Rubber stamp - Manufacturing technics

Conventional stamp making

Typesetting

Typesetting for rubber satmp Typesetting on computer
Required software : Illustrator, Xpress, Corel Draw, Freehand…
Required equipment : PC or Macintosh
Positive film printing
Required product : tracing paper
Required equipment : 600 to 1200 dpi laser printer

 

Photopolymer processing

Photopolymer exposure for rubber satmp A hard photopolymer plate is exposed to UV light through a negative film
Required products : film, developer, fixer, hard photopolymer plate
Photopolymer washing for rubber satmp The photopolymer plate is washed-out
Photopolymer drying for rubber satmp Drying : to remove excess of water
Photopolymer post exposure for rubber satmp Post exposure : final hardening

 

Matrix board moulding

Matrix board processing for rubber satmp The photopolymer plate is pressed into the matrix board to get a mold
Required products : matrix board, release spray, hard photopolymer plate
Rubber vulcanising for rubber satmp Rubber is pressed into the mold
Required products : rubber, French chalk

 

Rubber stamp mounting

Rubber stamp Stamps are cut and placed in a mount
Required products : adhesive foam, wooden or automatic mount.

 

Laser engraved stamp making

Typesetting

Typesetting Typesetting on computer
Required software : Illustrator, Xpress, Corel Draw, Freehand…
Required equipment : PC or Macintosh...

Rubber Engraving

Rubber engraving

Stamps are engraved in rubber 
Required product : laserable rubber
Rubber cutting Stamps are cut by laser beam

 

Stamps cleaning

Rubber stamp cleaning Stamps are cleaned with soapy water

 

Stamp mounting

Rubber stamp Stamps are cut and placed in a mount
Required products : adhesive foam, wooden or automatic mount.

 

COMPARATIVE CHART OF BOTH TECHNIQUES : ADVANTAGES / DRAWBACKS

Advantages

Advantages
  • Lower cost (equipment 4 times less expensive)
  • Once the mold has been made, new copies of the same stamps are inexpensive and quickly made
  • Very important relief , appreciated by customers.
  • Urgent stamps are quickly made (within 3 min 30 sec for a single stamp with a 25 Watt laser)
  • No manpower required when the laser is working.
  • With laser engravers, it is also possible to engrave other materials such as wood, plexiglass, plastics…

Drawbacks

Drawbacks
  • Processing time is the same for 1 or 50 stamps : 1 hour 10 min.
  • Manpower is more important (several processing steps).
  • Processing time is very slow for A4 sizes : 2 hours 40 min
  • Depths and reliefs are less important than with conventional technique
  • The price for additional copies of a same stamp is as much important as the price of the first stamp.
  • The stamp price is very important due to cost of the machine.


  • PROCESSING TIMES AND COST OF BOTH TECHNIQUES
    Conventional   Laser
Processing time for 1 A 4 size
(about 40 stamps)		   1 hour 10 min
(+ typesetting)		   2 hours 40 min
(with 25 w laser)
(+ typesetting)
Processing time for a single stamp   1 hour 10 min
Processing time is not proportional to surface.		   3 or 4 minutes
Processing time depends on the stamp surface
Processing time for further copies of a same stamp   3 minutes
(it is just necessary to cure rubber)		   3 to 4 minutes
(all processing steps should be made)
Cost for one stamp
(not including manpower, mount, equipment cost)		   0.45 Euros   0.24 Euros
Cost for several copies to the same stamp (not including manpower, mount, equipment cost)
  • First stamps    
  • Further stamps
 

 

 

  • 0.45 Euros
  • 0.05 Euros
    		•   

     

     

  • 0.24 Euros
  • 0.24 Euros
    		•