Creating process layers

Before applying a printing or finishing effect to an object, you must create a process layer to carry the effect. After you have created the layer, you can proceed by assigning objects in the design to the process layer. An exception are the processes backing and lamination, which are applied onto the entire design and need no specific objects.

IMPORTANT: Processes are executed in the descending order in which they appear in the Layers section — that is, the top listed layer is executed first; the bottom layer last. To rearrange the order of layers, right-click a layer, and then click Move Up/Move Down as your case requires.

To create a layer

1. In the tabular area, click the Layers & Objects tab.

NOTE: If the Layers & Objects tab is unavailable, right-click any of the available tabs, and then check Layers & Objects on the context menu.

2. Do any of the following:

• In the Layers section, right-click, and then click New Layer.
• Click New Layer .

The New Layer dialog box appears.

3. In the list in the left-hand section, select the process that you want to set to the process layer.
4. In the right-hand area, adjust the properties as you want them to be.

Properties Context-specific settings for the surface process at hand. The default settings are:

Backing Opacity; in Colored cold foil Opacity and color

Color Print, Special Ink Print, Varnishing, Lamination, Braille Opacity

Monochrome print Opacity and color

Partial foil stamping (Colored Foil) Color

Imprint Opacity and bump height

NOTE ON OPACITY: Colors appear differently depending on whether they are printed onto corrugated or carton board. To give guidance for how colors will appear when printed on different materials, the program can simulate light absorption. To use this simulated light absorption, select the Simulate subtractive color processing check box.

Fit Fits the design to the preview area.

Zoom Enables zooming into the preview area.

Pan Enables moving the design around the preview area.

Turn Enables the rotation of the design around the preview area.

Single axis rotation Starts the mode in which you can rotate the 3D model along a single axis, the direction being defined by the movement of the mouse.

Scene settings Opens a dialog box in which you can set the visuals of the preview area.

5. To complete the setting of the layer's properties, click OK.
6. In the 1up drawing, in the Layers section of the tabular area, select the process layer; then, in the Position column, choose the side — front or rear — to which the process layer will be applied.

TIP: You can change the position of a process layer directly in the tabular area while working on the design.

To clone a layer

NOTE: You can duplicate (clone) layers. This is used mostly when a version of a process needs to be applied to the same objects.

1. Right-click the layer that you want to clone, and then click Duplicate on the context menu.

The Clone Layer dialog box appears. It is identical with the Create Layer dialog box.

2. In the dialog box, edit the cloned layer as you want it to be — see Step 4 above.
3. To complete the definition of the layer, click OK.