Per ricevere gratuitamente il catalogo o conoscere il distributore piĂš vicino a voi: tel. 0444287960 fax 0444287959 www.siser.it info@siser.it
Vieni a trovarci al FESPA Fabric 2010 - Padiglione A2 - Stand 340 Monaco 22-26 Giugno. Ti aspettiamo per farti conoscere le novitĂ Siser
6
Preface
7
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
8
Fabrics to clothe the wide format world
9
Promotional clothing
9
Flags & Banners - Textiles take the stage
10
Dye-sublimation printing
12
Inkjet breathes new life into screen printing carousels
13
Calender or...
14
...flat press?
15
Transfers and speciality inks
16
Dye-sublimation inks
17
In the fibres of the fabric
19
The marvellous applications of textile communication
22
A digital future for the world of promotions
24
Flags and gadget in the world of Promos
26
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY HAS GONE DIGITAL
27
The protagonists and the industrial textile inkjet technologies
SUMMARY
to relaunch the Made in Italy brand 28
The digital textile industry in Italy
30
Industrial textile inkjet printing technology
32
Processing and finishing
33
Cutting
34
Software for textiles
35
The digital textile workflow
36
Plug-in software and...
37
RIP software - ideal for your textile plotter
38
All you need for fashion creativity!
39
CAD | CAM for embroidery
40
Textile inks for inkjet printing
41
Brightness and resistance, at the heart of the latest generation textile inks
42
Acid dye inks
43
Reactive dye inks
44
Disperse dye inks
45
Pigmented inks
4
by Dario Zocco Ramazzo
PREFACE
Bigger, better and richer in content, this is ToTextile 2.0! The second edition of ToTextile, the only guide to digital textile printing for the Italian market, has a new, more refined graphic look and two brand new sections. The first part of the guide is dedicated to large format printers and visual communication specialists who choose fabric over traditional plastic materials as the richest and noblest medium. Inside you’ll find a series of chapters providing an in-depth look at the markets, applications and technologies for digital printing on fabric, in addition to accounts by the Italian pioneers of textile communication. The second part of the guide, on the other hand, offers a complete and original overview of the development of inkjet printing in the industrial textile market, starting from the first prototypes from over thirty years ago right up to the latest convenient industrial textile printers. One chapter is dedicated to Mantero Seta, the renowned Italian pioneer of industrial textile inkjet printing and a world-leading company. Lastly, a practical, up-to-date and easy-to-read guide dedicated to digital printing devices, consumables, technologies and finishing processes offered by the market leaders.
totextile
Publishing director: Alessandro Gioè Technology editor: Dario Zocco Ramazzo Graphic design: Anna Federica Ferrara Layout: Gabriele Lo Surdo Printing: Faenza Industrie Grafiche 0546 637 300 Supplement to Italia Publishers Magazine n. 5 June 2010 © 2010 SunnyCom Publishing Srl - Milan www.totextile.it
6
Visual communication on fabric 8
Fabrics to clothe the wide format world
9
Promotional clothing
9
Flags & Banners
10
Dye-sublimation printing
12
Inkjet breathes new life into screen printing carousels
13
Calender or‌
14
‌flat press?
15
Transfers and speciality inks
16
Dye-sublimation inks
17
In the fibres of the fabric
19
The marvellous applications of textile communication
22
A digital future for the world of promotions
24
Flags and gadget in the world of Promos
7
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
Fabrics to clothe the wide format world
Inkjet printing on fabric offers significant new business prospects for large format printers. Fabric is in fact a more valuable and higher quality medium than paper and banners, and is enjoying wide approval from visual communication operators. The growing availability of treated fabrics, technologies and inks for dye-sublimation inkjet printing and transfers enables printers specialising in indoor, outdoor and promotional applications to compete with traditional screen printing on an equal basis and cut production costs. The number of printers that are using digital textile technology to specialise in the production of flags, inflatables, gazebos and other items used to attract the public during fairs and other events is in fact increasing. Additionally, fitters, decorators and agencies specialising in the furnishing of sales outlets and temporary shops are looking to the textile medium as the ideal solution for interior decoration. Lastly, the combination of digital transfer and dyesublimation printing means that the manufacture of promotional clothing and fabric articles is now flourishing more than ever.
8
Promotional clothing The success achieved by inkjet technology in the promotional and sportswear markets (on a par with heat transfer films which we will be covering in later chapters) is the result of the quality, resistance and brightness of the images printed on fabrics with dye-sublimation inks. Vivid colours grab the customer’s attention and can be reproduced on most of the fibres of animal, vegetable or synthetic origin that are used to make clothes, t-shirts, hats, bags, and so on. When you think that inkjet printing systems also slash the costs of cutting screen printing frames, it is easy to understand why digital plotters have won over Italian screen printers. Another advantage of digital printing over screen printing for promotional clothing and sportswear is to
be found in the freedom and possibility to personalise each application, besides the opportunity to print only the number of items actually required, thus reducing waste and avoiding unsold stock.
Flags&Banners
Different ways of showing communication Flags and gazebos to decorate public areas, open spaces and sales outlets were among the first applications made using digital textile technology. Flags can be divided into three macro areas, depending on the place where they are displayed and the kind of design: public, advertising and automobile brand flags. The first kind are flags and standards used to decorate squares, parks and historical town centres. Alternatively, a company wishing to communicate its brand uses advertising flags in indoor or outdoor places that are usually well frequented. Lastly, automobile brand flags are used together with elegant displays or in practical gazebos to enhance car dealerships or even the marquees, paddocks and boxes of the main car and motor cycle manufacturers during their sports championships.
9
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
Inkjet is the solution to make knitwear and caps shine and communicate within seconds
Dye-sublimation printing
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
The queen of textile communication technology d.gen, Mimaki, Mutoh and Roland: these are the main market leaders that, buoyed up by their specialisation in large format printing, have long been offering reliable, productive wide and superwide format technologies for dye-sublimation printing and transfers on synthetic fabrics. d.gen stands out for being the first manufacturer in the world to introduce a plotter with an in-line calender (Teleios) specifically for creating polyester flags and banners that can be printed with dye-sublimation or with disperse dye inks. The other manufacturers, on the other hand, have come up with textile plotters equipped with dye-sublimation inks, but which are produced based on wide format printers
for visual communication and re-adapted for the correct fabric feed or for transfertype paper printing. Plotters used for the production on demand of flags, banners and promotional applications in polyester or synthetic fabrics that however cannot be used to fix the ink into the fabric unless they are used in combination with flat presses or heat fixing calenders, like those produced by the Italian player Monti Antonio. Overleaf you’ll find an overview of the main textile printing technologies for visual communication, whereas you should turn to the last few pages to consult the detailed technical data sheets on the best performing and most profitable inkjet textile printers. Printing and finishing in a single step: that’s Teleios!
The unique, inimitable leader of textile communication, d.gen Teleios is the first all-in-one digital textile printer for the direct printing and fixing of fabric with dye-sublimation or dye disperse inks. With sufficient resolution for photographic printing and brilliant colours, Teleios is ideal for the production of indoor and outdoor flags and banners for visual communication. A “green” solution for printing textile media in polyester and alternatives to PVC, with “eco” inks and which is made in Italy. www.dgen.com
CS banks on Green Flag
For the printing of flags and banner, C.S. Costruzione Macchine Speciali, the Italian manufacturer from Bergamo suggests its Green Flag series based on the most renowned print engines, including Mimaki, Mutoh and Roland. This series of textile machines has been designed for direct printing on polyester and synthetic fabrics for outdoor uses. The industrial type calender can be heated up to 220°C, allowing Green Flag to sublimate and/ or heat fix the ink after printing in a single step. It has an open inking system. www.cscostruzionemacchine.com
10
In any format, for all pockets FB-740 is robust and reliable
Roland’s FB-740 is ideal for dyesublimation printing. This model is popular with the technology craftsmen that use it to make standards, decor, flags and promotional clothing. FB-740 uses Roland SBL-2 dye-sublimation inks in a double four-colour system with 1000cc ink bottles. This model can reach a speed of 51m²/hour at 270x320 dpi, by means of a motorised system which rolls and unrolls the material. It comes with the Roland Versaworks RIP and free updates. www.rolanddg.it
REIS Elettronica, the Italian Mutoh dealer, is proud to present the new Mutoh ViperTX SoftSIGN models at Viscom Italia. This is a brand new series of inkjet plotters for direct printing on polyester fabrics with in-line heat fixing calenders. Available in versions with 108 and 260 cm print width, the new SoftSIGN models are well suited to the production of flags, banners and trade fair layouts with dye-sublimation or dispersed inks. www.reisel.com
Bompan unveils its new “textile trio” designed by Mimaki
TS3-1600, TS5-1600AMF and TPC-1000 are the three new dye-sublimation printers designed by Mimaki. The first two are high-speed, very high quality printers at the top of the Mimaki range, while the TPC-1000 is the first, unique textile print&cut machine that can simplify the work of anyone in the textile and promotional sector who wishes to print on sublimation paper or on heat transfers and who needs to heat fix onto polyester or cotton-based materials. These plotters are further proof of Mimaki’s commitment to instil a digital culture in the textile sector oriented towards interior design, the manufacture of sportswear and promotional articles and towards the personalisation of sales outlets and showrooms. www.bompan.it
11
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
Mutoh and REIS unveil SoftSIGN
Inkjet breathes new life into screen printing carousels
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
For small and medium-sized printers, screen printing carousels provide a good alternative to belt systems for the printing of white, coloured or dark T-shirts and finished garments. These machines have a number of stations (4, 6, 8, 12 or more) with squeegee and frame, laid out in a fan pattern for the simultaneous printing of several items. With the advent of digital technology, some manufacturers, including Ser.Tec and Colorprint, have successfully tried introducing one or more inkjet stations based on Epson engines.
Screen printing + digital printing = Digiscreen
Ser.Tec, the Italian manufacturer of screen printing technologies based in Treviso, recently unveiled its first hybrid screen printing carousel with digital station specifically designed for the personalisation of finished garments. Digiscreen is a digital workstation that can be integrated onto manual and automatic carousels for fabric printing. Digiscreen is fully automatic and is controlled by a console with an integrated LCD monitor. Digiscreen is based on DTG Digital’s digital textile technology with 320 x 550 mm print format and an 8-channel piezoelectric print head. It is made of aluminium and is adjustable. www.ser-tec.org
12
Calender or... Once you’ve chosen the technology for printing with dye-sublimation inks on transfer paper, you then have to decide what kind of heat fixing system is right for you: calender or flat press. In both cases it is important to assess right from the start the quality and the reliability of the heating and operating temperature control system. The latter must remain constant over time in order to ensure
the correct transfer of the ink from the paper to the fabric. The pressure system also plays an essential part in the process and has to guarantee constant pressure on the surface of the cylinder or work table. Conditions of inconstant pressure and/or temperature will lead to poor quality results, with different shades of colour on the various areas of the fabric.
Calenders under the magnifying glass The textile calendering machine is made up of a central body with a heating cylinder that develops the heat required for the heat transfer of the ink; the greater the diameter, the greater the productivity. Calenders are available on the market with diameters starting from 200 and 350 mm, up to large sizes for industrial production. The calender heat can be developed with various procedures and technologies, but the solution that ensures the most constant heat and temperature control is based on heat transfer oil with internal recirculation within the calender. Other heating systems use a heat transfer oil boiler with external recirculation or by means of infrared radiation. The calender has a tubular felt covering that transfers the heat uniformly over the operating surface. These machines come with three unwinding feeders and three overlying rewinders for transfer paper, fabric and protective paper. The protective paper is in contact with the felt and protects it from potential traces of ink due to holes in the fabric or when the roll has come to the end of its travel.
13
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
Features and advantages of calenders and presses for transfers
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
Previous page: the Monti Antonio calenders for heat transfer onto fabric. Model 901, in 2 m to 3.6 m versions with heated cylinder of 350 mm in diameter, and model 72, 1.8 m with heated cylinder of 200 mm in diameter. || At the bottom of this page, the Monti Antonio presses model 9010 with vacuum system and 150x100 cm table, available up to 5.2x2.25 m in model 200 for industrial production. Flags and banners by Adria Bandiere. Scarves printed on transfer paper by Promos.
14
…flat press? Heat presses: how and where to use them Flat presses for heat transfer are available in three different configurations: with a single heating plate, a double heating plate or a vacuum-type heating plate. Regardless of the kind of heating plate, the main manufacturers offer small (approx. 30x50 cm, 1x1m), medium (approx. 1.8x2.7 m) and large (approx. 2.5x3.5 m and over) models. Heat presses can be used to work with pre-cut pieces of material (known technically as “pre-cut textile frames”) or finished garments and, unlike the calender, can also be used for rigid materials. The real novelty in the calender sector is the introduction of the vacuum table which, for textile transfer printing, enables the exact regulation of the level of ink penetration in the fabric during the dye-sublimation process. The vacuum table was invented for four markets: flags, lycra and elasticated material, fluffy fabrics and flock (with penetration of up to 4 and 5 mm) and for the printing of rigid materials for technical applications.
Transfers and speciality inks How heat transfers and ďŹ nishing inks work and why they are used
Alternative, practical and convenient Heat transfers are films made of synthetic materials which have adhesive at the back which is activated by the heat generated by the heated plate of a press and is fixed onto the fabric by means of pressure. There are dozens of different kinds of heat transfer films which vary according to colour, thickness, resistance and surface finishing. The kind of adhesive determines which fabrics can be decorated: 100% polyester, 100% cotton, cotton mix and polyester or Lycra, dark items and untreated fabrics. Other kinds of adhesive have been designed for water-repellent fabrics such as nylon and silicone coated materials. The transfer films can be printed with eco-solvent inks and cut with wide format plotters.
Special effects
Phase 1: Printing and cutting of the graphics on the plotter with eco-solvent inks
Phase 2: The heat transfer is positioned over the item laid out on the heat press
Phase 3: The thermoadhesive is fixed onto the fabric with the press in just a few seconds
Phase 4: Once the thermoadhesive has been applied the fabric is ready for use
Speciality inks for fabric finishing are printed onto the fabric by means of a screen printing frame or with aerographic technology. This category of speciality inks can be divided into basic, thickener, metallic and glitter, laminates and lacquer inks.
15
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
A wide range of films, heat transfer films and inks for fabric finishing is available on the market. Discover how they are applied and what advantages they offer for the personalisation of finished items and fabrics for communication.
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
Dye-sublimation inks The most popular and versatile dyes for visual communication Dye-sublimation inks are the first textile dyes specifically developed for inkjet printing on fabric. In recent years these dyes have been improved for direct printing on pre-treated polyester fabrics and to offer greater brightness and higher detail quality when used with the transfer printing process. This kind of digital textile ink can be used on polyester, acrylic, acetate and nylon fabrics by means of special calenders or flat presses. In both cases, before the ink is transferred onto the fabric and acquires a sheen and its proper shade, the colour of the printed product
will be rather opaque. Once the transfer has started, the ink passes from a solid state to a gassy state. It penetrates the fabric because of the change in temperature and pressure and is permanently fixed into the fibre of the fabric when it returns to the solid state. The high level of brightness, good fastness to direct light (estimated at a few months) and the good quality of the images printed make dye-sublimation inks perfect for textile applications dedicated to visual communication such as flags, promotional clothing and sportswear, accessories and gadgets made of fabric.
On this page: The carriage with inkjet print heads of the d.gen Teleios during a direct printing phase with dye-sublimation inks on pre-treated polyester fabric. || On the left, Digistar PES Dual inks for the direct industrial printing of banners and flags produced by Kiian. On the right, J-Eco Subly Nano NS-60 cyan and magenta inks produced by J-Teck3 for high quality dye-sublimation printing and transfers with an inkjet plotter.
16
In the fibres of the fabric Different media add colour to textile communication What helped bring about the large format inkjet printing of fabric was the availability of artificial or synthetic technofibres, originally designed for solvent or UV printing and subsequently produced specifically for direct printing or transfers with dye-sublimation inks. Wrongly identified as “synthetic fabrics”, organic technofibres can in actual fact be divided into artificial and synthetic fibres. With artificial fibres, the initial cellulose is treated and modified in the laboratory by different chemical reagents to produce artificial fabrics that are named according to their chemical structure, such as acetate, cupro, triacetate, viscose or rayon. Synthetic technofibres, on the other hand, are formed by molecules obtained by synthesis in the laboratory
On this page: German manufacturer Neschen’s fabrics for dye-sublimation printing used for the reproduction of the graphics of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
and are subdivided into dozens of different fabrics. The main synthetic technofibres are acrylics, aramids (such as Kevlar), chlorovinyls, modacrylics (that is, acrylictype fibres modified to be flame-resistant) and polyamides, such as nylon. Be careful not to confuse natural polyamide fibres, obtained by processing protein fibres, with synthetic fibres designed in the laboratory to simulate a natural fibre. Lastly, we have textile fibres in polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane and polytetrafluoroethylene. If the latter is thermally expanded, it forms an expensive synthetic textile fibre, Gore-Tex, which is used to make water-resistant sportswear.
Natural fabrics The natural fabrics used in digital textile printing are the same as those used in traditional screen printing. There are many different kinds which can be subdivided into three main categories according to their conformation and animal or vegetable origin.
17
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
Silk and wool
Cotton takes shape
The fabrics of animal origin, made up of protein-type fibres, are silk and wool. Silk and its derivatives are obtained from the working of silkworms, lepidoptera and spiders, through a process that creates highly esteemed fabrics for clothing or furnishings. Conversely, wool is obtained from the shearing and subsequent processing of the fleece of sheep and goats, as well as rabbits, camels, alpaca and some kinds of llama. This kind of fibre is primarily used for the production of clothing and anti-allergic fabrics.
Fabrics of vegetable origin are obtained from the processing of seeds, as in the case of cotton, or from the stem of the plant, as in the case of linen, hemp and jute. The fabrics obtained from the processing of cotton include denim, used to make jeans, and chintz, a glazed fabric used to make upholstery, curtains and sofa coverings. Cotton fibre is also used to make various kinds of towelling, in the production of towels, bathrobes, sports clothing and microfibre cloths.
Glossary A practical tool to shed some light on the main terms you may come across when acquiring fabrics for visual communication Antistatic: Capability of fabric to inhibit the accumulation of electrostatic charges. Continuous filament: Each filament of the yarn is made up of a single continuous strand. Optical white: Dye or colouring obtained by means of colouring substances that can transform ultraviolet beams of light into visible white fluorescent radiation. It is used to make white brighter and to prevent the fibre going yellow.
18
Selvedge: Finished edges of the fabric. Denier: Unit of measurement of the fineness of continuous filament yarns. 1 denier is equivalent to the weight of 1 gram per 9000 metres of thread. Threads per cm²: Number of threads in a square cm of fabric. If it is expressed as a single number, it means that there are the same number of threads in both the weft and warp directions. The thread count is an indication of the density and weight of
the fabric. Finishing: All operations carried out on the fabric when it comes from the loom to make it suitable for its end use. Fireproofed: Normally combustible material that is impregnated with mineral products that can temporarily inhibit combustion. Not to be confused with “fireretardant”. Fire-retardant: A product that can resist heat for some time. This term is used for fibres with specific molecular features. Not to be confused with “fireproofed”. Liner: Film, generally made of polyethylene, to which fabric for digital printing is glued (and which is removed after the transfer). Touch: All the tactile sensations typical of fabrics: softness,
consistency, roughness. Nautical or Nautical Polyester: Generic name given to the fabrics used for nautical flags or for outdoor use (highly resistant fabric). Honeycomb: Wide knit fabric. Warp: All the threads arranged in parallel on the loom which, together with the weft, form the fabric. Polyester: Synthetic fibre used for many fabrics. Bunting: Flag with high air permeability. Tolerance: Percentage of allowed deviation in the printing of an image with respect to the original (indicated in tenths of a millimetre). Weft: The thread inserted in the warp to form the fabric. Transfer: Method of printing for the production of graphics or images onto the transfer medium.
The marvellous applications Now that we have shown you the main markets, technologies, inks and media for visual communication, we will provide a thorough overview of the applicational opportunities opened up with d.gen Teleios dye-sublimation technology. The photorealistic quality of this printer means that you can personalise any polyester
fabric for fashion items, flags and banners, furnishings, promotional products and much more. We will then present two successful case histories with interviews with the managers of Ricamificio Valdigne and Promos: these companies will tell us about their adventures in the world of digital textile printing for visual communication.
Dye-sublimation: from suitcases to interiors Below, a promotional curtain made to furnish a haute couture shop and printed with d.gen Teleios. From a few metres or further away, the image of the dress appears to be threedimensional, giving the impression that the dress has been sewn onto the curtain. In actual fact, it is a two-dimensional image, but the quality of the photographic print of d.gen’s digital textile technologies makes it possible to bring out shades and colours in the greatest detail. It is so faithful to the original that it grabs the attention of the potential customer. The same threedimensional effect can be reproduced with the image of any item: pictures, furniture, clothes and more, revolutionising the concept of trompe l’oeil and making it a business tool for printers and designers alike.
“Sublime” bags, gadgets and promotional items
Direct sublimation digital printing technology can be used to personalise any small or medium-sized product made of a fabric with mixed synthetic fibres (that is, made of a minimum of 60% of synthetic fibres). Dye-sublimation printing is ideal to produce brightly coloured and attractive promotional gadgets and to make sportswear, banners and flags.
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
Textile interiors go 3D!
…of textile communication Textiles with a click by d.gen!
In order to show the market the numerous applicational opportunities provided by direct printing on fabrics (and not just fabrics), d.gen is proud to announce the opening of an interactive on-line fashion house. We’re talking about “eye love d.gen”, a website for fashion designers and interior designers who want to discover in just a few clicks how to personalise bars and clubs, fashion houses, apartments and showrooms. www.sognidoro.co.kr - www.dgen.com
Coordinated graphics on fabrics for armchairs, walls and carpets VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
d.gen Teleios has long been the company of choice for large format printers specialising in the décor of interiors and stage design. This printer can satisfy the most extravagant requests made by interior designer, stylists and architects. The most popular applications in recent times include the personalisation of armchairs, cushions and carpets for showrooms, fashion houses and temporary shops. Additionally, walls can also be dyesublimation printed on synthetic fabric with a consistency which is similar to wallpaper.
20
STAMPA DIGITALE TESSILE da oggi tutto in un clic
www.totextile.it
. COMUNICAZIONE VISIVA . FASHION E INDUSTRIA TESSILE NON PERDERE L’OPPORTUNITÀ DI ESSERCI Per informazioni t. 02 48516207 | e-mail: advertising@sunnycom.it
partner of
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
A digital future for the world of promotions Ricamificio Valdigne has made decoration and printing on fabric its core business A chalet in Pré Saint Didier, in the province of Aosta, is the headquarters of Ricamificio Valdigne, a small but prolific business specialising in the personalisation of clothing, sportswear and promotional applications on fabric. While embroidery has been a flourishing and profitable line for the company since its inception, the young leaders of the business, Alberto Datrino and Istvan Minach, have supplemented this activity, first with solutions for transfer printing and now with digital inkjet technologies for direct printing on fabrics and garment printing. EFI Kornit’s 932D was the printer of choice for Ricamificio Valdigne: a top-quality industrial production system based on Kornit water-based inks with Oeko-Tex certification.
22
Below the five workstations for automatic embroidery at Ricamificio Valdigne || On the opposite page, the technical staff and the Kornit 932DS.
Ricamificio Valdigne Loc. Route Chenoz, 1 11010 Pré Saint Didier (AO) tel: 0165.86.72.24 www.ilricamificio.com
Kornit: digital textile under the auspices of EFI…
An Israeli company specialising in the production of technologies for digital printing on fabric, Kornit has recently come into the limelight after its acquisition by printing colossus EFI. Kornit produces models 931DS, 932D and 932NDS as well as the 933, a dedicated module for screen printing carousels for inkjet printing on cotton, lycra, polyester, viscose and silk. Equipped with proprietary water-based inks ensuring the highest quality, durability and washability, these printers boast resistant brilliant white ink, ideal for quality printing on dark items. The 932D model adopted by Ricamificio Valdigne has a print area of 35x45 cm and a production rate of around 100 light items/hour and 40 dark items/hour. www.kornit-digital.com
“Production of high quality items and expansion of the market led us to choose Kornit” How was it started and what services does Ricamificio Valdigne offer? Ricamificio Valdigne boasts ten years of experience in the embroidery market and over three years in the digital printing market. We specialise in the production of sportswear and promotional clothing, two flourishing markets in the mountains, even though they are predominantly associated with the winter and summer seasons. What technologies did you start off with? We started with two embroidery machines and have grown year after year until the current ten automatic machines operating 24/7. From the beginning we introduced some digital technologies for transfer printing and the subsequent application on t-shirts using dedicated heat presses. A few years ago, in order to satisfy new market demand, we then introduced the Kornit Digital digital textile printer. The technology amazed us from the very first moment for its versatility and superlative print quality. What advantages does this technology offer? The technology of model 932D has the best price/performance ratio on the market for printing on finished articles of various kinds and sizes. It’s a solution that reflects our digital-oriented philosophy and meets our needs
in terms of productivity, image quality, colour gamut and perfection of shading. Additionally, the Oeko-Tex certification of the inks and the availability of white ink for printing on dark items increase the machine’s application possibilities. It should also be emphasised that the colourfastness after numerous washes and the lightfastness of the inks is very good, regardless of the fabric used, even though the best results are obtained on articles made of white and coloured cotton. An “industrial” technology? We chose this model because it allows us to switch easily from a single piece to long runs in a very short space of time. Depending on the customer’s requirements, we can make samples on different items and, once the order has been approved, go on to the production of short runs of fifty pieces, up to runs of four hundred items! A technology that allows you to offer new services in new markets? Thanks to Kornit we’ve expanded our business from Val d’Aosta to Piemonte, Lombardia and Liguria. What’s more, in addition to opening an on-line shop with a vast catalogue of different garments and gadgets, we also offer printing and personalisation services on tablecloths, uniforms and any other fabric that may be used in bars, clubs and restaurants.
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
interview
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
Flags and gadgets in the world of Promos Two Roland plotters made Promos leave screen printing for the digital production of ags and clothes When the first dye-sublimation technologies for printing on fabric arrived in Italy in the 1990s, Promos foresaw its future in these solutions. Despite initial problems due to poor compatibility between inks, print heads and media, the textile printing company based in Ascoli came up with dozens of original applications on all kinds of fabric. The full transition from screen to digital printing came with the installation of one of the very first Roland Hi-Fi Jets in Italy and then with a Roland SJ-640 and a VersaCamm SP-300. These two investments allowed Promos to undertake a further shift in its business, by optimising production times and offering on-demand digital textile printing services for internationally renowned customers.
24
Top of page, the scarf of the Green Angels football team 1992 || Above, the flag of the Rijsel Spirit football team | On the right-hand page, two sports jerseys in polyester printed with sublimation inks on Roland plotter by Promos.
interview
with Floriano Nori, General Manager Promos
“We started thirty years ago with prototypes for inkjet printing and we now produce thousands of fabric articles every day”
What changed with the introduction of the Roland SJ and SP plotters? The versatility of these two models enabled us to diversify and to design special applications for visual communication for indoor and outdoor applications. Today we have no difficulty in meeting the specific requirements of furniture showrooms, supermarkets and hypermarkets, public authorities, stadiums and car dealerships, making large format flags, standards, banners and pennants, elegantly finished by our staff.
What steps are necessary to make a fabric printed with dye-sublimation technology? The first phase regards the preparation of the files and their positioning on the roll or on the sheet of transfer paper using RIP software; then the dye-sublimation inkjet printing is started. At the end of printing, the roll is cut into sheets and placed on the heat press with the inked part in contact with the fabric and the heat transfer process starts. The fabric is separated from the transfer paper and left to cool for a few minutes before proceeding to the next phase: cutting, sewing and various finishings. Have delivery times been shortened? Most definitely yes. What previously needed almost a week of work is now done in a couple of days at the most, giving each customer much faster delivery times than in the past. For example, 48 hours from the order is enough time for a print change and three hundred sports scarves can even be produced in a single working day.
Promos Via della Costituzione, 13 63020 Monte Vidon Corrado (FM) tel: 0734 760097 www.promosnf.com
25
VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON FABRIC
In twenty years what technological changes have marked Promos’ business activities? Promos started out with screen printing, specialising in the production of promotional items in the 1980s and rapidly built up experience providing services to major fashion brands. With the introduction in the 1990s of one of the first plotters for dye-sublimation printing, we significantly extended our range, enhancing our catalogue with sportswear, hats, travelling bags, T-shirts, bags, scarves, special clothes and personalised flags.
The textile industry has gone digital 27
The protagonists and the industrial textile inkjet technologies to relaunch the Made in Italy brand
28
The digital textile industry in Italy
30
Industrial textile inkjet printing technology
32
Processing and finishing
33
Cutting
34
Software
35
The digital textile workflow
36
Plug-in software e...
37
RIP software - ideal for your textile plotter
38
All you need for fashion creativity!
39
CAD | CAM for embroidery
40
Inks
41
Brightness and resistance, at the heart of the latest generation textile inks
42
Acid dye inks
43
Reactive dye inks
44
Disperse dye inks
45
Pigmented inks
26
After a period of deadlock over the last few years due to competition from China, with unfair prices and quality of the products on the market, the Italian textile industry is slowly but surely reaffirming itself on an international scale. Indeed, the major buyers in the textile market, dissatisfied with the poor quality of oriental products, which are becoming increasingly shoddy and uncontrolled, are once again choosing the products of our textile industry, which is investing in new technologies and solutions that are capable of relaunching the Made in Italy brand throughout the world. Digital production technologies ensure the same quality as traditional screen printing, with all the advantages of personalisation and significantly more profitable production costs. Suffice to consider the many screen printing companies that have switched to inkjet which have series of plotters able to produce thousands of square metres of fabric in a short space of time. In the same way, major textile preparation centres are being set up in the Como area to deal with the demand from digital printers for the steaming and finishing of fabrics printed with industrial inkjet technologies.
27
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY GOES DIGITAL
The protagonists and the industrial textile inkjet technologies to relaunch the Made in Italy brand
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY GOES DIGITAL
The leader tells all... Mantero Seta, a pioneer of digital textile printing, recounts its technological development and its view of textile communication Over a hundred years of history in the textile market have made Mantero Seta one of the leading Italian companies in the world of haute couture. The textile company based in Grandate, in the province of Como, boasts a structured presence on the international market and satisfies the requirements of the most demanding textile buyers through its operating bases located in the main fashion and textile printing capitals. Among these are Paris, with Mantero France, New York, thanks to Mantero of America, and Hangzhou, China, with Mantero Orient. The Italian player offers a wide range of top quality products printed using the latest generation digital technologies. Let’s find out how Mantero has transformed its business over the years.
28
with Carlo Mantero Owner and Head of New Technologies at Mantero Seta
“The digital printing market is perfect for Western business models” Mantero was a digital textile pioneer: what were the technological steps that revolutionised your business model? In 1993 we were already looking into alternatives to screen printing, from toners right down to electrostatic technology. We started with the inkjet technology of IRIS SmartJet and then we introduced HP and Epson technologies and the revolutionary Canon Bubble Jet Textile Printing System, with 360 dpi thermal print heads and a production rate of one metre a minute. Other emerging technologies of the time that we successfully adopted include the Colorspan and Encad models adapted for fabric and the Xerox ColorgrafX 8954-DS with electrostatic system. In the 1990s we opened up to the new Mimaki TX technologies and in 1994 to the Epson MatchJet system, the first textile printer with piezo print heads, the technology that is behind all the printers that are currently revolutionising the textile world. There was also a period in Mantero’s history when we thought that only spot colours were needed to produce high quality fabrics. This is why we produced inkjet colour charts with 400 shades ready to be used for applications requiring extreme quality, which still cannot be produced with screen printing alone. What technologies can be considered as market standards? We’re starting to speak of standards with Monna Lisa and systems based on Mimaki JV5 engines. Choosing different technologies makes the printer carry out dozens of tests and develop new colour charts. A company that decides to launch itself on the digital textile market can choose from dozens of models from different manufacturers. For a company that operates on the textile market, it’s essential to identify a technology that can be painlessly integrated into its workflow. The same goes for the switch from one digital textile technology to another. The colour charts produced for Monna Lisa can be used on a Mimaki JV5 because the same RIP software can be adopted without any problems. The print result is virtually identical.
What market developments do you foresee for digital textile printing and screen printing? Screen printing technologies for fabrics will not disappear but will remain for niche applications and very high quality productions or for very long runs. Nevertheless, I feel that large volumes won’t be produced in Italy but will remain for some time yet in China, where the cost of personnel is still very low. On the other hand, the digital printing market is perfect for Western business models. It would be difficult for digital textile printing to take off on the Chinese market, since it entails a whole series of costs and application opportunities that don’t fall within their standards. What are the real differences between screen printing and digital printing production cycles? In the textile market digital differs from analogue in that it doesn’t need frames, squeegees, pastes and other components used in the screen printing process. Inkjet technology is structured around digital file flows with dedicated levels, channels and inks. The big difference in digital’s favour is the net reduction in production costs. For the rest it’s all the same: the fabric is steamed, washed and carefully finished. Why were printers and textile buyers afraid of digital printing? There was resistance because graphic projects and files for digital printing were once planned, designed and prepared carelessly. Image resolution, finishing, edges and design construction are things that a digital printer in the 1990s didn’t yet know how to do properly. In the past printers came up against strong resistance from buyers, who didn’t understand that behind the technology there were in-depth studies on colour. These are technical aspects that are put to good use by the experience of the operators and allow them to make the difference. I’ve shown that it’s possible to convert photogravure files into digital documents that can ensure top quality printing.
Mantero Seta S.p.A. Via Volta, 74 22100 Como (CO) Tel: 031.32.11 Via R. Mantero, 4/15/20 22070 Grandate (CO) Tel. 031.45.41.11 www.mantero.com
29
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY GOES DIGITAL
interview
Industrial textile What’s behind digital printing technologies designed for fabrics
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY GOES DIGITAL
Over the next few pages we’re going to show you in detail the operation of the main components of an industrial inkjet textile printer. In just a few minutes you will find out how they work: the system for winding a spool of jumbo-roll fabric, the feed belt, the inkjet print unit and the management system for dedicated textile inks. Not to mention the drying oven and the device for rewinding the fabric in line with the printer.
The blanket is adhesive and always on top During printing, the fabric is bathed in the ink which penetrates into the fibres, causing it to expand. For this reason, a good digital textile printer must be equipped with an adhesive blanket that can keep the fabric in position as it advances. The d.gen Artrix uses a blanket with self-cleaning synthetic resin by Habasit, a renowned manufacturer of quality screen printing blankets.
The fabric is ready in a flash! With the d.gen Artrix the printed material is dried before being rewound. It passes through a special in-line oven, ensuring that the ink doesn’t penetrate through to the back of the fabric. The motorised rewinder revolves at the same speed as the feeder unit and can manage the same amount of material (up to 2750 m with 65 g/m² fabric).
30
Inkjet technology The art of drawing in‌ Dedicated selvedge aligner The selvedge (or selvage), the uncut edge of the fabric, is sometimes clearly misaligned in fabrics that are wound eccentrically in jumbo rolls ready for printing. The d.gen Artrix automatically realigns the fabric.
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY GOES DIGITAL
The process of introducing the fabric into the print circuit is known as drawing in. The procedure requires mechanical components and dedicated cylinders which vary according to the fabric that is to be fed in: a compensation cylinder to simplify winding, a tensioning device (for jeans, silk, wool, cotton) or a stretching cylinder for elastic fabrics. Lastly, the banana-bar, a curved bar that stops the fabric from “bunching up�.
The textile pressure cylinder In order to ensure that the fabric sticks properly to the adhesive blanket, a pressure cylinder presses the fabric onto the blanket with constant pressure. The pressure can be adjusted according to the thickness and the elasticity of the fabric.
High cover and resolution
2 litre degassed cartridges
Industrial textile printing requires high ink penetration, cover and colour stability. In order to ensure optimal print quality, d.gen has provided Artrix with 8 Seiko inkjet print heads each with 12 cm print band, 508 jets and 720 dpi resolution, perfect for ties, headscarves and fashion items. The optimal inking level is guaranteed by 8 pl droplets, heavy enough to ensure that the air displaced by the print carriage does not alter the route or atomise them and cause dithering.
d.gen Artrix comes with high capacity (2 litre) ink cartridges enabling long printing cycles. All the cartridges contain inks that have already been degassed before being packed to ensure the correct flow of ink to the print head and to prevent any printing imperfections caused by an incorrect expulsion of the ink drop. The inks available are acid, disperse and reactive, which ensure fastness, cover and resistance that compares well with traditional screen printing inks. The colour gamut is extensive and, in addition to the four classic colours, d.gen also provides four colours that are very popular with screen printers: Red, Blue, Light Cyan and Light Magenta.
31
Left, the MS steaming, washing and drying technologies installed at Punto Service. || Below: d.gen HeatMAN, the heat fixing device for dyesublimation and disperse inks for direct inkjet textile printing with d.gen Teleios and Artrix.
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY GOES DIGITAL
Processing and ďŹ nishing Technologies to prepare and dry your fabrics Besides printers, inks and fabrics, the industrial textile printing process (both screen printing and digital) requires the use of special preparation and finishing technologies, compounds and additives. We are talking about technologies for steaming, washing and drying, as well as specific chemical substances that can improve the quality, resistance and consistency of the finished textile product.
Steaming goes digital The steaming systems for digital textile printing faithfully reflect, albeit in a reduced form, the philosophy and technology of the steaming process used by screen printing industries. These are continuous-operation machines that are designed for printers that produce low runs, prototypes and fabric samples. These devices can be used to steam fabrics from 15 to 50 metres (or more) in length. Acid and reactive dyes are fixed onto the fabric with saturated steam, while disperse dyes are fixed with superheated steam. Some of these steaming processes can also be used as polymerisers for textile pigments.
32
Punto Service chooses MS and sets up the first preparation and finishing centre for digital textile printing
Punto Service, a textile company in Olgiate Comasco (CO), offers a full, made-to-measure service for small and medium-sized digital textile printing companies for the preparation and finishing of fabrics printed with inkjet technology. The technologies provided by Punto Service are produced by MS and are the top of the Italian manufacturers’ range: the MS-Vapo Cont 50 sc for steaming fabrics, the MS-Washer with eight fabric washing basins and the MS-MiniRam. The MS-MiniRam is a miniature stenter, the only one of its kind, used in the preparation, finishing and drying of fabric. Daily output (8 hours) is 2400 linear metres for the processing of fabrics suitable for reactive and disperse dyes, and over 800 linear metres for fabrics suitable for printing with acid dye inks. Multiply those figures by 22 working days a month and you get 70,400 linear metres of fabric!
www.msitaly.com
Cutting Textile applications also need dedicated cutting tools. The cutting plotter used for digital textile printing is modular and the perfect combination of the conveyor belt winding system and specific cutting tools ensures accurate finishing. The cutting systems for banners and flags should not however be confused with the finishing
tables for clothing, haute couture and for the processing of leather. Market leaders include Zünd, which has been developing industrial plotters for over twenty years for the finishing of fabrics intended for three different markets: visual communication (Zünd 3XL-3000), fashion (Zünd L2500) and leather (Zünd LC-2400 optima).
Haute couture demands accuracy and speed
Cutting plotters for visual communication Various kinds of cutting plotters are available on the market for fabrics used in visual communication, but the best systems are those that have an oscillating, rotating and heated blade. Devices equipped with these tools give a neat and accurate cut which does not cause the edges to fray. The operating width of these plotters ranges from 1.65 to 3.2 m.
A cutting plotter designed for clothing must allow the continuous, trouble-free processing, via conveyor belt, of fabrics in rolls that are over 40 or even 60 m in length. Here too, oscillating, rotating blades are needed to cut accurately and fast. In view of the width and the considerable weight of the rolls of fabric, some manufacturers offer feeders with single or multiple fabric roll holders which are more versatile and easier to load. Additionally, these plotters are provided with software for the positioning of the various parts of the garment on the fabric (nesting) and an inkjet print head dedicated to the marking of the various parts (this is useful, for example, to distinguish the right and left sleeves of a garment). The most advanced tables also allow “mattress” processing, that is the cutting of several layers of fabric on top of each other up to a thickness of 2.5 cm.
33
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY GOES DIGITAL
Cutting edge fashion and visual communication!
Software for textiles 35
The digital textile workflow
36
Plug-in software and...
37
RIP software - ideal for your textile plotter
38
All you need for fashion creativity!
39
CAD | CAM for embroidery
34
Just like in Graphic Arts and visual communication, the introduction of large format digital printing brought some significant changes to the production cycle setting phase, so the screen printing market had to pay special attention to the progressive transformation and digitalisation of the workflow. RIP software for textile printing, special fashion suites dedicated to the dressing of 2D and 3D models, systems for the creation of furnishings and special plug-ins for designers are just some of the solutions that have enabled companies operating in the screen printing world to take advantage of the opportunities introduced by digital printing in competitive and productive ways. These solutions are reasonably priced, able to reduce downtimes and to level out the production costs which were once necessary, for example, to formulate speciality inks, create dedicated colour libraries for each customer and to choose the kind of frame. It should also be mentioned that the experience gained in the development of RIP software for large format printing has made things easier for the manufacturers of these solutions, by encouraging the development of tools dedicated exclusively to textile printing and which meet the expectations of the printers involved in visual communication. Over the next chapters we are going to look into each solution in greater detail.
35
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | SOFTWARE
The digital textile workow is fast and efďŹ cient
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | SOFTWARE
Plug-in software and... Plug-in software solutions were among the first to be developed by software houses for the textile market and were primarily intended to satisfy the requirements of designers. This software was designed to make the most of the engines of the main standard graphics applications for photo editing and vector design (Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, FreeHand or CorelDraw), using, however, a series of function palettes dedicated to the development of specific graphics applications. The main advantage of using plug-ins is clear: first of all there is no need to purchase brand new software, thus saving money and reducing implementation risks, and there is no need for specific training. Moreover,
plug-ins can considerably increase the speed of editing files and the images of samples of fabric to be printed. The textile world has a wide variety of plug-ins to choose from, which all designers can use “without hassle”. We are talking about small software packages that can add new palettes to the already excellent image processing capabilities of your graphics suite, such as colour libraries for different optimised shading options that can be personalised through spectrophotometric analysis of the fabric, colour-matching and soft-proofing tools, or even weft / warp and yield / size simulation palettes. This translates into significant savings in time and money, right from the design phase of the work.
Above, the preview window of RIP software Ergosoft TexPrint showing the various editing tools for digital textile applications || Below, DUAsoft Ramsete III’s colour libraries for image colour variations
36
The RIP (Raster Image Processor) is quite simply a workstation assigned to process the file that is ready for printing. Over the years, this device has needed the introduction of an advanced software interface for the management and setting of some important processing phases which were previously assigned to the RIP and which cannot be controlled directly by the operator. These systems were called RIP software since they can offer the same functionalities, virtually and transparently, as a physical RIP. RIP software is essential to obtain accurate prints, with faithful colours which can be repeated over time, whether on a wide format plotter or on a digital textile printer. Thanks to this powerful software, any operator can create, manage and save the colour profiles of any plotter, adapt the print files to the printer’s gamut and therefore to the fabric on
which the artwork is to be reproduced (it should not be forgotten that the fabric “drinks in” the colour and that each medium must be well calibrated). A good RIP, moreover, allows the inks to be loaded rapidly and ensures the matching of the colour palette and the four digital colours. Additionally, just like in wide format printing for sign-making, the RIP, through its hot folders, provides direct access to the processing phases, their status and the print queues and ensures that cutting marks and colour management blocks can be set quickly and easily. It should also be noted that most textile printer manufacturers offer dedicated RIP software bundled in with the machine, as well as the print drivers. The RIP can be a proprietary device or an OEM, in which case it is optimised by the software house according to the specifications of the printer with which it is sold. Alternatively, you can always choose one of the many available on the market and in this case, take some advice – make sure you find yourself an expert, qualified partner!
Some screenshots of d.gen’s Digital Studio, the software produced by the Korean company that allows you to express all your creativity and to manage Pantones, half-tones and the colour profiles of any print file
37
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | SOFTWARE
RIP software - ideal for your textile plotter
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | SOFTWARE
All you need for fashion creativity! Unlike the traditional Graphic Arts market, which is centred exclusively around the figure of the graphic designer, the world of textiles, whether fashion or furnishings, has a number of professionals involved in the design side. These include stylists and fabric designers, fashion designers, fitters and interior designers. With these in mind, over the last twenty years or so some specialist software houses have produced various kinds of creative software suites and plug-ins of the CAD or CAM type that can be adapted to meet any design requirement. We are talking about applications that are all very different from each other, which are intended to make the production of images and artwork for fabrics much faster and more accurate, by means of tools for vector design and the management of high definition raster images. As in the case of the RIP software, these applications are used for the management and creation of colour libraries and patchworks customised for each customer. More recently, we have also seen the development of CAD solutions for threedimensional design for both furnishing and fashion. As a result, it has never been so realistic and accurate to dress male/ female dummies or to create furnishings.
38
Lastly, some software houses have come up with applications for web catalogues which can be used to share projects in the design phase and for consultation with the end customer, even creating platforms for the e-commerce of the finished product.
CAD | CAM for embroidery
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | SOFTWARE
Out of all the numerous digital CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) solutions for the textile world, software for embroidery is one of the most popular. These software solutions stand out for their ease of use and for the full interface of all the tools needed for the production of vector designs and texts and their background, or to trace and modify artwork previously carried out with the main graphics software for vector design. Once the image to be reproduced has been finished, the file that is generated is interpreted by the embroidery machine which starts production automatically. Additionally, so that the decoration comes out perfectly without stressing the fabric or causing it to become excessively stiff, CAD and CAM software for embroidery also takes into consideration the three-dimensionality of the fabric and of the articles to be finished.
39
Textile inks for inkjet printing 41
Brightness and resistance, at the heart of the latest generation textile inksne
42
Acid dye inks
43
Reactive dye inks
44
Disperse dye inks
45
Pigmented inks
40
For some years now, the leading manufacturers of inks for digital printing, which include Kiian, J-Teck3, Lamberti and Sensient, have been offering inks specifically for inkjet technologies for digital textile printing. In order for these inks to be used with digital textile plotters provided with piezoelectric print heads consisting of very small jets (infinitely smaller than the holes in the screen printing frame), during the production phase they must meet very stringent specifications of fluid dynamics, dynamic and static surface tension as well as granulometry (particle size). These are essential requirements which, if properly calculated, allow for the perfect passage of the fluid through the inkjet print head and the subsequent formulation of print droplets even during long runs, preventing the print heads from getting blocked and slowing production. It should also be emphasised that all the main manufacturers of textile printing inks supply their inks together with certifications that they do not contain components that are harmful to organisms or the environment, and are therefore exempt from risk labelling.
41
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | INKS
Brightness and resistance, at the heart of the latest generation textile inks
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | INKS
Acid dye inks Silk, underwear and swimming costumes can be printed with acid dye inks… as long as they are “eco” Acid dye inks are particularly suitable for printing on natural fabrics made from protein fibres (that is, of animal origin) and polyamides, and usually have a water-based carrier. The ink “attaches” to the fabric by means of steaming for a period of time that varies from twenty to forty minutes, at a temperature of between 102°C and 104°C depending on the kind of fabric. Acid dye inks can be used successfully on silk and are ideal for printing and personalising fabric accessories and underwear; in some
42
cases they are also suited to printing on mixed fibres for the production of sportswear and swimming costumes made of polyamide. After printing, these inks need to be washed and fixed with the appropriate machinery to give the fibres of the fabric the technical characteristics required for use: antimicrobial, elasticising and anti-odour treatments. In the case of swimwear in particular, fixing processes are necessary to make the printed fabric resistant to friction, washing and chlorine.
Brightness guaranteed on hemp, silk, linen and viscose Reactive dye inks are designed for printing on natural fibres of vegetable origin such as cotton, linen, hemp or viscose and other fibres derived from cellulose. Reactive dye inks are among the brightest in the textile category but have very poor lightfastness; thus they are not used for outdoor applications or applications requiring long periods of exposure to sunlight. As shown in the screen printing field, the use of reactive dyes requires special care and experience since they can give totally different results depending on the duration and the temperature of the steaming process applied to the fabric (usually 102째C and 104째C for not more than twenty minutes) and according to the kind of post printing treatment used.
43
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | INKS
Reactive dye inks
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | INKS
Disperse dye inks Resistant and high performing Disperse dye inks can be used successfully on synthetic fibres derived from synthetic polymers obtained in the laboratory such as acrylic fibres, polyester and polyamidic fibres. They are widely used to make anti-allergy clothing and for the industrial preparation of items used in interior design and furnishing, as well as textile products for specialised use that require high resistance over time to ultraviolet rays, friction and washing. Fabrics printed
44
with disperse dye ink must be heat fixed at high temperatures of between 170째C and 190째C for a period of time of between five and fifteen minutes depending on the kind of fibre, while, in the case of special processing that does not need wet treatments but where the fabric is exposed to forced ventilation systems, the fabric must be exposed to temperatures of between 170째C and 180째C for not more than five minutes.
ITALIAN DIGITAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY | INKS
Pigmented inks Versatile and user friendly Although all inks that are used for textile printing are water-based, pigmented inks are defined in textile printing jargon as being “water-based for graphics”. This term only partly reflects the actual composition of pigmented textile ink, which is made primarily from an adhesive or bonding agent (of the butadienic, polyurethanic or acrylic kind) with no chromophoric function that fixes the coloured pigment onto the fibre of the fabric. This kind of ink is suitable for most fabrics for graphics applications, such as polyester and fibres of natural origin, such as cotton and viscose, or mixed fibres deriving from cellulose. Fabrics printed with these inks do not require washing or steaming phases for short-term applications (a few weeks or a couple of months at most).
Right: Kunstdünger Bannermoove, a remote controlled, motorised ceiling roll-up that can reach 10 metres high. It can be used to install banners or fabrics for visual communication weighing up to 15 Kg.
45
Campagna Abbonamenti 2010
ABBONATI ALLE NOSTRE RIVISTE o n -lin e su a b b o n a m enti.sunnyc om .it Compila e invia il modulo via posta o fax a SunnyCom Publishing srl, via Stromboli, 18 | 20144 Milano fax 02.43.40.05.09 Il Servizio Abbonati è a tua disposizione al numero di telefono 02.48.51.62.07 o via email: abbonamenti@sunnycom.it
Abbonamento annuale 10 numeri euro 50,00*
Abbonamento annuale 7 numeri euro 35,00*
Abbonamento annuale 4 numeri euro 20,00*
Abbonamento biennale 20 numeri euro 95,00*
Abbonamento biennale 14 numeri euro 65,00*
Abbonamento biennale 8 numeri euro 35,00*
I miei dati Azienda ................................................................................ Settore ........................................................................................ Nominativo ................................................................................................................................................................................ Indirizzo ..................................................................................................................................................................................... CAP ......................... Città .......................................................... Prov. .............. Tel. ............................................................ Fax .......................................... E-mail ................................................................ Sito ............................................................ Scelgo di pagare con assegno non trasferibile allegato alla presente intestato a SunnyCom Publishing srl versamento in C.C.P. n° 31.99.32.07 intestato a SunnyCom Publishing srl *Prezzi validi per le sole spedizioni in Italia. Per l’estero il prezzo dell’abbonamento raddoppia. Informativa ai sensi dell’art. 13, d. lgs 196/2003. I dati sono trattati, con modalità anche informatiche, per l’invio della rivista e per svolgere le attività a ciò connesse. Titolare del trattamento è: Sunnycom Publishing srl - Via Stromboli 18 - 20144 Milano (MI). Ai sensi dell’art. 7, d. lgs 196/2003 è possibile esercitare i relativi diritti fra cui consultare, modificare, aggiornare o cancellare i dati, nonché richiedere elenco completo ed aggiornato dei responsabili, rivolgendosi al titolare al succitato indirizzo. Con la compilazione della presente scheda, lei acconsente alla raccolta dei dati forniti e alla loro comunicazione ai nostri partner commerciali, al fine di poter ricevere informazioni e offerte commerciali. In caso di dissenso barri la casella qui a fianco.
yourgraphicpartner
EUROSCREEN: YOUR SUBLIMATIC PARTNER Textile visual communication market has become a desired land of conquering for the large format printing market. The technical and processing maturity of digital printing machines seems to have reached the turning point, enabling the potentiality of application and unthinkable competitiveness levels till now, catalyzing the interest of a rising group of customers and producers. Euroscreen, a company leader in distribution of consumables and technologies for large format, has always thought about innovation and invested a growing engagement in direct textile printer field, realizing EUROSCREEN DTP-160: a direct printing machine with a really interesting thermo fixation on line. This equipment combines all digital printing benefits, (eg. the possibility to print small and rapid copies of excellent quality), decreasing production time and costs, thanks to the elimination of transfer paper and laminator. The main purpose of this company placed in Sassuolo hasn’t stopped to printing technologies; relying on its longterm knowledge in consumables, Euroscreen has developed a line of higher performance inks than others. EUROINK SUB SMART PLUS is not only a trademark, but the touchable expression of a project in which are included a lot of products to a very high saturation level of colour: 30% thicker than others present on the market till now, being characterized by an excellent image definition and a particular brilliance of colours. In Euroscreen the combination of technology and consumables has always been the key of its success; for this reason, EUROTEX products are combined to printing technologies and inks: products for flags, displays and structures realizations all strictly selected in Euroscreen booth during Viscom Italy 2009 order to supply water- base, solvent and UV solutions. Potentiality of digital printing machines has transformed textile from traditional consumable into the real protagonist of events like EUROTEX UNI DISPLAY 250FR, used by Euroscreen to realize its own booth during VISCOM ITALY 2009. Sometimes, textile material became an architectonic element, able to give a personality to all surroundings. All products of EUROTEX SUV DECOR range combined with CLIPSO profiles, can create a lot of solutions applicable on walls, swimming pools, supermarkets, asylums, hospitals, houses and franchising. EUROTEX SUV DECOR products are the best solution to recover walls in case of partial decoration or back-light solutions, all linking functionality, aesthetic sense and comfort. The application of textile into profiles is very quick on every kind of surface. The characteristics of this product are very rare: washable, M1 Reception completely made with EUROTEX SUV classification, fifteen stronger than normal PVC, it’s not sensitive DECOR and profiles Clipso CC to chlorine and humidity. It can be printed by UV and solvent technology. Euroscreen would be glad to show you all its products in its headquarter placed in Sassuolo (MO) and in all its branches in Milano, Firenze, Padova, Euroscreen Roma, Euroscreen Area Sud. If you need to receive more information, don’t hesitate to visit our website www.euroscreen.it and to contact us at the following address info@euroscreen.it.
inchiostri tessili digitali | scheda azienda
Lamberti | Sensient Imaging Technologies A sinistra, Headquarters & Commercial Offices di Lamberti in italia | Sopra, la sede di Sensient Imaging Technologies Specialty Inks in Svizzera
GUIDA AI FORNITORI DELLA STAMPA TESSILE
La linea di prodotti che verranno presentati al Viscom da Sensient dimostra lo sforzo compiuto dall’azienda nello sviluppo di soluzioni “cross over” con tutti i tipi di componenti chimici tessili (sublimatici, diretti dispersi, pigmenti e reattivi) per tutti i tipi di teste di stampa (Epson, Spectra, Konica, Seiko, …) e il lavoro svolto in sinergia con Lamberti, tra i migliori specialisti dell’industria tessile, per assicurare che le soluzioni proposte sono conformi agli standard di qualità industriale
L’azienda svizzera Sensient Imaging Technologies S.A., leader nella produzione di soluzioni per la stampa transfer e per sistemi tradizionali come macchine serigrafiche rotative, piane e off-set, è entrata con successo nel mercato della stampa digitale con i suoi inchiostri di tipo disperso e pigmentati. Lamberti s.p.a., azienda nota al mercato della stampa tessile per le sue soluzioni di pretrattamento, stampa e finissaggio dei tessuti, ha sviluppato un fiorente business nel settore della stampa tradizionale con inchiostri pigmentati. Inoltre, Lamberti si sta specializzando nella preparazione di tessuti tailor-made per i clienti specializzati nella stampa ink-jet e post trattamento del
48
tessuto con detergenti di lavaggio. Sensient e Lamberti hanno formato un’alleanza strategica per entrare nel mercato della stampa digitale tessile, basata sullo sviluppo congiunto e la vendita di inchiostri pigmentati base acqua con formulazioni specifiche per qualsiasi segmento applicativo. La cooperazione include prodotti e formule di sintesi ideali per la produzione di campionature nell’industria tessile e la decorazione di abiti preconfezionati. Gli ultimi sviluppi saranno presentati durante il Viscom 2009 e includeranno la nuova serie di inchiostri Elvajet serie R e compound dedicati per la preparazione del tessuto alla stampa ink-jet Compound Jet R.
Lamberti dispone dello storico Plant & Technological Centre ad Albizzate fondata nel 1911, ma sempre al passo con l’evoluzione tecnologica, in cui sono localizzati i principali impianti produttivi dell’azienda, i laboratori di R&D e di sviluppo applicativo dei prodotti. Inoltre, presso la sede di Albizzate risiedono sia il moderno Purchasing Department che gli uffici della Logistica
Lamberti SpA Via Piave, 18 21041 Albizzate | VA, Italy t +39 0331 715111 www.lamberti.com
Sensient Imaging Technologies Sensient Imaging Technologies S.A. in Svizzera è uno dei più grandi produttori a livello mondiale di inchiostri sublimatici e pigmenti per la stampa tessile. L’ufficio centrale dell’azienda è situato nell’area francese della Svizzera, a Morges presso il lago di Ginevra, dove ha sede la produzione, la ricerca e sviluppo e il supporto tecnico. Sensient è stato un pioniere nello sviluppo di inchiostri sublimatici per il textile printing e il suo obiettivo è continuare a sviluppare questo comparto tecnologico. L’impegno e la determinazione spesi in anni di lavoro e competenza hanno portato alla creazione di prodotti davvero innovativi, che dimostrano il ruolo chiave giocato da Sensient nell’industria della sublimazione. Sensient in Svizzera può inoltre contare sulla competenza tecnica dell’interno gruppo Sensient e dei suoi 3.500 collaboratori dislocati in tutto il mondo. Il gruppo Sensient è un’organizzazione americana attiva nel campo dei prodotti chimici speciali con un turnover di più di 1 miliardo di dollari nel campo di inchiostri alimentari, aromi, fragranze, inchiostri speciali e naturalmente inchiostri per la stampa ink-jet sublimatica. Nel corso degli ultimi anni, Sensient si è evoluta da azienda tradizionale specializzata nelle stampanti sublimatiche in partner mondiale per la ricerca, lo sviluppo e la produzione di prodotti speciali e processi per tutti i settori connessi alla sublimazione e alla stampa tessile diretta. In tal senso, Sensient ha stabilito nuovi standard in termini di qualità e innovazione nell’ambito della stampa sublimatica ed è oggi partner dei leader di mercato negli USA, in Europa e negli altri continenti.
SUBLIMATICI S4 Subli: Inchiostri per la stampa ink-jet sublimatica su tessuti in poliestere. Inchiostri standard per teste di stampa Epson Elvajet SE 100 HS: nuovo sviluppo della serie S4 Subli per le stampanti ad alta velocità Mimaki JV5. Novità Viscom 2008 Elvajet SE 200 NT: Inchiostri sublimatici dyes appositamente selezionati per applicazioni industriali non tessili (sci, metalli coatizzati, ecc.). Novità Viscom 2008 DISPERSI Elvajet DE 100: Nuovi inchiostri dispersi per la stampa ink-jet diretta per teste di stampa Epson Elvajet DD 100: Nuovi inchiostri dispersi per la stampa ink-jet diretta con teste di stampa Spectra PIGMENTI Elvajet PE 500 UV: Nuovi inchiostri UV-water per la stampa ink-jet diretta su tessuto REATTIVI Elvajet RE 400: Nuovi inchiostri reattivi per teste di stampa Epson Elvajet RD 400: Inchiostri reattivi per teste di stampa Spectra
Lamjet & Compound Jet Lamberti Lamjet P, pigmenti non UV-curable per la stampa digitale. Lamberti Compound jet, prodotti specifici per il pretrattamento dei tessuti: Compound Jet R: per la stampa con inchiostri reattivi Compound jet P: per la stampa con inchiostri pigmentati Compound jet D: per la stampa con inchiostri dispersi Compound jet A: per la stampa con inchiostri acidi
49
GUIDA AI FORNITORI DELLA STAMPA TESSILE
Inks digitali
J-TECK3.com true digital J-TECK3.com true digital J-TECK3.com true digital PRESENTING
EPS J-TECK3.com EPS EPS PRESENTING PRESENTING
(Equalizing Printing System)
true digital
(Equalizing Printing System) (Equalizing Printing System)
PRESENTING www.j-teck3.com e-mail: info@j-teck3.com
EPS
www.j-teck3.com e-mail: info@j-teck3.com www.j-teck3.com e-mail: info@j-teck3.com
(Equalizing Printing System)