THE PROS AND CONS OF DYE SUBLIMATION FABRIC PRINTING

Dye sublimation printing is the process of sublimating dyes into cloth. The graphic is initially printed using this graphic press technique on heat transfer paper using a printer that uses CMYO dye cartridges instead of the more conventional CMYK ink set. The CMYO Heat Transfer Paper and Dye Set While a dye sublimation printer employs the CMYO dye set, which stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and a clear overprint, a normal digital printer uses the CMYK ink set, which is for Cyan, Yellow, and Black. Printers using inkjet and sublimation technologies cannot simply be switched. Once a printer is configured to print dyes, it is difficult to switch it back to printing CMYK inks. With sublimation, any graphic image is first printed on heat-transfer paper, a paper that takes dyes, before being pressed onto a cloth. Printing on Post-Heat Transfer Paper After that, a polyester fabric is heated to a temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit and pressed onto the printed paper. The polymer cells in the fabric expand under heat and pressure, while at the same time, the colors change from liquid to gaseous state. Fabric Prints that Are Permanent and Fade Resistant In the heat-pressurized, opening polymer cells, the dyes in their converted gas state are filled. The opening polymers close as it cools down after going through that procedure, permanently trapping the gaseous dyes inside the polyester fabric. Unlike inkjet printing, which produces dot patterns, gaseous dyes provide a continuous photographic print tone instead. The Benefits of Fabric Sublimation Printing 1) Constant Print Tone in Photographs This is the same as what I described earlier. Using dye sublimation, it is possible to create images that are as smooth as those in photographs. The entire print had a better aesthetic appeal since it produced brighter color variations and transitions than inkjet printing. 2) Printed Dyes Are Not Easily Fadable The dyes won’t simply flake off, unlike some other ordinary inks, especially those used in garments for t-shirt printing or hard substrates, because they are sublimated or permanently incorporated within the fabric. The Drawbacks of Fabric Dye Sublimation When it comes to the drawbacks of dye sublimation fabric printing, there aren’t many. However, allow me to share with you a few thoughts I have. 1) Slower printing speed Since there are two steps in the printing process—the printing on the heat transfer paper and the sublimation phase—it takes longer than inkjet printing. This has considerable bearing on labor costs as well. Today’s sublimation printers, however, run both the paper and the fabric through heated rollers as they complete the graphic press process. 2) A Production Problem The production problem has been resolved with the more recent dye sub printers. It was common in the past, and it still is today, for things to get wrinkled on paper or fabric. This can destroy printed fabrics. When it occurs, you must repeat the process. Those that are still having this problem are likely still utilizing ancient sublimation printers, which would cost more per square foot for broad format sizes. However, many stores still do not have the more modern printers. WHO THE AUTHOR IS For more than 20 years, Barry K. Brown has worked in the sign, banner, decal, and display industries. The company has an A+ rating from the BBB as of 2014. We offer FREE Quotes and Wholesale Prices. Although it’s not what he had originally planned to do with his life, he claims that he knows too much today to do anything else! He started promoting these goods online in 1998, and the sign business he oversaw at the time was the first to be featured on Yahoo!

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