The DTF Column
Top maintenance tips D
TF transfer technology is a great new way to decorate garments and textiles that not only produces transfers with a fantastic look and feel but with a ‘cost per print’ that is lower than any other digital transfer process. With the correct inks, powder and printer, and most importantly a good RIP, you can achieve a full colour A3 print for less than 70p!
Many garment decorators opted away from direct to garment printing in the past because of the pre-treatment process required when using white ink. DTF breaks this cycle and requires no pre-treatment but still offers the soft hand water-based ink produces.
Because of the durability enhanced by the ink and adhesive, DTF printing is ideal for all kinds of apparel including workwear, fashion, sports, and selected performance fabrics. This makes the DTF technology perfect for all garments decorators.
Maintenance
One issue with DTF as with DTG is the emphasis on maintenance. White ink can be challenging if not looked after correctly. With some adapted and modified printers, the print heads are not adequate to cope. Therefore, a machine with good print heads is a must. Epson i3200 are the best print heads currently available.
of the bottle, so it is essential the ink is shaken before adding to your printer. After shaking you must also make sure that the ‘froth’ has settled before adding or you could risk getting air in the system.
Shake your white ink before use
When the printer is not in use it’s essential you keep some moisture in the print heads so wet capping is suggested, particularly on the white heads. Print heads are expensive at around £1,000 to replace so looking after them is critical. If you get dried ink in the head, it can be a challenge to unblock but can sometimes be recovered. But if the head strikes the film, it could mean a new head unless you act immediately. The adhesive on the front of the film will get stuck in the nozzles and set. So, it is essential, if the film touches the head, you stop printing straight away and manually clean the head. After that it will need wet capping; if you’re using standard solution this will be over 12 hours but there are now very strong head recovery solutions available that can recover the head in 30 minutes. Be careful though as the strong solution will attack the rubber in the capping station if left too long. Make sure you follow the instructions to the letter. Please note, a DTF printer should never be left unattended.
Trouble free Epson i3200 print head
While sitting on a shelf the sediment in the white ink will settle to the bottom
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
With new and improved films and paper media now available the potential damage to the head will hopefully be reduced. Do not be scared off though, if you follow the correct procedures DTF printing will be trouble free.
Nathan Newbury, TheMagicTouch’s head of technical, provides decorators with advice on how to look after the print heads in their direct to film printers.
Previously many DTG users dismissed the quality and feel of the decorated end product compared to DTG. With DTG the direct spray means you can achieve nice blends, fade outs and halftones. However, with the correct RIP, for example CADLink Digital Factory, or our own DTF Magic RIP, you can achieve these effects and more.
As well as the option to automatically halftone, these RIPs also have a function or queue called ‘Knock Me Black Out’ (which can also be set for any other colour not just black). This feature of the black removal provides a variety of benefits to direct to film printers and further enables the simulation of DTF prints to direct to garment quality when printing on black T shirts. The feature provides the ability to either automatically or manually remove black components within a design prior to printing. Removing black (or being able to remove any colour component) from a design and using the garment background colour to replace it provides enhanced final print quality, as well as a reduction on ink costs.
Nathan Newbury with a DTF print on a black T shirt
Again, different films can also really help with the final feel and from some recent testing DTF paper gives the best hand on a garment I have ever felt.
June 2024 | 47 |
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