Positive Focus has announced an end of year promotion on Producer 3D software from HumanEyes Technologies that will enable digital and litho printers to get into the lucrative and rapidly growing lenticular market at significantly lower cost. Discounts of around a third apply across a whole range of software, training and installation packages.
HumanEyes' new Producer3D brings a level of productivity and ease of use that lenticular printers never experienced before. It changes the face of lenticular printing with an impressive array of tools and ''industry first'' pre-press features which both simplify the pre-print process and greatly improve productivity. Digital printers can benefit from the HumanEyes LensFree technology and avoid the cost of printing on pre-formed lenses. The technique, involving double sided printing using a UV cured flatbed inkjet printer, allows an image to be printed on one side of a plain acrylic sheet, with a barrier layer on the opposite side. It lends itself to larger format, backlit advertising and point of sale material, and a recent development now allows use of thinner, flexible substrates that can be easily changed within suitable lightboxes.
There is a resurgence of interest in 3D images, with major 3D movies and 3D television in the news in recent months. Lenticular posters can display 3D, Flip and Motion effects and compete effectively for attention against other forms of advertising. ‘A 60 x 40 3D backlit poster which we displayed on our stand at mediaPro created a lot of interest,’ said Ivor Dixon, Managing Director of Positive Focus Europe, ‘even people who had not considered the technique before were asking searching questions about the ease of production.’
‘We provide a complete package, including training in the creation of the images and the actual printing techniques that need to be mastered. It’s not a difficult process, but it does need a high standard and careful printing to get the best from it and avoid wastage. We have some users who print onto an opaque substrate that is then laminated onto the lens, but with the increasing number of flatbed printers coming onto the market, especially those with a white ink option, printing direct onto the lens is a more viable solution.’
With the offer, which runs to the 22nd December, a digital printer can get started in Lenticular printing for around £4,500 ex VAT, plus training. Thinner lenses, designed primarily for litho printing, can be used and also help keep production costs down. There is a short term rental option, to ease companies developing sales in this market into production before committing to the full purchase, starting from £750 for 3 months.
