A major factor in the success of a foiling or embossing job are the quality of the dies.
FRIP uses predominantly CNC engraved brass dies for all processing. This die type has advantages over both conventionally manufactured acid etch dies such as copper or magnesium.

Advantages
1. Less expensive than copper etch dies
2. Have long life and less likely to damage than magnesium
3. Can be replicated exactly from one die to the next
4. Use digital files as a data source
5. Are an environmentally responsible alternative to acid etch dies
6. Have a reduced health and safety risk to employees in manufacture.

In response to both environmental and safety issues in using acid etch dies FRIP is aiming to completely eliminate the purchase of acid etch product by the end of 2005.

In addition to the above FRIP remains at the forefront of the development of magnetic die systems as a means to further improving the speed of delivery for all jobs.

Artwork requirements

Artwork for dies can be sent conventionally in film or digitally as follows:

• Film Positive to be right reading, same size, emulsion side down.
• Digitally by email as a same size PDF image to any group site

Greyscale or colour images are not suited to the die manufacturing process and any image to be foiled should always be shown as solid black within your digital file.

In addition to the above preferred routes we are able to accept any standard file format eg. Illustrator Eps or quark either by email or by ISDN where advised.

When sending digital files in advance of the printed sheets it is important to ensure the accuracy of the image as no visual check exists to ensure that the image is correct to the printed sheet. We recommend that where any doubt exists a secondary film positive is output and forwarded with the job together with any lay downs or cutter guides for the job.