Silk is a delicate fabric, and pretreatment is necessary before printing on it. Silk needs to be treated to absorb ink and accept stencils. The coating process is carried out by a fabric finisher or an external textile printer. It is important to calibrate the printer to avoid over or under printing, as too much ink may cause the print to lose colour or crimp. To ensure a high quality result, the fabric must be well-conditioned before printing.
Single-pass industrial textile printers
Digital textile printers print colours onto fabrics through microdroplets of ink. The computer reads the image and reproduces the desired colour by applying tiny droplets of ink to the fabric. The printing process can produce a wide range of colours including metallic and special colours. The process is also capable of printing images in two-colour schemes: CMYK and RGB. Here are some examples of textile printers.
CMYK ink is used in digital textile printing. Its ink is water-based and soaks into the fabric easily. Non-porous fabrics, on the other hand, have a difficult time absorbing the ink and can cause bleeding. To avoid bleeding, some printing machines use pre-heating the fabric and using bonding chemicals. However, reactive dyes aren’t ideal for silk or wool.
Digital textile printers are capable of producing colourful silks and other fabrics. This printing method has become popular among manufacturers for many applications. Manufacturers can use this method to print on both silks and t-shirts. The process involves the same mechanics as standard inkjet printing, but with more stages and techniques. Digital textile printers have become the preferred choice for silk printing. In this process, designs are transferred from a computer to the fabric via a specialized device that makes the printing process a breeze.
Digital textile printers support a variety of different inks. CMYK plus 4 special neon colors can be printed on polyester fabric. Digital textile printers also offer the versatility of printing short samples, production orders, and even full-color designs. This printing technology fulfills the demands of the fashion industry, which focuses on individuality in fashion design concepts. Moreover, the new digital textile inkjet control system supports variable-dot size settings, which improves the ink covering volume per unit time.
Light-sensitive emulsions to cut stencils
Inks that are suitable for digital textile printers are called photopolymer inks. These inks have high solids and quick-developing properties. They contain pigments that provide color to the printed image. They are also known as plastisol inks. PVC is used to make the inks, which are then absorbed into the textiles.
Dual-cure emulsions are among the best choices for all kinds of screen printing. They use a photo-reactive chemical called dichromate to react with the light. They are also highly effective for LED exposure units and offer high-resolution results. Light-sensitive emulsions have a high solid content, and this contributes to faster drying and a sharp stencil. Dual-cure emulsions are ideal for cold-weather printing.
Diazo-mixed emulsions are best for units without timers. However, the curing reaction is more slow than diazo-mixed emulsions. Therefore, these inks should be used for intermediate printers. Light-sensitive emulsions are more expensive than diazo-mixed emulsions.
In digital textile printing, the acetate screen with the design is placed onto a mesh screen. The acetate screen is then placed under bright light to harden the emulsion. This ensures that only the parts of the screen that are covered with the design are liquid. The printing process is repeated for each item on the printing board. Afterwards, the emulsion is washed off from the mesh screen to create new stencils for another project.
Another advantage of using light-sensitive emulsions is that they are highly sensitive and have longer self-life. As a result, they produce a good resolution and definition. They are also durable for long-term printing. Light pollution can make the screen over-exposed, resulting in jagged or sawtooth edges and lost detail. They are also prone to fogging, especially when not stored properly.
Reactive dyes to print on silk fabric
A digital textile printer can print reactive dyes directly onto silk fabric. The process for this type of printing is similar to acid dyes, but it cures much quicker. In contrast, pigment inks do not penetrate the fabric, staying on the surface. This type of print is suitable for a wide range of textiles, but it has a low degree of color fastness. Here are a few things to keep in mind when printing on silk.
Reactive dyes are more expensive than pigment inks. This method is also less environmentally friendly because it uses chemicals that permanently alter the fabric. This process also cannot be used for smaller quantities of production because the fabric must be ordered months in advance. However, it’s a good option for high-quality print designs on delicate fabrics. The main advantage of using reactive dyes is that it’s not as time-consuming as other digital printing methods and can be done on a large number of silk fabrics without sacrificing detail or delicate patterns.
Reactive dyes are used in the printing of mulberry silk fabric. The process includes textile sizing, steaming, jet printing, and washing with hot or cold water and soap. The reactive dyes are then applied to the fabric using steam to fix the colour. Once this process is complete, the fabric is ready to be dyed. If this process is done correctly, the printed design will be as high-quality as any other print.
Besides being inexpensive, reactive dyes are ideal for projects requiring high-quality, saturated colors, and durable materials. Reactive dyes are not the best choice for silk and wool fabrics, however, as they require more post-processing and washing. If you have a large order, reactive dyes are the best choice. You can even get pre-treated fabrics for reactive dyes, which means you don’t need to worry about ruining them after the printing process.
Cost-effectiveness of silk screen printing
Silk screen printing is one of the oldest printing processes known to man. It was used to create brightly coloured fabrics and wallpaper. Its advantages include the fact that it allows you to print multiple colours on a single design and that it requires fewer screens and less manual labour. This process is cost-effective for large runs and produces detailed images and colours. Unfortunately, it’s not very practical for single-item printing. The process dates back to the Song Dynasty, which ruled China from 960-1279 AD.
There are two primary methods of silk screen printing. The first uses a screen with a design that is printed on it. The second uses a mesh that is stretched over a frame. The mesh is made of pre-processed plastic parts and is referred to as a “mesh.” Once the design is created, the screen is placed over the intended surface. The screen’s resolution is determined by the number of threads per inch (TPI). Silk-screen printing on a large scale is known as contract silk-screening. For large-volume printing, you can use a digital textile printer and sell the finished products to storefront owners, online retailers and legitimate resellers.
While the main direct cost parameters of silk screen printing via a digital textile printer are the number of colorways and the length of the print, there are several indirect costs that are equally important to consider. The latter are difficult to quantify, but can significantly influence the cost of silk screen printing. These indirect costs include power consumption, energy usage, and waste material. Using a digital textile printer, for example, reduces power consumption, water consumption, and waste material by as much as 60%.
Benefits of digital textile printing
Digital textile printing for silk printing offers a number of benefits for the fashion industry. First and foremost, it uses less water and energy. Furthermore, it allows for small and medium-scale production, making it an affordable option for those who do not need large runs. Finally, digital printing also requires less space for operation. While most digital textile printing machines are relatively small, some may require additional space in the studio. Nevertheless, the benefits of digital textile printing for silk printing far outweigh any drawbacks.
Second, the use of digital fabric printing has several advantages over traditional methods. Unlike screen printing, which involves washing rotary screens, digital fabric printing doesn’t produce waste. Moreover, digital fabric printing doesn’t require screen engraving and color separation. Lastly, digital fabric printing provides greater control over the process parameters. This allows for smaller runs of different designs. Moreover, digital textile printing reduces the setup cost, allowing companies to produce small quantities of fabric for each design.
The advantages of digital fabric printing include reduced labor and reduced energy bills. With this technology, designers are not restricted by time constraints or the physical presence of other employees. They can easily edit and revise their designs. This means that the process can be completed quickly and more efficiently than before. Besides, the advantages of digital textile printing are numerous. If you are a designer who needs to print silks, digital printing can help you out.
The process of digital textile printing is relatively simple and quicker than conventional screen printing. The process is still advancing, but it offers a number of benefits for textile manufacturers. For instance, digital textile printing allows you to print small designs onto small garments, while it allows you to produce large prints on large-scale rolls of fabric. You don’t have to worry about the cost of the ink and paper because digital printing is cheaper than traditional screen printing.
