by Randy AndersonSeptember 13, 2019 Color Management, Dye Sublimation, Fabrics, Textiles, Wide Format Printing0 comments

Choosing the Best Transfer Paper for Great Output from a MUTOH Printer

Choosing a transfer paper for your MUTOH printer for optimal output.

dye sublimation paper So, you’ve either bought a MUTOH dye sublimation printer or are looking at one. If you are now looking at transfer paper for a MUTOH printer there are some things you may want to consider.

Raw papers vary in particle size and particle distribution affecting its density and uniformity which in turn affect the absorption and adsorption of ink without any dot gain control while at the same time making the release of the dye uncontrollable as well. MUTOH printers are industrial designed printers designed with high resolution capability to output very high quality images for hard substrates while providing the speed capacity for high volume output, so uncoated papers are not recommended.

The secret sauce in dye sublimation transfer paper is the coating and there are primarily two basic types of coating.

High load or solid surface ‘clay’ coated papers have the most universal applications and can be used on the widest range of finished products. These work well for solid surfaces like metals, ceramics and glass as well as fabrics for soft signage, apparel, home décor and rubber koozies. Clay coated papers are high load papers, they can take high ink loads at print, but then dry fast. They are also gas permeable allowing excess sublimation gas to escape through the paper rather than creating blowouts or ghosting. While they don’t transfer as efficiently as CMC coated paper, they are friendlier to unstable print room environments making it a better choice first time and lower volume users.

High release or CMC (CarboxyMethyl Cellulose/ cellulose gum) coated papers work well for textile applications like fashion, apparel, home décor and soft signage. The high ink release property of these papers means it leaves less ink on the paper, requiring less ink to achieve the same color gamut, therefore reducing ink costs. The ‘high release’ property of these papers means this paper also releases that ink quicker, for less ghosting, shorted dwell times and higher productivity. While CMC papers are slower drying, they are still the choice for high speed printers.

Coatings plus.

Take a CMC coated paper and add a heat activated adhesive to it and you have Thermo Adhesive or ‘tacky’ paper. This allows the paper to ‘stick’ to the polyester fabric eliminating ghosting with slippery textiles and sports apparel. It eliminates difficulties when using clam shell presses that can shift during pressing causing blow outs or ghosting. It is a bit more expensive than other CMC coated papers and does not stick to hard substrates. It really shines when sublimating pre-sewn clothing, sticking to the garment allowing pressing of the second side while still attached leaving no lightening of the first side, giving a uniform two sided garment. https://www.thinkMUTOH.com/it-is-a-bit-tacky-but-for-me-it-really-is-all-over/?v=7516fd43adaa

Coatings plus, take two.

Take a coated paper and add a special UV inhibitor formulation and you have Kaspar Papir’s Sunpaper. The UV inhibitors in this paper actually gas with the dye sublimation dyes and encapsulate the dye around the layers of polyester fabric fibers, absorbing into the polyester with the dye molecules. So this is not a surface treatment and it needs no additional processing. Print and sublimate as normal to get extended outdoor protection typically double that of unprotected processes. Choosing the Best Transfer Paper for Great Output from a MUTOH Printer 1

Special thanks to:

Rob Repasi – who provided the technical information.

Mark Freeman – President Digital Print Solutions, Inc. for providing the information on Kaspar Papir Sunpaper. http://www.kaspar-papir.com/

Need help choosing the right MUTOH wide format printer? Use the link below for assistance. we can walk you though a simple process to make sure you get what you are looking for.

http://www.thinkMUTOH.com/help-choosing-a-MUTOH-printer/

by Mark RugenJuly 23, 2019 Color Management, Fabrics, Textiles, Wide Format Printing0 comments

X-Rite Announces i1Pro 3 Plus Color Profiling Device for Imaging, Print, Textiles

X-Riteâs picture

Delivers production calibration and color profiling capabilities for the widest range of industrial print applications

https://www.qualitydigest.com/inside/metrology-news/x-rite-announces-i1pro-3-plus-color-profiling-device-imaging-print-textiles

(X-Rite: Grand Rapids, MI) — X-Rite Inc. and Pantone LLC, global leaders in color science and technology, announce the new i1Pro 3 Plus, a spectral color measurement solution specifically designed for imaging, print, and textile professionals who need advanced calibration and color profiling capabilities to support today’s wide-format and industrial printing applications.

The i1Pro 3 Plus has been optimized for digital printing on a range of materials and surfaces, including ceramics, textiles, glass, metal, wood, vinyl, plastics, thin films, cardboard, paper, and more. Commercial, wide-format, grand-format, packaging, and industrial printers can now create ICC profiles for almost any substrate and calibrate print production devices for the highest level of color accuracy.

As more industries turn to digital printing, customers are putting greater emphasis on achieving accurate and repeatable color. To do this, production print equipment needs to be linearized and profiled for each substrate in order to monitor color output. Current profiling solutions are limited in their ability to measure textured, rough, or uneven surfaces and cannot accommodate various material thicknesses. Many devices do not have the resolution required to ensure the highest color quality when printing detailed patterns, metallic effects, or photography images. This leads to costly color errors and rework which impacts a printer’s bottom line.

“The i1Pro 3 Plus builds on the success of the i1 Family and removes the variability to create accurate ICC profiles on the widest range of materials,” said Ray Cheydleur, Printing and Imaging Product Portfolio Manager, X-Rite. “Wide- and grand-format users and industrial material printers will see immediate value by incorporating the affordable i1Pro 3 Plus into their prepress and production workflows, resulting in more accurate and repeatable color, a reduction of waste, and an increased return on investment.”

A long-term X-Rite partner, EFI (Electronics For Imaging), also sees the great potential of this latest i1 Family member. “We are delighted to support X-Rite’s newly announced i1Pro 3 Plus measurement device within our latest Fiery technologies at ITMA 2019. Due to the nature of digital textile production, this large-aperture device is an excellent fit with our latest single pass EFI BOLT high-speed textile printer. For both color management and quality control, this device will allow our customers to produce accurate color much more easily,” said John Henze, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, EFI Fiery.

New in the i1Pro 3 Plus:

Larger aperture of 8 mm to support new materials and substrates used in digital printing applications.
New polarization (measurement condition M3) filter that reduces specular highlights and shadows on fabrics and ceramics. It provides “better blacks” and richer colors on rough surfaces and glossy medias, like canvas prints and fine art photo papers.
Simultaneously measure M0, M1 and M2 in a single pass to account for optical brighteners so prepress and print operators can quickly predict how colors printed on optically brightened substrates will look under different lighting conditions.
Longer ruler for measuring the wider charts used in grand-format printing. The ruler includes an ISO-compliant white backer and removable magnetic strips on the top and sides for holding samples in place while measuring.
New LED illuminant that improves device reliability. The i1Pr o3 Plus allows for four measurement conditions (ISO 13655 M0; M1: D50; M2: UV Excluded, M3 Polarized).
Now supports transmission scanning for backlit film and materials used in signage.
Measures high brightness, up to 5K NITs for ultra-bright displays.

“We are used to seeing bumpy shadow measurements from unpolarized devices on glossy textured medias like canvas. With the new polarization feature in the i1Pro 3 Plus, our M3 measurements are dramatically smoother in the shadows – perfect in fact,” commented Scott Martin, Founder, Onsight, a leading workflow consultant for print, prepress, design and photography.

New X-Rite iO Table
In addition, X-Rite announces a new i1iO Automated Scanning Table that supports the i1Pro 3 Plus. This hands-free test chart reader offers automated color profiling on a variety of substrates with reduced risk of color measurement errors. It is ideal for photographers, designers, and printers who want to speed up and automate the measurement process and eliminate manual strip reading.

The new i1iO table can be used with a variety of industrial materials including textiles, ceramics, corrugated, etc. and supports materials up to 33mm thick, with the optional z-axis spacer. It also supports transparencies and backlit materials.

www.thinkmutoh.com www.mutoh.com

by Randy AndersonJune 11, 2018 Dye Sublimation, Fabrics, Wide Format Printing0 comments

Backlit Junkie Gets His Fix Using Dye Sublimation

Backlit Junkie Gets His Fix Using Dye Sublimation 2

ISA ended Saturday at 4 pm. And I just wanted everyone to know that I got my ‘fix’ for backlit dye sublimation at the show.

MUTOH Backlit Sign Example

MUTOH backlit example The light box was a TREMENDOUS hit, and even if the pics from my phone don’t do it justice, I saw so many other people taking pictures of it, that I lost count.

These were both printed on Mutoh’s ValueJet 1948WX, our high-speed printer for all things dye sub. https://www.mutoh.com/products/valuejet-1948wx/

The same printer we used on our mugs in my last blog. https://www.thinkmutoh.com/mugging-it-up

The same printer that ISA (https://www.signs.org/isasignexpo) attendees were wowed by its incredible performance and aggressively competitive show pricing.

We often give show attendees incredible pricing for making their printer choices at the show. So if you haven’t been to a show you should check out show schedule. https://www.mutoh.com/company/events/ And check the other on this page as well, our Training, Wrap Classes and Dealer events.

It is such a thrill to see your own artwork pop so much with dye sublimation backlighting.But it is just as much a thrill to see others appreciate it while educating those who don’t know what dye sublimation is on the incredible opportunities it presents itself in the market. In fact, most of our booth was dye sub backlit.

The ValueJet 1938TX signage is backlit dye sub as were all of our other booth signage.

And the seascape image next to the signage is Chromalux (https://www.chromaluxe.com/), Tobe Hall and the people at Unisub provided that piece of art for our customer enjoyment and Ryan Holtzman from Chromaluxe provided a Point of Sale style announcement of their new product – EXT metal (EXT for both EXTended life for outdoor photography, and for EXTerior signage), that looked as bit as crisp and sharp as you would expect from these guys.

And of course we were handing out Mutoh glass cleaners on Vision Microsuade S/660, again supplied by my friend Mike Sanders, whose Pacific Coast Fabrics merged with Top Value Fabrics (https://www.topvaluefabrics.com/index.php)last year.

These are great giveaways that people keep and use. Mike is one of those guys who I consider my extended family in the industry. So now let me introduce you to my other brother Mike, Mike Compton at Top Value Fabrics.

I recently sat in on one of Mike’s webinars on…………….yes…………backlit.

If you are a member of SGIA (https://www.sgia.org/), like we are, get online and check it out. Backlit Junkie Gets His Fix Using Dye Sublimation 3

Here is Mike and I standing in front of another both made with back litbacklitlimation.

Oh yeah, the backlit fix is in……….

by Mark RugenJune 1, 2018 Color Management, Fabrics, Textiles, Wide Format Printing0 comments

Mutoh America Launches New Water-based Textile Pigment Ink

Mutoh America Inc., a leader in wide-format inkjet printers and cutters, has announced they have launched a new Mutoh manufactured ink “TP-11” for their Direct to Textile printer, the ValueJet 1938TX.

“The TP-11 Ink is Mutoh’s original textile pigment ink tuned for direct printing onto natural coated fabrics for a wide range of applications,” shares Brian Phipps, president and general manager of Mutoh America, Inc. “It provides an optimal balance between high-quality images and durability.”

TP-11 Ink provides the perfect balance between high-quality images and durability.

It is non-hazardous and environmentally friendly and is available in four colors (CMYK) or seven colors (orange, blue, and green) for rich, vibrant colors.

The inks are packaged in large-capacity 1L bags for improved work efficiency.

TP-11 Ink is now available for sale through authorized Mutoh resellers across North and Latin America. For pricing and sales inquiries contact your authorized Mutoh reseller or find one at http://www.mutoh.com/dealers.

by Randy AndersonMay 18, 2018 Dye Sublimation, Fabrics, Textiles, Wide Format Printing0 comments

In Case You Don’t Cotton to Dye Sublimation

By Randy Anderson, Product Marketing Manager-MUTOH AMERICA INC

Printing on Cotton Fabric…Something to Think About

In case you don’t cotton to dye sublimation, there is always…………well………cotton.

Or wool, or even silk and other fabrics. Printing on cotton fabric with a textile printer of course just one choice.

The textile market is in a growth mode for digital printing. There is probably less than 20 percent of all textile now being printed digitally. Last stats I saw were around 3%, but talking to a supplier of single pass printers at the show, that number is growing at an incredible rate, and may currently be hovering around the 20% mark. And speaking of Mark

This is Mark Sawchak.

Expand Systems Fabric

Mark is standing behind a chair supplied to us for the ISA 2018 show (https://www.signs.org/) by Mark’s wife Ann. Mark and Ann are the driving forces behind their company Expand Systems LLC

(http://www.expandsystems.com/). And the chair they provided was a HUGE hit at the show.

The chair was covered in cotton printed directly with the pigment process and shows a wide range of color and style that direct to textile pigment printing brings to the home décor and upholstery industry. The fabric used is Expands’ PREMex brand

of media, (http://premexsolutions.com/fabrics.html) which is a top quality line of fabrics suitable for a wide range of applications and industry. All of our show images were printed on Expands’ PREMex linen and twill.

The following images were printed on Expands’ PREMex linen and twill with an 8 color Mutoh inkset on the ValueJet 1938TX

Printing on Cotton Fabric

Yes, I know I ranted and raved about how much attention the backlit dye sub got, but in all fairness, the combination of the chair and the backlit was THE nice attention getter and conversation starter for textiles in the Mutoh booth.

Expand Systems provides Digital Textile Printing Solutions that cover pretty much the entire gamut of digital direct printing. From MS LaRio (http://www.msitaly.com/) printing at some 75 linear meters per minute to the entry-level and sample capable ValueJet 1938TX (https://www.mutoh.com/products/valuejet-1938tx/) printing at 7 to 28 linear meters per hour.

It still takes a minimum of fabric to make a run with a single pass printer so the ValueJet 1938TX for perfect for small runs, samples, prototyping and high resolution/ high-quality prints.

Imagine as a designer sending your latest designs overseas for sample printing, with no real control over your designs, your intellectual property. Now imagine keeping your designs in-house and having absolute control over your ideas and designs, until production starts or product is released. All that is doable and inexpensive, with the Mutoh ValueJet 1938TX.

Perfect for Short Runs and Sampling

In Case You Don't Cotton to Dye Sublimation 5

Want a sample, a single image or a production facility? Mutoh has an answer. The ValueJet 1938TX is the culmination of over a decade of work around the Mutoh platform by companies like Yuhan Kimberly, Expand and Mutoh to produce an easy to use, effective, and inexpensive printer for the textile market.

You can sit on your designs (or just wear them) until YOU are ready to show the world.

If you are not ready for a printer of your own, there are many options to get your designs printed and fabric produced to make your own home décor items, craft items or just to stretch your creativity.

The Spoonflower Example

Spoonflower (https://www.spoonflower.com/) is one of Expands customers and have for years provided Spoonflower with Mutoh based textile printers for direct printing on a variety of textiles.

Spoonflower started with a single Mutoh based textile printer, and at one time had dozens of them running their production, and their orders typically fit inside a small envelope mailer – that’s how they built their business.

Spoonflowers MUTOH printers

Some of their customers bought enough printed fabric that it made sense for them to purchase their own direct to textile and dye-sub printers and produce for themselves and other.

One of those customers is Dee Dee Davis of Décor Print, Custom Digital Textile Printing (www.decor-print.com), who started with one Mutoh based textile printer from Expand Systems, and now has a shop that has multiple direct printers and dye sublimation to cover the full range of textile digital printing.

So with some 80% or more of textile NOT being digitally, and the rise of personalization hitting the home décor market and business branding market there is plenty of opportunities to produce and sell digitally printed textiles.

Be sure to visit our product website where we have numerous choices in textile printers available. www.mutoh.com

by Mark RugenMay 14, 2018 Dye Sublimation, Fabrics, Textiles0 comments

Textile Printing & More. An Interview with Rachel Nunziata with 4Walls.

Textile Printing & More

In this great short interview listen to Rachel Nunziata talk about her business and concentrate on how you can take advantage of this grow textile print business. Starting and growing a textile printing business is not difficult but can be if you don’t have the right training & education. After the interview, find out more about how MUTOH can fill this education gap.

Digital Printing Hits a Wall. And the Floor. And Your Sofa.

Published on May 14, 2018 by WhatTheyThink?

Rachel Nunziata, Product Development Manager for 4Walls, talks about the design process for digital décor. 4Walls designs and prints wallcoverings and a wide variety of other materials, handling the process all the way from design through production.

Textile Printing & More. An Interview with Rachel Nunziata with 4Walls. 6

We highly recommend you subscribe and read http://whattheythink.com/ for some great interviews!

Here is the link to Rachels sites:

4walls.com and findyourlevel.com

I wanted to add some comment to this video. MUTOH is focusing on this market of walls and textiles. This a rapidly growing market. MUTOH has some of the best printers for the textile market. You should check out our collection, however, I really wanted to stress that it’s not just about a printer its also about learning, education, training. To be successful, just talk to a few folks who are in this business of textile printing and they will tell you it was a learning curve and it was the knowledge that resulted in their success. Well, that is what makes MUTOH so different from the other who sell into this market. We have the experts and we have the seminars and more to help educate you each step of the way. Let us explain how! Just call us.

Think Mutoh

textile printing Tag