Introduction to Digital Textile Printing

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Aditya Chandavarkar
Founder & CEO
Inkjet Forum India
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PRESENTATION STRUCTURE

What is Digital Printing ?

- Types of technology
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Digital Textile Printing
- History
- Conventional vs Digital
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Components of Digital Textile Printing
- Hardware - Printers/Printheads
- RIP Software
- Inks
- Role of pre-treatment/post-treatment
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Opportunities/Challenges
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Conclusion
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About Inkjet Forum India
WHAT IS DIGITAL
PRINTING?
 Digital printing refers to
methods of printing from a
digital-based image directly
to a variety of media.

Inkjet Technology Laser Technology

Inks Toner

Paper & Other Materials Paper

Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Importance of Printhead

=
Printhead
Types of Printheads

Printheads

CIJ DOD

Thermal Piezo
DIGITAL TEXTILE
PRINTING
History of Digital Textile Printing

Reggiani Dream MS JPK

Ichinose

Robustelli Konica

Mimaki TX1 Konica Minolta

Dupont
Reggiani Renoir

Stork Encad Mimaki TX 2 Mimaki JV5 Zimmer

1995 1999 2004 2007 2010

1 sqm/h 2 – 4 sqm/h 15 – 100 sqm/h 150 – 500 sqm/h

Future of Digital Textile Printing

2014 2015

75 sqm/min
4500 sqm/hr
Applications of Digital Textile Printing
Applications of Digital Textile Printing
Market Share of Textile Printing Technologies

Source: John Provost

Conventional Printing Vs Digital Printing
COMPONENTS OF
DIGITAL TEXTILE
PRINTING
Components of Digital Textile Printing

So4ware& Hardware&

Ink&
Chemistry&

Tex$le&
Software - RIP Software
Hardware - Digital Textile Printers
Ink Chemistry
Typical Inkjet Ink Formulation

Dye or Pigment dispersion 0.3 - 10 wt %

Water soluble organic solvent 1 5 - 15 wt %
Water soluble organic solvent 2 5 - 15 wt %
Surfactant 0.2 - 2.0 wt %
Acid or Base to adjust pH
Water
Additives (See below)
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- Binders (pigment inks)
- Rheology modifiers
- Functional materials
- Adhesion promoters
- UV absorber
- Fastness enhancer
- Other additives
Comparison between print paste & inkjet inks
Reactive Inks
Acid Inks
Disperse Inks
Disperse - Direct Print
Disperse - Sublimation
How Sublimation Transfer Works
How Sublimation Transfer Works
Dye Inks vs Pigment inks
Pigment inks
Type of Pigment Inks
Textile

Fibre Type
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Texture
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Spun or Multifilament Yarns
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Woven / Knitted / Non-Woven
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Dimensional Stability
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Pre-treatment (bleaching, setting …. )
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Ink Chemistry
Inkjet Fabric Requirements
Pre-treatment Process Flow
Specific Pre-treatment - Reactive Inks
Specific Pre-treatment - Reactive Inks
Without Pre-treatment
With Pre-treatment
Post-Treatment
Post-Treatment Flow for different Inks