New Division For Dye Sublimation Digital Print

DCP Systems is introducing a new division within its wide format digital print specialist organisation.

DCP Systems is introducing a new division within its wide format digital print specialist organisation.

The company has made further investment and set up a new division especially for dye sublimation and, in particular, textile and fabric printing based around partnerships between Mutoh for dye sublimation digital printers and Klieverik for heat press calenders.

In DCP's opinion, dye sublimation printing in Europe is taking off because textiles are now a preferred media.

Mike Hardcastle, managing director of DCP Systems, said: "The process enables subtle printing on a range of fabrics that simply is not in your face.

And printing on fabric has a soft look and feel, with banner displays, for example hanging better than papers or vinyls.

If retail and exhibition graphics, indeed any companies are looking for a different look, with a better ambience and feel to displays, it's dye sublimation printed textiles that's the way to go." Once viewed as a 'black art' with very much hit and miss results, he added that dye sublimation printing was also very much a hit and miss affair with huge variations in achieved quality due to poor inks and adapted processes for the purpose.

Now inks have developed and machines have evolved especially for purpose and there are cost savings to be made.

Hardcastle explained: "Take a reasonably-sized promotional banner graphic.

On a standard inkjet machine it will cost around GBP6 to produce.

The same design, printed and calendered on fabric using dye sublimation costs under GBP3." He continued by saying that dye sublimation printing provides media alternatives for display with a range of colours, enhanced skin tones and easy colour correction, even on fire rated fabrics where the fire rating properties do not detract or impede print vibrancy.

And textile displays hang naturally with better appearance.

Hardcastle commented: "Dye sublimation prints down in to a fabric and doesn't just sit on the surface.

Therefore, printing is not only high quality with the benefits of look and feel of fabric but prints are also durable, vibrant and long lasting too." DCP claimed that it was in at the original inception stages of dye sublimation printing but turned away because of quality and reliability problems at the time.

Now it is back in the sector, alongside the biggest manufacturers of digital print systems in Europe - Mutoh for printers and Klieverik for calenders - as its manufacturing partners, to market the process.

DCP will exclusively distribute Mutoh and Klieverik systems for dye sublimation in the UK.

Central to DCP's new division, Mutoh is said to have expertise in all of the three methods of dye sublimation: printing to transfer media and using hot calender presses for sublimation transfer; direct to textile print and oven curing, and direct reactive dye printing for natural textiles for industrial applications.

Darren Walker, DCP's sales director, said: "With all three processes under our belt the company has no axe to grind over the competition and can simply advise on the best suited process for each and every dye sublimation job which we can provide." Mutoh's Viper inkjets print on transfer paper using water-based disperse dye inks.

They feature specially developed media handling to ensure accurate and vibrant print for optimal processing subsequently on a calender press, said DCP.

Transfer can be on all kinds of polyester materials, from flags, banners and even fabric goods to curtains, murals and decorative graphics.

Klieverik's GTC transfer and heat-setting calenders are said to be suitable for environmentally friendly printed fabric, including decorative and promotional banners, drapes and flags.

The calender delivers higher output on printed fabric, with all types of signage fabric including satin, twill and flag and banner transferred and heat-set at up to a claimed 675 sqaure metres per hour.

All available digital printers with water-based or oil-based disperse dyes can work together with the GTC-range and will guarantee optimal results, added DCP.

DCP Systems is now arranging roadshow days at its Sheffield HQ on October 10, 11 and 12 to include the new dye sublimation processes in 'meet the manufacturers' days.

Mutoh's new Vipers DS dye sublimation printer will be unveiled at the DCP Sheffield roadshows.

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