Explore The Possibilities of Full-Color Digital Can Printing
How Are Aluminum Beverage Cans Colored?
Bold. Eye-catching. Slick. Clever. No matter your beverage brand’s style, you want to be sure it’s accurately represented on your cans by the time consumers are looking at them. But going from concept to on-can reality can be a challenge. Putting your design and artwork on a can isn’t always easy, especially if intricate details, multiple colors, or gradients and halftones need to be included. Plus, you need to consider quantity, turnaround time, performance characteristics, and what the best printing or painting process is for your aluminum cans based on your color and design features.
The most common can decoration options are dry offset printing, digital direct to can (DTC) printing and shrink sleeves. Shrink sleeving does offer bold color capabilities, but when it comes to printing, the choice usually comes down to dry offset or digital. The dry offset process includes:
- Plates that press color and designs against quickly rotating cans
- Ability to add up to five or six colors simultaneously
- High-volume runs — up to 1,800 cans per minute
- Dry ultraviolet (UV) inks that won’t smudge or smear
The digital DTC printing process differs in key areas, with:
- Direct printing on cans without plates
- High customization capabilities
- Exceptional levels of detail
- Fast turnaround times
- Economical with no minimum order requirements
Aluminate is one of the leaders in the digital DTC printing industry, using our innovative, best-in-class technology to provide the ultimate in color and customization that make us a favorite of craft breweries, burgeoning brands, and established beverage players alike.
Production Considerations
Direct-to-can digital printing offers a variety of benefits that can impact the production choices for your cans. Because there is no plate setup or maintenance, digital printing can provide highly accurate color matching without limiting the number of colors. Cans printed with the DTC digital process also stand up to environmental factors like temperature fluctuation, sunlight exposure and high humidity that might otherwise lead to color degradation. Forward thinking can printers like Aluminate use high-quality, high opacity inks to help protect from these color fading issues.
The digital printing process also impacts how color interacts with substrates and the finishes of the final look. Using high-opacity white ink allows your designs to decouple from the substrate color, creating designs that stand out on the shelf and in the hand. The DTC digital method also lets you create a full range of process effects, from matte to high gloss.
How We Achieve Fine Color Gradients and Halftones
When you need to get the smallest details of your beverage cans exactly right, including gradients and halftones, you need the control that is only possible with digital printing. Aluminate direct-to-shape technology allows for high levels of accuracy, allowing for smooth, controlled and reliable gradation from any color to any color in horizontal, vertical or diagonal directions.
Aluminate’s more refined color matching and greater simultaneous color range — up to 11 process colors and three print embellishments — further exceeds the capabilities of dry offset printing.
See Your Brand in Full Color With Aluminate Digital Can Printing
Bringing your brand to life in its complete glory is what Aluminate does best. Our digital printing expertise allows our team to take your designs and put them on cans with an unmatched level of detail. If you want to elevate your brand and make the quality of your can reflect the beverage inside, reach out to Aluminate. We’ll answer any questions you have and can even send free samples if you want to get a closer look.
