An irradiator that emits electromagnetic waves through a lattice-like or net-like protective member, and a controller that causes the irradiator to irradiate an irradiation target with the electromagnetic waves while causing relative movement between the irradiation target and the irradiator in a first direction. The protective member is configured or disposed such that no more than one lattice of a plurality of lattices and no more than one node of a plurality of nodes that are formed in the protection member exist in a row along the first direction.

Provided is a method for carrying out printing on the inner and outer surfaces of a building. The method includes printing print text on the inner and outer surfaces of the building by using a printing apparatus in which a printing ink to be used for a piezo method or a printing ink made of a UV curable material can be placed in a spray means according to a user's selection, the piezo method or a UV curing method can be selected according to the type of printing ink placed in the spray means, and spraying of the printing ink of the piezo method or the UV curing method, curing and spraying of a coating agent are sequentially carried out during driving since the spray means, a curing means and a coating agent application means are sequentially arranged.

A transfer film including a substrate, a protection layer, a metal coating layer, and an ink layer is provided. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface, and the first surface has a first stereoscopic pattern. The protection layer is disposed on the substrate, and has a third surface and a fourth surface. The third surface contacts the first surface, and has a second stereoscopic pattern complementing the first stereoscopic pattern. The fourth surface has a third stereoscopic pattern. The metal coating layer is disposed on the protection layer, and has a fifth surface contacting the fourth surface and a sixth surface. The ink layer is disposed on the metal coating layer. The protection layer and the substrate are separated after transfer to expose the second stereoscopic pattern and reflect out the third stereoscopic pattern. A manufacturing method of the transfer film is also provided.

Disclosed herein is a method for forming a surface relief microstructure, including the steps of A) applying a curable composition to at least a portion of the frontside of the paper substrate, B) contacting at least a portion of the curable composition with surface relief microstructure, C) curing the composition by using at least one UV lamp which is arranged on the backside of the paper substrate, and D) depositing a metallic layer, and optionally a layer of a transparent high refractive index material, on at least a portion of the cured composition, wherein the UV lamp has an emission peak in a UV-A range of 320 nm to 400 nm and additionally in a near VIS range of 400 nm to 450 nm, the curable composition comprises a photoinitiator which absorbs in the UV-A range and also in the near VIS range.

A structure forming apparatus includes a printing unit which prints a photo-thermal conversion material, a white material, and a coloring material in order on an expanding layer in an overlapping manner, where the expanding layer is expanded when heated with thermal energy of light. The apparatus also includes a heating unit which irradiates light on the expanding layer from a side of the coloring material to expand the expanding layer, and a controlling unit which sets a printing density of the photo-thermal conversion material lower by a level corresponding to a quantity of heat conducted from the coloring material than the printing density of the photo-thermal conversion material to be printed when the coloring material has no photo-thermal conversion characteristic in the case in which the coloring material has photo-thermal conversion characteristic, and prints the photo-thermal conversion material of the set printing density.

A structure forming apparatus includes a printing unit which prints a photo-thermal conversion material, a white material, and a coloring material in order on an expanding layer in an overlapping manner, where the expanding layer is expanded when heated with thermal energy of light. The apparatus also includes a heating unit which irradiates light on the expanding layer from a side of the coloring material to expand the expanding layer, and a controlling unit which sets a printing density of the photo-thermal conversion material lower by a level corresponding to a quantity of heat conducted from the coloring material than the printing density of the photo-thermal conversion material to be printed when the coloring material has no photo-thermal conversion characteristic in the case in which the coloring material has photo-thermal conversion characteristic, and prints the photo-thermal conversion material of the set printing density.

The present invention provides a method of forming a pattern that can form a precise pattern on a variety of media by using powders and provides a pattern-producing apparatus. The method of forming a pattern includes providing a liquid pattern on a surface of a medium, applying a powder to the liquid pattern so as to adhere to the liquid pattern, removing the powdery particles of the powder not adhered to the liquid pattern to give a pattern of the powder, and further applying another powder to the pattern of the powder.

The present invention provides a method of forming a pattern that can form a precise pattern on a variety of media by using powders and provides a pattern-producing apparatus. The method of forming a pattern includes providing a liquid pattern on a surface of a medium, applying a powder to the liquid pattern so as to adhere to the liquid pattern, removing the powdery particles of the powder not adhered to the liquid pattern to give a pattern of the powder, and further applying another powder to the pattern of the powder.

A multi-layer laminate may include a substrate, a printed build layer adjacent the substrate and defining a texture having elevated areas and areas of relief, a printed image layer adjacent the build layer, and a coating layer having a mineral loading and a method for creating a textured laminate may include steps to cause the printed image to be in registration with the texture.

A multi-layer laminate may include a substrate, a printed build layer adjacent the substrate and defining a texture having elevated areas and areas of relief, a printed image layer adjacent the build layer, and a coating layer having a mineral loading and a method for creating a textured laminate may include steps to cause the printed image to be in registration with the texture.