Missy Donovan

Heating Up the Market

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Heating Up the Market

By Melissa Donovan

Textile printing equipment falls into three categories—direct to print via inkjet technologies like latex or UV, dye-sublimation (dye-sub) transfer, and dye-sub direct. While it may be more cost effective for a print service provider (PSP) to print directly to a textile using an existing printer like latex or UV, sublimation remains the predominant method of choice.

Graphics created via sublimation offer vivid prints and a high-quality feel. The act of sublimation requires heat. When inks are warmed, they turn into a gaseous state, and permeate the substrate. When direct dye-sub occurs, ink is sublimated directly onto the fabric. With transfer dye-sub, a graphic is printed onto transfer paper and then sublimated to the fabric through an external heat source.

Advancements on inkjet sublimation printers include build quality and width considerations, media handling, and ink. Demand is high as more PSPs become aware of the technology and what its adoption can do for their businesses. As the industry matures, these enhancements are a logical progression.

Build Quality and Width Considerations
New machines are introduced with higher productivity ratings to effectively handle larger runs, especially for those companies in the industrial fabric space.

For example, the Rhotex 322 from Durst Image Technology US is designed for heavy industrial use, with print speeds up to 1,506 square feet per hour (sf/h). EFI’s Reggiani portfolio of printers are also designed for high-speed, industrial printing. Inkjet Technology, Inc. recently announced its TX-3200DS printer, with a width of 3.2 meters and printing speeds of up to 1,300 sf/h in production quality mode. Mimaki USA, Inc. introduced in Spring 2016 the 3.2-meter TS500P-3200, developed for extra-wide textile applications in production transfer runs. It can print at speeds of 1,937 sf/h in four-color mode.

Wider width sublimation printers, some reaching five meters, create seamless prints and output at a higher capacity. Ryan Burton, digital printing specialist, Media One Digital Imaging Solutions, LLC, says wider machines eliminate the need to splice media together. This equates to less labor and minimizes the time it takes to complete graphics.

All applications benefit from the wider width. For soft signage, which also includes trade show exhibits, Keith Faulkner, president, Splash of Color, explains how demand for wider widths has increased. He specifically points to the introduction of silicone edge graphics displays, which require extra fabric to fit into the frame.

“Most exhibit and display builders require the ability to produce eight- to ten-foot panels without seaming for use as backdrops. In order to accomplish this, exhibit builders will select printers capable of handling fabric widths of 102 to 126 inches, providing sufficient fabric for eight- to ten-foot panels with finishing in mind,” he continues.

Interior décor also benefits from wider width devices. Similar to soft signage, these markets look for the opportunity to print efficiently, and this means with as little seams as possible. Ricardo Augusto Lie, partner managing director, Ampla Digital, cites wider devices as better accommodating applications in the bed and bath segment and curtains.

“The wider width print capability is also attractive to those serving the custom interior décor market as they can produce large, coordinated panels for window coverings and bed linens,” agrees Ryosuke Nakayama, manager, textile and apparel business development and marketing, Mimaki.

Media Handling
Fabric and transfer paper are tricky when it comes to controlling how they are run through the printer and then in some cases a heat press. Automated feeders and tension control tools all help stabilize the media at each end of the process.

“Stabilizing media is especially important in fabric sublimation printing. You are working with material that can wrinkle easily and with the cost of either fabric or transfer paper, customers need to ensure there is as little waste as possible,” recommends Mike Wozny, senior product manager, EFI.

According to Randy Anderson, product marketing manager, Mutoh America, Inc., the latest trend in sublimation is thinner paper, which requires finessing the media handling system a bit. To combat this, Mutoh created the ability on its printers to disable rollers in contact with the media to allow paper expansion outwards towards the sides rather than up, which causes cockling.

Robert Rychel, textile sales manager, Durst, stresses the importance of constant and consistent sensory measurement of the state of the media—weight, roll diameter, width, thickness, and actual tension. “The calculation of these measurements and then constant controlling of the right parameters allow the transporting of even difficult and dimensionally unstable media in a reliable and consistent way,” he suggests.

Weight is a challenge, especially as wider width printers are introduced. “As printers get bigger and faster, the rolls of media must also get longer and heavier, therefore needing more heavy duty methods to take up and feed,” shares Matte Gusse, VP sales and marketing, Advanced Color Solutions.

“Typically, the components in the machine need to be larger and sturdier to handle the stresses incurred from the width of the media. This includes the rollers transporting the paper, and the motors associated with unwind and rewind transport,” agrees Mark Sawchak, owner, Expand Systems, LLC.

For example, the Auto Media Feeder on the Mimaki TS500P-3200 applies calibrated tension to the media, maintaining stable and precise media feed and take up on rolls up to 286 lbs. “This also reduces telescoping of the media during take up and eliminates the potential for buckling or creasing during the calendar transfer process, thereby accommodating long run, full roll transfer,” shares Nakayama.

“Heavy-duty take-up systems that keep the paper wound tightly and evenly during roll-to-roll print are important because it allows users to move a printed roll of paper directly to a calendared heat press without having to make any manual adjustments. A tightly and evenly wound roll helps produce optimum results,” says Lily Hunter, product manager, textiles and consumables, Roland DGA Corporation.

Maintaining a constant tension across the entire print run is important. “More sophisticated systems use rubber-coated rollers to help grip the fabric and weighted dancing rollers to maintain constant tension regardless of how stretchy and dimensionally unstable the fabric might be,” shares Faulkner.

At Hollanders Printing Systems, according to Jaco Kramer, sales and marketing, Hollanders, its printers use two rubber rollers that keep the material in the print area with a specific amount of tension. The level of tension differs per material.

Fabric type effects the media feeding system. Juan Kim, CEO, Valloy Incorporation, says direct sublimation printers are generally equipped with a rubber roller feeding system, which works best for woven and non-stretchable fabrics. A silicone coated belt type is used for thin or stretchable textiles, but sometimes daily maintenance to recoat the belt is a challenge. Kim says some printers are now equipped with a belt consisting of hydrophobic plastic meshes with a vacuum as an alternative.

Ink Sets Evolve
Sublimation ink is also advancing. New ink sets provide higher quality with lower costs.

“New ink sets provide the highest quality prints and most value. These offer deeper, richer colors, greater gamut, more efficient yield, and higher resolution than previous formulations,” explains Jimmy Lamb, education manager, Sawgrass Inc.

For example, companies like Mimaki, Roland, and Sawgrass are introducing fluorescent inks, opening up more opportunities for digital print, as bright colors such as these are highly desirable in the sports apparel market.

Other new ink sets feature high density blacks. “These produce extremely rich blacks, improved color contrast, and use less ink in the process. High density inks have typically been prone to sedimentation, where if left in the printer for a period of time the ink solids will clump together and could potentially cause the printhead to fail,” shares Timothy Check, product manager – professional imaging, Epson.

Epson’s new UltraChrome DS with High Density Black encapsulates the ink solids, preventing them from clumping together and preventing any costly downtime if the printer’s ink channels clog.

“Economizing on ink usage is important. High coverage is fairly common in textile applications so it makes sense to save as much money as possible with ink costs. A patented ink circulation system on a printer can recover 95 percent of all nozzle outages without wasting a single drop of ink,” recommends Wozny.

Learn more about dye-sub ink in the August issue of Digital Output.

Demand from Many Markets
Demand for digitally printed textiles is increasing in different markets and it all comes back to the need for quick, quality prints that are unique and can help a company stand out from the crowd.

“The textile industry now perceives digital printing as an affordable option that will bring them flexibility and new ways of thinking in the manufacturing process of printed textiles that wasn’t available long ago,” says Augusto Lie.

Sawchak agrees. “The general primary drivers for the market demand of digital textile printing include the need for shorter runs, fast order response, more design options, and sustainability. These drivers are consistent across all of the markets, but the primary driver may vary per market.”

For signage, Rychel says usage is driven by the fact that fabric is “greener” and can help with sustainability targets. Also, being foldable and light allows for ease in shipping. “When you add the fact that fabrics also provide a better overall appearance, it is really no surprise that we are experiencing increased demand,” he continues.

“Apparel manufacturers are looking for solutions to turn designs into sellable goods in a minimal amount of time, while balancing inventory. With fashion products, some designs move slowly, while others have significant spikes in demand. With digital dye-sub, manufacturers are able to adapt and shift production to meet demand,” shares Check.

Hunter points to consumer demand as driving the use of sublimation in apparel. With performance wear mainly composed of polyester, dye-sub is ideal for uniforms, workout wear, and athleisure items.

“Changes in polyester fabric have made polyester the fabric of choice for sports and yoga by improving the look and feel of these fabrics, which spills over into fashion, plus the flood of products and specialty items that can be dye-sublimated make most applications limited only by the imagination of the designers,” adds Anderson.

Lamb believes that thanks to more knowledge of sublimation than ever before, appeal is more recognizable. “Customers see the quality of sublimated prints on all kinds of substrates and are increasingly buying these products. And where there is demand, you’ll find manufacturers designing products to meet those needs.”

The Logical Progression
Changes in build quality, printer width, media handling, and ink seem to be right on target when it comes to the evolution of sublimation printing technology and its place in the graphic arts.

“These changes are a logical progression in this industry. People are now able to produce applications that they weren’t able to do in the past with solvent and inkjet machines. They are able to have a higher margin when printing on different types of fabrics,” says Burton.

While he believes the advancements are on track for the industry as a whole, some believe the two separate segments—signage and apparel/décor—are at different points in their trajectories.

Check suggests that in the promotional goods and soft signage textile industries, growth is occurring in a logical progression because the companies involved are leveraging their experience with other sign products and applying it to dye-sub.

Conversely, “in the apparel industry, there are many purely analog producers today. These more traditional manufacturers recognize the need to transition to digital dye-sub, but the path to do so is unclear. I believe that we will see significant advancements in the apparel industry as the path to digital becomes clearer in the next several years,” he continues.

“I think sublimation is like electricity. Do you think Thomas Edison could see the logical progression? I don’t think so. I think we are really near the beginning. The markets that will benefit will likely be endless. Can you imagine ordering all custom furniture with exact patterns and colors? And having them delivered in two weeks or less? That’s the power of digital decorating,” concludes David Gross, president, Condé Systems, Inc.

Digital Sublimation
Enhancements in build quality, printer width, media handling, and ink all join together to achieve a common goal of advancing where and how sublimation print is used. Besides traditional markets like soft signage, trade show exhibitions, and backdrops, digitally sublimated print is now being seen in apparel and décor. Demand comes from the ever-present need to achieve cost-effective, quality print, and more markets are understanding digital’s integral role.

Click here to view the Textile Printers Target Chart – an all-inclusive information resource!

Jul2016, Digital Output

Turn Up the Finish on Sublimation and Heat Transfer

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Turn Up the Finish

By Cassandra Balentine

The use of a heat press is necessary for dye-sublimation (dye-sub) printing and heat transfer. Heat from the press executes the sublimation process, which is the act of converting ink to a gaseous state and infusing the textile fibers. In the case of heat transfer, sufficient heat is applied to bond graphics to a variety of materials.

Depending on the specific application, the operator’s expertise, and a shop’s volume and budgetary needs, a print service provider (PSP) offering dye-sub has a variety of choices. A range of heat press options are available, including smaller flatbed solutions, like popular clamshell and swing away, or rotary equipment.

Flatbed heat presses are limited to single piece work, while rotary presses enable roll-to-roll transfers. Aaron Knight, VP, Geo Knight & Co, Inc., describes flatbed heat presses as flat, rigid, single-area pressing machines while rotary—or calenders—are continuous, roll-fed solutions.

Henri Coeme, global sales manager, graphics imaging, HIX Corporation, breaks down flatbed presses further, explaining that clamshell presses are mostly sold in traditional transfer and direct-to-garment applications, whereas swinger or swing away presses are mostly sold to customers working with textile and non-textile sublimations.

Rotary heat presses typically involve a higher upfront cost, however, as Dan Kane, marketing manager, graphics, Royal Sovereign International, Inc., explains, the average user gains the ability to scale up production based on needs. These presses are ideal for sports and activewear apparel production.

Cost and Productivity
Cost and functionality are primary considerations for any equipment investment. This holds true for heat presses. Additionally, the type of applications created, past and present volumes, and environment help to narrow down whether a digital textile printer is looking at a clamshell, swing, or rotary solution.

When it comes to cost, Kane admits that it is difficult to say what the average print provider should expect to pay for a heat press. The size, width, and heating technology are all factors that affect the total cost of ownership.

Generally, depending on the level of automation and production expectations, heat presses range from around $1,000 to upwards of $150,000. Flatbed options run on the lower end and rotary presses on the higher end.

Manual clamshell solutions are priced lower, and semi-automatic models retail for over $1,000. Larger sized clamshell solutions can run much higher.

Swing away solutions are priced around $2,000 on the lower end for manual and higher for automated.

Kane points out that when it comes to clamshell or swing away presses, volume may be sacrificed for price. “Small 6×8-inch solutions can be purchased for under $1,500, while 44×64-inch presses can run up to $50,000.”

Coeme adds that oversized twin-platen presses can go for almost $5,000 while large format options list for about $25,000. “Swing away models are generally a little more expensive than comparable clamshell models because of their need for a more robust cantilever construction. Of course, automatic models are more costly than their manual counterparts,” he says.

Rotary/calender presses offer the highest productivity and a much larger price tag.

Kane shares that an entry-level, quality calender/rotary heat press could cost anywhere from $25,000 to $40,000 depending on heat technology, width, and drum diameter, while higher end calender/rotary presses with widths up to ten feet and drum diameters of over 30 inches could run upwards of $140,000 to $160,000.

Matt Gusse, VP, sales and marketing, Advanced Color Solutions, explains that rotary heat presses are generally manufactured at 40 to 132 inches in width and the machine’s speed is usually measured by the diameter of the drum. “The larger the drum the faster the machine can continually heat and output product,” he continues. For perspective on speed, with a ten-inch drum size, users can expect about two to three feet per minute, and five to seven feet for a 24-inch drum.

“PSPs need to take the time to analyze the total cost of operating a press including operator labor, power, and space within the facility. Customers entering the dye-sub market often start out with a single flat press and as demand for production builds, add a second flat press, which requires an additional operator, power, and floor space,” says Michael Pender, president, Supply55, Inc. He says they should consider a rotary press, which offers a higher production capacity with a single device.

Feature Sets
Budget, applications, and volume requirements are all factors that can bring a clear winner to the forefront when it comes to deciding on a flatbed option like clamshell or swing away, or a rotary heat press.

Flat Platen Presses
Clamshell heat presses include two platens that open and shut similar to a clamshell.

Zuzana Cloete, business development, Practix Manufacturing LLC, explains clamshell presses work exactly as they sound, the top opens up at an angle to expose the bottom platen. When the operator is ready, the top platen—or clam—comes down and the bottom platen will rise to meet the heater.

Clamshell solutions are ideal for environments with limited space. “The movement is up and down instead of side to side so the machine does not require a lot of area to operate,” suggests Cris Saunders, director of sales and marketing, Insta Graphic Systems.

Coeme says clamshell solutions provide the ability to open and close in a single motion—as opposed to swing away models that have two distinct movements, vertical and lateral.

Sue Wilcosky, marketing manager, Transfer Express, Inc., a Groupe Stahl Company, recommends PSPs consider portability. “A clam-style press is ideal for those planning to decorate on site at events,” she explains, adding that the size and weight of a clam-style press makes it great for traveling.

Jeff Hopkins, SVP, sales and marketing, Advanced Innovative Technologies, LLC, points out that while clamshell heat presses are easier to manufacture than other types of platen heat presses, he recommends vertical retraction platen heat presses for dye-sub due to pressure issues. “Clamshell presses are difficult to maintain even pressure over the course of the life of the press and especially in the case of varying thicknesses of substrates,” he offers.

Similar to a clamshell press, swing away models include two platens. However, with swing aways, the top platen always faces down. This provides unobstructed access to the entire platen and also keeps heat away from the user’s face and hands, explains Saunders.

While swing away presses enable operators to keep their hands away from the heat, they are a little more technical to operate compared to clamshell models. “The swing away presses are ideal for experienced operators and considered work horses,” advises Wilcosky.

Applications well suited for swing away solutions including sublimation, flock, rhinestone, and non-textile work.

Hopkins suggests that platen heat presses feature a simple design with few moving parts, leading to easy maintenance, installation, and servicing, as well as the ability to conform to rigid substrates.

In addition to the clamshell and swing away presses, tray or draw and shuttle-style platen solutions are also available.

Rotary
Aside from a higher investment cost, rotary presses come with more moving parts and maintenance.

Cloete says rotary presses are either air or oil heated, and each come with advantages and disadvantages. She suggests that oil heated systems are more expensive but provide consistent heat, while air machines offer faster heat up and cool down times.

Hopkins believes a primary benefit of roll-to-roll rotary presses is that heat is continuous and allows for maximum production. “Rolls of continuous fabric can be produced with no limitation on length.”

Marcus Tam, marketing manager, Eastsign International Ltd., points out that a clamshell or swing away heat press requires one worker that can make about two shirts in one hour, while rotary heat presses can double that productivity.

“The calender or rotary press offers the most versatile options by allowing the user to perform roll-to-roll transfers virtually up to any length, single piece-to-piece work—again not limited by length—or piece-to-roll production,” says Kane, noting that it is ideal for sports and activewear applications.

In addition to roll-to-roll models, rotary heat presses are also available for the production of cut parts printing used for apparel and individual part printing and transferring, adds Hopkins.

Automation
Productivity is costly. Automated solutions enable more volume but also come with a higher price tag.

Saunders recommends that users anticipating high production volumes invest in an automatic heat press. “When manual heat presses are used for high-volume production, it seems that output tends to drop over the course of the day. Manual equipment requires a significant amount of physical labor to run the machines.”

Gusse agrees, noting that automated machines are designed with productivity in mind and lead to less user fatigue and lower error rate.

Automation also leads to predictability. “Automatic heat presses are far more consistent for setting pressure and relieve the operator of long bench pressing workouts due to the push-button automatic closing/opening nature of the operation,” says Knight. He adds that manual presses are more popular but require effort with opening and closing, and operators need to get a feel for setting the pressure.

However, automation does come with its own set of challenges. For example, these devices typically weigh more and cost more to ship. They may also require a compressor and consume more electricity overall.

Advancements
Heat presses are affected by the recent trend of more digital textile printing applications. To serve this segment, new feature sets are added and existing ones are evolved.

Saunders believes that the push to digital textile printing has definitely affected the heat press industry in regard to machinery options, features, and usage. “With direct-to-garment machinery, you are using heat presses for pre- and post-curing of garments after the digital print. With the sublimation boom, you are seeing larger heat presses used for applications of digital papers to various substrates.”

Digital textiles require a variety of new features, including higher and more consistent heat applied with even pressure across the platens, clamshells with pre- and post-curing options, larger footprints, automatic release, and hovering and interchangeable platens for printing various substrates, offers Saunders.

“We’ve seen an increase in print providers moving from flat heat presses to calender heat presses to improve workflow and production capacity. Additionally, the direct-to-fabric market has grown to include natural fiber printing, which requires a calender press for fixation,” offers Pender.

Knight believes the rise of digital textile printing has led to more accurate digital controls, pressure indicators and helpers, and storable presets.

Turning Up the Heat
While a seemingly simple piece of equipment, heat presses are essential for sublimation and heat transfer. To ensure consistency, it is important to invest in quality solutions that are right for your particular environment.

Jul2016, Digital Output