How does cap customization work with P-ink? All the answers you've been looking for

But how is a custom cap technically created through the P-ink service? In this article we answer all the questions and doubts about the graphical aspect.

The main graphic features for P-ink customization

Via the P-ink shop you can customize caps for your beer, wine, cider or sparkling wine bottles conveniently online, thanks to the intuitive and handy configurator.

Once you have chosen the product you are interested in from those in the shop, by clicking on the "Customize" button you will be directed to the configurator where you can proceed to the actual graphic customization on your own.

If you need support during the customization process, you can ask for graphic design advice from our team of experts, who will follow you step by step.

What can I print on the cap and what yield will I get?

• Shades of color
• Free layout of text and images
• Glossy-matte finish
• Embossed or debossed tactile and visual effect

How many graphics can I print?

Thanks to the service developed and the patented digital printing technology, we are also able to offer with P-ink an ad hoc service with which to have multiple graphics within the same order. This further enriches P-ink's offering by allowing widespread customization of caps, optimizing costs and the production process and going on to create almost one-of-a-kind pieces.

Through the Special Requests form you will then have access to two different options:

• Multi Base - So called because it offers the opportunity to order caps with a different base color, from the 8 colors made available, on which to reproduce your logo or a graphic of your choice, without having to proceed to multiple configurations in the same order.

  Through the form on the "Special Requests" page, you then simply choose the number of caps, the base color and attach your own custom graphics to obtain caps in multiple colors, with which to differentiate your beverages giving each one a distinctive identity and look.

• Multi Art - So called because it offers the possibility of reproducing different graphics on caps from the same base color, again eliminating the need to proceed to multiple configurations.

  In this case, in the "Special Requests" form you will simply choose a basic color and upload graphics, as many as you want to make on your caps.

I want to use my pantone, can I do it on P-ink?

If your graphics have your brand's pantone colors or particular color effects and you want to make sure they are exactly reproduced on the cap, you can submit your order via the form at Special Requests.

In these cases, the pantone will be sent to the printer in its four-color version, then broken down into CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black): this will enable the printer to faithfully reproduce each type of color.

As always, our team will assess the quality of the print, do its best to fulfill your request or propose the best alternative in terms of final output.

What part of the cap is customized?

With P-ink's digital printing, it is possible to carry out customization of only the top of the cap. This means that on the rest of the surface the base color chosen from the 8 available in the configurator will be visible.

How do I figure out the print size?

Keeping in mind that the printing is done only on the top of the cap, you should consider the following dimensions:

• 26 mm crown cap - On the 26 mm diameter, the printing area corresponds to about 24.5 mm
• 29 mm crown cap - On the 29 mm diameter, the printing area corresponds to about 27.5 mm

What type of graphics file is supported on P-ink?

You can upload within the configurator to be printed on your caps image files in vector, jpeg and png formats. The vector format is by far preferred whenever available, as it retains quality characteristics even when resized.

If you have only jpeg or png format available (as, for example, in the case of photos) we recommend that you make sure it is of high quality for optimal rendering.

How can I tell if my graphic file is of quality?

To know if your graphic file is of quality, in addition to making sure that it is in vector format, you need to check that it has a minimum resolution of 600 dpi and that each element is no smaller than 0.5 mm in size.

Below this threshold, in fact, the risk is that such a graphic element will not be sharp enough to appreciate its details. If you have any doubts, before proceeding with the order we recommend that you ask our graphic support for assistance.

Can I use any image for printing with P-ink?

Pelliconi's patented technology allows virtually any image to be printed on crown caps, so it is technically possible to use any image.

However, our team will always evaluate the final rendering on the cap, and will suggest possible modifications and improvements to you when necessary (for example, in case of poor visibility of the graphic on the chosen base cap color).

We also urge you to verify, in addition to the quality as reiterated above, that you have the rights to use any images you wish to print. Any copyright violations remain your direct responsibility.

I have doubts about my graphics and possible rendering, what can I do?

Any doubts about the configurator, image quality and final print output can be solved by asking P-ink Graphic Support. By writing to us, via the form or WhatsApp, we can:

• Check your graphics on a technical level
• Fix any technical graphic errors
• Propose improvements or more functional alternatives
  
  

Any changes you point out are only possible before the order goes into production. This does not take away from the fact that if we find that the graphic file you provided is not of sufficient quality, we will not start production without first contacting you. Therefore, you will not have to worry about the caps being delivered to you printed with a low quality graphic.

How graphic customization is accomplished with P-ink

What happens once the order is completed on the P-ink shop? Let's see how the work progresses from production to shipping.

How is my graphic printed?

The software used for digital processing of the graphics to be sent later to the press (RIP) proceeds to break down the image into four-color CMYK. Each of the four colors is assigned to a print head, which, working in combination with each other, concur to recompose the image, according to the color to be reproduced, on the cap top.

White is the only color always present under each color drop as a print base.

In addition to the heads intended for colors, there is also a head that applies "varnish," which is the transparent finish over the printed part. This is used to ensure protection of the graphic and greater durability of the graphic.

Once printed, how does the processing of the cap proceed?

The last step is visual inspection by inspection camera of each cap so as to discard any defects.

How is the embossed/debossed effect achieved?

The particular embossed/debossed effect is present, more or less pronounced, on all caps customized with P-ink's technology. This is because it results from the difference between:

The layers of color (which necessarily create reliefs) at the points where printed graphics are present
The points where gaps are present and therefore no graphics are present
The embossed/debossed effect is appreciable both tactilely and visually because of the play of light and shadow it creates.

How are the caps packaged for shipping?

We take the utmost care in the preparation and packaging of your caps. Regarding the food compliance aspect, we bag the caps in plastic bags so that they do not come into direct contact with the box carton.

On the other hand, to prevent the caps from being damaged in transit, we choose boxes of the appropriate size according to the number of pieces ordered, to prevent too much space from being left and the caps from being scratched with movement.

What are the differences of P-ink digital printing with offset printing?

• Production time more than halved
• No start-up costs (no matrix)
• Cost independent of the number of colors in the print graphic
• A particular embossed/debossed effect of the graphics made on the caps

Conclusions

The technological innovation brought by P-ink to the world of crown cap customization has exponentially expanded the creative possibilities available to producers of beer, wine, and other beverages, large and small.

All this is accompanied by extreme quality, reliability and experience, which are the values that characterize Pelliconi and which you can also find in P-ink.