The DTG Column
Other important features of a pre-treatment machine are a recirculation system in all tanks to circulate and ensure consistency of the liquid and avoid sedimentation. A machine that lets you use more than one solution at a time is a great time saver in production. So, you could have standard pre-treat for dark shirts and a second pre-treat for light shirts so that you can pre-treat any garment whenever you need to, without the need to drain and refill. Finally, if you can find a machine that has an isolated spraying chamber, this will protect the electrical and moving parts from the mist of the pre-treatment solution which will reduce maintenance on the machine and maximise its up-time. Once the pre-treat has been applied your final stage is to cure the pre-treatment, which is usually done with a heat press or dryer – drawer or tunnel. A heat press achieves two key factors, it dries the pre-treatment, according to the time and temperature that is recommended by the manufacturer, and also acts to flatten any fibres on the garment that are sticking up and could affect the quality of your print. The downside of a heat press dry of pre-treatment is if you have applied too much pre-treatment then the garment can have a square halo-mark on it where the heat press has been, but this can be overcome by controlling how much
pre-treatment is used. I should point out the halo mark does wash out. If you or your end customer has a problem with this ‘square mark’ you can dry your pre-treat with a dryer. This will dry the pre-treatment efficiently and avoid the imprinted mark on the garment. The preference really depends on your end customer and your equipment budget.
Whichever system you opt for, be sure to ask your ink and pre-treatment manufacturer for times, temperature, and pressure recommendations for curing and fixing of everything. As with all things in life do your research, question your suppliers, and make the right decision for your business. Pre-treatment is as important a part of DTG as the DTG printing itself so don’t be tempted to save money and cut corners in this area, you will likely regret it.
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
Automate your workflow with a pre-treatment machine
There are multiple solutions to choose from when it comes to pre-treatment
Consistent spraying can be achieved with a pre-treatment machine
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