The invention concerns a method and/or a system for personalizing substrates and/or preparing substrates before gold-plating. In particular, the invention consists of a printing method comprising a step in which the substrate is subjected to inkjet printing followed by a gold-plating step in which the regions of the substrate to be gold-plated are brought into contact with the gold-plating leaf, characterized by an additional step performed prior to the gold-plating step and which consists in the preparation of the substrate.

The invention relates to a process for the production of a part provided with an external element comprising the following steps: provide an electrically conductive substrate having an upper surface and a pattern forming a recess in said upper surface deposit an electrically insulating layer into the pattern so that the insulating layer extends as far as the upper surface deposit a metal layer onto the upper surface of the substrate by galvanic growth so that at the end of this step the metal layer partly rests on the insulating layer dissolve the insulating layer cover an assembly comprising the substrate and the metal layer with a mass of a base material of the part, wherein the mass forms an imprint of the assembly separate the mass and the metal layer from the substrate, wherein the mass then exhibits an external element with a shape corresponding to the imprint of the pattern.

The invention relates to a process for the production of a part provided with an external element comprising the following steps: provide an electrically conductive substrate having an upper surface and a pattern forming a recess in said upper surface deposit an electrically insulating layer into the pattern so that the insulating layer extends as far as the upper surface deposit a metal layer onto the upper surface of the substrate by galvanic growth so that at the end of this step the metal layer partly rests on the insulating layer dissolve the insulating layer cover an assembly comprising the substrate and the metal layer with a mass of a base material of the part, wherein the mass forms an imprint of the assembly separate the mass and the metal layer from the substrate, wherein the mass then exhibits an external element with a shape corresponding to the imprint of the pattern.

A method for coating a part that has an asymmetrical edge by attaching the part to a part holder, placing a film between the part and a mandrel, rolling the part over the mandrel such that the asymmetrical edge of the part contact the film, and, moving one or both of the mandrel and the part holder in an angular relationship to one another as the angle of the part's asymmetrical edge changes. A film dispenser and a film retriever are provided and preferably they move cooperatively in at least two dimensions with respect to the part holder. The film has a first edge and a second edge, and the film can be a decorative coating, a protective coating or combinations of these. The film dispenser holds the first edge of the film, the film is positioned between the mandrel and the part holder and the film retriever holds the film second edge.

A method for coating a part that has an asymmetrical edge by attaching the part to a part holder, placing a film between the part and a mandrel, rolling the part over the mandrel such that the asymmetrical edge of the part contact the film, and, moving one or both of the mandrel and the part holder in an angular relationship to one another as the angle of the part's asymmetrical edge changes. A film dispenser and a film retriever are provided and preferably they move cooperatively in at least two dimensions with respect to the part holder. The film has a first edge and a second edge, and the film can be a decorative coating, a protective coating or combinations of these. The film dispenser holds the first edge of the film, the film is positioned between the mandrel and the part holder and the film retriever holds the film second edge.

A decoration method of a printed matter includes: forming a printed layer on a surface of a sheet or of a mounting paper with a transparent varnish, printing a predetermined pattern on the surface of the printed layer by an ink or by a resin which are capable of being adhered to the printed layer; and pressing a metal foil onto the pattern printed by the ink or the resin with an adhesive agent. The adhesive agent does not adhere to the printed layer but adheres to the pattern. As a result, the metal foil 6 is printed only to the pattern.

A hot foil stamping press with a pressing table (10) on which a sheet can be advanced, a pressing system (20) for pressing a foil (14) onto the sheet, a guiding system (18) for guiding the foil (14) over the sheet, the guiding system (18) defining a foil transportation path which extends across the path along which the sheet is being advanced, a holder (11) for receiving a supply (12) of foil, and a discarding system (22) for the used foil, the holder being arranged at an operator side of the press.

A gold leaf processing device separates gold leaf from a gold leaf fabric having a first base material attached thereto, and attaches the separated gold leaf to a second base material, the gold leaf processing device comprising: a gold leaf attaching part which dips the gold leaf fabric in an aqueous solution to allow the first base material to be sunk and separated from the gold leaf, and attaches the second base material to the gold leaf remaining, in a floating state, on the surface of the aqueous solution; and a gold leaf fabric transfer part which transfers the gold leaf fabric to the gold leaf attaching part. An associated method of using the device is also provided.

A gold leaf processing device separates gold leaf from a gold leaf fabric having a first base material attached thereto, and attaches the separated gold leaf to a second base material, the gold leaf processing device comprising: a gold leaf attaching part which dips the gold leaf fabric in an aqueous solution to allow the first base material to be sunk and separated from the gold leaf, and attaches the second base material to the gold leaf remaining, in a floating state, on the surface of the aqueous solution; and a gold leaf fabric transfer part which transfers the gold leaf fabric to the gold leaf attaching part. An associated method of using the device is also provided.

A sparkling fabric includes: a fabric substrate; and a tri-layer adhered to the fabric substrate. The tri-layer includes: an adhesive layer that adheres the tri-layer to the fabric substrate; an exposed design layer; and a metal plating layer between the exposed design layer and the adhesive layer. The tri-layer is distributed as a plurality of separable and identifiable tri-layer pieces across the fabric substrate such that the distribution of tri-layer pieces has a density on the order of 15-25 pieces per centimeter squared (pcs/cm2) and a size of a piece is less than 1 millimeter (mm).