printing roll that enables printing of fine dots with a size close to that of cells and enables printing on a print subject, such as a printing substrate, without changing the appearance of the print subject. The gravure printing roll includes: a gravure printing roll body; and cells formed in a peripheral surface of the gravure printing roll body. Each of the cells has an opening with a ratio between a dimension in a circumferential direction of the gravure printing roll body and a dimension in an axial center direction of the gravure printing roll body (dimension in the circumferential direction/dimension in the axial center direction) being 1.15 to 7, and have an opening area of 3900 m.sup.2 or smaller.

A metallic image forming method is a method for forming a metallic image with a metallic ink containing an organic coloring agent capable of exhibiting a metallic color on a recording medium provided with an undercoat layer thereon having a black color or an opposite color to the color of diffused light from the metallic ink. The method includes applying the metallic ink onto the recording medium so as to cover at least part of the undercoat layer.