Generally speaking, playing card printing includes the following 14 production steps (the steps may be different in different factories):
1. Arrange 54 poker designs into 6×9 (54) or 7×8 (56) size. Because some playing cards need to be printed with 55 or 56 cards, the extra 1 or 2 cards are generally calendars or other advertising information. The paper is also cut to the corresponding size of 6×9 (54) or 7×8 (56);
2. Four-color front and back printing, and quality inspection. After printing, according to the ink absorption characteristics of the paper, enter the next process after the ink is fully absorbed by the paper;
3. Filling and drying on the front;
4. Filling and drying on the reverse side. Filling is an important process in the production of poker. The so-called “filling” is to apply a solution mixed with starch and other viscous chemical components to the poker paper evenly through a roller. This is because any paper will always show the symptoms of “bumps and bumps” under the microscope, and poker requires the paper to be very flat to ensure sufficient smoothness, and “filling” can make it flat. Because there is water in the slurry, it needs to be dried at a medium high temperature of 70 to 80 degrees;
5. Steel roll extrusion. Because the playing card paper is thicker and consists of three or more layers, if you don’t squeeze it, it will happen that the front and back of the playing cards will separate after playing for a long time. Ten years ago, domestic poker still often had the situation where the front and back were separated, but now this problem has been completely solved in large-scale production plants. The extrusion effect is better after “filling”;
6. Glazing. The glazing process refers to coating (or spraying or printing) a layer of colorless and transparent paint on the surface of the printed matter. After leveling, drying, calendering, and curing, a thin and uniform transparent bright layer is formed on the surface of the printed matter to enhance The smoothness of the surface of the carrier and the finishing function of protecting the printed graphics. The glazing process has become an important method for the finishing of poker printing. It not only makes the poker pattern more exquisite, but more importantly, it is an important process for forming the poker’s moderately smooth feel. The glazing of poker should be determined according to the paper. If the glazing is over, the poker will be too slippery, and a pair of pokers will easily slip when stacked; if the glazing is not enough, the poker will be too harsh and the cards will not be washed well and cannot be inserted;
7. Embossed texture. The cloth pattern effect can make the poker look more high-end, and many advertising poker customers want cloth pattern effect. The cloth pattern machine is composed of two parallel steel rollers. When the poker paper passes through, the texture on the steel roller is pressed onto the paper to form a cloth pattern effect. (Note: The process of embossing is usually processed by manufacturers before or after filling, which has a certain effect on the stiffness and hardness of poker paper);
8. Perfume. Some customers require poker to have a special fragrance, especially some food or cosmetic advertising poker;
9. Die cutting and sorting once. Cut 54 cards of poker horizontally into 6 pieces (6×9, 54 cards) or 7 pieces (7×8, 56) by die cutting machine; and then cut longitudinally into 9 pieces (6×9, 54 cards) or 8 pieces (7×8, 56), and Automatic sorting, forming an arrangement with the king at the top and the little king at the bottom. At the same time, carry out quality inspection. The corners of the poker at this time are still rectangles instead of rounded corners, and the poker is larger than the final 57x87mm;
10. Secondary die cutting. Put the die-cut and sorted poker into an electric 57x87mm round corner die-cutting knife to form the final poker core that meets the specifications;
11. Poker inner core heat shrink packaging. The 54 inner cores of a pair of poker are shrink-wrapped with plastic paper through the packaging machine. After the inner core is heat-shrinked, it is convenient for packaging and moisture-proof. (Note: Generally, the heat shrinkage of the packaging with self-shrinking plastic film will deform the poker and become uneven);
12. Printing, glazing and pasting poker boxes;
13. Put the poker core into the poker box, shrink it, and add gold wire drawing. The golden drawing is the same as the drawing on the outside of the cigarette box, making it easy for users to open.
14. Shrink pack every 10 pairs of poker. Shrink packaging again is to facilitate inventory, but also to facilitate quick packaging to corrugated boxes.
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