On PES textiles, transfer printing with sublimation inks or direct printing is a well-established technology with a wide range of applications. Other regions are adopting the trend toward locally produced goods with a high level of customization and prompt delivery. There are numerous high-quality versions of printers, inks, paper, fabrics, and calendars available on the market. But now is the time to consider the next phase of manufacturing. To compete in the upcoming years, it must become more effective and scalable.
Wider – Larger – Thicker
Every year at a new trade show, you can observe that printers produce more. Higher speeds, however, are only marginally useful if printers must still be shut down for roll changes or maintenance. Although larger production is undoubtedly a solution, it is not always simple to put into practice. The entire supply and production chain must be on board, after all.
Another choice is to utilize capacity that already exists better.
This is a crucial answer since changing a roll on a small machine takes the same amount of time as changing it on a large one. It would be interesting to see larger rolls or the ability to operate the machine while changing rolls.
In the presentation below, large rolls of printed and textile paper are employed in front of the line. Here, clamping bars and controlled textile tensioning are employed to help insert the paper and cloth. At the outlet, there is a fabric accumulator. This continues to "catch the fabric" as the calendar continues to print. The machine operator may swiftly switch out the final roll while keeping the fabric accumulator small with the aid of an automatic cutting device and a wrapper container nearby.
Another option is to construct a fabric accumulator at the inflow that is shaped like a trough. The cloth can be unwound from small rolls and dropped in the trough. The slack fabric enters the calendar crease-free and in the center thanks to a spreader and straightening.