May 29, 2008 - DÛSSELDORF (drupa 2008) - Small to mid-sized print shops can now enter the lucrative special effects print market with the Xanté Ilumina 3D Digital Color Press, which can print directly on lenticular media. The Ilumina 3D is perfectly suited for lenticular printing and can also serve as a cost-effective lenticular proofing device for higher-end and wide format applications.  The Ilumina 3D is driven by a Xanté plug-in to Adobe Photoshop developed by lenticular software supplier ProMagic. The Ilumina 3D Digital Color Press is showing at drupa, May 29 - June 11, in Xanté stand F34, Hall 4.
 
Fast and Easy Direct to Lens Digital Printing
Lenticular printing has become increasingly popular because it grabs attention and ultimately increases product sales. With the Ilumina 3D and ProMagic Software Creative Interlacing Suite print shops will have an easy and inexpensive way to add this significant, extra dimension to printing and produce special effects such as 3D, 3D Flip, 3D Motion and 3D Zoom. Special effects printing has never been so easy with ready-to-sell lenses produced in less than one minute. Xanté will also supply the lenticular media, Myriad Digital Lens, providing a complete solution available at a fraction of the cost of other lenticular printing systems.
 
The Ilumina 3D Digital Color Press is driven by ProMagic, a market leader in lenticular software.  Says ProMagic CEO  Steve Andersen, "We are excited to be able to work with Xanté to decentralize special effects printing and bring it to mainstream print providers. Our software combined with the Ilumina 3D which has the unprecedented ability to print on unusual media is a winning combination."
 
High-End Output at an Affordable Price
With an affordable price, the Ilumina 3D has broadened the special effects/lenticular market to include photo shops, copy shops, small businesses, novelty printers, retail/in-plants and small commercial printers.  The lenticular media, Myriad Digital Lens, has been developed specifically for use with the Ilumina 3D and will be released with 75 LPI (lenticules per inch) capability. Myriad Digital Lens media is available in 328 mm x 483 mm (12.9" x19") sheets and are .45 mm (18 mil) thick.
 
Limitless Applications
There is no limit to the applications available with Ilumina 3D, including: packaging, DVD and CD sleeves, magazine covers, photos, proofs, trading and membership cards, posters, stickers, magnets, menus, signage and much more.
 
"The Ilumina 3D fits perfectly into our vision of bringing leading-edge technology to print shops at an affordable price. Now we're allowing them entrance into yet another new print market.  The Ilumina has always been unique in its abilities to print on unusual and heavy substrates, and now we've taken those capabilities to the next level," says Xanté CEO, Robert Ross.
 
Availability
Ilumina 3D will be available to European customers Summer 2008. Rest of world availability will be announced.