His thesis investigates how different surface treatments—specifically coatings and laminates—alter the visual appearance and colourimetric properties of offset-printed paper.
Dr. Amit Sharma, Director – Publishing Operations at HarperCollins Publishers India has been awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Printing Technology by the Department of Printing Technology, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar.
Dr. Amit Sharma, with over two and a half decades of experience in the printing and publishing industry, conducted his research under the guidance of Prof. (Dr.) Ambrish Pandey and Col. (Hon.) Prof. Dr. Rajendrakumar Anayath.
The title of Dr. Amit’s thesis was: “An Empirical Study on the Effects of Coatings and Laminates Leading to Visual and Colour Shift on Printed Paper.” The thesis investigates how different surface treatments—specifically coatings and laminates—alter the visual appearance and colourimetric properties of offset-printed paper. The study is grounded in the increasing demand for visual enhancement and surface protection in printed products, especially in the commercial, packaging, and publishing sectors. It explores the scientific basis of visual shifts caused by lamination and coating and assesses their practical implications on print quality.
While coatings and laminates are widely used to enhance print aesthetics and durability, there is limited empirical data quantifying their impact on visual appearance and colour shift, particularly across different paper types and ink tones. The absence of a standardized understanding leads to production inconsistencies and quality disputes in print manufacturing.
Different types of coatings and laminates (such as UV gloss, UV matt, aqueous coatings, and thermal films) produce measurable and distinguishable shifts in hue, chroma, and lightness on offset-printed substrates. These shifts are influenced by paper type (gloss vs. matt), print density, and ink coverage.
The research by Dr. Amit Sharma bridges a crucial gap between print aesthetics and scientific analysis and is significant for:
- Print buyers and designers to make informed decisions on surface enhancement choices.
- Printers and production managers to optimize prepress and press settings.
- Academia and researchers working on colour science, material compatibility, and print quality control.
The study proposes practical colour shift tolerances and classification of laminates/coatings by their visual impact.
Key Findings
- Gloss Lamination and UV Gloss Coating caused minimal hue shift (ΔH < 1), preserving visual fidelity.
- Matt Laminates and Pigmented Coatings resulted in higher shifts, especially in mid-tone and grey areas.
- Blue and Red tones showed higher perceptual shift than Yellow and Black.
- Visual distortion was evident in laminated prints under different lighting angles due to surface reflectivity.
A ranking system was developed to categorize surface treatments by their visual impact:
- Low Shift: Gloss Lamination, UV Gloss
- Moderate Shift: Aqueous Neutral, UV Matt
- High Shift: Pigmented Aqueous, Matt Lamination
The study confirms the hypothesis that surface treatments significantly affect the perceived colour and appearance of printed outputs. These effects are not uniform but vary with tone value, paper texture, and coating chemistry. The findings provide a measurable basis for controlling colour fidelity in post-print finishing.
The findings hold future scope for application in commercial printing, digital printing, simulation models, and media outcome comparisons etc.
The thesis helps in bridging theory with real-world application in the field of printing and surface finishing.
Dr. Amit Sharma is a scholar-practitioner and is a PhD, M.Tech, and B.Tech in Printing Technology. He has contributed extensively to academic and professional discourse through his research, publications, and invited lectures. He has authored one book, edited two academic volumes, and published numerous research papers, book chapters, and conference presentations in the areas of print production, colour science, sustainability, and workflow optimization. He currently serves as Director – Publishing Operations at HarperCollins Publishers India.
