Japanese printer and digital cutter manufacturer Mimaki unveils the TxF150-75, its first ever direct to film (DTF) inkjet printer. The TxF150-75, in CMYK plus white, with a printing width of 800 mm, completes the range of printers designed for the textile personalization market by Mimaki.
DTF printing, the missing offer from Mimaki
Present in the garment decoration segment with various other technologies, Mimaki believes that DTF printing has had an impact on the industry in recent years "because of its considerable advantages over existing technologies".
Mark Sollman, Product Manager EMEA Mimaki Europe, explains: " In particular, it avoids the time-consuming process of screen printing and weeding required with traditional vinyl-based thermal transfer. The technology also allows for vibrant designs to be created with its four-color printing capabilities."
DTF printing consists of printing a design directly onto a transfer film, which is then coated with hot melt powder, heated and dried, and applied to a cotton, polyester or blend substrate and then passed under a heat press. The result is similar to screen printing.
To avoid problems inherent in DTF printing such as ink ejection defects and nozzle clogging, Mimaki packaged CMYK and white inks in a degassed pack and equipped the printer with a missing nozzle detector and an ink circulation system. The Japanese company also formulated new water-based inks, the PHT50 series. This series of inks is expected to receive Eco Passport certification by the end of March 2023, a passport required to obtain the international safety standard for textile products Oeko-Tex.
