As in previous stages, the quality of lenticular lens used also plays a large role in the finishing stage of a great lenticular piece. Be sure you take the time to choose the lens that best suits your needs. Most lenticular projects will also require some type of finish applied after the lenticular image has been printed. This is necessary to prevent the image from being translucent, as well as to facilitate printing on the back of the finished piece.
 Lenticular printing has been used for a variety of applications. Products range from labels to postcards, memberships and giftcards, P.O.P. displays to cups, and so much more. With such a large range of applications, the spectrum of finishes can be endless. For example, printed lenticular sheets can be laminated to paper or poly barrier film to help with opacity. Cards can be imprinted with static or variable print, then diecut, round-cornered, and/or drilled as well. Not all sheets need to be laminated. So as you can see, finishing is very project-by-project dependant.
Finishing tips
Most lenticular projects will require a coat of opaque white. Achieving the desired opacity for Lithographic Opaque whites depends on a few factors:
- The opacity of the ink varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and brand to brand.
- The amount of ink film applied.
- How many hits or passes.
Depending on these factors, good results can be achieved with two hits, and other times as many as five hits are required to achieve the desired amount of opacity.
If the final product is to have printing on the back, the goal is to have ample opacity that will prevent the backside print from showing through the front, or lenticular action side, of the piece.
It is a good idea to keep the backside graphics as simple as possible. Go easy on the amount of color and graphics. The more color intensive the back art the greater the chances are that it will show through and may require many hits of opaque white or even the need to have a barrier film laminate applied to eliminate it. On occasion the back art will need to be screened back or reduced to prevent showing through.
There are detriments to applying too many layers or hits of the Litho Opaque white.
One thing to watch for is a phenomenon caused by poor opaque white ink
adhesion or reticulation. This causes a grainy or screening look in the lenticular effect. When viewed through a loop you will notice that the opaque white appears to have a dotted look or blotted appearance. This pattern will be magnified on the lenticular side. To help remove this, another pass of the litho opaque white needs to be applied, possibly as many as two hits to fill the voids, making for a smooth white.
Occasionally a metallic silver is mixed into the opaque white in a small percentage in an attempt to increase the opacity if the white. This causes the white to turn a bit on the gray side and in turn darkens the lenticular side, which means this is not a suitable option.
Flexographic Opaque whites
More and more litho offset presses are being equipped with an
Ultraviolet Flexo coater. This style of coating device can produce a thicker ink film
with smooth coverage. There have been several projects printed as four-color process with two hits of opaque white and coated with the Flexo opaque white, all in a single pass that delivered a very nice result.
To learn more about lenticular finishes, continue to page 2.
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