A composite component includes a plastic substrate and a transfer foil adhered thereto. The plastic substrate and the foil are proud and define a peripheral edge with a tight outer radius. A thin first coating layer, such as a base coat or primer layer, is applied over the plastic substrate and foil and adheres the both the plastic substrate and foil. A thicker second coating layer, such as a clear coat, is applied over the first coating layer and adheres to the first coating layer. The first coating layer has a lower viscosity than the second coating layer. The second coating layer is more ductile than the first coating layer. The first coating layer acts a primer layer for applying the second coating layer. The second coating layer therefore protects the substrate and transfer foil and can withstand thermal shock and water immersion.

In an aspect, there is provided a method of foil printing that may comprise providing a substrate having a surface comprising a first area and a second area, wherein the first area has printed thereon a first electrostatic ink composition comprising a first thermoplastic resin and substantially lacking a pigment and the second area has printed thereon a second electrostatic ink composition comprising a second thermoplastic resin and a pigment; applying a liquid solvent composition to the first electrostatic ink composition on the first area and the second electrostatic ink composition on the second area, to swell the first and second thermoplastic resins; and contacting a foiling material with the first electrostatic ink composition on the first area, such that the foiling material selectively adheres to the first area on the surface of the substrate. In another aspect, an electrostatic and foil printing system for performing the method is provided.

The invention relates to a transfer film (1), in particular hot-stamping film, the use of a transfer film (1), a film, a security document (2), and a method for producing a transfer film (1). Here, it is provided that the transfer film (1) comprises a transfer layer (20) detachably arranged on a carrier layer (10). The transfer layer (20) further has at least one first color layer (30) and the at least one first color layer (30) comprises at least one binder and at least first pigments, the color appearance of which changes depending on the observation angle.

Hot foil stamping machine stamping a foil onto a substrate, which improves stamping quality under changing conditions, includes a control unit for controlling the temperature of the stamping interface surface to a predefined desired temperature. The control unit receives at least an actual temperature of the heating plate from the at least one temperature sensor and provides a manipulated variable to the at least one heating device. Further, the stamping machine includes a state observer for estimating an actual temperature of the stamping interface surface of the at least one stamping plate based on a physics-based analytical model of the heat transfer between the heating plate and the stamping plate. The control unit also includes a feedback controller for calculating the manipulated variable for a heating device based on the predefined desired temperature and the estimated actual temperature of the stamping interface surface provided by the state observer.

The present invention addresses at least the problem of providing a method for forming a high-resolution foil image regardless of the hydrophilicity of a recording medium. In order to solve said problem, the present invention provides a method wherein an adhesive ink that is formed by dispersing or dissolving a polymer resin in water and in a water-soluble organic solvent is used as an adhesive for a foil, the adhesive is applied by means of inkjet printing, and a foil image is formed. The polymer resin of the adhesive ink is a polymer of a monomer that includes (meth)acrylic acid and a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester having a C.sub.2-12 alkyl group, the acid value of the polymer resin being 50-120 mg KOH/g, and the glass transition temperature of the polymer resin being 30-110 C.

This invention relates to an apparatus and a process for transferring images, barcodes, optical patterns, latent images, Fresnel lenses, holograms, sterling lenses etc from a stamping foil (116) at desired locations on to a substrate (110) such as paper, polymeric film, flexible laminates, woven or non-woven substrate and combination of these in roll to roll form and more particularly to an apparatus and a process for registered transfer of images, barcodes, optical patterns, latent images, Fresnel lenses, holograms, sterling lenses etc from a stamping foil (116) to a substrate (110) in accurate registered relation. The use of high resolution and high speed sensors (135, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168) provides continuous precise data to the regulating device which results in the continuous correction in the corresponding position of stamping punch/es (137) and stamping foil (116) to match the locations on substrate (110). This provides accurate registered transfer of prints, latent images or Fresnel lenses on the substrate (110) with efficient utilization of stamping foil (116).

A durable decorative sheet high in the ability to follow a curved surface with small appearance change by heat or elongation. A decorative sheet comprising a transparent resin film having two main surfaces, a transparent resin layer formed on the first main surface of the transparent resin film, a pattern printed layer arranged on the transparent resin layer, and a colored base film arranged on the second main surface of the transparent resin film. The transparent resin layer includes first beads, the pattern printed layer include second beads. The first beads are different from the second beads in content, color and/or particle size. The first beads and the second beads are embedded in the transparent resin layer and the pattern printed layer.

A foil transfer device, a foil transfer method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program when executed by a computer causes the computer to execute first, second and third processes. In the first process, an acute angle portion included in a contour of a predetermined shape is specified. In the second process, an approximation curve along a contour of the acute angle portion specified in the first process and is located inside the predetermined shape is obtained. In the third process, movement route data for the acute angle portion is created along the approximation curve obtained in the second process. The movement route data is usable for, for example, control of moving a heater of the foil transfer device.

In a heat transfer device, a holder holds a presser such that a portion of the presser protrudes downward. At a position where a holding portion of the holder that is holding the presser is above an inspection surface, a first height at which a foil transfer tool collides against the inspection surface is measured. At a position where the holding portion of the holder is outward of the inspection surface and a portion of a bottom end of the holder other than the holding portion is above the inspection surface, a second height at which the foil transfer tool collides against the inspection surface is measured. If a difference between the first height and the second height is smaller than a predetermined difference, it is determined that the holder is not holding the presser.

Embodiments include a cap or hat decoration method by providing a press including a lower platen and upper platen, and coupling a pad to the lower platen, where the pad is dimensioned based on one or more dimensions of the cap or hat, and positioning the cap or hat onto at least a portion of the pad. Further, the method includes positioning at least one decoration onto at least a portion of the cap or hat, where the at least one decoration includes a heat-activated adhesive, and heating and compressing the decoration onto the cap or hat by compressing the cap or hat and decoration between the lower platen and upper platen.