Ten Advantages of Sublimation Transfer Paper For Digital Textile

Thermal transfer paper with special thermal transfer ink to various patterns printed on a special paper above, then the temperature and pressure will shift again to the pattern on the product. This particular paper in a thermal transfer process is called the thermal transfer paper. It refers to the transfer sheet after transfer printing dye transfer printing process to the top of the fabric. It is based on some of the characteristics of sublimation disperse dyes, and the choice in 150 ~ 230 ° C sublimation disperse dyes, which blend and paste the "color ink", according to the different requirements of the design patterns, the "color ink" printing in the transfer paper to (this is a special off paper, it said transfer paper), then the printed patterns of close contact with the transfer paper and fabric, in the case of control of a certain temperature, pressure and time, through diffusion effect into the interior of the fabric, so as to achieve the purpose of coloring.


Thermal transfer paper it can be divided into the following advantages:

1.100% sustainable wood pulp, 100% renewable

2.100% unbleached fibers, do not add brighteners, chlorine element, the transfer process, no harmful emissions

3. Hybrid dual coating structure to support the amount of ink saturation print 400% crack-free film, no back penetration, good paper smoothness, high print accuracy, structured, color gamut

4. Different surface tension ink compatibility is good, high tolerance, support industrial grade unattended operation

5. The full size error <2%, reel points section neat, precise feed back on both sides of the wet process technology does not warp, deformation of high wet strength, low-speed large amount of ink to print without distortion, the nozzle opening Guaceng

6. ink absorbing capacity, reduce passive drying fast drying, improve production efficiency, paper flowers no longer moving pollution, reduce scrap rates

7, high thermal stability, no distortion, no wrinkle, high paper strength, easy to break

8, high ink utilization efficiency, the transfer rate

9, paper flowers drying time was no color, stable color performance

10, full-line control, evaluation system, stable quality, service radius effective coverage

 Follow Us:

5 Steps Show You How Digital Printing Paper & Ink Works On Fabric

HOW DIGITAL TEXTILE PRINTING WORKS

To better understand how digital textile printing works on fabric, and to help you define your needs and possible solution requirements, we have defined the 5 basic parts to the process.

1. Fabric

Fabric comes in many different properties such as natural fibers, 100% synthetic, blends of synthetic and natural fibers and in either 2 or 4 way stretch or non-stretch. Each fabric can be digitally printed and you have choices of ink that allow you to print on these fabrics. Many of our customers print natural fiber, non-coated fabrics with our P50i Pigment ink for soft furnishing and fashion applications because of how easy it is to fix after printing. However, some customers use our  dye sublimation inks for their synthetic fabrics because of the desired color gamut and how the finished product will be used. (Example: flags and banners, sportswear or soft signage) Knowing your fabric helps define the printing solution.

2. Ink

The biggest question to address when it comes to digital textile printing is what ink to use, and the answer is determined by the desired fabric and use of the fabric. See the chart below for a general description of what ink is used on different types of fabrics and the necessary finishing steps for each ink.

Pigment ink – Natural and Synthetic fibers: Currently the ink we manufacture the most for soft furnishings, interior decoration and fashion clothing is p50i pigment ink. This ink is a true pigment ink in that there is a pigment colored particle suspended within a binder system in the ink. The binder enables the ink to adhere to the fiber after fixation (roll fixation Calendar). There are 8 colors in the ink set including; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, (true) Gray, Orange, Violet and Red. This ink set provides for a good color gamut, though the color gamut is not as wide as is possible with dye-based inks. This ink can also print onto the widest range of fabrics including cotton, silk, rayon, cotton/poly blends, and 100% polyester in a variety of weights. No pre-treatment is necessary however optional pretreats are available that increase the color gamut and also the wash fastness but a specific pretreat machine is required. This is becoming extremely popular as Pigment inks are a greener solution that require no water and specialized fixation, steaming or washing etc in process. And when a printer and pretreat machine are added the results are quite spectacular and favored by architects and designers.

Acid & Reactive ink – Natural Fibers: There are 2 different types of common dye based inks available to digital printers. The dye-based inks require the use of a fabric with a specific pre-treatment. Acid and Reactive inks require moist heat as in steaming for fixation. The advantage of the dye-based inks is the color gamut is wider. A general rule of thumb is that the same type of ink should be used digitally in an application that is printed by screen printing. A softer hand or feel is common along with a better wash fastness because of the nature of the Dye inks. Dye inks penetrate fabrics extremely well but require a lot of processing steps to make it ready for use. Typically pretreating, heat, washing and steaming are employed to fixate fabrics. The equipment required in process is typically industrial and specialized. We recommend Acid and Reactive inks for larger scale operations where the meters printed per hour warrant the capital investment.

Sublimation/Disperse Dye ink – Polyester, Lycra and Spandex: applications for Sublimation ink is banners or flags, soft signage and sportswear. The fabric is typically high content Polyester, Lycra and Spandex. Sublimation is the most popular with class 1 and 2 printers. Once printed you transfer off a sublimation ink receptive paper roll or direct print to the fabric. Heat fixation >200ºC is needed for the gaseous dye transfer to polyester fibers. The colors are brighter and leave no hand or feel are wash and UV stable. For higher speed printers it’s essential to have a degassed ink delivery system and the print heads that is used will need to have a calibrated ink to perform well, or offer long term repeatability. The heat fixation process is either with a Heat Press or Roll fixation Calendar. A broad range of colors (15) including Neon are readily available.

3. Printers

There are several types of printers in the market, but all of them can be placed into 1 of 3 classes based primarily on types of ink or fabric feeding methods.

Class 1 type printers generally run sublimation/disperse dyes in combination with transfer papers – Sizes of printers and speeds are relative to your market needs. Curing is either by heat press or heat fixation Calendars. (Sportswear manufacture, soft signage and hard surface products).

Class 2 printers are for direct to fabric printing and generally are the same printer but with a gutter for printing strike through. This is especially useful in banner printing, like class 1 they still use sublimation/disperse dye inks but can print direct to non-stretch treated polyester fabrics. Curing is mostly done with a roll fixation Calendar. (Sportswear and Soft Signage note: Calendars will transfer and fixate cut pieces for apparel manufacture).

Class 3 printers are designed to print fabrics with stretch. Typically Synthetics and natural fibers that have 2 way or 4 way stretch properties. The main difference is that the feeding system has been developed to make sure there is minimal shift in the fabric as it is fed through the printer. There is primarily two types of stretch fabric feeders. One utilizing a large blanket or conveyor that needs a glue to be applied so that fabric is held firm while being printed. The other type is via a roll fed device with a pressure roller. Both work well but it really is dependent on the speed of the prints and type of printer that is incorporated. For example the lower cost industrial Japanese printers like Roland, Mimaki and Mutoh typically run at production speeds of depending on the model– A roller fed device will be all that is needed because of the relative slow speeds of print and fabric feed. A bespoke printer with larger heads like Ricoh, Konica Minolta etc will run a lot faster because of the number of print heads they use – These printers can reach speed up to 200-400sqm/h and all typically employ a sticky belt/blanket.

4. Software

The software that comes with the printer converts the data generated in the design created on a computer into information the printer can understand. It will optimize the colors of the design to get as close a match to what you want as possible. It also tells the printer where to place the ink drops and in what size. Some software programs will also let you manipulate an image with steps, repeats and drops so that you don’t have to do that in the design software such as Photoshop.

5. Fixing the Fabric

The ink and the fabric you choose will determine how your fabric needs to be fixed (finished):

• Pigment Ink – Dry Heat – Typically through a roll fixation Calendar or Heat Press
• Acid Dye – Steam – Wash – Dry – Typically large Industrial specialized equipment
• Reactive Dye – Steam – Wash – Dry – Typically large Industrial specialized equipment
• Dispersed Dye/ Sublimation – Dry Heat – Typically through a roll fixation Calendar or Heat Press

At Pigmentinc we have been processing fabrics digitally for well over decade and our combined expertise in ink manufacture and fixation has led us to be the first choice for a number of well-known brands and companies. We specialize in-plant setups and can deliver textile decorating solutions through all stages of the process. From simple t-shirts to all over building banners. We also offer a training facilities in Australia, Singapore, Europe and the U.S to help operators, and educational facilities understand the correct process and techniques.

 Follow Us:

The New Wave of Digital Fabric Printing Technology With Sublimation Materials

Textile printing is a method by which fabrics are printed in various colors, arts and designs. It is a very old art developed and created on fabrics in Egypt during 5000 B.C. Fabrics also found printed in Greek during 4th century. B.C, also it is noted that printing blocks were sourced from India in 5th century. B.C. During that time, France acknowledged as popular center of this type of cloth production and printing. Japan was popular for adding stencil work in wood by making blocks and further by pasting dies and prints it in fabrics.

In the Mid-15th Century, with the invention of printing press by John Gutenberg there was a drastic change seen in printing technology and textile printing. After practicing by William Caxton in England, there was a remarkable widespread seen in relief printing technology in 1476. In sixteen and seventeen century with the export of spices, India became major provider of printing fabrics and products, like calico, pajama, gingham, dungaree, chintz and khaki according to the requirement of European countries. Then by the efforts by Grant, Thomas Bell and many printers, with the invention of wood block (1760), copper block (1770) and copper roller (1797) printing technology in the eighteenth century, especially the trend of cotton printing spread, still it can be seen at the Toile de Jouy Museum.

The history of fabric printing in Dartford goes away with Augustus Applegath's acceptance of a silk printing works in the town and it sustained until 1865 when James Keymer established a new fabric printing works on the banks of the River Darent. In 1907 Samuel Simon was used a fabric printing system in which the designs were shaped from stencils through screen printing machines. In 1940's first photographic stencil was built up by Colin Sharp. After development of computers, the printing process and its developments geared up in their colors.

Development in last two decades

With the improvement in the printing technology, color inkjet printers played an important role in digital fabrics for the consumer market in the late 1980s. That time Canon and Hewlett-Packard became leaders in the printing technology. Canon's Bubble Jet printers were received so acceptance in the market. Again latest technology geared up in their improvement with the existence of a large format color inkjet printer - the Iris printer in the 1990s, but that technology was not considered as ideal tool for the fabrics due to light sensitive color problem, rather it was accepted for paper printing.

Earlier, direct printing method used for fabric with the computer and the printing is made with the computer inks; it was the time where fabric was printed using only black images or text because of the availability of only laser printers and ribbon printers and there were no color printers. In 1999 Bubble Jet Set printing technology developed, which permits fabric to be treated, amalgamated to freezer paper with an iron and then operate through an ink jet printer.

The meaning of Digital fabric/Textile Printing

The digital fabrics printing technology is existed since last decade, it emerged after 1994. It is a skill that prints the designs on fabric, immediately from your computer, without extra efforts just like printing and designing a paper. Digital textile printing is a flexible tool and a key acceptable to the vision of mass customization. It permits the user to evade the screen making process, offering the chance for quick changes to color or design elements prior to printing.


Advantages of digital fabric printing over traditional printing technology

Generally, textile printing has been operated through transferring media, such as screens and rollers. Each transferring media is designed and allocated for a specific color. A block printing and engraved copper printing are operating through these methods. A number of woodblocks that are designed in block printing give a number of colors in design. Advantage of using this type of method is that you can have three dimensional effects due to its color separation and layers, and still today rotary screen printing method is used in designing of traditional floral patterns and toile designs. Mechanical or traditional fabric printing methods some times manipulate in both way, by design aesthetics and styles, while in the field of printed textile design with the latest digital fabric printing technology it enhanced the style and meaning of printed textile design. It is a fact that the new latest methods of digital printing on fabrics have exposed new horizons to the designers and manufacturers. Digital printing methods have facilitated manufactures to make a digital sampling and have advantages of change in designs before engraving. By adopting digital printing techniques you can re-adjust conventional printing design and can able to give new looks in design.

Today, many customers are demanding fabrics to be printed with various color combinations, styles, designs, traditional designs and looks, but to co-up with these customization demands there has been a limitation to attend the entire mass market with traditional printing technology. Digital printing profits over conventional printing it provide noteworthy benefits like quick turn-around, efficient set-up and speed, economical and great flexibility, takes less time, alteration possible etc. And in today's customer oriented market the printing technology is not limited to wearing wears; but it bounds to its limits and reaches to the requirements of trade show graphics, picture of huge fabric posters of television and movie stars, advertising purposes, flags and banners and many mores.

Unlike any traditional textile printing technology, the main benefit of digital fabric printing is in its process color application with its latest printers, software applications. Photographic and tonal graphics shaped millions of colors with Photoshop and can be printed on fabric according to the color combination requirement. Wider color scope and finer printing quality are available with the latest development of inks, color management software. In the traditional process colors of CMYK sublimation inks, you can have various color combination with addition of extra preset colors like orange, blue, green, and also there is availability of various type of software with these complex color combination. These preset colors reduce importance of screens or rollers for printing, and there is no need of repeat the size and other combination with no limit with color combinations in designs.

From digital textile printing technology you can have latest innovative and creative deigns like concepts of shadow, shimmering, vibration, reflection, moire, optical, translucent, netting, blurring, layering, superimposing, etc., instead of making special efforts with traditional methods of printing. Today, the printing technology developed so tremendously and became so eco-friendly, user-friendly that, even designers can make its products without taking help from textile designers.

Follow Us:

Dye Sublimation Printing For Digital Garments

Garment printing was all but untouched by technology for two thousand years. The most popular method of transferring a design onto a piece of clothing was called screen printing. It consisted of applying ink or paint onto a stenciled design and then stamping it onto a garment. Archeologists tell us that the technique originated in China before the Common Era.

Technology finally offered up a new option in the late 1980s. That was when the first color inkjet printers were introduced by Hewlett-Packard and Canon. Of course, these printers didn't reproduce designs on fabrics, but it wasn't long before one was modified to do so.

The first digital printing on garments was little more than a novelty. Bubble jet printers could be used to recreate pictures and designs on basic white T-shirts and fabrics. But the technology and the materials were far too expensive for regular, working businesses.

The Iris printer was the first large color inkjet printer that was designed to print on something other than paper. The textile industry recognized its potential and invested in the new technology. In the early 1990s, however, it was little more than a test project. The machine was capable of digital printing basic designs on short run production. Replacement cartridges and parts were simply too expensive for the machine to handle high volume printing.

The addition of relatively inexpensive dye-sublimation inks encouraged companies in the textile industry to invest in digital printing. In time, however, they realized that these dye were inexpensive for a reason, i.e., they were not durable. Not only did they fade in the sunlight, but they ran when they got wet.

The technology was virtually abandoned by all but the true believers who were willing to invest in making the ink waterproof. A product known as Bubble Jet Set offered a simple solution to the problem. It new ink bonded to natural fibers, which made it waterproof. What are the pros and cons?
Digital printing on garments is still expensive. Nearly twenty years after the technology was introduced, it has yet to catch on with small printers. The question has always been price. There is no doubt that digital printing creates a superior product than the other garment printing methods. Not only is the picture clearer and more colorful, but it also does not change the texture or the feel of the garment. Unfortunately, few small businesses can afford the initial investment in digital printers or the costs of replacement parts and repairs.

Follow Us:

10 Concepts for Maximizing Productivity in Sublimation Printing Garment Decoration

Whether you deal with contract printing, custom printing or otherwise, the following simple concepts will make for building a lean, mean production machine.

1. Specialization
Just as specialization of labor revolutionizes a primitive economy on a macro scale, it also revolutionizes a shop on a smaller scale. Employees become ultimately proficient at performing a single job function, day-in and day-out. Multiple employees participating in simultaneous and coordinated batch tasking is essential to maximizing productivity. Specialization of this kind can be easily achieved in a high volume environment, but may be more difficult in a smaller operation, as certain functions do not require the full time dedication of an employee. In this case too much specialization could prove impractical. Regardless of the environment, an appropriate level of specialization should be sought.

2. Documentation
In my business, a large percentage of our print runs are repeated. Pre-production sampling is common so repeat ability is a necessity. Though our art department provides detailed print specifications for every graphic, modifications with respect to screen mesh,dye inks, press settings, etc. may be required to produce desired results. Such modifications, if not properly documented, will present challenges when the time comes to reprint a graphic. Valuable press time will be lost as employees engage in recollection and guesswork. This is just one example of the importance of documentation, but the concept applies throughout the operation.

3. Organization
Organization breeds productivity through efficiency. Productivity gurus have made fortunes espousing this simple concept. Most of us already know the value of organization; the difficult part is creating and maintaining organization. Though we understand the value, we are not naturally inclined to organization. It seems daunting. Well, yes, creating organization is daunting but maintaining organization is not and while most people may not be willing or capable of creating an organized environment, they are certainly capable of maintaining one. In the pursuit of maximizing productivity through efficiency, it is absolutely essential to create top-down organization within your operation and hold all accountable for its maintenance.

4. Simplification
Simplification is often thought of as a lack of sophistication, however in a production environment this couldn't be further from the truth. Simplification is about reducing variables and creating control in a sophisticated process. Simplification should be considered when establishing procedure and protocol, purchasing equipment and supplies, creating schedules, etc. Basically, less is more.

5. Communication
We are in the business of handling enormous amounts of information, as much as we are in the business of printing T-shirts. Obtaining the vital information needed from our customers can be a challenge in itself. Moreover, properly conveying the key elements of this information throughout the organization is essential for smooth production. We must control this aspect of our business effectively and put a great emphasis on the most effective methods of delivering information. We should first ask: Does the information coming through customer service get broken down effectively, giving each department the information it needs to perform their function correctly, through means of a work order? If communication is unclear between customer service and the production crew, valuable time is usurped while the staff attempts to discern what expectations are.

6. Standardization
Like the simplification concept, standardization is another way of reducing variables. Standardization relieves the individual performing the task from subjective thought and allows them to follow objective guidelines instead. Not only does this save a considerable amount of time, it creates consistency throughout the operation.

• In the art department: Proofing and separation templates
• In the screen department: Standardized screen-prepping procedure
• On press: Standardized press settings, standardized print placements and standardized print approval criteria
• In packaging: Standardized box sizes, labels and packaging protocol

7. Automation
Machines augment labor. The concept of automation in a screen printing shop is quite simple: Automate wherever and whenever possible. However, for us early adopters, new technology must be evaluated for reliability and efficacy and overall value.

8. Preparation
Much like the workings of a busy restaurant, where prep work begins in the early morning hours, long before the dinner rush, so too must prep work be done in advance of a busy day of printing. This includes staging inks, screens and garments in advance.

The press should never be held up because the garments are still being unpacked or because inks are still being mixed. In addition, prior to the start of the morning shift, an opening team preps the production floor for the incoming crew, by firing up all equipment, changing and tacking pallet paper, replenishing press supplies, performing a quick clean up, etc.

9. Anticipation
What do you anticipate for the near future workload? An unanticipated increase in production volume can be taxing on any operation. If order entry and pre-press get backed up, it creates a domino effect, and a pile-up in production. When this occurs, panic sets in, production gets thrown into reaction mode, preparation goes by the wayside and all inefficiencies are lost. Having foresight for what is coming down the pipeline can help you prepare for the increased workload.

10. Participation
All of the above mentioned concepts are wasted if only one member of the team adopts them. Implementing these concepts requires at least some level of participation and commitment to maximizing productivity by all of the members of an organization.

Follow Us:

High-Speed Papet Supporting Thermal Printer For Thick Printing Paper

Over the years, the printing industry has seen major revolutions that have completely altered the prerequisites for the entire industry. Desktop publishing totally eliminated the typesetting profession some fifteen years ago. Now, the rapid growth of digital printing and the convergence of digital and offset printing tend to make new demands on the finances of the printing industry.    

This rapid growth is a result of technological developments. Only a few years ago, offset printing and rotogravure were unchallenged when high demands were placed on print quality and speed. Today, both ink-jet printing and electroencephalographic printing are capable of high speeds and high print quality. This means that the areas in which the various printing processes are financially feasible are beginning to overlap, and it is not obvious whether a certain print job should be run on offset or on one of the available digital printing processes. The possibility of making every copy unique makes digital printing more flexible than conventional printing techniques.

In the near future, rapid growth is foreseen for digital printing. However, it is believed that a fast technical development in the digital printing processes will have to be matched by a corresponding development in the printing  paper. Today, the volumes of paper being used in elector photographic printing are much greater than the volumes of paper used in high-speed ink-jet printing. However, several reports predict a very rapid growth for high speed  ink-jet paper grades . This can also be expected for packaging materials. These predictions justify efforts to study the physics and chemistry involved in the extremely fast ink-jet processes that are forecast to prevail in the future and to design an optimized substrate accordingly.

Ink-jet printing technology is based on microscopic ink drops emitted under pressure from a jet onto a substrate. Ink-jet printing raises new demands on the properties of printing paper. An optimum uncoated surface is said to consist of a mat of fibers with an evenly distributed gradient of sizing, additives and fillers. When the sizing and fillers are distributed unevenly on the surface, aqueous inks tend to wick along the exposed paper fibers, significantly degrading the quality of the ink-jet print. 

A coating provides a homogeneous surface for ink penetration, overcoming the difficulties of winking, and also provides a bright surface and yields a high print contrast . The surface of inkjet papers-should further be engineered to be a highly absorbent interface that at the same time exhibits micro-capillarity on a defined scale .

 The influence of the paper structure on the ink-jet drop impact and spreading must be considered (Oliver 1984). New paper making technologies regarding internal sizing and surface sizing systems will make it possible to enhance the  color gamut volume and the print sharpness on the paper. In order to achieve a high print sharpness, care should

further be taken not to have too high a liquid penetration rate in the paper

 Follow Us: