Wide-format dye-sub printing opens up a world of opportunities for print shops that want to offer unique, light-weight graphics solutions for events, trade shows, home-décor applications, sports-arena displays, and more. As the applications and markets for fabric printing continue to grow, businesses can expand their fabric offerings to complement their existing screen-printing and/or digital imaging products. Now let’s take a closer look at how digital sublimation technology works.
In sublimation transfer printing, ink is applied to a carrier or transfer paper typically composed of a bond paper with an ink-receptive silicate coating. The coating is designed to allow the sublimation ink to be received onto the paper, and the coating controls the dot gain of the ink and optimizes the sublimation process. The image, which is a reverse image of the final design, is placed onto fabric and then pressed at a temperature of approximately 375°F until the image transfers or sublimates into the fabric.
In the direct printing method, fabric moves under inkjet printheads, and the image is printed onto the fabric, which may include an ink-receptive coating. The fabric is then passed through a heat-fixation device that causes the inks to sublimate and permanently bond to the material. The heat-setting equipment may be part of the printer or a standalone device.