Apparatus for registered foil stamping and a process therefor

A process for transferring images, barcodes, optical patterns, latent images, Fresnel lenses, holograms, sterling lenses etc. from a stamping foil with accurate registration on a flexible substrate in roll to roll form, the process comprising the steps of:

• providing a flexible substrate (110) from a substrate unwind roll (140), the substrate (110) pulled by at least a pair of feed rollers (132A) and adjusting rollers (132B) working in tandem;
• reading the positional data of the registration mark (111) on the substrate (110) by the sensor (160) and sending the positional data to regulating device (158);
• adjusting the stamping punch (137) on the stamping roller (136) according to positional data of the registration mark (111) on the substrate (110);
• providing a stamping foil (116) from an unwind roll (142), the stamping foil drawn off by at least a pair of feed rollers (144A) and adjusting rollers (144B) working in tandem;
• adjusting the corresponding positions of the stamping foil (116) with respect to corresponding position of the substrate (110) and the stamping punch (136);
• transferring images, barcodes, optical patterns, latent images, Fresnel lenses, holograms, sterling lenses from stamping foil (116) to the substrate (110) at the stamping station (134) by stamping;
• and
• collecting the substrate on a rewind roll (154) and used stamping foil (116) on rewind roll (156).

A process for precise positioning of a stamping foil (116), a stamping roller (136) and a substrate (110), the method comprising the steps of:

• a. registering the stamping roller (136) with respect to the moving substrate (110), based on positional data sent by the sensor (160) and the sensor (164) which send corresponding signals to a regulating device (158) for adjusting the stamping roller (136)
• b. registering the stamping foil (116) with respect to the stamping roller (136), the regulating device (158) performs adjustment measures on the signals received from the sensor (162) and the sensor (164 or 160);
• c. validating and/or correcting positional errors in the registration of the stamping foil (116) upon receiving signals from a sensor (168) associated with used stamping foil;
• and
• d. validating and/or correcting positional errors in the registration of the stamping foil (116) and stamping punch (137) with respect to the substrate (110), the regulating device (158) performs corrective measures on receiving information from a camera (166) associated with stamped substrate (110).