Add Depth to Your Prints
The following article was originally published by Wide-format Impressions. To read more of their content, subscribe to their newsletter, Wide-Format Impressions.
Agfa Graphics (Booth 1929) is featuring the Jeti Mira LED with 3D Lens Technology in its booth at SGIA.
Major technology improvements and upgrades in wide-format equipment, software and “specialty inks” have given print service providers new dynamic options for their customers.
Over the past decade, wide-format printing technology has continued to grow, fueled by technical advancements that has allowed print service providers to offer options that were only previously possible in the traditional offset print markets. The growing popularity of the UV flatbed printer has contributed to wide-format market growth. These versatile printers have opened up a host of new niche opportunities because of their capabilities.
Today’s UV flatbed printer offers higher resolution, faster speeds and a wider color gamut. But what happens when that same system offers advanced features like varnish and three-dimensional effects?
Agfa Graphics’ Jeti Mira features 3D Lens Technology which produces a three-dimensional varnish effect without the need for lenticular substrates. The 3D Lens Technology, based on printing of transparent lenses with the Jeti Mira’s varnish option, enhances and adds value to print by transforming images into captivating optical illusions. The 3D Lens software interfaces with the Jeti Mira UV flatbed to produce layers of varnish that result in the 3D effect.
Lenticular printing technology once required a multi-step process of creating a lenticular image from at least two images and combining them precisely with a lenticular lens. Lenticular printing produces 3D like images with depth that seem to move when the image is viewed from different angles.
With Agfa Graphics’ 3D Lens Technology and UV varnish, the substrate no longer dictates the animation effect. Using a combination of printed lenses composed of UV-curable varnish and image manipulations, the Jeti Mira adds depth to print output by tuning the size of the varnish lenses and the array in which they are printed. The concept is layering the varnish to get the height to create the 3D effect.
More specifically, the software creates the pattern then the Jeti Mira outputs the image in two passes. The image is output on a white background on any standard transparent media such as Agfa Graphics’ Duratex EcoClear, or mainstream polycarbonate or acrylic in 3mm, 5mm or 9mm thicknesses. Then the sheet is flipped and registered. Lastly, the pattern of tiny lenses is printed in layers in clear varnish.
The Jeti Mira’s 3D Lens Technology can add a dramatic touch to many different applications, including POP displays, posters, packaging, decorative prints and trade show graphics to name a few. Now print service providers have the potential to generate stunning 3D effects in sizes from 2 x 2 inches and up, to 106 x 60 inches which is the size of the Jeti Mira’s flatbed.
The Jeti Mira LED’s 3D printing technology is ideal for applications such as POP displays, packaging, decorative prints and trade show graphics.
