New Press Means Small Printers Can Print Effects

According to Xante, small and medium-sized printing firms can now enter the special effects print market with the Ilumina 3D digital colour press.

The Ilumina 3D digital colour press is claimed to print directly on lenticular media and to be suitable for lenticular printing, whilst also serving as a lenticular proofing device for higher-end and wide format applications.

Xante said that the Ilumina 3D is driven by the company's plug-in to Adobe Photoshop developed by lenticular software supplier Promagic.

On show at Drupa 2008 on Xante's stand - F34 in hall 4 - the Ilumina 3D is claimed to have broadened the special effects and lenticular market to include photographic shops, copy shops, small businesses, novelty printers, retail and in-plant operations and small commercial printers.

The lenticular substrate, Myriad Digital Lens, has been developed specifically for use with the Ilumina 3D and will be released with 75 lenticules per inch LPI) capability.

Myriad Digital Lens media is available in 328mm x 483mm (12.9" x19") sheets and are 0.45mm (18mm) thick.

Xante said it believes there is no limit to the applications available to the Ilumina 3D, including packaging, DVD and CD sleeves, magazine covers, photographs, proofs, trading and membership cards, posters, stickers, magnets, menus and signage, for example.

The company added that lenticular printing has become increasingly popular because it caputres attention and helps to increase product sales.

With the Ilumina 3D and Promagic Software Creative Interlacing Suite Xante said that print shops will have a way to add an extra dimension to printing and produce special effects, such as 3D, 3D flip, 3D motion and 3D zoom.

Xante said that special effects printing has never been so easy with ready-to-sell lenses produced in less than one minute.

The company said that it will also supply Myriad Digital Lens lenticular media to provide a complete offer cheaper than other lenticular printing systems.

Robert Ross, Xante's chief executive officer, said: "The Ilumina 3D fits perfectly in to our vision of bringing leading-edge technology to print shops at an affordable price.

Now we're allowing them enter yet another new printing 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." Promagic's chief executive officer, Steve Andersen, added: "We are excited to be able to work with Xante to decentralise 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.".

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