Advantages of thermal sublimation printing

Update time: 2024-07-26 09:23:01

How sublimation printing works
The core principle of sublimation printing is to convert solid dyes into gases by heating them directly onto the printing medium. The process consists of three main steps:
Printing: Printing images on special sublimation paper using ink containing sublimation dyes.
Transferring: The printed sublimation paper and the target medium (such as fabric or tile) are heated in a heat press. At high temperatures, the dyes transform from solid to gas and penetrate into the fibers of the medium.
Cooling: The dyes resolidify during the cooling process, resulting in a high-quality, durable image on the medium.

Main advantages
Vivid colors: Sublimation printing is able to achieve very rich colors with extremely high color saturation and depth. This is because the dyes completely penetrate the medium during the sublimation process, rather than just staying on the surface.
Clear details: Because the molecules of the dyes are evenly distributed in the medium, the details and resolution of the image are very high, capable of presenting fine patterns and intricate designs.
Permanent images: Because the dyes penetrate and bond inside the medium, they will not fade, peel or detach easily. This makes sublimation printed products particularly wear-resistant and suitable for long-term use.
Weather resistance: Sublimation printed images can withstand the effects of external factors such as sunlight, sweat, chemicals, etc., and are suitable for outdoor environments and high-frequency use occasions.

Sublimation printing is widely used on various fabrics, especially polyester and synthetic fibers. It can be used to make customized clothing, sportswear, home textile products, etc.

In addition to fabrics, sublimation can also be applied to hard materials such as tiles, metals, plastics, etc. for making decorative products and personalized gifts.

Sublimation printing is very suitable for making personalized and customized products, such as customized cups, mobile phone cases, mouse pads, etc.

Applications
Textiles: Sublimation printing has been widely used in clothing, home textiles, flags, and sports equipment. It can achieve complex full-color printing and maintain softness and breathability.
Personalized products: Through sublimation printing, consumers can customize personalized goods, such as customized cups, mobile phone cases, mouse pads, etc.
Advertising and promotion: Sublimation printing is used to make high-quality advertising flags, display panels, and promotional materials to attract customers and promote brands.
Hard materials: In addition to fabrics, sublimation printing can also be applied to hard materials such as tiles, aluminum plates and plastic plates for making decorative products and personalized gifts.

Equipment and materials
Sublimation printers: Specially designed printers are used to print sublimation dyes with inkjet, ensuring high-quality printing results.
Sublimation paper: Paper used to transfer images from the printer to the target medium, with a special coating to ensure stable transfer of dyes.
Heat press: High-temperature and high-pressure equipment used to transfer sublimation dyes from paper to media.

Future trends
Technological progress: With the development of technology, the equipment and consumables of sublimation printing will become more efficient and economical, and may expand to more materials and application areas.
Personalization and customization: The continued growth in demand for personalized products and customized goods will drive the further development of sublimation printing technology in this field.
Environmental innovation: With the increase in environmental awareness, more environmentally friendly dyes and materials may appear in sublimation printing in the future to reduce the impact on the environment.