Dye sublimation: At the leading edge of printing progress

Encarna Luque, product manager – textiles & inks at Roland DG, explains how dye sublimation transforms commercial printing, providing key advice when investing in dye sublimation printers.

Dye sublimation has changed the printing game in a big way. A genuinely transformative method, it has allowed businesses to explore new printing applications, techniques and processes for durable prints and higher quality products, using inkjet-based methods of printing colourants onto fabrics.

Benefits of dye sublimation printing

Since its emergence, dye sublimation has become the printing method of choice for companies printing large banners for indoor and outdoor uses. The dyeing process involves heat and pressure to integrate the dyes with the material, transforming the ink into a solid-state.

Many industries enjoy the flexibility and fluidity of fabric that dye sublimation offers, allowing it to conform to a diversity of shapes and sizes, with applications spanning everything from fashion and sportswear to personalised interior decoration and soft signage.

Indeed, high-density dye sublimation inks are renowned for producing remarkable depths of colour and sharply defined edges, enabling logos and images to be printed in intense, bold, accurate colours – pastels, bright shades, or richer, darker ones.

Speed must also be mentioned. Dye sublimation is a fast process that doesn’t need to be attended to with the right equipment, boosting productivity while sustaining accurate pattern repetition, even when printing intricate details.

High-density prints will dry quickly with the right dye sublimation printer, offering low running costs and efficient ink performance to deliver a quick and meaningful return on investment (ROI). Further, dye sublimation printing can also help meet sustainability ambitions, enabling the replacement of PVC banners with lightweight, recyclable fabrics.

What to look for in a dye sublimation printer

Of course, the quality and lifespan of prints will often be dictated by the quality of machines. Selecting the suitable dye sublimation is therefore critical. So, what should you look for when acquiring a dye sublimation printer?

Here are some key considerations:

• Fast printing speeds: Some models, such as the Roland DG ZT-1900 can print up to 220sq m/hr in high-production mode and 150sq m/hr in production mode.
• Fast drying and finishing: Prints must include an integrated infrared dryer to achieve quick drying, while large ink container capacities (around 5kg) ensure large production autonomy.

• Advanced software: In an era where the user experience is everything, installing control software must be easy to use for any staff and allowing repeat jobs along the time. Internal reports and ink consumption information help producers to fix accurate selling prices.
• Loading flexibility and heavy-duty feeding system: It’s essential to find a printer capable of handling everything from lightweight paper (>18gr/sqm) and larger paper rolls of 450kg. Doing so can reduce paper costs, increase printing time without stops and maximising production efficiency.
• A reputable supplier: Finally, it is worth considering the benefits of sourcing products from those suppliers with a proven track record of quality and reliability. They will provide robust, flexible technology and offer additional benefits such as market-leading post-sales service and support.

With the right dye sublimation printer, low running costs, efficient ink performance and quick turnaround speeds are achieved, delivering ROI at speed for anyone using dye sublimation fabrics and working within tight operating margins.