Domed labels are made in three stages:

1. Print your images on sheets or rolls of self-adhesive label material.
2. Use a vinyl cutter to cut around each image.
3. Apply a dome of liquid polyurethane resin.

The resin cures to become a transparent dome that can be hard or flexible.

You can learn more about the process, and the equipment you need, in our guide to How to Make Domed Labels.

Liquid Lens resin is a high quality 2 part 1:1 ratio polyurethane resin for doming applications developed exclusively by Liquid Lens.

The Liquid Lens doming process can be applied to many different non-porous materials to produce a high-value 3D crystal clear dome. Supplied in cartridges for use with doming machines or manual applicators.

There are many significant features and benefits to Liquid Lens™ Doming such as:

• It works well with most print processes, especially inkjet
• It is true glass clear
• It has excellent flow characteristics and contact angles
• It is UV resistant meaning it will not yellow when exposed to sunlight.
• It is waterproof and will protect surfaces when exposed to severe weatheringCure times have been greatly reduced allowing labels to be ready quicker
• The formulation is hydrophobic and actively repels moistureOur 50ml, 200ml and 400ml cartridges can be partially used and re-sealed
• We guarantee 12 months shelf life on sealed cartridge packs
• The process is very reliable for keeping wastage to a minimum
• Our formula is mercury free and has been for years, which is safer for your operator whilst catalysing is taking place.

At optimum room temperature and humidity (21°C @ 35% RH), the full cure time of the material is 24 hours. It will be touch dry in 4-6 hours, allowing you to remove labels and apply them to your product.

The curing time can be reduced to 2-4 hours inside a Liquid Lens Quality Control Unit, or 90 minutes in a Liquid Lens Curing Oven at 40°C.

Due to the high level of UV stability in the product, and our new vacuum sealed packaging, the shelf life of an unopened Liquid Lens resin cartridge is guaranteed for 12 months from the date of manufacture.

Liquid Lens™ resin has undergone many stringent testing procedures by users to determine its durability. It has proved itself to have excellent long term UV resistance to yellowing as well as outdoor weathering.

The standard calculation used is based on 1ml of resin covers a surface area of a label measuring approximately 25 x 25mm. For example, a label measuring 75 x 25mm would typically consume 3ml of material.

Liquid Lens resin has been developed to have a relatively high surface tension so that when it finds a sharp edge it will cling to and hold itself in a dome shape until it has gone through its curing process and is no longer fluid.

Although it can do this, there is still a maximum volume that can be applied to the shape before the weight of the resin becomes too much for the surface tension to hold, allowing the resin to overspill. This excess can be removed with a knife blade or similar allowing the decal edge to reform. With care, the number of wasted domes is typically less than 1% of total production.

Depending on the shape, size and surface finish of the decal it is possible to dome very high (3mm) or very low (1mm).

• Ink jet – aqueous, solvent, eco-solvent and UV
• Thermal resin
• Latex
• Screen
• Litho

Our experienced team will be happy to advise you on the ideal print process for your application, whether it’s a system we can supply or one that you already have.

The doming process can be applied to many different Non-Porous materials such as:

• Ink Jet Media
• Polyester & Polypropylene Film
• Pre-cut Vinyl
• Engraving Laminates
• Aluminium
• Brass
• Magnets
• Stone, Marble, Granite

The most common type of material used by our customers is a specially coated inkjet polyester film, manufactured for doming and supplied by Liquid Lens.

Virtually any shape and size providing there are no sharp corners, which can be time-consuming to apply or spill over the edges. Circles, ovals, squares and rectangles with rounded corners are ideal shapes for the process. Once the correct volume of resin has been determined for a label, it can normally be applied in one shot by manual or automated dispensing machines and will flow to the edge and stop.