Images Magazine June 2018

www.images-magazine.com 30 images JUNE 2018 A sk any DTG print shop to name its biggest bugbear with the DTG printing process and you’re likely to receive the same one-word answer: “pre-treatment”. For most, the day when they are able to cut out the pre-treatment step altogether – saving time, money and hassle – cannot come too soon. If the latest innovation from US manufacturer Direct Color Systems (DCS) delivers on its early promise, then that day may have arrived sooner than expected: the company’s new 1800z F6T Edition printer and flexible F6T inks print directly on garments with no pre- treatment required. Priced at £23,000 + VAT, the machine works on cotton, It’s DTG printing, but not as you know it The stand generating the biggest buzz at the Sign & Digital UK show this April had to be that of Resolute DTG, where the team was showing a new printer from Direct Color Systems (DCS) printing directly onto garments with UV LED curable ink. Yes, you read that right – a UV printer with DTG capabilities polyester, leather and other fabrics. What’s more, the same printer and inks can also be used to print on a wide range of hard and flexible substrates, including phone cases, water bottles, glass, wood, slate, pens and metal. And whatever the substrate used, prints exit the machine dry to touch. UV LED curing Michael Perrelli, marketing manager at Direct Color Systems, explains: “It is a UV printer that has DTG capabilities. This printer has both DTG and rigid capabilities, like cylindrical, texture [effects] and our patented ADA/Braille signage. “When people think of DTG printers, they think water-based inks and the maintenance that is needed to keep the print heads firing properly. Our printers utilise UV LED curable ink and will not dry out due to oxygen. In fact, oxygen is an inhibitor for our inks. All of our inks cure with the UV LED lamp that travels with the print head. Water-based inks require the image to be set by a heat press or it will smudge once handled. You can run your hand over a UV LED printed product as soon as it is finished and the image will not smear or smudge.” Michael reports that the machine’s modest maintenance requirements involve a weekly inspection followed by cleaning and lubrication if required. At Sign & Digital, visitors could see the new machine printing designs Vibrant prints made with the new F6T UV LED curable inks