DIP-ping into Lenticular Print - Hall 7, stand 70F09  at drupa innovation park (DIP)

Dun Laoghaire, Ireland - DP Lenticular, the only European company dedicated solely to the promotion and sale of lenticular plastic sheets and rolls for the offset, digital and label markets, will be presenting its creative portfolio of solutions, including a world first, at drupa from May 31 to June 10, 2016 at the Messe Düsseldorf.

As the sole producer of large format lenses made in Europe, DP Lenticular, will place the spotlight firmly on its new 3D 28 LPI UV-MF. With a thickness of 2.15 mm and a viewing angle of 37°, it is the perfect match for three-dimensional lenticular applications printed on medium format digital systems. It joins the large format 3D 20 LPI UV-LF. Both are extruded in Europe with PETG-UV resin making them ideal for indoor use such as airports, subways, railway stations and outdoor use such as bus shelters. Extruded with a specially developed UV protection resin to preserve colors, PETG-UV is also fire-resistant and offers a much better transparency than other resins.

Daniel Pierret, managing director of DP Lenticular states: “This lens design does not exist anywhere else in the world and its development is in direct response to a gap we spotted in the medium to large format flatbed market.”

From postage stamps to large format advertising applications

At drupa, DP Lenticular will be partnering with KBA for live demos to the offset market. Show stopping prints will be produced on their new half format press using LENSTARplus® 75 LPI lenticular sheets. The LENSTARplus® lenticular sheet is a PACUR product created specifically for direct lens printing that provides unsurpassed characteristics in brightness, toughness, clarity, notch resistance and cutability.

All the Lenstar® and EcoLens® products are extruded by Pacur in Oshkosh WI (U.S.A).

Developed specifically for the brand authentication, security, philatelic and other high-end flexible label markets, MicroFlex® labels will also be on display at the show. Produced by Forward Optics (U.S.A) MicroFlex® is a unique ultra-thin lens array film and the first ever label of this thickness to produce eye-catching depth, dimension, and motion effects. This unique substrate contains a micro-optical lens array on the surface magnifying graphic elements imbedded in the second surface printing. Unlike traditional lenticular material which is too stiff for most labeling applications, MicroFlex® is a patent pending blend of a biaxial oriented polypropylene base layer (for press stability) and cast polypropylene (for flexibility).

All products are designed and manufactured so that printers can print the interlaced (and reversed) image directly onto the gloss surface of the lenticular sheet (backside) using conventional or UV inks.

Pierret adds: “Lenticular printing’s ability to create eye-catching animations or 3D effects by putting printed images behind ridged parallel clear lenses has been growing in popularity in the past decade. This is as a result of the effects becoming more accessible thanks to digital cameras and easier design and production programmes. To offer exceptional print resolution, we supply printers with a perfectly clear and stable lenticular sheet that results in optimal registration.”

He concludes: “It is an ideal medium for boosting the corporate image and business profitability and is appropriate for use in a large number of applications such as POP designs, packaging, direct mail, promotional and various card formats, from a postage stamp to large format advertising.”

At the show, DP Lenticular will also stage the third edition of the Lenstar® Lenticular Print Awards, supported by drupa. Created to highlight technical processing options, and likely to attract more than 150 entries from 40 countries, the Awards Ceremony will be held on June 2 at 5pm in the DIP in hall 7. Entries can be made here at lenstarlenticularprintaward.org for six different categories.