Impressions - Digital Decorator 2018 - 8

Wide-format printers allow apparel
decorators to create a wide array of dyesublimated products for their customers.
Shot on location at Mimaki USA.
Photography by Chris Aluka Berry,
Tucker, Ga.

designed for production.
Automatic/Heavy Duty: In this case, the operator only is loading
and unloading material, usually by using a button or foot pedal with
the most pressure available, when needed. Machines in this configuration measuring 5' x 10' or larger are common. Few manufacturers
build these machines; those that do often build custom designs, when
needed, for unique applications.
Flat presses are available with a single platen, shuttle or reciprocating tray, and the ideal configuration depends on your application. If
you're working with hard goods - pressing tiles, for instance - you
probably don't want a nylon trampoline-style platen; you'd be better
off with a more heavy-duty metal surface. For fabrics and textiles, you
should be able to use any style you prefer.
Calender rotary heat presses are designed for heat-fixating your
dye-sublimation prints onto textiles. Coming in all sizes, with
options for almost any application, a rotary press can be only a few
inches wide, up to 10 feet or larger. Smaller widths can be used for
printing something like lanyards and wider configurations can be
used for printing tradeshow booth displays, with 44-inch and 64- to
75-inch widths being the most popular.
These presses use a heated drum to transfer the dye-sub paper onto
the fabric. The drum is heated with oil or infrared rods and rotates a
felt belt, allowing for continuous application and leading to the highest level of production. The drum's diameter and the heat's consistency will determine maximum speed. A smaller, 8-inch drum may
run 1-2 feet per minute, while a 24-inch drum could run 2 yards or
more per minute.
These machines can perform roll-to-roll, sheet and cut-piece pressing. However, not all will handle each application in the same manner or as easily as another. You can purchase input and exit conveyors
from some manufacturers, assisting in the application and handling.
8 * Fall 2018

Research the press manufacturer and dealer. Test your materials
on one of their machines; ask to speak to a user or two; and verify
how replacement parts and service are handled during and after the
warranty period. The heat press really is the most important tool here,
as everything you produce relies on it. Invest wisely.

Cutting Technology

Decorators working with textiles also need a solution for cutting fabrics. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this, from hand cutting with scissors to semi- and fully automatic flatbed blade and laser
systems with conveyors that enable automatic cutting of fully printed
rolls.
The most popular feature for some cutting systems is scanning
software that uses one or more high-definition cameras mounted
above the conveyor cutting bed to scan the printed materials while
forwarding them to the cutting area. The software recognizes the
pattern's outline and generates the cutting data, then runs continuously. These machines can range from 55 inches to 10 feet, or larger.
A good machine will cut 250-400 garments from a roll in a shift.
The advantages include:
* High-precision detection of printed fabrics directly from rolls
without any preparation.
* A fully automatic process without manual intervention.
* Large-format flying recognition. It takes less than five seconds
to scan an entire cutting window.
* Compatibility with graphics. For fine and detailed graphics,
the software can extract the original graphics with respect to
the position of registration marks, then cut them.
* Compatibility with stretch fabrics. The cutting edge is clean,
soft and smooth.

Impressions - Digital Decorator 2018

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