OPTICAL LENS TECHNOLOGY

1. The LentiClear Elliptical Lenticular Lens is designed for imaging to be printed and proofed directly onto the back of the lens. This provides for much sharper print viewing, proper registration and more precise flip action versus the traditional two-step approach of printing an image on paper and then laminating it to a lenticular lens. The "two-step" approach is also much more costly to produce, creates an array of press registration issues, and displaces the proper focal distance of the lens to the printed area. This often creates a finished image that ghosts and is out of focus. (See "Proofing Requirements" below).
2. New enhanced optical designs for “extruded/embossed/casted/calendared“ style custom lenticular and other optical purpose materials.
3. Overall thickness designs can include: 0.0102 mil @150 lpi; 0.014 mil @ 100 lpi; 0.016mil @ 75 lpi (lower cost and eco friendly option for industry standard-gauge 0.018 mil @ 75 lpi) with other designs pending. The "LentiClear Elliptical Lenticular Lens" formulas will work with any desired custom thickness and resin an extruder or printer might require for specialized lenticular effects printing or non-imaged display and structured lighting products.
4. LentiClear’s 0.0102 mil thin lens technology has the ability to print images with clearer, smaller serif type and point sizes (i.e., flipping from black to color copy, language changes, etc.) due to fine lens pitch.
5. 0.0102 mil lens structure is flexible enough to firmly affix to containers, jars, bottles, cups, and cartons without de-laminating due to plastic "memory" of heavier and thicker gauges.
6. The thin-gauge "LentiClear Elliptical Lenticular Lens" is adaptable to the packaging industry's pressure sensitive in-line labeling applicators, e.g., rotary roll fed "blow down", and "wipe-down" labeling systems.
7. Reduces the thickness and weight per square inch of the lenticular material, thus reducing the cost of use, enabling packagers to produce mass-quantities of lenticular products at affordable costs per unit.
8. Has comparable or better lenticular optical performance than much thicker lens designs, but at much lower material thickness.
9. Offers increased lenticule viewing angle area for broader animated imaging techniques and performance at lower thicknesses, in addition to using a higher and finer lens pitch for better clarity.
10. Designed to help decrease material waste during press make-ready start up and reduce press running waste as compared to standard old lenticular design materials, thus reducing costs of usage to printer and to the end buying print customer.
11. Engineered to increase quality of images by as much as 38%, as compared to current standard old cylindrical lens designs, depending on print method or non-imaging systems.
12. Superior aspheric tool and aspheric lens material designs produces proper ray tracing (exiting of light rays, i.e. printed image) to viewer for unequaled viewing performance. (See LentiClear "ADVANTAGES" page).
13. Dimensional stability in both sheet and roll press applications.
14. Higher lens uniformity.
15. Natural high ink receptivity.
16. Excellent printability via offset, flexo, gravure, letterpress, and digital imaging/print processes.
17. Provides less "cross-talk" (image ghosting) between multiple images.
18. "LentiClear Elliptical Lenticular Lens” designs can perform exceptionally well with APET, PETG, PP, PC, and PVC plastic resins.

Most lenticular lens materials are general in design and intended to accommodate both proofing and printing stages. The LentiClear Elliptical Lenticular Lens, on the other hand, is purposely designed to be printed and proofed directly onto the smooth backside of the lens, a real advantage in lenticular print production.

LentiClear Lens pre-press proofing delivers a much sharper and accurate proof image of what you can expect to view during actual press production. There are no surprises ( such as radical color changes, non-functioning animations or 3D images ) when the customer is standing at the pressroom color table. The LentiClear "direct-to-lens" style proof provides precise flip actions, 3D and in-focus field of views because the artwork is positioned at the nearest possible critical focal point on the back of the lens.

Current Industry Standard Proofing System (using "non-direct-to-lens" method):

The most commonly used proofing system within the lenticular print industry consists of a four-color matchprint proof, which is laminated (using an adhesive) to a standard cylindrical lenticular lens material. The 4-ply sandwiched lenticular images are displaced at various distances from each other throughout the proof and are stepped too far away from the critical proper focal point of the lens. There are several reasons why this "non-direct-to-lens" proofing method is not accurate and will not replicate well when printed on press:

First, the matchprint is built up with 4-ply layers of thin transparent interlaced imaged membranes (one of each color - CMYK) that are then heat laminated on top of each other one at a time on top of the white opaque matchprint back carrier. This 4-ply membrane construction measures approximately 0.002 mil thick. Next, the 4-ply sandwiched membrane must be aligned properly to the smooth lens side of the lenticular material. If this 4-ply membrane is not carefully aligned to the proper starting individual lenticule, the proof will not work as designed due to registration problems.

Secondly, another optical problem arises when the matchprint is then laminated to the lenticular lens material. This adhesive adds an additional 0.002 mil (approximate) thickness, which increases the total displacement of image to the proper focal point.

The combined 0.004-mil (approx.) thick spacing from the back of the lens creates a false and unreliable proof image. Plus, the adhesive lamination glue adds another optical interference. The press cannot match the proof which can lead to lost production time on press, more lenticular waste, lost profit for the printer, and worst of all – an unhappy client and possible job rejection.

LentiClear Lens Proofing System (using the "direct-to-lens" method):

The best solution for preventing the mentioned scenario is using the simple LentiClear Lens proofing method:

Simply proof directly to the smooth back surface of the LentiClear Lens by using your standard proofing system. This eliminates the adhesive mounting step by heat laminating the 4-ply membranes direct to the lens using a variable heat controlled transfer laminator.

Using our proofing method your LentiClear proof should look and function well (3D & flip action) but it will look even better on press when the colors are added simultaneously and the ink lies direct to the back of the lens at the exact critical focal point which was designed for best possible optical performance.

LentiClear Elliptical Lenticular Lens was designed for one thing - to be totally optically correct and accurate in both the proofing and printing processes.