Images_Digital_Edition_April_2019

STEP-BY-STEP: DIGITAL HYBRID PRINTING www.images-magazine.com APRIL 2019 images 81 TIPS & TECHNIQUES 1 2 The screen is prepared using the I-Image STE I direct-to-screen system 3 The screens are aligned and the squeegees, floodbars and inks added The image is printed onto the surface of the emulsion and exposed by LED according to the manufacturer‘s recommendations The first white is printed, followed by the flash and cool down stations 4 Automatic set up Next is the set-up on the automatic press. For this print, the rotation was underbase white, flash then cool, tie coat white, digital print using the M&R Digital Squeegee printer, flash then cool, top coat clear, flash then cool and special effect. Once the screens and squeegees, flood bars and screen inks were added to the press and the screens registered, we tested the digital print to check the registration and colour. If the digital print had needed any adjustments (colour, image, etc), we could make the changes and upload the new file within minutes. The press was pre-heated because this helps the ink flow when using a high solid water-based ink. The underbase white was printed, then flashed and cooled. The tie coat white, which bonds to the digital ink, was applied next and then immediately followed by the digital print: this is a wet-on-wet application. After a digital print it is important to flash the digital ink and then print a top coat of clear so as to create a strong bond between all the elements. After another flash cure and cool, the final special effect screen was printed. We were able to achieve a run rate of over 400 per hour in production. Finally, the shirt was passed through a tunnel dryer at the manufacturer‘s recommended cure times for high solid water- based inks; for this print on a 100% cotton shirt, the cure was 2 1/2 minutes at 160°C. One of the unique points about this application method is the variable data aspect: for this design we printed 20 different garments, each of which contained a different combination of one of five different car images and one of four different backgrounds. Further variation is possible by adjusting the screen application, for example by changing the colours of the ink or adding a new technique such as flock or foil. Screen print is enhanced by incorporating it into a digital hybrid system because it allows for variable data to be easily applied and offers reduced set-up times. A digital hybrid system also improves on DTG because it allows the application of special effects and exact colour matching along with offering faster production speeds. Hybrid brings the very best of two worlds together. www.mrprint.com www.instagram.com/notoriousrandd