Flexi discs, flexi postcards

FLEXI DISCS

Flexi discs are produced as one-sided media carriers made of a PVC foil. This is available in a number of colours. Among the most popular,  are colours such as transparent, blue, white, green or yellow. A sampler of the basic foil colours is attached to this document.  Foils are purchased in sheets of 200x 180 mm.  If a Flexi disk is sold separately it is cut to the final size of 180x180mm which corresponds to the 7” SP format. The foil can be also delivered with perforation (this comes on the longer side approx. 18mm from the edge of the foil). This perforation is used if the flexi disk should be bound in a magazine or similar. Flexi disks come with a one coloured graphics, which is stamped by a hot foiling technology.

Types of Flexi Discs:

• Flexi Disc 7x7
• Flexi Disc with perforation 7x8
• Picture Flexi Disc ©GZ Media, a.s. *

*) GZ Media is the only producer in the world to offer the so called Picture Flexi Discs. The effect is reached by a full-surface print on the transparent PVC foil. The printing possibilities are from 1/0 to 4/0 CMYK. The print is always performed on the reverse side of the foil, picture having a mirror orientation. The printing is followed by the process of hot-foiling and pressing of the record, both from the front side.
   
    

FLEXI POSTCARDS

Flexi postcards are made of a GC1 300g w/w cardboard, this is printed and the front side covered with a layer of a dispersion varnish.  Flexi postcards are produced in the size of 127x178mm or in the above mentioned 177x177mm 7” SP format.
The Flexi postcards can be produced with perforation too, also serialization can be applied.

TYPES of postcards:

• postcard 7x7
• postcard 7x5
• postcard 5x7 with perforation
• customer supplied postcards

PRINTING the postcards:

If the postcards are printed only one-sided then the conventional print from 1/0 to 4/0 is used and the usual machine varnish is applied to the side with the grooves.
If the postcards are to be printed from the reverse side as well then they have to be printed on a UV machine and UV varnish is used for the side with the recording.  
Special shapes of the postcards are possible, only the cutting tool has to be charged.

Production process

Mastering

Same as for the vinyl record the supplied audio data is processed by the DMM cutting technology (wider groove) and subsequently stampers are created. The record on the flexi disc can be one sided only.

Stamping – hotfoiling

Hot foiling is done on Heidelberg and Kluge printing machines. After the hot foiling the foils are cut to the requested format and send further for pressing. Sampler of available stamping foil colours attached.

Template for the label is a circle of 96mm in diameter. We do always send the artwork for approval to the customer.

We offer 8 basic colours of the PVC foil (clear, black, white, red, blue, yellow, orange, green). Sampler of coloured PVC foils attached.

Pressing

The pressing of Flexis is done on pressing machines where, similarly to the standard vinyl pressing machines, the stampers are attached to the pressing moulds.

Flexi postcards and Flexi discs are always pressed from one side only.
  

Packaging

Completely pressed Flexi postcards are packed in a bulk without any sleeves, just shrink-wrapped.
Flexi disks are packed into the following types of sleeves:

• No sleeve, only shrink-wrapped
• PE sleeve with a sticker
• Printed inner sleeves
• Complicated packaging in a set with other products

Test pressing

Samples are produced in quantities of 5 – 15 pieces and they must be produced prior to every main run.
The Flexi disc samples are never printed (i.e. are not hot foiled). However these are made on the final PVC foil colour as the quality of sound differs for every colour. The finished TPs are packed into a PE bag.
Test pressings of Flexi Postcards come on a card with standard GZ graphics and a logo and are shrink-wrapped.

Quality control

All customers test pressings are manually listened to by a quality control employee.