SCREEN TEX DECEMBER - JANUARY 2021

Vol : 11 • Issue : 01 • December - January 2021

A New

Dawn

Pages : 60

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International Exhibition on Printing and Allied Machinery Industries

Of the Printers - For the Printers - By the Printers

23 - 26 March

2022 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai

Vol : 11 • Issue : 01 December - January 2021

FORWARD

PUBLISHER / EDITOR IN CHIEF

Jignesh Lapasia +91 98679 78998 MANAGING EDITOR

Supreeth Sudhakaran

A New Dawn awaits us

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Sonal Shah LAYOUT DESIGNER

Pravin Gohil

After a troubling year, the industry and the economy are preparing for a New Dawn. Of course, holding on to cynicism or driving ahead with a rear-view mirror is neither advised nor warranted. What we need right now is hope and determination to move forward. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that India will reclaim the status of world’s fastest-growing economy and estimated an encouraging 11.5 percent growth rate in 2021. To use the oft-used Latin aphorism, Carpe Diem - seize the day. And to those who prefer the message in Hindi: Sankal Kab Sangharsh Se Hara Hai? So, this year, let’s start on a new note. Make a promise to yourself that this year is to re-imagine your growth path. We also promise to serve you with more in-depth articles and to offer you more learning and knowledge-sharing opportunity. And most importantly continue with our approach to present you news and views which matter to you; and not just hearsay information.

So, this year, let’s start on a new note. Make a promise to yourself that this year is to re-imagine your growth path. We also promise to serve you with more in-depth articles and to offer you more learning and knowledge-sharing opportunity. And most importantly continue with our approach to present you news and views which matter to you; and not just hearsay information.

In this issue, we discuss: how automated workflows bring major cost savings and production efficiency gains. But then why are so few printers making the transition? We also question: Are digital printing and sustainability connected?

In another article, Sakurai’s Claudio Moffa tells us how the company is bringing conventional textile transfer technology into the digital and sustainable age.

And lastly, how would the pandemic accelerate the digitization of the supply chain. This and much more in this edition of ScreenTex.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Preetam Shetty WEB SUPPORT

Pratik Shah REPRESENTATIVES HYDERABAD

Arihant Sales Dinesh Chauhan +91 93469 51232 KANPUR

Ritesh Agarwal +91 93355 89233 SAMBALPUR(ODISHA)

Sushant Dash +91 93373 32323 NEPAL(KATHMANDU)

Kailash Jain +977 985 1225810 PRINTED AT

Om Sai Printer, Mumbai

Leaving you some lines I read by Edgar Guest, which might inspire you as much it inspired me:

MEMBER OF

When you’re up against a trouble, Meet it squarely, face to face; Lift your chin and set your shoulders, Plant your feet and take a brace.

All material printed in this publication is the sole property of SPRY MEDIA. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited.

SCREENTEX is a bi-monthly printed and published by Jignesh Lapasia. All printed matters contained in the magazine are based on information from those featured in it. The views, ideas, comments and opinions expressed are solely of authors, SCREENTEX does not subscribe to the same.

SPRY MEDIA 702, Jugal Apartment, Liberty Garden, Road No 3, Malad (W), Mumbai 400 064, Maharashtra, India.

Mobile : +91 98679 78998 E Mail : jignesh@screentex.in • Website : www.screentex.in

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CONTENT

BUSINESS

18

22

PrintFactory: making the jump to automation

GUEST COLUMN

20 22

Digital textile printing and sustainability How the pandemic would accelerate the digitization of the supply chain

IN FOCUS

28

28

Playing the textile transfer market

TECH TALK

32 36 38

How to cut waste with better colour management How to handle Total Appearance Capture A Peripatetic Perspective

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TECHNOLOGY

48 50

How to formulate ink adhesion How to decide on the right spectrophotometer for you

December - January 2021 | SCREENTEX |

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NEWS

FESPA postpones 2021 Global Print Expo in Amsterdam to October 2021 FESPA has postponed its 2021 Global Print Expo and the co-located European Sign Expo from March until October 2021, while remaining at the same venue, the RAI exhibition centre in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The move follows confirmation that all international exhibitions in the RAI calendar have been moved out of Q1 and re-scheduled into Q2 or later.

This reflects ongoing uncertainty over COVID-related travel restrictions and visitor quarantine arrangements in The Netherlands, and the risk that these could continue to affect exhibitors and visitors through early 2021.

The FESPA events will now

take place from 12-15 October 2021 in the same halls of the RAI, enabling FESPA to transition the current floor plan to the later date.

The delay to October has strong support from the exhibitor base, who understand the clear rationale of addressing the risk that exhibitor personnel and visitors may still be unable to travel freely into Amsterdam in early March 2021.

Neil Felton, FESPA CEO explains: “The decision to push the event back by seven months doesn’t dent our exhibitors’ enthusiasm for a live FESPA exhibition as the engine for business recovery. Nor does it reflect any concerns about delivering a COVID-secure event.

Rigorous health and safety protocols are in place with the RAI, and we’re confident

of protecting our exhibitors and visitors to the best of our professional ability.”

He continues: “However, the situation regarding cross-border travel into The Netherlands is uncertain at this point.

Since our exhibitors are now at the point of having to make detailed logistical plans and commit further costs to be at our events, we believe that the right step is to move to our October 2021 contingency dates, enabling us and our participants to plan with greater confidence.”

The majority of Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo exhibitors will simply transfer their contracts to the alternative dates, and several suppliers whose company policies precluded them from participating in March 2021 have indicated that they would be keen to exhibit at an Autumn event.

Mutoh offers SAi FlexiDYESUB Software for free on its Large Format DyeSublimation Printers Mutoh America, Inc. is now including a version of SAi FlexiDYESUB design and print workflow software on most Mutoh large format dye-sublimation printers.

SAi FlexiDYESUB Mutoh Edition and SAi FlexiDYESUB RJ Edition pack all the features of SAi’s own version of the software and are engineered to improve the design-to-print dye-sublimation workflow through design, color management, RIP and printing.

The all-in-one FlexiDYESUB Mutoh Edition and FlexiDYESUB RJ Edition boast all of the features of SAi Flexi 19. This includes complete control over individual ink channels to facilitate the use of

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custom color ink sets for special applications, as well as step and repeat - two key features dyesublimation and textile users need in their RIP software to enable easy design.

Other efficiency-enhancing tools available to users is a Wizard-based color profiler, designed to remove the guess work in profile creation and simplify the complicated process of ink splitting.

Additionally, a useful Spot Color Mapping feature offers the ability to customize spot color formulas to match desired colors exactly.

Mutoh America, Inc. is offering SAi FlexiDYESUB-based

design and print workflow software via limited-time, free-of-charge, subscription offer on most of its large format dye-sublimation printers.

Software is available free-of-charge on subscription for a stipulated period only.

Mutoh America, Inc. is currently offering FlexiDYESUB Mutoh Edition software as a one-year free subscription (normal value $599.95*) on its ValueJet 1624WX, ValueJet 1948WX, ValueJet 2638WX and XpertJet 1682WR dyesublimation printers.Additionally, the company’s RJ-900X printer will feature FlexiDYESUB RJ Edition as part of a 90-day free-of-charge subscription.

NEWS

Screen-printed, flexible battery could be low-cost power source for wearable electronics Researchers have developed a way to make high-power, flexible, and stretchable batteries by the dozens using a screen-printing technique much like that used for printing T-shirts. The method lets them make silver–zinc batteries, which are based on a decades-old chemistry, in any shape and size, and it paves the way for manufacturing rolls of the batteries quickly at low cost.

The new, stretchy, twistable battery can provide at least five times as much power as lithium-ion cells of the same area—enough for two 4 sqcm batteries to power a palm-sized flexible display.

Looking to meet this need, Meng, UCSD nanoengineer Joseph Wang, and their colleagues wondered whether screen-printing could be a low-cost method to build batteries at scale. They picked silver oxide–zinc batteries, first developed by NASA in the 1960s and used in hearing aids because of

their high energy density and safe chemistry. The team collaborated with the company ZPower, which is commercializing a new, rechargeable version of these batteries.

The UCSD team started with the company’s proprietary AgO cathode material for their printable batteries. Wang’s team used polymer binders and easily available solvents to make ink versions of all the battery parts, including electrodes, a potassium hydroxide–poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel electrolyte, and other components. Printing each layer involved squeezing the inks with a metal-blade squeegee through stainless steel stencils onto thin, transparent rubbery films and then curing them in an oven for a few minutes. They built a cathode with layers of different inks on one film and built an anode similarly on another. They sandwiched a printed electrolyte layer between

the electrodes to build batteries less than 1 mm thick.

The battery has is the highest charge capacity by area of any flexible battery reported so far, Meng says. And it could easily be printed on a large scale using a roll-to-roll process. The researchers made batteries of varying dimensions and were able to power a flexible black-and-white electronic display using two 4 cm2 batteries. The team is now working to improve the device’s cycle life: it can only be recharged about 80 times before the charge-holding capacity starts fading.

Sang-Young Lee, a chemical engineer at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology says, the high charge capacity and low cost are also an important advantage over other zinc and lithium-ion batteries. Boosting cycle life is now the key hurdle to clear for making these batteries practical, he concludes.

Intergraf Welcomes New EU Ecolabel for Printed Products The European Commission has adopted a Decision establishing the new criteria for the EU Ecolabel for printed paper, stationery paper and paper carrier bag products.

The new EU Ecolabel has an extended scope. It covers stationery, paper carrier bags, paper wrapping and gift paper.

Packaging, labels and food contact materials are excluded from the scope.

The EU Ecolabel is awarded to sustainably designed products meeting 10 strict environmental criteria which are both productspecific (substrate, recyclability)

and plant-specific (emissions, waste, energy).

Intergraf contributed to the review process and was instrumental in securing that applicants can license a product line.

Generally, the EU Ecolabel is granted to a product for which the specifications will not change over time. Printed products are designed by customers. One production will be different from the next.

The new EU Ecolabel recognises this singularity and allows companies to make an application for a product line.

“The new EU Ecolabel for printed products allows European printers to demonstrate the environmental performance of their products and processes.

It recognises the specificity of printed products and enables printers to apply for a product line and not only for a single product.”

—Beatrice Klose, Secretary General of Intergraf.

Intergraf has published a guide to help printing companies who wish to apply for the EU Ecolabel. Printing companies can request the Intergraf Guide to the EU Ecolabel for Printed Paper via their national trade association.

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NEWS

Efex Colour Screens’s Jeetendra offers course in advanced screen printing Jeetendra J. of Efex Colour Screens, Chennai has started a new journey by being a teacher to industry peers on advanced screen printing technology. The decision came during the months of lockdown when he realized that the industry was looking forward to use the time for re-sharpening their knowledge on the matter.

According to report, he has already started training print professionals at his printing unit through a direct engagement programme. Efex is known for its specialty invitations, customised wedding cards, packaging, etc. The company owns a 7,500 sq.ft factory in Chennai and a showroom in Chennai.

The company also exports wedding cards to Europe, USA and Pacific region. Jeetendra has been at the helm of this business since past two decades.

He notes that during his professional journey, he has attended similar courses run by various training institutes that increased his understanding and grasp of the printing technology.

His endeavour now is sort of giving back to the industry.

For instance, he notes that after switching to cut

colour printing in place of CMYK process, he saw uplift in the quality of his jobs, which eventually earned the company several awards too.

“On and off, we keep sharing knowledge in the industry. This decision is just to formalize the process and reach out to more fellow industrymen who want to learn,” he concludes.

Printing United Alliance and Idealliance Announce intent to merge Printing United Alliance and Idealliance today announce the intent to merge the two organizations. The board of directors at each company have unanimously voted in favor of the merger.

Last year, SGIA and PIA officially merged to become PRINTING United Alliance, the largest, most comprehensive printing and graphic arts association in the country.

This new venture with Idealliance will further support the association’s investment into the long-term success and fortitude of the industry.

“Over the past few years, PRINTING United Alliance has focused on bringing those efforts and institutions that are having the greatest impact in printing together under one roof,” said Ford Bowers, CEO, PRINTING United Alliance. “We are excited that

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Idealliance may join us as the preeminent standards, training, and educational association in our industry.

Our media outlets and reach into various printing segments, the many events we conduct, including the PRINTING United Expo, and membership of more than 6,000 companies will all serve to strengthen and expand the work of Idealliance as an ‘association within an association,’ both domestically and internationally, and through its mission will continue to help our industry thrive.”

“Idealliance is renowned as a leader in certifying and training color management professionals around the world,” said Dick Ryan, CEO, Idealliance.

“To continue moving Idealliance’s programming forward, this merger will provide significant growth opportunities through

PRINTING United Alliance’s robust platforms and aligns with many of the association’s current offerings and strategies for success.

In partnership with PRINTING United Alliance, we aim to provide global standardization, training, and certification programs for the printing and packaging supply chain to all graphic communications professionals.

This partnership will allow us to expand efforts into new markets to train and certify professionals, processes, and systems around the globe. Together, we seek to serve the printing and packaging industry better than ever before.”

The proposed merger of the two organizations will be finalized on March 1, following consideration by Idealliance members at a meeting of active members on January 28, in accordance with Idealliance bylaws.

NEWS

San Printech introduces ‘Kimoto’ brand hard coated & light diffusion films Mumbai based San Printech Pvt. Ltd. a leading supplier of wide range of raw materials, has introduced Kimoto Tech’s Light Diffusion films (Optsaver) and Hard Coated Flims (Elastodur).

These films are being used in industrial labels, membrane switch, Keypads, graphic overlays, lighting technology, LED lighting systems, etc.

According to the company, ElastoDur films meets the needs of membrane switch and graphic overlay markets for a flexible

material that was mechanically and chemically durable.

It offers first surface protection and a printable second surface.

The material would also be able to be embossed, laminated and die cut into finished sizes for downstream applications.

The ElastoDur line of films continues to evolve with a choice of surface finishes that provides protection, aesthetics and functionality when integrated into human machine interface technologies, flexible printed electronics, displays, touch screens, printed sensors, smart cards, nameplates, etc.

On the other hand, Light diffusion films for LED lighting, what is called as Optsaver, is a

diffusion film that uses one or two layers of coating on a polyester base to distribute light. The task of the film is to produce even brightness on the complete surface and to redirect as much light as possible towards the target.

The films are highly efficient with a transmittance up to 99% depending on the film type. These films are mainly used in the design of power efficient LED lighting systems, where good illumination angles paired with high light transmission are key. Optsaver can be used for edge-lighting as well as for direct illumination systems.

Kimoto being headquartered in Japan has multiple manufacturing locations and converting space to cater customers around the world.

Roland launch of new UV Printer/Cutters Roland DGA Corporation has launched new VersaUV LEC2-640 and LEC2-330 UV printer/cutters uniquely engineered for label, packaging, sign, display, and interior décor production.

The new LEC2-640/330 models expand Roland DG’s existing VersaUV product line.

The Roland DG LEC2-640 and LEC2-330 boast advanced print head technology for precision dot placement and control, as well as new larger, more powerful LED lamps that allow for higher print quality, improved color saturation, and faster ink curing.

This combination produces stunning

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images down to the finest details – from small text to the most elaborate patterns and gradations.

In addition to offering unsurpassed quality, reliability, and ease of use, the LEC2640/330 feature new optimized cleaning and maintenance sequences that help keep the print heads clean for superior graphic results and reliable, longlasting performance.

Both models feature sleek, stylish, durable construction and come with an included TU4 unit for automatic media take-up. The LEC2-330 is over 100 pounds lighter and 10 inches thinner than Roland DG’s first-generation 30-inch model, making it ideal for work environments with limited space.

The new 64-inch LEC2-640

is unbeatable for creating larger signage, displays and interior décor, while the 30-inch LEC2-330 is perfect for label and packaging applications. Both models are capable of printing on actual press substrates, increasing overall versatility and media compatibility while ensuring realistic package prototypes.

An optional TB-30 Tension Bar, available for the LEC2-330, enables direct printing on film as thin as 30 microns for flexible packaging. There’s also an optional ET-30 Extension Table for the LEC2-330 that makes it easy to print on a variety of paper stocks and aluminum metalized papers for folding carton packaging jobs, including design comps, prototyping, color proofing for food, beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and more.

QUICK BYTES KONICA MINOLTA LAUNCHES ACCURIOPRESS C4080 SERIES Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leader in world-class printing technology, is pleased to introduce a new line of versatile color digital production presses, the AccurioPress C4080 Series. This high-speed digital press offers robust and user-friendly production and is a perfect fit for businesses looking to expand their production capabilities with advanced automation and ease of use for various applications.

The AccurioPress C4080 is an all-in-one print factory that will help enable business growth through intelligent automation, outstanding image quality and print application diversity. The C4080 Series replaces the C3080 Series, an entry-level, light production press debuted in March 2018.

The C4080 Series also includes the AccurioPress C4070 and AccurioPrint C4065, a lighter version of the C4080 that can bridge the gap between an office and production print with the same image quality at a more affordable price point.

QPS AND NAZDAR MARK 20 YEARS OF DISTRIBUTION RELATIONSHIP

Q

MIMAKI UJV100-160 AWARDED BEST ROLL-TO-ROLL PRINTER BY EDP

M

uality Print Services (QPS) was established in 1997 with customer service at its core. Based in Lancashire in northwest England, Managing Director Chris Bailey can usually be found either driving cross-country to meet a client or under the hood of a printer. Along with providing technical support and an extensive range of hardware, QPS has been a leading UK distributor of alternative inks for the last 20 years. “As a result of COVID-19 many print businesses are in survival mode at the moment,” says Chris. “They are naturally hunting for the lowest prices and there are alternative inks available online that are cheaper than Nazdar’s, but they simply aren’t as high quality and don’t come with the support from QPS. We help our customers make investments that will benefit their unique businesses long-term. We provide support in the field, not just the product. It’s a cradle to grave service.”

imaki Europe, a leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and cutting systems, today announced that the European Digital Press Association (EDP) has presented the ‘Best Roll-to-Roll printer up to 170cm’ award to Mimaki for its UJV100-160 LED-UV inkjet printer.

Confirmation of this prestigious award also coincides with this high-quality, highproductivity printing solution being officially released as commercially available for the European market this month. Many of the features that make the UJV100-160 printer cost-effective, reliable, and easy-to-use were noted as key factors that contributed to the EDP judges choosing this printer for the award. The UJV100-160 is compatible with a wide variety of media, including metallic foil, fabric and uncoated materials, enabling sign makers to produce a diverse range of high-value applications, such as posters, POP, soft signage, stickers and window decoration.

INTERNATIONAL PAPER ANNOUNCES SPINOFF OF PRINTING PAPERS

KOENIG & BAUER SHARPENS ITS FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY

I

nternational Paper announced a plan to pursue a spin-off of the Company’s Printing Papers segment into a standalone, publicly traded company (“SpinCo”). The transaction will result in two streamlined, leading companies well positioned for long-term success. Upon completion of the transaction, International Paper and SpinCo will each be well positioned to create long-term value. IP to accelerate profitability in corrugated packaging and absorbent cellulose fibers, Expects $350-$400 million in annual incremental earnings by the end of 2023. The Company expects the separation to be tax-free for the Company’s shareowners for U.S. federal income tax purposes and plans to complete the spin-off late in the third quarter of 2021. Jean-Michel Ribiéras, who is currently the SVP of Industrial Packaging, will now serve as the CEO of SpinCo. John V. Sims, SVP of Corporate Development for IP, will become SpinCo’s CFO.

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W

ith the establishment of a department devoted specifically to sustainability under the supervision of the new board spokesman Dr Andreas Pleßke, K&B is intensifying its activities in a field which is seen as immensely important for the future development of the company group.

Employees (social responsibility), environment (ecological responsibility), governance, society & outreach and integrity & compliance are the five pillars of the K&B sustainability concept.

The concept was elaborated on the basis of Agenda 2030 of the UN, whose 17 Global Goals aim to secure sustainable development on the economic, social and ecological levels. Dr Bernd Heusinger will be assuming responsibility for the new sustainability remit alongside his current corporate office duties for the supervisory board of Koenig & Bauer AG. The area of investor relationswill be passed on to Lena Landenberger with effect from 1st January 2021.

BUSINESS

PrintFactory: making the jump to automation

Automated workflows bring major cost savings and production efficiency gains, so why are so few printers making the transition?

Curiously, though, the 2017 North American Software investment Outlook report from Infotrends and Keypoint Intelligence indicates that some 31% of printers recognised “investment in automation software as the answer to their productivity and workflow challenges”. So why this disconnect? Or, more exactly, why such a low uptake to begin with?

Printers typically tend to look at replacing expensive hardware instead of considering a software solution “There are lots of barriers – or should I say, perceived barriers – for large format printers,” says Toby Burnett, EMEA director at PrintFactory. “They have concerns about cost, or redundancies. And

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there’s very much an overarching attitude of ‘Well, this is just how we’ve always done it’ and so that’s how they intend to keep on doing it.”

As PrintFactory’s report notes, when production bottlenecks occur or quality inconsistencies arise, printers typically tend to look at replacing expensive hardware instead of considering a software solution such as an automation platform: “It is safer, more familiar to look to the kit – not what is driving it.”

And for large format printers especially, switching things up can seem overwhelming because of the numerous variables involved.

“There’s a huge amount of variation,” says Toby. “Display, signage, banners, all in different sizes, different substrates and in different run lengths.

Collating all that information

to automate the process feels like a big task. Simply put, people aren’t automating their workflow because they think it’s difficult.”

But while Toby concedes that making the cold jump straight into “fully lights-out, industry 4.0 automation” is a challenge, it shouldn’t be viewed as the main objective for printers. “We talk about the ‘automation journey’,” he explains. “Where printers grow into automation with easy-to-use, scalable software solutions that start off by taking care of tasks that waste time and productivity.

Repetitive tasks, for example, or error checking. These elements can be automated easily, freeing up staff to focus on other tasks and helping get jobs out more quickly and accurately.”

Investing in a system that ensures ‘live’ print jobs are right first time, every time makes complete commercial sense PrintFactory’s automated solution is scalable, and at its most basic level enables printers to create job templates, eliminating the need to continually plan up repeated jobs. It also manages the files associated with each job and – crucially – ensures a job’s colour outputs are consistent no matter which printing device it’s sent to.

“Let’s say I’m using a touchpoint system for a job for a logo,” Toby explains. “I open it up in Illustrator to correct it and save it as a PDF. Then I have two files, the original and the corrected one.

Then I might use InDesign to do a nest, so I open that up and take the PDF and do the nest, and then I’ll have a third file. Every time I do that a new command is written.

BUSINESS Every time I work between the applications I can have a mismatch in colour, spacing or format – there’s a whole host of commands that can happen that aren’t necessarily correct.

“And then, for example, I’ve got two RIP printers. I might have a Canon and a HP, and each one has a different RIP, with different colour management.

Each one of those RIPs will have a variation of some form in how they handle the PDF. So not only do I now have three iterations of the PDF – the original, the edited and the nested one – if I’m then going to print that job to two different devices, then the PDF has a reasonable chance of behaving differently between them.”

PrintFactory’s system mitigates these risks because its Editor, Layout and RIP applications all use the same PDF engine and printer profiles.

Set up the job once using its intuitive interface and you can see exactly how colours, layers and transparencies will RIP and how the PDF will print. “And if you make any changes to that PDF you don’t overwrite the file,” says Toby. “The applications basically send a set of instructions to the RIP Server saying, ‘When you get this file, this is what has to be done with it.”

Indeed, the commercial benefits are significant. According to the white paper, ‘normal workflows’ relying on canned profiles, various RIPs with their proprietary colour and PDF engines and a somewhat colour managed system – sometimes even ICC profiling using a spectral device – are estimated to cost at least US$500 per three-cycle job in non-billable time. With 35% of the time typically spent

getting ‘print-ready’ and 20% on colour management, it is easy to see how only marginal improvements in both of these areas could bring about significant time and cost benefits.

The system also pays dividends in terms of scheduling and delivery, helping printers to further optimise their production efficiency.

An automated workflow means jobs no longer need to be committed to a specific output device until the very last minute, so if the device suddenly goes offline, the nest of jobs can be instantly diverted to another device. The same goes with a switch in priorities, accommodating the scheduling of more urgent runs to print quicker. Similarly, if orders are cancelled these can easily be removed from the nesting schedule and replaced with a different job.

All of this can add up to impressive efficiency increases.

PrintFactory’s white paper states that the solution makes it “entirely possible to achieve revenue growth potential of up to 100%”, but some companies are even surpassing this. Visual merchandising company the Bernard Group, for example, says the system has enabled a 250% increase in job volume while increasing its pre-press and production staff by just 20%.

As the company’s colour manager Alan Stratton explains: “It is generally difficult to make colour management work in a busy environment like wide format production but this software means we can now easily correct a colour drift on the printers by a simple recalibration. With our previous

RIP system we could never get printers to match this closely. We have reduced the time it takes to make all seven printers match perfectly from 63 to 18 hours, a reduction of more than 70%.”

He adds: “The way the PrintFactory workflow works is also much faster and efficient. Before, about 10% of the files Bernard processes needed correction. On average, it would take up to four hours before print production could start, and the machine was usually idle for up to three hours.

Those idle hours are very expensive. The new software has reduced the need for retouching a file by more than 90%, with less than 1% of jobs needing correction. The presses rarely stand still – we have almost tripled our sales numbers.”

If you typically use Creative Suite, for example, you can turn off 30% of those licenses.

Cost-wise, the system basically pays for itself, says Toby.

Instead of paying thousands for individual colour management and workflow applications, PrintFactory’s cloud-based platform can cost as little as £700 a year, based on a SaaS (software as a service) license for an HP Latex 560. Then there are cost-savings in terms of reduced ink consumption – between 15% and 25%, according to Toby – and a reduced need for additional software licences.

“If you typically use Creative Suite, for example, you can turn off 30% of those licenses,” says Toby. Plus, you’re likely to see reductions in media wastage and a more efficient use of material rolls, which means further savings and a decent CSR boost – something that’s becoming an increasingly central focus to business operations.

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GUEST COLUMN

Digital textile printing and sustainability

As a big polluter, fashion and textiles has plenty of room for improvement when it comes to sustainability.

Thankfully, as EFI Reggiani’s product marketing manager Micol Gamba explains, the effect of consumer choice, market trends, innovative technology and the promise of economic savings means that positive environmental steps are being taken in digital printing all the time.

With new generations now becoming consumers with their own buying power, and Generation Z much more concerned about the environmental impact of their purchasing choices, sustainability is becoming increasingly crucial to the textile industry,” Micol says.

“In the last five years, big brands such as Inditex, GAP or sportswear brands like Adidas and Nike, have started to increase transparency along the supply chain. This is really pushing printing companies to change their workflow and demonstrate that their entire production process is sustainable.

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In this context, digital printing is really the perfect solution.”

The reason for digital’s significant positive contribution to sustainability is thanks to its improved efficiencies in a range of areas. “Over the years we have constantly reduced our printers’ footprints in terms of energy and water consumption,” Micol says.

“If you compare digital to conventional technology for printing textiles, you can see an instant saving in terms of water consumption and energy consumption that ranges from around 40 to 60%. That is a step change in terms of sustainability.

“Savings come from reduction in water consumption (for printer cleaning and maintenance, like cylinders washing, belt washing, etc), energy consumption to run the printer, including the dryer (far more energy consuming compared to digital).

“Another big benefit is that digital really enables you to print only what you need, when you need it. So you don’t need to have huge amounts of stock being stored unsold in warehouses, which might end up being

thrown away and create more waste. Instead, you can just produce what the market requires, and all with a short lead time.”

Digital innovation A further area where digital is attractive when compared to established technology is with the inks used. Micol’s own EFI Reggiani digital printers are a case in point as they use OEKO-TEX-certified water-based ink and utilise innovative technology to eradicate some of the traditional steps in printing processes.

“The majority of textile printing processes involve a pretreatment phase where you add chemicals before printing, and also a post-treatment process to make the fabric ready to be used to produce the final garment. That can involve washing, steaming, chemicals, mechanical processes and lots of water. But we have developed technology that can skip some of these steps,” Micol says.

The first of these is directto-fabric sublimation. The most common way to print on polyesters and synthetic fibres is to print on paper, then couple the paper with fabric under heat to make sure the ink sublimates and is transferred to the fabric. But EFI-Reggiani’s approach avoids the use of paper.

“We developed a solution to print to fabric, not only for the signage market but also for apparel and sportswear manufacturers. This

GUEST COLUMN then avoids all the paper waste and also improves the properties of the fabric in terms of ink penetration,” Micol says.

“The second innovative ink technology we have is called EFI Reggiani TERRA, and it is based on a pigment with binder, which is able to print on natural fibres and linens without the need to wash and steam after printing and going through post-treatment.

“Our pigment solution works on cotton and poly-cotton blends.

It is used by customers also for special applications like printing on leather, cork, so special materials used in fashion collections.

The TERRA digital printer for fabrics, with between 16 and 24 print heads, runs at up to 565 sqm/h.

“You can just prepare your fabric, print on a digital printer, fix

in line with the printer’s special onboard dryer, and then the fabric is ready to be used to produce a garment or home decoration. The benefit here is in being able to avoid the use of chemicals and the consumption of water for washing and steaming.”

“Reactive has the softest hand feel in the textile printing industry, nevertheless thanks to a tailored recipe for pre-treatment we are able now to reach a soft hand with pigment too.”

BOLT from the green Finally, EFI Reggiani has one more special piece of technology designed to accompany the firm’s mammoth BOLT single pass textile printer. With a productivity run of 90 metres a minute, the BOLT presents the possibility to create huge amounts of waste

should an error occur, but the company has come up with an ingenious solution.

“We have developed a sampling printer called EFI Reggiani BOLT Capsule that reproduces the print of the full-size BOLT but in small quantities and at slower speed,” Micol says.

“This allows all the sampling and proofing for the BOLT to be done with small pieces of fabric.

Customers can approve the quality before it is sent on to production on the full size BOLT, and we can avoid unnecessary waste.”

So, throughout the printing process, digital printers are playing an important role in how the sector is improving its sustainability footprint. And with new efficiencies being developed all the time, the future for digital looks bright – and colourful.

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GUEST COLUMN

How the pandemic would accelerate the digitization of the supply chain

In recent months the impact of the global health crisis has caused serious disruption and financial hardship across the apparel industry.

But it has also presented an opportunity to evaluate the current workflow and rationalize.

The predominant risk in any fashion business is inventory and in the fast-paced apparel industry controlling stock has become a burning issue (literally). To become truly risk averse the industry needs to shorten the supply chain, reduce stock, manufacture sustainably and importantly embrace digitization.

Ecommerce has witnessed unprecedented growth during the

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crisis, it is hard to believe that just 10 years ago UK online sales were just 5.1% of retail (Source UK, ONS) by 2024 the figure is expected to exceed 30%. In 2019, retail e-commerce sales worldwide amounted to 3.53 trillion US dollars (pre-covid) and e-retail revenues are projected to grow to 6.54 trillion US dollars in 2022. (Source: Statista) The digitization of the Apparel Industry upstream is well underway, FESPA textile ambassador Debbie McKeegan recently spoke with Yoram Burg – VP of Sales and Marketing for Embodee on the hot topic: “How will Covid-19 accelerate the

digitization of the supply chain?”

Here’s a short summary of our conversation: Yoram Burg holds a lifetimes experience in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies, alongside a deep knowledge of the infrastructure of apparel. Embodee has been a dominant player in the 3D space for 12 years creating visual experiences for online consumers and some of the world’s top retailers, offering a suite of technologies that facilitate product customization in harness with an automated ecommerce workflow.

Simulated virtual products (digital twins) for the ecommerce retailer

GUEST COLUMN whereby the 3D render mirrors the physical product in the digital sphere. Product visualization solutions offer brands and retailers an immersive visual interaction enabling customization and personalization. All of which increase order value and improve customer retention. Headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Embodee counts some of the world’s most prominent sports brands among its customers as well as fashion retailers.

How do you think the Fashion Industry has been Affected by Covid-19?

That’s a big question and it holds a lot of data. In speaking to local and international players, the effect has been quite strong.

The Federal index here in the US began recording data in 1992 and the apparel sector was then valued at $10 billion. In 2008 we had the most significant recession then the numbers dropped from $18.7 billion to $16.5 billion, a sizable drop. But in 2020 in comparison, and assuming the numbers are correct, the federal index dropped from $22.6 billion in December 2019 to an astonishing $2.8 billion. As we speak in mid-July the figure has

risen to $8.6 billion.

Bricks and Mortar are still hurting but online is booming forcing physical retail brands to think in new ways. Sportswear goods were up by 216% online in May, up from 114% in April 2020. Homeware sales were also up around 190%. So I would say that the adverse effect has been running next to an opportunity in terms of Covid-19.

Will the financial impact finally be a catalyst for change?

To speed up recovery companies need to act fast, but there are a lot of brands who may not have the capital to invest and they are at a disadvantage. Brands and retailers need to re-think their approach to a digital strategy.

Ask some serious questions – Do I react to PLM or strategize on it? Its time to leverage technologies to execute deficiencies and streamline their businesses. Is it time for brands to deploy and invest in 3D? Brands that can see through the thick smoke will benefit from such investments and if anything, Covid has been an unexpected catalyst for brand owners. Investing in a digital

DNA strengthens the relationship with the supply chain. 3D design allows brands to get to market faster by creating, reviewing and approving products in the digital space.

Why do you think the industry has previously resisted change – what were the barriers?

Taking an aerial view – Brands are paying attention to digital but in the main for sales and ecommerce applications, not supply chain management.

They have resisted change but that’s now evolving, the workflow needs to be digitized from A-Z. Covid has appended the current system, legacy needs to be disrupted by utilizing technology with a clear corporate strategy and commitment across all stakeholders; Designer, 3D artists, product managers, marketing, sales, e-com and so on to create a centric platform. Publishing output digitally throughout the supply chain, upstream and downstream, in a format where others can engage with ease.

We have to embed transparency into the workflow so that we can manufacture and supply product at speed.

Ecommerce is booming alongside customization – What’s driving this growth?

The crisis has driven the world biggest brands to adapt and fast, and they have been rewarded with triple digit growth. To react at speed - borne from necessity companies with a partial or wholly

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GUEST COLUMN digital DNA have the agility to flex to meet market demands. This shift will prove to be adaptive behaviour and online sales will remain strong.

Customization is an enabling technology for e-com sales. Consumers demand personalization, as witnessed by our clients in the sports and team uniforms sectors growth.

The growing requirement for rapid design and product development in one platform with 3D visualization, whilst embedding the line sheets transparently in the workflow allows the consumer to design in the virtual space and the manufacture to create the physical products at speed offering personalization in a mass format.

Again A-Z automation is the key, from design through to fulfilment.

What new technologies does the sector need to utilize to make customization a seamless process for the consumer and production?

That’s a big question! – Systems that allow you to control your relationship with your supply

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chain inventories and so forth, linking to ERP’s to envelope the entire sales experience.

Leveraging assets that you already have at any point of the process and consolidating data to enhance the digital experience.

Technology itself is democratising the customization of product, it’s incredibly creative and responsive. All of which builds trust in the virtual space.

How do we further enhance the consumers experience and increase engagement?

Personal shopping in a virtual V.I.P experience, private dressing rooms, avatars and virtual try-on applications and augmented reality.

All of these technologies build consumer engagement and increase conversion of sale. Omni-channel retailing connects to the consumer across multiple platforms, enhancing the personal connection using deep tools to build an intelligent

relationship with the consumer, building brand loyalty, trust and increased sales.

These tools are incredibly powerful assets for e-com in the near future.

Customisation was once only for the luxury marketplace – Do you see the adoption of customization across all sectors of apparel?

That a question of psychology, too much choice makes a decision hard to make.

For many brands customization is successfully delivered along the lines of a select number of variants to create a personalised product. Ultimately the availability of mass customized manufacture is dependent on the products supply chain complexity, proximity to the end user, the products price point and the ability to manage and process the sale seamlessly from design through manufacture and onto the consumer at speed.

Yes - Customisation is most definitely possible at any scale using the correct technology and a digitised supply chain.

Cheran’s Digital / Oval Textile Printing Machine (PIGMENT)

Key Features Print Heads Printing Resolution Rip Software Speed

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Sales and Serviced by 2015

Industrial Printing Heads 600*800dpi,600*1000dpi,600*1200dpi Wasatch ,photo Print A4 400pcs/hr , A3 280 Pcs/hr

IN FOCUS

Playing the textile transfer market

Sakurai’s Claudio Moffa tells us how the company is bringing conventional textile transfer technology into the digital and sustainable age.

Three-quarters of a century after the first Sakurai printing equipment was manufactured, this family-owned Japanese company is one of the world’s leading producers of screen printing technology. Nowhere is that influence more visible than in their development in the textile transfer market. But while the fundamental principles of transfer printing have existed for centuries, Sakurai have answered many problems associated with this production.

Transfer window “Textile transfer printing is the term used to describe the printing process where a design is first printed onto a transfer carrier – such as a special paper or heat stable polyester media with a white background and adhesive layer. It is

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subsequently applied to the final product using heat transfer,” says Claudio Moffa, Sakurai’s UK and EMEA sales manager.

This approach has many advantages. “Say you print the transfers in the UK, you can then send a relatively small package with hundreds of copies of this transfer to Italy, for example. The shop there receives the transfers, and, with a very basic press, they can apply the transfer to garments,” Claudio says.

“This is perfect for merchandising for things like football jerseys, which is a big business in Italy. The final garment is decorated with this transfer, and the aesthetic and technical characteristics offer a higher resolution alternative to direct-to-garment [DTG] printing.”

From a business point of view, these considerations all play to textile transfer’s strengths. Similarly, the global COVID-19 pandemic has added

extra weight to some factors that were already emerging through.

“Because of the pandemic, competition is fiercer than ever and consumer demand is more difficult to predict. The pressure on profitability due to reduced product sales at full price and increased discounting creates risk. Trends towards ‘just in time’ production reducing stock holding and waste are gaining pace to address sustainability needs, generating stronger demand for flexibility and efficiency when it comes to garment personalisation,” Claudio says.

“For two decades, European and US mass-market apparel brands and retailers were rushing to move as much production to Asia as possible to gain a cost advantage. But now they are seeing the importance of building supply chain solutions closer to home. Speed to market and greater design variety are more crucial than ever, as is the shift towards

IN FOCUS sustainability, and in this regard transfer printing offers a number of benefits.”

Sustainability in textile transfer Of course, all printing processes result in challenges to environmental sustainability. In the case of textile transfer, the most obvious concern is what happens to the discarded transfer media.

Claudio explains that Sakurai is already taking steps to address this.

“If you think about all the processes of direct garment screen printing, it can create waste of both finished stock through print rejects and the consumption of water and energy. If you can streamline the process and you have a highly efficient print machine like a Sakurai, then you can have a lower impact on the environment,” he says.

“In terms of materials, we have established a relationship with a specialised company that produces polyester transfer media.

They have developed a sustainable polyester that is made of recycled material that can be used as a substrate for our transfers. An impressive development is that the supplier offers a recycling service to reprocess the polyester, improving the progress towards circular economy.”

Thinking ahead This partnership with the transfer media manufacturer is an example of how Sakurai focuses on providing full solutions.

“With a historic heritage including the production of litho presses, the third-generation Ryuta Sakurai leads the strategy to focus on advanced engineering technology for screen printing applications,” Claudio says.

“Sakurai’s first approach to the textile transfer business

integrated our fully automatic cylinder press with our swing cylinder press SC series – which is still used by some transfer manufacturers today. The market then requested higher precision, speed and accuracy – and also gradually moved from plastisol and solventbased ink to waterbased solutions – so we introduced the fully automatic stop cylinder press Maestro model.

“With the arrival of digital technology, the market recognised that four colour process was easier and faster to print with digital solutions. But the functional print – the white background and adhesive layers that bond the transfer to the garment – are still best applied with perfect registration through screen printing. Although digital transfer sheets can be dimensionally unstable leading to potential misregistration, our SD technology equipped with CCD camera alignment overcomes this with speeds of up to 1,200 copies per hour.”

“With affordable digital machines now available in the market, there is a demand for easier screen printing solutions as well. Sakurai has developed a bespoke flatbed solution, MF80VII Textile Smart equipped with OSA Optical Sheets’ Alignment, to guarantee the registration with digital printed sheets and LPA Laser Point Assistant to guarantee faster make-ready for short runs,” Claudio says.

“One common misunderstanding was that Sakurai machines required very

high levels of investment; however, the company offers solutions for many budgets and productivity levels.”

Extra EXCITEment Sakurai’s newest innovation in printing machine technology is the aptly-named EXCITE – or ‘EXtra Combination of Inkjet TEchnology’ – the first all-in-one hybrid textile transfer printing solution on the market.

“Mr. Sakurai led the development project to introduce this technology that can print inline bringing the screen and digital printing processes together,” Claudio says.

“With EXCITE, the idea is to offer a fully integrated, inline solution suitable for textile transfer producers so that, in one pass, they can have the full printing process – at one end, the digitally printed design, at the other, the screenprinted background and adhesive.

“It’s a new chapter for Sakurai.

We are a conventionally-orientated technology provider, but we recognise the need to progress and and offer our customers the best and most relevant imaging technologies. And by thinking ahead, we are transitioning to become Sakurai 2.0.”

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TEXTILE PRINTING CHEMICALS TRUSTED NAME IN PRINTING TECHNOLOGIES WORLDWIDE

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• WATER BASED WHITE / CLEAR PASTE • BINDER / THICKENER • DISCHARGE • ADHESIVES • PLASTISOL ( Solvent / Waterbase ) • PIGMENT ( Regular / AZO Free ) www.crownintco.com INDIAN SUBCONTINENT MANUFACTURER (JOINT VENTURE)

TECHTALK

How to cut waste with better colour management

Colour management might sometimes feel like a mysterious dark art, but the benefits of using software such as ColorLogic’s suite of products are very real.

Sustainability and waste reduction aren’t just fashionable causes and on-trend ideas.

One statement often repeated but powerfully true is that environmental responsibility goes hand-in-hand with commercial efficiency.

Waste isn’t just a scourge on an eco-level, it’s money that is being lost by your business. And for printers, this problem is often due to incorrect or non-existent colour management.

“One of the greatest causes of waste is when prints don’t meet the customers’ expectations, resulting in reprints. These errors are mainly caused by poor colour management,” ColorLogic’s Product

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Manager Dietmar Fuchs explains.

“Today the print industry is extremely diverse – there is everything from ceramic printing to wood printing to wallpapers and textiles. But for all those sectors, colour management is very important because there are no single quality standards that you can work with; it’s all individual, and each printer prints colours differently.”

The battle against waste ColorLogic’s three main products – ColorAnt, CoPrA and ZePrA – work to reduce waste by improving each step of the colour management system.

“Because of the discrepancies in colour presentation, you need to describe how a printer prints colours – that’s what we call characterisation or fingerprinting.

You do this by printing a test chart from the printer, which

may contain hundreds or even thousands of colour patches that need to be measured with a spectrophotometer. That data is fed into ColorAnt to produce good quality measurement information,” Dietmar says.

“From this information we can build ICC profiles with CoPrA. And with the ICC profiles we can build device link profiles for higher-end quality conversion.

“Then, when you get your print files from a design agency or prepress house, they can be colour converted using our automatic colour server, ZePrA. The colour server ZePrA will match colours throughout your printing process and you can print at a high quality that matches your desired intention.”

Simulation game As well as improving general accuracy, innovative colour management technology can

TECHTALK also reduce waste and improve efficiency with jobs that require specific demands. For example, in the case or multicolour printing or extended colour gamut (ECG) printing, ColorAnt can help to simulate the use of Pantone colours without facing the potential waste created by setting up, printing and cleaning with additional special inks.

“Perhaps your client has a certain package that was printed with CMYK. The next time the client says they want to reprint, they may want the magenta switched with a red colour instead.

That would typically mean you have to go through the exercise of printing a test chart first on your machine, getting good measurement data, and then creating an ICC profile, which would take a lot of time,” Dietmar says.

“But if you have a measurement already from your desired red, or the client might have that already – from a Pantone colour book, for example – then you can exchange that new process colour in the measurement data that you have already. And by using a standard CMYK plus orange, green and violet – a sevencolour printing process – you can simulate all sorts of colours simultaneously without having to change the inks.

“That is a great ink-saving mechanism because it means you can get several jobs on one sheet with different spot colours. The requirement of course, is that you have good colour management that can do this conversion from Pantone and other spot colours to your printing process.”

The benefits should not just be seen in terms of material and ink waste. If time truly is money, then significant savings

and efficiencies can be made here, too.

“The process of printing and making sure the press is in perfect condition, the inks are at the correct level, and so on, before actually printing a characterisation test chart, can easily take one day of work on a big printing press. But this can be avoided by simulating how that red could replace the magenta,” Dietmar says.

“ColorAnt is able to predict how this red will overprint with all the other colours and gives you a simulation of what it would look like.

Then you can create an ICC profile from that new virtual measurement data without really printing it on your press – wasting time and ink and paper.

And then you could create a proof print to show to a client before working on your press to exchange the red. Or you could even print right away with the profile and the changed ink in the press, saving a lot of time by avoiding creating new fingerprints.”

More black, less waste In the printing production stage, with CoPrA ColorLogic has introduced another wastereduction technology: SaveInk. “CoPrA creates ICC profiles and it also creates SaveInk profiles, which are device link profiles. A device link is a profile that converts from CMYK to CMYK, for example, in one step without having to go through a profile connection space, which is an L*A*B* representation of the colours,” Dietmar says.

“That has a few very

important properties because, if you are converting for example 100% black text with a typical ICC printer profile, it goes to LAB first, then it goes to CMYK with the second ICC profile. In the process, it loses the property that it was 100% black – it will be converted to something that is four colours. But a device link can maintain the information that it was a pure colour and it will be a pure colour afterwards.

“In the case of SaveInk technology, it reduces the amount of CMY inks used and replaces it with black, which can reduce ink amounts by an average of 15 to 30%. Most presses need some warming-up time before the correct speed and colour performance is reached, which gives you a pile of waste paper at the beginning.

But by using SaveInk, this can be greatly reduced because if you print less ink on your paper it dries faster and sticks better, and therefore the colour is better reached faster on the press, saving a lot of time and material.”

Automatic conversion When working across a range of different substrates, it may be that a range of different ICC profiles and device links are required. That can be a challenge if you don’t have a workflow that can accommodate it, but ZePrA offers a solution that can reduce both time and effort.

“ZePrA can build the device

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TECHTALK

links on the fly with SmartLink.

For example, if it sees it has to convert a file from ISO coated to uncoated in a certain queue and configuration, and then has to convert it to newspaper in another configuration, it will create those device links automatically,” Dietmar says.

“In the case of a print-ready PDF document with multiple elements, ZePrA creates device links by looking at all the elements and the output intent, which is basically an ICC profile describing the entire product.

There may be RGB images in the document, and each RGB image would then have an ICC profile ascribed to it. But ZePrA reads all the ICC profiles and creates the necessary conversions by building a device link profile for each of those elements and putting them all together. So, you don’t have to do that manually, and that saves you a lot of time.”

ZePrA can even work with PSD and TIFF files with layers from Photoshop.

“Photoshop layers were never designed to do colour conversion.

But in the design process and pre-press process, designers like to work with those layers to make last-minute corrections. ZePrA, though, is able to retain most of the layers and convert them, one by one.

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You can’t do that for all adjustment layers, but it is possible for many. That combines the best of both worlds: you have the colour converted version of your layered file, but you still retain the layers for final editing,” Dietmar says.

“With SmartObjects, that is a more complicated thing, because you can’t convert an Illustrator file that might be liked with the SmartObject, for example – you can’t pick a file that is outside of the original PSD document.

But what ZePrA does is convert that SmartObject into an image layer, so a layer that represents what the SmartObject would contribute to the entire file is still there. Then, it can do the colour conversion and you can see finally how that object would look after the colour conversion. This approach maintains the integrity of your file and your colour conversion, but SmartObjects don’t interfere any more.”

One for all ColorLogic’s innovations aren’t just for designers, pre-press companies, press houses and printers – major printing manufacturers are also incorporating ColorLogic’s technology into their products.

“We have all this technology in the OEM [original equipment manufacturer] software developer kit that manufacturers can integrate into their own solutions,” Dietmar says.

“This ranges from the linearisation of the printer, total area coverage, optimisation, profiling their devices, creating device links, editing, saving ink, up to the high-end spot colour conversion that we have

integrated in our end-user tools.

We have all this technology in the OEM software developer kit that manufacturers can integrate into their own solutions.”

In the case of Durst, for example, its PPD software company uses ColorLogic technology to integrate colour management into the Durst workflow. Another OEM client – printing solutions developer ColorGATE – bases significant parts of its colour management on ColorLogic technology. “Colour management works best if it is seamlessly integrated into the workflow. All kinds of manufacturers have their own workflows so, to make it easy for them, it’s better to integrate this technology into their product right away rather than having to use it an external application,” Dietmar says.

For those who don’t use machinery with integrated colour management, there is one final way to ensure the final product benefits from ColorLogic technology.

“What I see more and more is companies using digital printers with different kinds of RIPs driving those printers.

Often all those RIPs have different integrated colour management. Very often, those printing companies are now disabling the colour management in the RIPs and using ZePrA instead to create the colour management.

Not only does ZePrA offer better quality with extra functionalities that RIPs don’t generally have, but it’s easier to maintain the colour management with one common user interface.

“And, of course, ease of use, reduced waste, and enhanced efficiency and accuracy are the ultimate goals that have inspired all of our technology.”

TECHTALK

How to handle Total Appearance Capture

36

Creating realistic design mock-ups has never been easier or more flexible. X-Rite shows us how.

impressive product virtualisation easier to achieve than ever before.

Print and design has evolved a considerable amount since its first incarnation as ink on paper. Now, in our digitally-driven world propelled by pictures on screens, it’s not enough for images to simply look good or even just accurate. They have to look real.

Product mock-ups, design samples and marketing imagery needs to encompass all the attributes of a three-dimensional object or tableau – light and shade, luminescence, texture, transparency – within the confines of a two-dimensional display.

Traditionally, this challenging undertaking has been the preserve of fine artists and rudimentary software, but X-Rite’s ever-evolving Total Appearance Capture (TAC) technology is switching things up, and aims to make accurate,

Miss no detail The system has been in the works since 2009, and what began life as an enormous room-sized machine has been streamlined down to the much more manageable arcade-gamesized TAC7 – a piece of kit that virtualises a piece of material and digitises it, creating an endless version of that material swatch.

Once it has been processed, TAC7’s software lets designers digitally manipulate the swatch however they wish – move it around a light source, layer it against other materials, fold it, scrunch it, carve it, bend it. Such is the detail captured by the tech that the material can be placed into almost any kind of digital environment and the system

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will produce an entirely lifelike and accurate 3D rendering of the finished product, whether it’s the paint on a car or the fabric on a sofa.

“There are a huge number of factors that go into our perception of appearance,” explains TAC Portfolio Manager Tobias Rausch.

“A lot of people in the traditional print field will prioritise colour and pattern, but there’s also texture, gloss, transparency and translucency.

This is why what we do is so different to simply ‘creating a picture’, which is fixed and determined.

Our technology takes all of these component parts, and incorporates direct and indirect light sources, the viewer angle and distance in a dynamic way, so designers needn’t spend time creating separate mock-ups with different ambient criteria. It can all be easily switched up as required.”

TECHTALK

TAC7 material scanner The system itself is made up of three main components. First, the TAC7 scanner captures the data using a variety of cameras, projectors, backlights sensors and filters, both as the sample is static and in motion. This information is shared via a vendor-neutral Appearance Exchange File (AxF) which can be accessed by most major Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), ComputerAided Design (CAD) and top-level rendering applications.

The system’s corresponding desktop application, the PANTORA Material Hub, then serves as a single digital library for storing, editing and sharing these files in a consistent way, and finally the Virtual Light Booth lets designers compare both physical and digital samples under the exact same perceptual conditions.

As you might expect, this all involves a huge amount of data. A 10cm by 10cm swatch could come with up to 2TB of information, according to Rausch – more if the material sampled is of the challenging variety. “Matt material is the easiest to capture,” he says.

“And if you rotate a wall of matt material, it’s pretty much going to look the same from all angles. We call that ‘isotropic’ material. Things get more complicated if a material has a gloss, and then there are brushed metals, or finishes that change colour or texture as you rotate them. And of course, you can have those things in combination.

So, the system requires more time and data to understand the nature of these materials.”

Car paint sample measured with a TAC7 There are some materials, Rausch says, that are completely

beyond the scope of the system. Fur or hair, for example, because the first layer of fibre is hiding what’s going on behind it.

Large pattern repeats or materials without natural pattern repeats are also a no-go.

“There’s no way to predict how a piece of very grainy wood or marble unfolds,” says Rausch. “If you wanted to record a whole piece of wood you’d end up with too much data.”

But for the materials that the TAC7 can handle, the process is relatively swift, with the journey from sampling a piece of simple material to turning it into a virtually-rendered box taking around half an hour.

However, while rendering a product using the TAC7 will certainly save time compared to traditional methods of doing things, the system is designed to streamline the entire design process overall. “The benefits of the system are really farreaching,” says Rausch. “Without the need for physical material samples costs are reduced and logistics are simplified. You won’t have a particular material sample in shipping across the globe for five days, for example.

Everything is available instantly, and materials can be easily customised, reused and repurposed.” He also adds that the system and its digital (and therefore remotely accessible) materials library has taken on a new focus during the current climate, where everyone is working from home.

Another major selling point is the speed with which products can get to market. “You need fewer physical prototypes, and

the accuracy and realism involved means everyone – designers and stakeholders alike – are on the same page about what something is actually going to look like when it’s finished. You don’t need to imagine mock-ups made from tiny 2cm by 2cm material swatches and hope everyone else has the same vision as you.”

X-Rite initially started out offering TAC7 as a service, but the confidential nature of some of its clients – major carmakers, fashion brands and furniture labels, for example – meant that the company eventually started selling the kit outright as well.

But it’s no small investment.

Rausch says that the current system costs in the region of €85,000, plus software. However, X-Rite is working on a range of cheaper devices.

“We’ve got products coming to the market around September,” Tobias reveals. “They’ll be less versatile than the TAC7 with more limited uses, but for companies that only operate in certain materials, such as plastic or textiles, the system will be a lot more affordable for them.”

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TECH TALK

A Peripatetic Perspective

In this series of articles, SS Das explores the world of Water based textile screen printing based on his experiences and from the scholarly vantage points.

With its advent in the midnineties Aqueous Elastic Binders, high solid elastic whites, and Neutrals gained momentum for their performance characteristics and were soon considered as befitting replacement of oil base Plastisol which was becoming a butt of compliance criticism for their PVC and Phthalate contents.

Global standards for safety were rapidly changing in their scope and implication. The list of restricted chemical substances was longer than ever before.

Pioneers and flagship institutions of the Plastisol ink system in the USA confronted

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this travail with intensive research to engineering all-free Plastisol to survive but far off perfection.Water base soon proved its line benefits with their obvious advantage over oil base. The adoption was gradual.

The change-over was exponentially furthered by a plethora of fabrics that hove into vogue; natural, manmade, and blends.

The easy access to water-base proved to be more efficient in performance compared to allpurpose Plastisol.

The hand, strength, and aesthetics all increasingly established the superiority of water base; though a few shortcomings like screen clogging and fastness remained a persistent glitch that warranted redressal.

The large volume printing on high-speed automatic carousels could not replace plastisol due to their stability on screen.

At the beginning of 2000 fashion landscape underwent a sea change for an eclectic range of fabrics and changed their interface with inks. Apparels were more and more designed to accommodate new generation lifestyle and fashion trend redounded to the development of fabrics and their finishing is innovative enough to fix dyeing and printing confirming to formidable international

standards in terms of compliance and performance.

Water-based ink system proved to be a sovereign cure to address the demands of retail giants in terms of performance and aesthetics complicated by a list of restricted chemicals and the environment. Legislative compliance norms ruled the organized sector of textile screen printing that redefined print shop management.

These carved a niche and new frontiers of professional finesse in man-machine contribution.

Pressroom economics thrived on a workflow chart and delivery forecast often met on schedule.

Job work and outsourcing of printing soon got replaced as being a support system to vertically integrated corporates.

This further professionalized their function as an integral part of a lean system. Print merchandising became a new professional forte.

Garment merchandising was no more confined to workstation sourcing and cost-effective calculation. The gamut changed the job responsibility to an allaround professional from cut to pack – from concept to the consumer, and fabric, dyeing, printing to finishing. Trims cannot be skipped aside and a large part of these are printed – heat seal patch labels, welding, embossing, debossing, and lot many embellishments.

Printing in the integrated process of garment manufacturing is yet unsolved and not so transparent for all to steer clear.

Nevertheless, much headway has been made to facelift the once unorganized sector into a considerably dependable

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support mechanism in the cut-to-ship package deal. Stateof-the-art plant setup, wellorchestrated man-machine combination, comprehensive print chemistry color management, and proactive in-line print-drycure in conjunction with quality checkpoints have made rejection within acceptable limits and delivery more predictable.

Perfection and quantum output have sealed the chinks and fissures against any possible drainage.

Cost-effective production is now preceded by a source-effective inventory that eliminates wanton time loss in trial and error.

Supply-chain is a beeline from manufacturers to users that caters to production-specific and result-oriented proven products that plow through turnarounds and inadvertent maltreatment resulting in rejection. There is a demand for quality and qualified suppliers with seven-star products, services, and solutions to achieve print perfection.

The need is to shortlist trusted suppliers who endeavor constantly to fine-tune the existing and innovate towards new options.

This article is a modest attempt to pick up the broken threads. To sieve wheat from the chaff, retain the essentials overlooked, and stay focussed in one’s quest for troublefree, correct usages of products to optimize line benefits.

This is not by any standard a promotional overkill of a particular brand or any such attempt at window-dressing to influence a purchase. It is a modest endeavor to invite inquiry and interaction about the situational discomfiture in print job management more due to quasi-perfect products in use -- or subtle essentials usually overlooked. There is a definite emphasis on the search for a series

of products and their tactical use to address fire-fighting.

Ready Paste Ready Pigment Paste is a generic term for pre-mixed RFU (ready for use) transparent paste concentrate in its right viscosity to print through a very wide range of screen mesh on hand bench or automatic - from a solid blotch to graduals and highresolution photographic fourcolor in conjunction with highclass pigments selected for their clean true tone characteristic.

Fine particles of mono pigments are easy to mix with the ready paste. Ready paste for pigment gained preference for their utility in the late nineties and underwent a slow growth for printing soft-hand, wet-on-wet, with consistent color delivery on automatics. A majority yet prefers binder paste components due to the low cost for large volume pigment printing no matter the erratic is the flow and drying on screen.

Whereas the user-friendly aspects of ready paste are distinguished in terms of aesthetics, open time, hand feel, extended wash, and antifibrillation (often referred to as frosting). There are many ready pastes in the market formulated by brands who understand the basic concept and purpose of such a product.

They engineer the features to complement the versatile attributes to distinguish them from the ordinary or average products in the market. The best of Ready pastes may not contribute to the best of results if the pigments are of inferior class and the crosslinking of printed paste color does not polymerize completely falling

short of desired fast property on cotton which may be prone to frosting.

The selection procedure is critical. A potent ready paste is not just what is made in a professional color lab by a fixed recipe of binder, water, thickener, softener, and emulsifier. The engineering of such paste is well-calibrated neutral with a balanced viscosity and body structure which is 100% transparent, thixotropic, and freeflowing, easy transferable through high mesh geometry (55T-120T) extended open time and stability.

It is soft filming, has strong fixation quality, and offers an excellent fabric interface. Selection is critical again and trials, necessary. There can be a twin approach in selecting ready paste. One is for the printing of blotch or solids (mass tone), and the other for half-tone.

The first pigment category is more designed to print through low to medium screen mesh with relatively more pigment concentrates for high covering of inks on fabrics. This paste will have more solid content and a long body structure for absorbing more colorants and hiding the fabric base.

This type is custom fit to resist frosting and required wash is applicable. But the cross-linker is important as well. Cross-linkers are often mistaken as fixators to fast cure the inks to resist dry rub and wet rub (crocking). A wrong fixator may spoil the hand making the ink brittle and weaken the polymer chain for a premature break under tensile pressure.

There is a separate treatment to fixers for their classification and the study in the next chapter is earmarked for fixers.

Second category is for the printing of Photo chromatic dots through higher mesh (77t - 120t )

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with relatively less pigment ratio . The paste is free flow and short body structure for reproduction of dots without size gain . Extended screen open time is the crux for such paste to perform . However squeegee and flood bar calibration stays equally important for constant transferring of such paste inks Base fabric is important if chosen for dots . Fibrilation may deter holding grapic in place so a layer of clear paste as underlay is advised . The better option is to choose mercirised cotton base or blend of man made fiber with cotton 85%.

There can be one for all purpose paste versatile to meet above separate porposes in conjunction with a very special fixer for printing of blotch or halftone .This type is available mostly in concentrate form to prepare mixture by adding water and thickner to reach desired viscosity and print specific purpose .

These concentrates are binder specific Acrylic , PU & Hybrid to best suit the purpose. Pigment colorants are all the more

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important that can spoil the chemistry of best of ready pastes taken in to the perceptive discourse .The neutral base works on minimum and maximum pigment load ratio for color optics and fastness .Pigment load below minimum does not work as they appear mute and load above maximum will bleed as the binder has its limitation inholding the pigment for fixation .Minimum 4% to maximum 8% as thum rule. If one needs for any purpose to print any color above the prescribed load percentage a switch of Paste is necessary from a pigment paste to that of a high solid elastic neutral base for highher pigment load .Any attempt to increase pigment by adding Fixer and softner does not work .

Pigments have their integrity for fastness .Fine particles flow better with paste and instrumental in lasting of mesh opening .Blocking of mesh orifice is due to coarse particles of pigment and are also prone to bleeding . Latest generation pigments are formulated on dye stone technology and monotone to cast a clean reflection which further ensures minimum load percentage in bespoke matching .

Ultimate results are easy matching , free flow . soft hand and superb washing . There are Pigment colorants now with Pantone formulations with a limited 15 shades to mix and match any pantone spec to its nearest within short time and repeatability. .This eliminates time loss in a critical bespoke with additional advantage of

avoiding wanton excess load of one colorant to an imbalance of pigment and paste ratio .

A printer is nearest to the right shade in less time and enables any correction within precincts of color science . This proves to be a sovereign corrective in color management . Ready paste has longer self life (one year) and easy storage under temperate storage condition 10 c ---30 c. Even colored paste without fixer are reported to have equal self life expectancy .

The binder formulated paste will not have this luxury of self life...The prepared viscosity thickens further , water element dries up increasingly in sitting condition the mixture goes defunct with obvious skinning and lumping . Ready paste products stay stable and do not go putrid or lump up in storage . Anti bacterial treatment and preservatives by the manufacturer inhibits any defunction . Finally inventory control is more efficient . The functional benefits have already been discussed yet this will not be out of place to reiterate the productivity rating of a ready paste on high speed automatic where volume is high and drying is in line juxtaposed mouth to mouth . Multi color printing under flash dry condition is difficult if not impossible for binder paste where as Ready paste is a stable product and its drying can be regulated corresponding to the design and ink deposit .

Binder paste formulation is prone to be work toughening which means the water and thickner induce hardening of the ink ; water evaporates and thickner dialates.Deposit varies increasingly altering the film profile ultimately changing the weavelength of bespoke colors .This typical light to dark shift in large volume print

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production still persists as the main reason for rejection .

Fixing agents are dime a dozen .Most applicable are three apropos of their function and utility. This is imperative to give a special treatment to Fixers which often is either not known properly by the user or misconstrued for their specific application .Promiscuous usages that too ignorantly often have been an industry predicament .So a better understanding and qualified careful use is the best cure . Mild cross linker( aziridine) --which is curable often known as Formal Free Fixer milky in appearance which is most compatible for their use with low viscosity ready paste to improve cross linking of pigment with binder while curing at 165 c for two minutes , recommended load is 3-5 % .

The FF cross linker does not affect the drying of inks on screen and does not induce brittleness after curing within recommended limit .Pot life is overnight to 48 hours . One has to understand that cross linking of print stays on for 10 hours in room temperature for complete fixation ...curing may be in line or after this land drying as suitable . Extra strong Fixator – ( Iso cyanate )This is multi level performance fixing agent and achieves highest fastness for water base inks of different families and varied applications .

For pigment prints 1% load achieves over all fast ness at 30c . 2 % will sustain 10 washes up to 60c .No frosting . This is excellent rub improver -4 to 5. Curing may be low to high depending on fiber content and pigment load in the ink .Heat sensitive fabrics do shrink in curing so 2% fixer and low cure at 140c is solution. Also over pigmentation or Fluorescents can be treated for extra fastness with

a higher dose of 3%. These type fixers have extra anchorage to ink film not to break the polymer chain .The elongation in stretch inks are improved .

Intelligent facet of the strong fixer is that this can be used as multi pupose regulator in altering drying behavior of inks on machine .A balanced dash of it can decrease flash time or to nill flash option enabling weton-wet printing at high speed mode . But higher dose may play havoc and inks start drying on screen .Extra srong fixer is super fast in action and pot life is low .. 1% --8 hours and 2-3%-- 4 hours .The adding of fixer is ideal at point of printing and quantity estimated for printing at intervals .

Third fixators are new concept ( aziridine ) These are of medium to high viscosity ecru gel type fixing agent recommended to be used with Elastic high solid copolymer water base neutral and white to enable low cure and self cure ability of inks .

Once this cross linker is added 3% the fixation is natural at room temperature overnight and sustains 10 wash at 60c .

This needs a careful selection of inks which are capable of strong bonding on various fabrics including 100% polyester by curing without any fixer .These are hybrid inks with high solid content to cover dark back ground with inhibition to dye migration and super mechanical strength and extended wash .

These inks are best to print in conjunction with Self cure fixators which completes the cross linking in room temperature in 10 hours ...just print and flash on machine and leave the prints to fix in ambient press room temperature . Cold

fixation of inks are in demand to avoid dye migration in Polyester and other man made fibers with Lycra which tend to shrink dimension once printed and cured at high temperature . Polyester , CVC and poly-fleece are few difficult fabrics which can not be exposed to high temperature curing .

Pot life of inks with these fixers are extended from over night to one week if handled in ambient temperature below 30c.

Ready Paste and White for fashion These are one step up to augment the advantage of Ready Pigment Paste which can not be applied to print on light to medium dark fabrics of different blends . All over fashion motif and bright colors on medium dark fabrics with fast print on machine . A high content of Polyeurathane specialize the performace in printing on machine as well as wash.

The inks range from 100% transparent to high opaque ,medium stretch ,excellent mesh open time and fast colors that have a predominant position in printing of hi fashion . The range comprises of an opaque neutral base , under lay white . stand alone white and

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Retarder Gel . Easy printing on machine through a wide range of mesh selection -42t to 110 t. Flash white underlay is printed through 49T- 55T and the overlays through 77 t to 110t upto 120t as applicable under fast flash conditions and in line curing . Maximum output ,utra soft hand feel often similar to that of pigment digital and discharge on mixed fabric base . The retarder gel is also a finished neutral and formulated to slow drying on screen and excess amount will not spoil hand nor fast ness .But this has record open time and alters ink behavior under hot shop ambience to free flow for dense dot reproduction without wipe down intervals .

Elastic Athletic White & Base This is the third in the classification and dominates the T –shirt graphics the most especially ever growing sports wear industry and life style apparels .Fabrics are increasingly varied and difficult to print . The process of brand

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merchandising is deliberately complicated for value addition and to curb counterfeit .This intricates the print technique and ink selection . First quarter of this century has witnessed a plethora of brands spear heading the wellness industry that redefined the production of fitness apparels .

Lean system professed volume and value .In line cut -to -pack has been in practice by production units with budget specific automation and training Vertically integrated units with dyeing and printing changed the tradition of job work and printing became an integral part in the chain and production traffic Most crucial check point due to its subtle versatility ,most critical and least predictable . Further emphasis on Quality control and out put in confirmity with chemical compliance have increased the importance manifold .

Fabric interface in sports apparel have been increasingly difficult for screen printing and their sustenance in extended wash .More and more active performance fabrics are in introduction viz, CVC , 100%Polyester, Polo fleece and most of these with nearly 15% spandex .

Contemporary printing on 100% Polyester has dismissed oil base and Silicon is exorbitant option .Water base is versatile

and cost effective which has proved its utility over last two decades . This is not over friendly ink system to adopt and excell.

Unlike that of Plastisol and silicon which have benefit of solid inks, mechanical bond and copy book consistency .The vehicle is water which may dry fast to clog screen or slow dry to minimise out put especially when the substrate fabric is synthetic and inhibits water penetration . Athletic screen printing might have less color combo but multiple screens are used in underlay and overlay sequence to print multi layer ink volume for building hide and strength to block migration and post print mechanical sustenance .

Choice of inks are numbered few ...sum total of different components and correct recipe is a jigsaw puzzle .Right selection of Whites , Neutrals , Barrier , Fixers and colorants is easier said than done . Printing ,Drying , Curing and handling of panels or garment attachments are over sensitive affair to expedite and keep rejection in level . This is a technological discourse and no promotional attempt to advertise the strength of any ink system in particular .A candid treatment to the subject mechanism without mention of brand as choice for commercial preferment .The discourse is but a marshalling of points often over looked which can fine tune the process to skip fire fighting and forge quality standards a touch better .

Not out of place to spot light the fabric treatments and consequent deterioration in fabric affinity for printing . This has strong implication to understand and prevent such treatments for fabrics coming to the facility for printing .The softners used to improve fabric hand is not

TECH TALK

apparent barrier to the ink adhesion. Wash will decrease or fail completely ...Silicon wash is a serious fly in the ointment and so any softners which behave like mild water rep elants and hinder water base ink adhesion . One needs to discern the three -tier active sports wear printing keeping in view the range of fabrics which already have been discussed for a fair understanding of the interface while choosing the appropriate ink .

The available inks for printing on athletic fabric range ---Low stretch or no stretch Fabric type , Fabrics with mild stretch and Fabrics with High stretch . All are man made synthetic fibers with dispersible dye stuff including CVC and brushed fleece. Cationic and slub are few others in vogue . Four stretch is latest in trend .

This assortment of fabric mix is a formidable challenge .

Dye Migration and its Containment Dye bleed and its inhibition is no more a baffling hype and good many dye blockers and barriers are in the offing . All the more interesting is that few top end barriers are improvised to perfection every year .

Beginning of the Milenium oil base gray blockers were introduced and successfully used in combination with Low bleed white and colors of Athletic series Plastisol .These still exist and printers in the middle east are yet in the comfort zone of printing plastisol on machine . Silicon has blocker now which proved to be an impetus to retain its market share . 2010 dye blocker in water base system was introduced which now is widely acclaimed and accredited as front line in the industry ...Last few years witnessed advent of many more

Barrier inks ; Gray and Black depending on their application and intensity to contain the migration on dyed polyester .

Present barriers are much improved in their engineering to custom fit the printing conditions and out put . These are no more stout ,sticky and clay like ..difficult to print which did fast dry and crow feet under frequent flash condition . Well nigh mud crack finish making over print of white and colors uncouth ,brittle and sand like harsh .The body structure was dilatant and clogging screen fast.. breaking stencil prematurely either for excessive squeegee or flood bar friction .

Due to coarse mesh limitation to transfer blocker in printing of fine outline and texts as underlay was a predicament .Besides surface grinning of barrier , key -line and saw tooth were all despicable for a print merchandiser though migration was blocked 100%.

Nevertheless these described glitches proved to be more handicaps and kept the acceptance of water base barrier at abeyance till the next edition was introduced.These still persists with few products which is why one should be aware of the eventuality to skip the trash for the top .

Grey barrier was better than average in their user condition but the dye resistance rating was less effective .Rolling of inks and transfer was easier resulting in smooth ink film elastomer .Less see- through and port hole .

Another moot point in abomination of Black Blocker is printing of overlays where this is an optic white or Fluorescents .One does print multiple layers to gain under base hiding

by flash each time ..this desize fabric dimension and delaminates brushed fleece from pallete making registration out . Frequent spray adhesive does not help .Out put recedes to record low 6-8 dozens per hour on 14 x10 carousel.

The new barriers Grey and Black are better in their printing on automatic and inhibition to block migration . Desired free flow ,easy gliding of squeegee across stencil .Soft touch & possiblity to print with wider mesh options 42t, 49 t , 55t for sharp edge definition have distinguished the new barrier significantly perfect .

The PU base barriers cross link faster with fast fusion series of inks increasing output and aesthetics .

Prints appear sharper and crisper even elasticity is better .

Over printing of colors by fine mesh (77T- 82T) and fast flash drying of inks and better inter coat adhesion ..pin hole free surface with a brilliant matte finish are achievable . The sterling features of latest barriers is that of quick fixation to fabrics and extra strong bonding.. these ultimately enhance washing and mechanical strength .

Fabric base Sealer Blockers are dye base sealer for 100% Polyester and blends completely blocking the migration of dispersible dye stuff As that are prone to melt and vaporise once exposed to temperature from 100c to 150c which is even likely to start under flash dry condition .

As fabric base sealer the barrier settles in to a flat matte down surface enabling overlay colors for smooth film formation .This also increases the mechanical strength of the prints as barrier encapsultes to the fiber filament thus enhancing its bonding and elongation .

Grey blocker option can not be

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dismissed as it retains its utility while printing on light clored fabrics as Black blocker is not required on light polyesters and blends unlike red ,navy and black which have more concentrates of dyes and likely to bleed fast .Secondly , black blocker on light polyester look stark and show through the fabric beneath which is why not decent .For this reason now there are Blockers available with more grey and less black –charcoal type very successful specially for flurescents and yellow or pink that looks stained on jet black blocker.

However the barrier theory and its utility does not write off the essential need of quality fabric dyed within approved parameters .Careful attention should be given to the melting point of dispersible dyes (not below 90c ).Their fixation chemistry also .Low quality dye stuff is volatile and fails standards for printing and curing no matter how stong is the barrier .Prints will fail in oven test .Migration appear after long duration . Inks overprinted on the barrier base should have chemical compatibility to the barrier else there should be inter coat adhesion issue .Inks to be printed on barrier are formulated to dry and cure alike that of barrier in time and temperature .

Ideally speaking the inks chosen for printing with barrier on 100% polyester should be from series of inks that can alone be printed without barrier on fabric and have bleed resistance property ,strong fixation on polyester . Fast flash , tack free and stretch to match elongation of Barrier .

Over printing of white and standard colors take longer time to flash dry due to pigment load and due to their formulation not to dry fast on screen . On the

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other the barrier is exposed to flash at least three times for one color print and four times for white . The barrier is likely to be over flashed and cured at 170c for two minutes often enough scorching fabric .So fast flash inks with low cure ability are better tactical option at 135c .This further reduces shrinkage and scorching .One has to choose a low cure extra strong fixer for this purpose .

Extra strong fixer does mean fast fusion of inks at low temperature and short time exposure .

This is a kind of regulator to adjust drying under flash and final curing . Latest trend setter is a cool fixator that catalyses the ink for self cure possibility.

No curing ...print flash and air dry at room temperature .The print may withstand any wash and wear after a proper cross linking over night . NO shrinkage no migration in fabric as ink self cures at 40c . Conditions applied are same ... low bleed high solid inks that can bond to synthetics at low cure or self cure with cool fixer .Dye integrity of fabric should be of industry standard ..no low bleed tendency below 90 c .Advisory has it that printer should check fabric for low bleed tendency and opt for printing a Barrier base.

Metallic Gold , Silver and iridescent may be printed on barrier underlay and similar ink layer as second impression to avoid barrier see through .The metallic base for this purpose are special clear vehicles with strong adhesion to synthetics.

These are 100% transparent and provides excellent suspension for metallic particles to float atop and shine clean and crisp . There is no frosted look and does not oxidise for long if

metal pigments are of high quality .Metallic prints on sports wear is possible now with this new generation elastic base with extra stretch clear Either printed as under base or by mixing as stretch additive to sustain 4 way stretch of fabric used in sports apparel .

Elastic glitter base is a solution to high fashion concepts either printing solid or highlight .The glitters are sparklig bright and soft to touch depending to the density of flakes and the size .The effect is dry flake splashig as the base crystalize in curing to a clean transparency encapsulated to the fiber mass . The glitter paste is different in formulation and mass for better anchorage but the extra stretch clear can be printed as underlay to piggy back the glitter for better wash and life .

Cool fixer may be an option to low cure or self cure the glitter paste for lycra mix fabrics in sports fashion but the glitter base should be considered for the performance characteristic .

Fluorescents are critical most for their limitation than advantage .Highly volatile and transparent pigments which requires 35% load for a mass tone appearnce.

This concentration and high load percentage require strong transparent base to hold the fluorescent pigment for natural tone reflection and sustain wash .Co polymer urathane base are ideal for the pupose with fast fixer option to improve rub resistance .

Printing of Fluorescent ink on dark synthetic needs an uderlay next to the black barrier ( Black barriers are chosen for the absolute inhibition of dye bleed ) either white or solid color alike the fluorescent shade ....yellow for yellow and pink for pink . The pupose is to shield the barrier’s jet black reflection which is more

TECH TALK

often than not fails for a good hide by fluorescent ink layer . Fast fixer and its performance specific role as rub improver and stain proof additive is only solution to the failig of fluorescents in test reports .Day light resistance of flurescent is directly linked to the qulity of pigment emulsion and partly the clear base which should pass the out door exposure test standards applicable .

Fuorescent printing in general should be fast fusion class of inks to avoid scorching and discoloration of pigment in high temperature curing .

Over print Gel This option is choice of many Sports Graphic printers as protective layer to print last over color to resist rubbing and bleeding of high conentrate pigments .This is improviser option if the base print sequence is in apple pie precision combined with Blocker , special ink and fast fixer .

Foil and Anti foil application The treatise will not be complete without a skip view at Foil and foil resist print technique which is no more confined to the precincts of Fashion rotary and serigraph .Sports Apparels are more and more printed with Foil on tough standards of wash resistance . Elastic Foil adhesive with thermoplastic hot melt resin are much superior in their engineering to fix foil with proper tactical steps to sustain multiple wash ..

The Technology improvement is exponential; adhesive , foil and applying of foil .No one step alone can deliver result.

One has to pick the best available foil adhesive and decide by result only ..Foil are good many

available but the standards are deceptive for the best performance. One should buy from best of standard sources for their actual performance in textile grade application.

The thickness issue is also a moot point to reckon with .The thickness of foil for Rotary and Serigraph are different so are the grades in serigraph also . 12micron 18 micron and 24 micron are most common thickness in use for serigraph application . In the tactical interpretation for applying of foil is lamination of metalised film on printed glue by calibrated temperature , pressure and time . Distortion in any of the three is going to fail the process . A faulty fusing press can prove abortive and foil may either be applied wrong and rejected .Weak bond with adhesive will have improper release and less strength for wash . Air pokets and off contact of foil with adhesive while fusing is maltreatment . Roll to roll fusing always performs better accuracy and air tight rolling of foil on to adhesive surface .

Lastly, printing of adhesive ,right use of mesh to transfer proper adhisive layer and drying of adhesive and fusing of foil are all steps to ensure fastness and durability of foil . Anti foil is the printing of a foil resist Clear or White which can resist the foil to stick while fusing .The printing of foil resist may be a high light or a blotch . The larger surface area of anti foil is critical with foil as high light or over lapping .Anti foil clear and White are specially formulated with a very less tack lavel and dry ink film to resist possible foil settling under heat press .Anti foil is easier in case the print combo is that of

pigment on light fabric surface .

The difficult option for anti foil is on dark knits where there are prints of high solid opaque which has a tack level and necessary strength to fix on fabric . The ink is prone to attract foil in flakes or even in streaks under heat press while applying foil .

The anti foil clear is over printed with separate screen to resist sticking of foil.Anti foil white is printed as over print on standard white ink to resist foil transfer .

The anti foil White and colors are often printed with an elastic under base to achieve stretch as these have been designed for less tack and less stretch .For dark polyester barrier may be printed as first down over printed with colors and foil resist clear or white as applicable and finally the foil glue for drying together . The drying of anti foil and the water base is critical before foil application .

Semi dried inks will have natural tack and water residue to attract foil streaks . The Anti foil fixer (aziridine-1- carboxamide) is a tack remover and surface drier for inks and anti foil ..All fixers will not have this property and function ...only the few special . Again for best results roll to roll fusing is better with right calibration of pressure and time .

To conclude ....I do not drop any supplier’s name in particular to keep discourse within the sanctity of impartial applicatory informations and its tactical distribution . Suggestions and questions will be addressed with pleasure . The next tretise will deal with the water base system in the field application of Heat Transfers covering the whole gamut that distinguishes the segment for its unique line products and their niche application from screen printing .

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TECHNOLOGY

How to formulate ink adhesion

Andrew Berritt from Fujifilm explains a bit more about ink adhesion The media that Drytac manufactures is part of a larger solution; before any graphics application can be delivered, it needs to be printed and finished.

Understanding how materials work with specific print and ink technologies is a key foundation of the company’s product development.

Drytac maintains a close relationship with hardware and ink manufactures to ensure its products achieve the best results.

To formulate ink adhesion, we should first look at surface tension and energy.

The first step is the initial interaction between ink and media, which is driven by the ink’s surface

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tension and the surface energy of the media.

In general terms, the ink needs to have a lower surface tension than the energy of the media to be able to ‘wet’ the substrate.

Without this, the ink would reticulate and mottle – basically the effect you’d see with water on glass.

On the other side of the spectrum is if the surface tension is ‘too low’ versus the energy of the media, which would cause the ink to spread too greatly.

In this case you would see a lot of bleed and lose definition.

This balance is how you can maximise clarity and drop spread before curing the ink.

The second phase is adhesion.

Now the ink is on the media, how it ‘sticks’ and can be designed to stick varies dependent on the media.

If we take PVC, the media can be chemically altered by the ink to create swelling and penetration into the surface (how solvent inks always work).

This is your ideal form of adhesion as the ink film becomes an integral part of the media.

This isn’t possible with inert surfaces such as polypropylene and polystyrene so other technologies need to be adopted.

You can improve the surface wetting, reduce polymerisation shrinkage to maintain the touch points and also match up the polarity in the inks so they attract one another from a polar perspective.

TECHNOLOGY

How to decide on the right spectrophotometer for you

Paul Lindström discusses the characteristics you should look for when choosing the spectrophotometer that is best for your applications.

There can be no quality control without making measurements, and the necessary instrument for such measurements in the graphics business is a spectrophotometer. There are many models on the market, and a handful of manufacturers to choose amongst, so in this article we will go through the characteristics you should look for when choosing the spectrophotometer that is best for your applications.

A spectrophotometer can, as the name suggests, detect and measure the spectral composition of light, and translate the results into colour related data. There are several types of colour data, but

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over the years the encoding of colour data in the CIELab format is the most commonly known and used. The benefit of CIELab is that it is device independent, while encoding colour data as CMYK or RGB makes it very device dependent. In applied colour management we use ICC profiles to describe the characteristics of graphic arts devices, be it monitor, scanner or colour printer. You can calibrate monitors with a more simple (and cheaper) instrument called a colorimeter, but in order to calibrate and characterise colour printers you’ll need a good spectrophotometer. If you plan to do your own proofing before sending files off to be printed, you definitely need to keep reading.

Important considerations

There are various of aspects to be aware of when you consider the type of spectrophotometer to buy. The main concern is probably to make sure the spectrophotometer is suitable for the type of substrate you want to measure. When using digital wide format devices you have the option to print on an extremely wide range of substrates, be it classic substrates like paper or vinyl, or transparent materials like glass or plexiglass (poly methyl methacrylate or acrylic glass), or wood, fabric and metal. One single spectrophotometer may not be able to measure all kinds of substrates.

When measuring for example transparent substrates you will need a back lit function, and not many spectrophotometers support this. Another tricky substrate is metal, or substrates printed with

TECHNOLOGY metallic inks. In this case you might need a spectrophotometer using what is called sphere technology, where samples are measured from many viewing points.

Measuring printed textiles or carpets on the other hand has its own demands. Since these are materials with very uneven structures you either need a spectrophotometer with a very wide aperture, or to use a spectrophotometer which can operate in scan mode. While using a wide aperture gives you measurements over a larger area, and so gets averaged values that represent visual appearance well, with scanning mode you will get many samples over a certain area, and so get a good, representative measurements.

Substrates are key Deciding which types of printed substrate you will measure will be the first dividing point to what type of spectrophotometer you need. For conventional substrates like paper and vinyl most of the spectrophotometers on the market will do. Among the better known manufacturers within the graphic arts sector are Barbieri, Konica Minolta Sensors, Techkon and X-Rite. Devices from these companies will then differ in price, depending on the speed and accuracy and special features they offer. For transparent substrates you will need a spectrophotometer with a backlit function, and such devices are not that common on the market.

For tricky substrates like metal or prints with metallic inks you’ll need a spectrophotometer with sphere technology.

Quality, speed and price Once you have narrowed down your choice of possible

spectrophotometers to the types that support measuring the most common substrates in your workflow, you need to consider how many measurements you will make per day, week or month.

The more measurements you will make, the more important the speed with which the spectrophotometer works. And there can be quite considerable differences between makes and models. When measuring reference test charts in order to build quality ICC profiles for a certain device, you might need to measure several test charts with up to 1500 patches or more. This is almost impossible to do using a handheld spectrophotometer which doesn’t support scanning mode.

Quality on the other hand is somewhat more difficult to define for spectrophotometers, but one indicator here is the sampling interval and how much of the spectrum can be measured.

The visible spectrum, the colours visible to the human eye, ranges from about 380 nanometers up to 740 nanometers. At and below 380 nanometers is the Ultraviolet part of the spectrum, and above 740 nanometers we are near infrared (IR), which borderlines heat. All spectrophotometers take samples at some interval, and you will need samples at least at every 10 nanometers to have quality data to work with.

Other quality aspects are the stated accuracy on the one hand, but also repeatability between measurements, as well as the expected repeatability between different spectrophotometers of the same model. The latter is called interinstrument agreement, and is important when several spectrophotometers are used for

quality control across the printer fleet, or between print service provider and print buyer. For serious quality control we need to be sure that our measurements are accurate and can be repeated by someone else using another model or type of spectrophotometer.

At what cost Regarding price this as always depends on where you want to be. Buying cheap may prove to be expensive if the spectrophotometer you go for turns out to be too slow or not accurate enough. Remember that there is no such thing as expensive. What counts is whether a thing is truly worth the money, and if you will get a return on your investment.

Software and special features Once the core specifications have been defined for your coming spectrophotometer there are some additional functions and features you should consider before making your final decision. One thing is to try out if the control software is easy for you to use and this is somewhat personal. Does the software include an interactive manual? If it’s a handheld device with a built-in screen, is this screen easy to read with clear and readable icons and text? A handy feature is to be able to connect and transfer data wirelessly, so is this supported?

A feature that has become

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more and more important in the last few years is the capacity of a spectrophotometer to measure a good portion of the spectrum in and near UV-light. This is because many types of papers today contain Optical Brightening Agents (OBAs), activated with the UV component of the light source.

Many older spectrophotometers only have a Halogen lamp light

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source, which cannot detect the UV wavelengths in the reflected light from the printed substrate. In technical terms this is often referred to as the spectrophotometer being able to work in M1 mode, as defined in ISO 13655, the standard which specifies how spectrophotometers should operate. It’s impossible to create accurate ICC profiles for substrates containing high amounts of OBA, if your spectrophotometer doesn’t support the M1 measuring mode.

Another thing to look for in the control software is a reliable colour library for well-known ink standards such as the Pantone spot colours. With regard to spot colours, it’s more and more common that reference values are specified in the Color eXchange

Format (CxF), so the control software should be able to export and import CxF data.

In technical terms you might want to use your spectrophotometer as a densitometer, which it should be capable of. But when measuring wet ink you probably want to use a polarisation filter. If so you should check if your spectrophotometer has, or can be coupled with, a polarisation filter, or you might not get reliable densitometric measurements.

Learning how to properly use a spectrophotometer is key to applied colour management, and the route to efficient quality control of printed matter. Choose your spectrophotometer well, and it will serve you well for many years ahead.

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