From simple to complex designs

Jacobsen Lenticular Tool & Cylinder Engraving Technologies Co. (JacoTech) provides the global plastics processing sector scientific solutions for the development and production of optically-based cylindrical polymer/plastic materials processing, including the manufacturing of micro-structured, opticalquality, roll-surface mold components used for the management and control of light. The focus of JacoTech's custom optical micro-machining business is the ultra-precision CNC diamond turning, milling, and fly-cutting of cylindrical drums, rolls, and mandrels used to extrude/emboss/cast or calendar plastic and polymer based sheet and roll films and materials. The engraved units, such as shown in Figure 1, can be relatively small to unusually large (1,060 mm outer diameter by 4,500 mm wide) and heavy weight (2300 kg). These optical-grade engraved cylinder processing moulds can contain simple to complex geometrical patterns designed to perform a number of complicated light management control functions.

Using its custom-designed, precision large-scaled diamond turning equipment, JacoTech engraves complex optical patterns into materials such as copper, aluminum, electrolytic and electroless nickel alloys, beryllium copper, brass, gold and more. Figure 2 illustrates a typical drum during the engraving process where the engraved portion is shown beyond the mirror-surfaced portion of the drum yet to be engraved.

Representative engraving is shown in Figure 3 where the lands between the groves are razor sharp, although the size of the lands can be sized as desired by the client. Jaco Tech's diamond-machined geometries can include plane, spherical, parabolic, general aspheric, toroidal, hyperbolic, elliptical, and cylindrical shapes including angular and circular patterns.

"To obtain the best results from a wellmanufactured, cylindrically-engraved mould, a proper optical lens design is required to enable optically-based sheet films and materials to perform optimally for a client's chosen resin and final end product," according to Dr. Gary A. Jacobsen, Chief Engineer and President. The company offers complete optical engineering and lens design services for lenticular lenses and other complex micro-structured plastic optical lenses, as well as lens system optimisation,
diamond tool designing, and full metrology.

For over a decade, it has concentrated on improving the industry quality of both 3Danimated/motion lenticular offset printed and digitally-imaged display products used by lenticular specialty printers. "In order to accomplish this, an improvement over prior optical lens designs, diamond tooling and lenticular engraved cylinder mould processing were required to meet the ever-increasing requirements of world-class producers of extruded lenticular sheets. An example of such an improvement is JacoTech's ability to provide superior, ultra-low surface-waviness lenticular lens in its engraved cylinder moulds as compared to standard manufactured engraved cylinders," according to Dr. Jacobsen. A second example is customised shaping of the lenticular lens surface which creates much sharper, clearer, lower crosstalk, and greater apparent depth 3D-animated/ motion lenticular printed/imaged products.

Unique engraving method JacoTech also produces cylindrical moulds for non-imaging applications. Fabrication of these direct machined molds is intricate and time consuming. Figure 4 presents a photograph of a four-sided pyramidal structure (1.25 mm height) made by JacoTech. The plastic processing industry continues to sAir Zoom Pegasus 34