Digital printing for direct heat transfer

What is DTF (Direct To Film) printing?

The DTF process is as easy as the name suggests - it's all about printing on film stock and transferring directly to fabric. The advantage, which makes this process accessible to a greater number of people, is the freedom to print on almost any garment or textile support: T-shirt, Sweatshirt, Polo, Jacket, Jacket, Cap, Windproof, Umbrella, etc.

Prerequisites for DTF printing:

The advantage of the DTF process is that it does not require significant investment on the part of the user. Whether it is someone who is already familiar with digital printing and wishes to switch to DTF printing in order to diversify his techniques, or someone who is just starting out in textile printing, the conditions remain the same:

DTF printing ( Steps ) -

Step 1 - print on fi lm

Instead of printing on any paper, insert the PET film into the printer tray. Please print the white layer on the film paper first before selecting the correct colors in the printer settings, which will be deposited on the white layer.

Step 2 - Po udrage

This step corresponds to the application of the hot-melt powder on the film where the image is printed. The powder is applied evenly when the The print is damp and the excess should be carefully removed. In order to ensure that the powder is evenly distributed, we can hold the film by its short edges so that its long edges are parallel to the ground (landscape orientation) and pour the powder in the middle of the film from top to bottom. bottom, so that it forms about 1 inch thick pile in the center from the top to the bottom. It is then necessary to recover the film and the powder and to fold it slightly inwards so that it forms a slight U with the concave surface facing you. Now shake this film very lightly from left to right so that the powder slowly and evenly spreads over the entire surface of the film. Alternatively, one can use automated agitators available for commercial configurations.

Step 3 - Melt the powder

This can be done in different ways. The most common is to place the film with the printed image and the powder applied in the drying oven and heat it. If the drying oven is not available, place the film inside the heat press and bring the top of the press very close to the film but not touching it. There should be a gap of about 4-7mm between the film and the top plate of the heat press. A metal wire can be used to secure the upper part of the press so that it does not completely close on the film and leaves a necessary space.
For best results it is strongly recommended to follow the manufacturer's specifications for powder melting.Depending on the powder and the equipment, heating is usually done for 2-5 minutes at a temperature of 160 at 170 degrees Celsius.

Step 4 - Pre-pressing

This step consists of pre-pressing the fabric before the transfer of the image by the film. The fabric is held in the heat press and hot pressurized for approximately 2-5 seconds.
The purpose of this operation is to flatten the fabric and dehumidify it. Pre-pressing correctly transfers the image from the film to the fabric.

Step 5 - Transfer

This step is the heart of the DTF printing process. The PET film containing the image and the molten powder is placed on the pre-pressed fabric in the heat press to obtain a strong adhesion between the film and the fabric, which in other words corresponds to "drying". Curing takes place at a temperature between 160 and 170 degrees Celsius for about 15 to 20 seconds. The film is now firmly attached to the fabric.

Step 6 - Cold peel

The fabric and film are now set, and must cool to room temperature, before the film can be removed. Since the hot melt is similar in nature to amides, it acts, on cooling, as a binder which keeps the colored pigment of inks in good adhesion with the fibers of the fabric. Once the film has cooled, it should be peeled from the fabric, leaving the required pattern printed in ink on the fabric.

Step 7 - Post-pressing

This step is optional, but is highly recommended for best results and high performance parameters such as wash and scuff resistance. During this step, the final fabric with the transferred design is pressed in the heat press for about 10 to 15 seconds.

Advantages of DTF printing -

Works on almost any type of fabric
Does not require preprocessing
Excellent resistance to washing
The fabric has a light touch
The process is faster and less tedious than the DTG process

MUST TECHNOLOGIE also offers inks, film paper, powders, etc. compatible with DTF printing.

E In sum, one could say that the DTF process lifts virtually all the restrictions that are commonly encountered in other textile printing processes. Since pre-processing is not necessary, in many cases the overall cost of printing is reduced, thus providing a higher profit margin. In conclusion, the DTF printing process can be considered as an efficient way to produce fabrics economically.

SYSTEM

INK SYSTEM	4 colors CMYK + White
PRINTHEADS	2 Heads Epson I3200 / 4720
MAX PRINT WIDTH	700 mm
WEIGHT	600 kg
RESOLUTION	1440Dpi
PRINT SPEED	4pass production model: 7 m2 / h
PRINT SPEED	4pass production model: 9 m2 / h
PRINT SPEED	4pass production model: 15 m2 / h
INK TYPE	Water-based textile pigment ink
CAPACITY	1.5 L ink tank
INK SUPPLY SYSTEM	Continue at negative pressure
COMPENSATION SYSTEM	Automatic cleaning, anti-blocking, automatic flash and hydrating
WARRANTY	The machines benefit from a 12-month return-to-workshop warranty, except for parts of the printing system such as the print head, the capping station, the squeegee , damper or pipe system