Holographic printing is a representation of a hologram on a flat surface, which produces three-dimensional effects when viewed. A holographic print differs from a traditional hologram in that the print does not require any special lighting to produce the 3D effect. The viewer does not need specific glasses to see the image. As with 3D metal, the latter makes a 3-D part directly.
Holographic prints are widely used for identification and security purposes. Credit cards, driver’s licenses, passports and security badges often have small holographic prints embedded in their surface. After offset or digital printing, holographic prints are used.
They work especially well in these applications because the image cannot be duplicated in risography, with a scanner or photocopier, and forging such an image has proven exceptionally difficult and expensive. Engineers and architects use large holographic prints to demonstrate or promote their projects in a more realistic way than conventional photographs
In some situations, holographic prints can replace cumbersome video demonstrations.
We could very well use holography on a product already printed with xerography, giclée or laser.
how is holographic printing done?Holographic printing cannot be done on ordinary paper. To facilitate the process, the paper or other printing surface must be coated with a layer of metal (usually aluminum or steel) or reflective plastic
The hologram is etched into the shiny metal or plastic, forming a complicated, extremely detailed, pixelated image in relief
When viewed under a microscope, the metal or plastic surface appears to have hills, gullies, ridges and valleys. These irregularities produce the three-dimensional effect by scattering the reflected light and diffracting it into its component color wavelengths
The reflected waves interfere with each other so that a vivid and realistic three-dimensional representation of perspective and parallax is obtained.
what is holographic printing paper?A common question about holograms is what kind of paper they can be printed on. However, there is no such thing as holographic printing paper. Holograms are created with foils that can be applied to various materials, such as paper and plastic. Holographic foils are very thin, which allows them to be reliably adhered to various materials.
Holograms are one of the most popular security printing techniques: they are seen on a wide range of items, from bank cards to product labels. They act as a deterrent to counterfeiting, as they are exceptionally difficult to copy. They are also used by high-end brands as a method of determining authenticity. In addition, they can be manufactured to be obvious, so it will be obvious if someone has attempted to remove or alter the hologram.
The application process usually involves “hot stamping” (as in hot stamping) the foil onto the desired substrate, be it paper, plastic or otherwise. Through the application of heat and pressure, the hologram is permanently adhered to the substrate. The resulting holograms can be used for a wide range of applications, such as banknotes, vouchers, packaging, certificates, checks, business forms, labels, bank and ID cards.
Self-adhesive hologram stickers can also be produced. They can be affixed directly to products and documents, and provide a flexible way to label, track, trace, protect and confirm the identity of a range of items.
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Other types of printing such as: hydrographic, letterpress printing, edible, thermal printing …