Prestige DTF (Direct-To-Film Printing) Overview
What Is DTF Printing?
DTF (Direct-to-film) technology is a modern version of an old technology that uses a special ink which is printed onto a film. White ink is printed on top of the colour inks. This becomes the base colour when the image is transferred onto fabric and is the reason this technology works so well on dark fabrics. When the print comes out of the printer it’s still wet and a powder is sprinkled onto the wet ink. This powder is the glue that adheres the print to the fabric. After this, it’s cured and is then pressed with a heat press onto the fabric item.
This is an advancing technology that has some of the lowest print costs in the industry yet coupled with the best washability. The total print cost for DTF is less than just what the transfer paper costs with most competing technologies. This technology uses a special film, special inks and a powder (which is what sticks the image to the substrate). The powder sticks to the print only, which is why only the print transfers to the substrate. The best printers for DTF are manufactured for DTF from scratch. Early DTF machines (and current low-end machines) use a modified Epson inkjet printer.
Advantages
One of the main advantages is exceptional quality with vibrant colours if used with professional Raster Image Processing (RIP) software, the correct inks and films and printer specific colour profiles.
- Only the print is transferred and nothing else.
- Print durability is superior to any other transfer technology (with the exception of sublimation which is only for light / white synthetic fabrics) and even traditional silk-screen printing.
- The transfer cost (media and ink) is one of the lowest of all the transfer technologies and the cost difference between printing on light and dark substrates is negligible.
- The print is flexible, ensuring no cracking on the substrate. With the right RIP, you can not only further reduce print costs but also enhance wash durability; this can be achieved by utilizing the halftone function, available on more advanced RIPs like Fiery Cadlink.
Disadvantages
These systems are ONLY for porous substrates (items which absorb water) such as fabrics, paper, board, some faux leathers and so on.
- DTF printers need to be used often to prevent ink blockages and they must NOT be used in temperatures over 30C (else the ink gums up the head). You can’t just print today and forget about it for a week. The print heads are a consumable item that needs replacing every 4-24 months depending on usage, print head used (see Page 14 for the explanation) and model purchased.
- DTF printers need ongoing maintenance, daily and weekly.
- If you are not going to be printing very often do not buy the printer, rather have the prints done for you.
Is DTF For Everyone?
If you are going to be printing daily and have a market for it, then yes absolutely (as long as you are willing to spend the time doing the daily maintenance DTF printers require). All our units now have some of the maintenance tasks automated (done by the machine) but there is still some user maintenance required. If you are NOT going to print for at least an hour a day, then it’s best to have the prints done for you, until you can justify your own machine.
We have partnered with a local company that has purchased our A2 industrial solution and they are doing prints. They are next door to our Joburg offices. Here are the contact details
Epic Distribution
Email: info@epicdistribution.co.za
Tel: 0101577007
Address: 42 Neeron Road, Randburg, Johannesburg
DTF Wash Durability
DTF prints are the 2nd most durable digital transfer after sublimation and the most durable digital transfer on cotton. The combination of ink and film used determines the durability. The best ink comes from Korea and the cheapest from China. Professional Chinese DTF manufacturers only use Korean ink. There are companies selling dirt-cheap inks/films which have poor washability and result in cancelled orders and unhappy customers.
The choice of ink, coupled with film and powder is crucial to achieving the best washability of the product. Skimping on one of these can lead to undesirable results.
We have tested our film and inks to 50 wash and tumble dry cycles with excellent results!
DTF Print Heads Used
The print heads used in DTF can be the secret to your success or failure. In order to keep prices low many companies use reconditioned or even B-grade heads which have been rejected by Epson, Prestige uses only A-grade print heads purchased from Epson in Japan.
There are 3 main types of print heads, commercial (home and office use), semi-industrial (XP-600 – which has 1080 nozzles) and Industrial. We DO NOT recommend a DTF printer with anything less than a semi industrial print head.
The I-series heads are Epson’s Industrial print heads with a native resolution of 600dpi and 1600 / 3200 nozzles depending on the head. They cost more but much faster, with superior colours, and last way longer and work out more cost-effectively over time.
The Prestige range of DTF printers starts with an XP-600 semi-industrial unit and goes upwards from there.
Are All DTF Systems The Same?
Sadly no. We have purchased numerous machines from different suppliers only to be disappointed every time due to poor print quality (or in most cases being unable to even make 1 print) and reliability issues. The Prestige brand is the only one which we feel comfortable selling. They are designed by an American company and include technology not found on cheap units which reduces the maintenance required to keep the machine working and make no mistake, DTF printers do require ongoing maintenance. Should you not be a hands-on person we would recommend you stick with sublimation and let our partner produce your prints.
Just like the solar industry, the DTF industry is full of cowboys. Everyone is happy to sell you a machine but few are willing to support it in the long run. Often you get manuals written in bad English or no manual at all and if your machine breaks there are no spares or technical know-how to repair the issue.
Most low-cost systems either have no RIP, or an inferior homegrown RIP or even a pirated RIP (so zero support and often doesn’t even work).
The white inks tend to block easily, thus higher-end systems have a pump that constantly cycles the white ink. Anti-head strike technology is essential as head strikes reduce print head longevity. Both of these technologies are expensive – You’re not going to find them on a cheap printer.
JG Electronics supplies you with manuals, training videos, a maintenance kit for your printer and extensive tech support. We’ve been in the business of selling systems for over 34 years, so we’ve got the hang of it. JG Electronics stocks a wide range of spares including pumps, motors, logic boards, piping, and print heads so that if there’s an issue it can be resolved quickly.
Despite our technical expertise and background we also got caught by early DTF machines where the sample units were perfect but the machines we ordered were not (and we only realised the issue after the machines were out in the field for some months). This is the reason we have been very cautious since and only release new models after extensive local testing to local conditions.
A Must Read: Things we learnt the hard way about DTF
- Almost any Epson printer can be converted to DTF but sadly they don’t work very long. Often they don’t even work straight out of the box. They are MUCH cheaper than printers built specifically for DTF but they are a waste of money. Looking online you can buy a DTF printer for under 20K from China. Rather take that money to the casino, you have a better chance of winning. Parts are a massive problem as the motherboards for example are modified by the DTF supplier for their specific machine and are not interchangeable with boards from a different supplier or even with boards from Epson.
- Print heads really make a huge difference. Not all print heads are the same. Paying a small fortune for a high-end print head really is needed for print speed, colour quality and print head durability. Your home inkjet printer prints stunning colours but not with DTF inks which are too thick for it. We bought an A3 DTF printer which took 35 minutes to print 1 A3 print in almost decent quality.
- DTF Inks are not all the same and they expire very quickly. DTF inks need to be flown in because the shelf life from manufacture is 6-12 months. This makes them more expensive. The cheap inks are coming by sea and sitting in the local supplier’s stores until the customer buys them. We have purchased some inks locally and found them to be expired. Expired inks kill print heads.
- Not all film works in all printers and quality issues from different batches are common.
- Most of the DTF film manufacturers in the far east are trying to beat each other on price instead of focusing on quality so from batch to batch the film changes. Colours change, or it doesn’t transfer properly etc.
Don’t be led astray with low prices and false promises – You will come to regret it.
5 Tips to ensure good operation for your DTF printer
1. Stir ink, don’t shake it
The best form of maintenance is a continuous operation. You will need to agitate (stir) the ink and run an automatic printhead clean before printing if operating intermittently every 2 or 3 days. DTF white ink is especially susceptible to separating and needs this agitation to not thicken and cause issues. Stirring is the best way to agitate the ink. Shaking the ink bottle also works BUT it adds air bubbles to the ink which is NOT a good idea as air bubbles can cause the head to overheat and shorten its lifespan.
2. Always use fresh ink
DTF ink (especially the white) has a very short shelf life if humidity levels are too low. A sure sign that humidity is too low is when your prints start printing fine, then the white stops printing In this case, toss the white ink, get a humidifier and new ink. White ink lasts 3 months with too low humidity and CMYK inks 6 months. With the correct humidity levels the shelf life of open ink doubles.
3. Voltage Stability and Static Electricity
Voltage stability used by DTF printers is critical. When an external voltage is too high or unstable, it impacts the printhead. This may cause the printer to burn the printhead or not recognize the printhead. It is essential to ensure the power-supply stability of your DTF printer, using a power supply regulator if you are on Eskom or generator power. If you’re on properly installed solar you are fine.
4. Important once-a-month maintenance
You should drain the bottle that holds the white ink once a month, rinse it with distilled water instead of tap water, and then refill it with the ink to prevent possible sludge buildup.
5. Maintain Ideal Temperature and Humidity
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) – static electricity – often results from dry conditions and fabric moving across printing surfaces. Static electricity can damage printing system circuits and affect print quality. Maintaining ideal temperature and humidity is very critical to eliminating static electricity.
Humidity level plays a crucial role in your machine’s health. DTF printers are susceptible to damage from dust and textile fibres. Printer and ink manufacturers recommend ideal temperature and relative humidity levels for optimal performance. Low humidity causes the ink to dry prematurely and causes the printer to overheat, resulting in unnecessary head cleaning and ink flushing. Maintain a clean environment and temperature of 18 to 26C. The larger the machine, the more sensitive it is to humidity.
Use a hygrometer (humidity gauge) to measure whether the room humidity level is in the desired range of 40% to 80%. A humidifier will help you adjust the room’s humidity level and keep it within the selected range. We strongly recommend to get a hygrometer, which you can easily find online for under R200, as well as purchasing a humidifier, without adding aromatic oils or scents to help maintain the appropriate humidity range (these are widely available).
Our DTF systems vs many others
Our machines are not just modified Epsons but rather printers manufactured from scratch for DTF specifically but the electronics, ducting and software are custom-made for DTF.
All our printers have advanced functions like auto-cleaning, intelligent ink level monitoring and white ink circulating systems (essential to prevent the white ink from clogging – White ink clogging is an issue on all printers of all types that use white ink). The heads used in all our DTF machines are purchased NEW from Epson Japan. Many competing systems have rejected or reconditioned heads which don’t last long.
Prestige DTF R1 Station
The R1 A3 unit uses a single XP-600 semi-industrial print head. This printer is the ideal entry-level solution for small businesses and shops that will be doing primarily their own finished product (print + transfer). The speed is not as high as the R2 Pro and the colours are not as rich as the R2 but still far superior to any Epson printer modified for DTF.
Prestige DTF R2 Pro Station
The R2 Pro A3 unit uses dual Industrial Epson I-1600 print heads. These are the same heads used in large format production machines like Eco-Solvent, UV printing and so on. The I-series print head lasts 3 to 4 times longer than an XP600 print head and is MUCH faster (up to 4 times faster than the R1). The R2 Pro is intended for larger companies and print shops who are either printing a huge amount for themselves or also doing prints for customers who don’t have a DTF printer. If you have the volumes and don’t need a larger machine this is the perfect machine for you.
Prestige DTF L2 Station
The A2 and A1 units use dual Industrial Epson I-3200 print heads. These are the fastest printers by far with the brightest colours and highest resolutions. The I1600 and I3200 print heads only differ in the amount of nozzles on the head. Why A2 and not A1? A t-shirt’s maximum width is A2. If you buy an A1 printer you waste time cutting the film to fit a shirt and waste money for no benefit.
Items you can decorate with DTF
Did you know that you can decorate a variety of items with a DTF print? We have branded these products with a DTF print ranging from delicate cork to stationery erasers, wooden blocks, cardstock party boxes, faux leather diaries, paperback notebooks, garments, and even sporting goods like tennis balls. The final result is simply stunning, boasting vibrant colours that last.
DTF on Cardboard and Wood
DTF on Faux Diary
DTF on Eraser and Tennis Ball
DTF on Thin Cork
DTF on Garments
DTF on Paperback Notebook
Print Costs On DTF
Print costs on DTF are much lower than ANY other transfer process. The film is cheaper and so is the ink with durability not possible with other processes. The total DTF print cost is under R 20 per A3 whereas just the paper for dark shirts on other technologies costs more than the total DTF print cost.
Is DTF profitable ?
Very profitable if you are using it daily because the more you use it, the less maintenance you need to do to keep it printing well. A customer in Cape Town who purchased an R2 Pro recently shared their costs and sales over an 8-month period with us. They made a total of R 279,000 profit over 8 months. This completely paid for their investment and still left them with a handsome profit.
RIP Software, Do I Need It ?
In addition to the printer, powder, film and inks, RIP (Raster Image Processing) software is essential. Without a RIP there’s no way to tell the printer where to apply the white (critical when decorating a dark substrate) and tell the printer how much ink to apply. You also need the RIP for accurate colour matching. By making sure the correct amount of ink is applied for each image, the RIP also saves you money. Many low-end competing systems are supplied with a pirate copy of a sub-standard RIP often with no profiles for the printer they are supplied with. When you have a problem you’re on your own.
JG Electronics ONLY supplies systems with an OEM CADLINK DTF RIP License.
How does discontinuing 500ml DTF ink benefit you?
Cut out the middle man to prevent delays: The 500ml bottles get shipped from the manufacturer in Korea to their agent in China, to the China distributor and then to us. This means a substantial delay between manufacture date and the time we get it, which results in inks which are much closer to expiry than we are comfortable with.
Risks of close to expired ink: Recently expired ink can negatively affect print quality and lead to more blockages than fresh ink. Long expired ink can have a detrimental effect on the lifespan of the print head.
We now buy direct from the Korean Manufacturer that we fly in: We want our customers to have the freshest ink possible (and thus least issues possible), so we are buying direct from the Korean manufacturer and flying the ink in. They cannot supply the 500ml bottles to us as they have an exclusive deal with their China dealer on the 500ml bottles. Please understand we are doing this for you. Flying the ink in costs us more but we are absorbing these costs.
You can still buy 1L and 240ml DTF inks from us that is flown in to ensure freshness.
