Adding Dimension to Print: The Power of Tactile Printing with Roland

Touch is a powerful sense. It triggers emotion, memory, and engagement in a way that visuals alone often can’t match. In an age where flat screens dominate and print media fights for attention, tactile printing has become a differentiator — a way to quite literally add dimension to the printed page.

Tactile printing goes beyond ink. It’s about creating prints you can feel: raised graphics, textured patterns, embossed logos, and even Braille signage. For businesses looking to elevate branding, enhance accessibility, or simply stand out, tactile printing offers a new frontier.

And when it comes to tactile innovation, Roland stands at the forefront.

What Is Tactile Printing?

Tactile printing refers to the process of creating raised, textured surfaces on printed materials. Unlike traditional printing, which is two-dimensional, tactile printing builds physical depth onto the substrate — forming bumps, ridges, or textures that invite interaction.

These textures aren’t just decorative. They serve practical purposes, such as enabling visually impaired individuals to read Braille signage or providing tactile feedback in packaging and labels. Tactile elements can also elevate the perceived value of a product — think embossed business cards, textured wall graphics, or luxury packaging with raised branding.

Roland’s Role in the Tactile Revolution

Roland has long been a leader in digital printing innovation, and its advancements in tactile printing are no exception. Through its specialized line of UV printers and its groundbreaking DIMENSE technology, Roland gives users the ability to print images and textures in a single, seamless process.

Let’s explore the standout devices in Roland’s tactile lineup and how they’re transforming the way we print.

1. VersaUV Series – Layered UV Gloss for Raised Effects

The VersaUV series is Roland’s workhorse when it comes to tactile applications. These UV printers are designed to build up layers of clear gloss ink to produce raised textures on virtually any surface. The result is stunning: embossed lettering, simulated textures, and even ADA-compliant Braille signage.

With precision control, users can print dozens of layers of gloss ink to achieve various levels of relief. Whether you’re producing elegant wedding invitations with raised floral patterns or creating durable, tactile safety signs, the VersaUV printers deliver consistent, detailed, and high-impact results.

Key Benefits:

• Excellent for ADA signage and Braille

• Raised logos, textures, and effects

• Compatible with a wide variety of substrates

• White ink and gloss layering options

2. VersaOBJECT & MO Series – Direct-to-Object Tactile Printing

For printing on three-dimensional objects, the Roland MO and VersaOBJECT series are game changers. These flatbed UV printers are built to handle a wide array of shapes and sizes — from promotional items and electronics to control panels and packaging prototypes.

Using the same UV gloss layering process as the VersaUV, these devices can add tactile features directly onto items like phone cases, bottles, awards, and more. The depth and clarity of the textures are impressive, making them ideal for high-end branding, personalization, or functional uses like embossed indicators.

Highlights:

• Print on rigid or curved objects

• High-resolution gloss layering for tactile effects

• Ideal for packaging, signage, and product decoration

• Supports clear, white, and specialty UV inks

3. Dimensor S – Where Texture Meets Imagery

While UV gloss layering builds up texture through ink, Roland’s Dimensor S printer takes a different approach. This system is part of the DIMENSE line — a technology that fuses color and texture in a single pass using a specialized media and a structural ink.

Instead of layering ink, the printer uses a barrier ink to prevent expansion in specific areas of the media. The untreated areas expand, creating precise raised patterns while the printed zones stay flat. The result is visually rich, deeply embossed imagery perfect for interior décor, luxury branding, or experiential design.

If you’ve ever imagined printing a mural that not only looks like concrete but feels like it too, the Dimensor S can make it happen.

Advantages:

• Single-pass printing with color and texture

• Embossed wallpapers, canvas prints, and décor

• Wide-format output for architectural and retail spaces

• Eco-friendly, PVC-free materials

Substrates That Support the Sensory Experience

Tactile printing is only as good as the surface it’s applied to. Roland’s devices support an extensive range of materials, allowing print providers to cater to diverse industries and creative visions.

Rigid Substrates

For signage, plaques, and industrial labeling, materials like acrylic, aluminum, polycarbonate, and PVC foam board offer the stability and surface integrity needed for tactile features. Roland’s UV printers ensure excellent adhesion and durability on these surfaces, even with repeated contact or outdoor use.

Flexible Substrates

Wallcoverings, canvas, vinyl, and specialty films are perfect for applications like interior design and large-format graphics. The DIMENSE media used in the Dimensor S is especially designed for deep texture, maintaining shape and stability even with up to 1.5 mm of relief.

Specialty Media

Textured, metallic, pearlescent, and suede-like finishes open the door to high-end applications. Whether it’s for packaging, high-end book covers, or fine art, the combination of specialty media and tactile depth creates a premium, memorable finish.

Inks That Add Impact

Roland’s ink technologies are engineered not only for color accuracy and durability but also for compatibility with texture-building techniques.

EUV and EUV5 Inks

These UV-curable inks form the backbone of Roland’s tactile printing capabilities. Offering strong adhesion, resistance to scratches and chemicals, and flexibility on curved surfaces, they’re ideal for both flat signage and direct-to-object printing.

Gloss and Clear Inks

Used to build tactile effects, gloss inks are layered strategically to create raised elements. These can simulate embossing, add texture to graphics, or even serve as the tactile component in ADA signage.

White Ink

Critical for underlays on dark materials and opaque detailing, white ink also plays a supporting role in tactile designs by adding contrast and visibility to raised areas.

Structural Inks (DIMENSE)

Unique to the Dimensor S, this clear barrier ink controls where the substrate expands, enabling precise tactile imagery. It’s the magic behind the one-pass texture-print fusion.

Tactile Applications That Inspire

With the right combination of equipment, media, and design, tactile printing can revolutionize how businesses communicate and engage with their audience.

• ADA Signage & Wayfinding: Create regulatory-compliant signs that include Braille, raised lettering, and textured icons — essential for accessibility in public and commercial spaces.

• Interior Design & Décor: Produce custom textured wallpapers, feature walls, and decorative panels with both visual and tactile appeal.

• Luxury Packaging: Elevate product presentation with embossed logos, textured finishes, and tactile branding that instantly signals quality.

• Event Graphics & Experiential Marketing: Add physical dimension to displays, booths, or promotional items that are meant to be seen — and touched.

• Education & Tactile Graphics: Develop learning tools for visually impaired students, such as tactile diagrams, raised maps, and accessible textbooks.

Why It Matters for Your Business

Tactile printing is more than a trend — it’s a value add. As businesses seek ways to be more inclusive, more experiential, and more premium, the ability to offer textured print becomes a powerful differentiator.

With Roland’s tactile-capable devices in your lineup, you can open new revenue streams, cater to specialized industries, and provide your clients with something that leaves a lasting impression — not just visually, but physically.

Whether you’re a print service provider, a designer, a signage expert, or a creative visionary, tactile printing gives you a chance to move beyond the flat and into the world of texture. With Roland, that world is at your fingertips.