The process of printing baseball cards is quite intricate and involves several steps. It all begins with designing and creating the artwork that will appear on the card. Baseball card companies employ graphic designers who work with photographers, videographers, and illustrators to develop the visual elements of each card. This usually includes a photo of the player in action as well as graphics displaying their stats and other relevant information.
Once the artwork is complete, it needs to be uploaded and prepared for printing. Designers will use desktop publishing software to lay out the cards digitally. They determine specifics like image and text placement, colors, fonts, and more. The finished digital file is then sent to the printing facility ready for mass production.
Modern baseball cards are most often printed using a process called lithography. This involves transferring the card designs from the digital plates or films onto printing plates. The plates are made of aluminum and coated with a photosensitive surface. They are exposed to ultraviolet light through a high-resolution film of the card image, which chemically transfers the design onto the plate.
Multiple printing plates are used for each color that will be on the card, usually 4-6 different colors including cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The plates are mounted onto large printing presses. The first color, usually cyan as the lightest hue, is applied first using a wet ink application roller. An impression roller then transfers the inked image from the plate onto sheets of thick paper stock specially designed for trading cards.
The paper then goes through the press multiple times, with a different color plate and ink applied during each pass through. After application of all the colors, the prints are dryed using powerful heating elements. At this stage the ink is fully cured and bonded to the paper surface. Quality control checks are made to ensure proper registration and color accuracy across every print.
The full printed sheets then go through an automatic cutting machine that die cuts them into individual card shapes. Modern equipment can cut hundreds of cards per minute from a single sheet. Occasionally there may be foil stamping, embossing, or other specialty enhancements added at this stage as well.
After cutting, a final quality check is performed where samples are visually and mechanically inspected. Approved cards are then sorted intoPACKAGES BY player, team, or inserted autograph/relic odds. The packaged cards move to a fulfillment center where individual packs and boxes are assembled along with enclosure materials for final retail distribution and sale.
This completes the technical print production process. From digital design to finished packaged cards ready for eager collectors represents a complex workflow employing sophisticated equipment, knowledgeable operators, and rigorous quality procedures. Doing it at scale to meet massive consumer demand for the latest baseball card releases each season is quite an undertaking.
