Award-Winning Braille Book Highlights the Future of Accessible Publishing
Scodix customer ADC Nederland has been awarded the prestigious “Best of Show: Best Use of Digital Embellishments” at the 33rd Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards, recognizing an innovative Braille children’s book that showcases how digital embellishment is redefining accessible publishing.
Originally earning a Gold Award in the “Best Use of Embellishments – Client Promotion/Brochure” category, the project went on to receive the competition’s highest honor. The colorful, oversized, spiral-bound book follows the adventures of a playful little monkey, combining vibrant illustrations with precisely engineered tactile elements to create an engaging reading experience for both sighted and visually impaired readers.
The award recognizes not only exceptional print craftsmanship, but also the growing role of digital embellishment in making printed materials more inclusive without compromising creativity, quality, or production efficiency.
Creating a Multi-Sensory Reading Experience Through Digital Braille Printing
ADC Nederland reimagined what a Braille children’s book could be by integrating tactile communication directly into the printed design.
Each left-hand page features transparent, raised Braille dots precisely positioned over large black text on crisp white paper. The facing pages combine vivid, full-color illustrations with corresponding raised outlines and textured pattern fills, allowing readers to both see and feel the story unfold.
Unlike traditional Braille production methods that often separate tactile elements from visual design, this approach seamlessly combines typography, illustrations, and tactile graphics on the same page. The result is a premium, multi-sensory reading experience that demonstrates the creative possibilities of digital Braille printing.
How ADC Nederland Produced the Award-Winning Book with Scodix
To achieve this level of precision, ADC Nederland utilizes its Scodix digital embellishment press, generating the Braille layer as a completely separate digital file.
This workflow eliminates the complex die-making and labor-intensive setup associated with conventional embossing methods while enabling highly accurate registration between Braille text, printed graphics, and tactile illustrations.
Using Scodix’s environmentally friendly, solvent-free polymer, each Braille character is produced with exceptional structural precision and durability. The resulting tactile elements maintain their integrity through repeated handling, making them ideal for children’s books, educational materials, premium publishing, and other high-touch applications.
By removing the constraints of analog production, Scodix allows publishers to combine tactile typography, decorative embellishments, and intricate graphics in a single streamlined digital workflow.
The Technology Behind Scodix Digital Braille Printing
The precision behind ADC Nederland’s award-winning project is powered by Scodix digital embellishment technology.
The ability to produce durable, high-quality digital Braille is made possible by Scodix Multi-Layer Embellishment (MLE™) technology, which applies multiple precisely controlled micro-layers of polymer to create high-build tactile features.
Unlike conventional multi-pass conveyor systems, Scodix utilizes a unique high-speed rotating tray mechanism that securely holds and rotates each substrate beneath the printheads throughout production. This specialized design enables multiple polymer layers to be applied within a single uninterrupted production cycle, delivering outstanding consistency while maintaining productivity.
Combined with Smart High-Definition (SHD) drop control technology, the system produces Braille characters with clean edge definition, excellent tactile uniformity, and precise registration—qualities that are essential for comfortable, highly readable Braille.
Scodix MLE and SHD technologies are available across the Scodix Ultra SHD portfolio, including the Ultra 2500 SHD, Ultra 6500 SHD, and Ultra 7000 SHD digital embellishment presses.
Discover how our innovative solutions can elevate your print production.
Printing Durable Braille on Uncoated and Sustainable Paper Stocks
Scodix Multi-Layer Embellishment technology also expands the range of substrates that can be used for accessible publishing, including uncoated substrates.
When printing on premium uncoated or sustainable papers, the initial MLE layer selectively functions as an integrated primer. Rather than coating the entire sheet, it seals only the precise areas where Braille characters will be formed, preventing the polymer from being absorbed into the paper’s natural fibers.
This process allows publishers to produce durable, highly readable Braille on environmentally responsible paper stocks while eliminating additional offline priming or setup steps.
The result is a more efficient production workflow that supports both premium print quality and sustainability goals.
Advancing the Future of Accessible Publishing
ADC Nederland’s Best of Show recognition demonstrates how digital embellishment is transforming accessible publishing.
By combining precise Braille production, tactile graphics, sustainable workflows, and fully digital manufacturing, Scodix technology enables print providers to produce inclusive printed materials without the limitations of traditional embossing or die-based production.
Beyond children’s books, the same technology is opening new opportunities across educational publishing, premium books, product packaging, museum materials, visitor guides, and other tactile print applications where accessibility and exceptional print quality are equally important.
As demand for accessible and inclusive printed communications continues to grow, digital embellishment is helping printers deliver experiences that are not only visually striking, but also accessible to a wider audience.
Key Takeaways
- ADC Nederland received Best of Show at the 33rd Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards for an innovative digitally produced Braille children’s book.
- The project demonstrates how Scodix digital embellishment enables accessible publishing without sacrificing creativity or premium print quality.
- Scodix Multi-Layer Embellishment (MLE™) technology produces durable, highly readable Braille by building successive micro-layers of polymer with exceptional precision.
- Scodix Smart High-Definition (SHD™) technology controls the precise placement and drop size of Scodix polymer to surface areas, providing precision sharp borders for the finest details designs.
- Digital production allows Braille, tactile graphics, and full-color illustrations to coexist seamlessly on the same page.
- Scodix technology supports premium uncoated and sustainable paper stocks by selectively priming only the embellished areas.
Ready to elevate your print with precision and premium embellishment?
FAQs
What is digital Braille printing?
Digital Braille printing creates raised Braille characters directly on printed materials using digital embellishment technology instead of traditional embossing dies. This enables faster setup, greater design flexibility, and precise alignment between Braille, text, and graphics.
How does Scodix produce digital Braille?
Scodix uses its innovative Multi-Layer Embellishment (MLE™) and Smart High-Definition (SHD™) technology to apply multiple precisely controlled layers of polymer, creating durable, highly consistent Braille characters without conventional embossing tools.
Can Braille be printed on uncoated and sustainable paper?
Yes. Scodix Multi-Layer Embellishment technology selectively primes only the areas where Braille will be produced, enabling durable tactile printing on premium uncoated and environmentally responsible paper stocks.
Why did ADC Nederland’s project win Best of Show?
The award-winning Braille children’s book demonstrated how digital embellishment can combine precise Braille, tactile graphics, vibrant illustrations, and premium print quality to create a truly engaging and accessible reading experience.
