Sublimation Ink & Printers » sublimation printers

How Much Do Sublimation Printers Cost?

Sublimation Ink Printer — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:31:42 +0000

Considering that it can hugely impact the end result, purchasing a new printer is something that you want to do with a lot care. If you intend to use your printer for much more than just the ordinary, everyday printing, you will need to make sure that you look for and purchase a unit which is going to cater to all of your needs.

When looking for the best sublimation printer, you will want to get one that will give you photo-lab quality photos from the comfort of your own home, which translates into huge savings from not having to get all of your pictures developed on a regular basis. You need to understand, however, that these printers can tend to be a bit more expensive than their normal ink jet printer counterparts. This is for a few reasons.

For one thing, when you use a sublimation printer, you will need special printer ink and paper for the printer too. This means that you need to have an entirely separate stock of products and accessories available to help you through all of your printing needs. The printers themselves may range anywhere from $70 through a few hundred dollars, with top scale models costing thousands. Add to this cost, the special paper and printer ink to ensure that you are budgeting correctly for this sublimation printer. Using this knowledge, you should be able to find the best printer to help you have copies of all your favorite photos.

Canon Produces Some of the Best Sublimation Printers

Sublimation Ink Printer — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:25:40 +0000

When you are looking for sublimation printers that will be able to give you some of the sharpest quality images, you will want to look to the printers which are put out by Canon. The Canon company itself is one that has long been known for being a leader and innovator in the world of printing and you can expect to find advances in technology throughout the entire Canon line. This naturally means that you can turn to Canon when you are hoping to find the best sublimation printers for home use. Between all of the options presented, you should have no problem with finding the best printer for your needs.

Within Canon, you will find sublimation printers in the Selphy line. This particular line comes with a number of different models, ranging from the CP710 to the CP780 printers. Each of those units will have a slight variation in the way it will be able to produce your photos, but all of the images that come out will be photo lab quality. Between the speed of the printer and the size or what it is compatible with, you are going to find that the Canon Selphy line is one which you need to take a closer look at.

What is Sublimation Printing?

Sublimation Ink Printer — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:20:45 +0000

When you turn to sublimation printers for your home, your ultimate goal is to be able to print out pictures of a photo lab quality. Traditional ink jet printers will produce images which are made up of many different little dots, so when you look at the image itself closely, you will see that there is no uniformity in the flow of the colors. The digital pictures that you produce through ink jet printers will not be as high of a quality as you could get from sublimation printers. This is why, if you want a better photo quality from your own home, you should look for the sublimation printing set.

Sublimation printers employ innovative printing techniques that are quite different from that used by a traditional printer. Not only will you be using long strips of “film” which have the printer ink embedded into them but you will be getting these quality photos by sealing the printer ink with heat. This causes the printer ink itself to seep into the actual surface of the paper and make all of the colors blend better. As a result of this, you will see that the final picture product that you get will be extremely sharp and crystal clear, unlike those produced by a traditional ink printer.

Pigment Ink, Dye Ink, Sublimation Ink & More: Types of Ink For Professional Printing

Sublimation Ink & Printer — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:34:42 +0000

For professional printing, all types of ink are used, be it pigment ink, dye-based ink or sublimation ink.

Pigment inks
Pigment inks are mostly used for normal document printing. All the traditional printers use pigment inks for printing on paper. These inks are contain mixed chemicals to ensure that the pigments adhere to the surface of the paper and cannot be removed be mechanical abrasion. Chemicals like resins are used in solvent based inks and other chemicals like binding agents are used in water based inks. The advantage of pigment inks is that you need less quantity of these inks for printing as they stay on the surface of the paper. Pigment inks are more resistant to washing and are recommended for use where erasure is unwanted. Among pigment inks, gel inks are the most resistant to washes.

Dye-based inks
Dye inks are stronger than pigment inks and can produce more intense colors on a given surface of paper of the same size. However, they soak into the paper and may sometimes bleed and destroy the quality of the image. To ensure that this does not happen, various quick drying solvents are mixed with dye based inks. Some measures are also taken during the printing process, including blowing hot air over a fresh print or harder paper sizing and using specialized paper coating. Another important technique is to use charged coating on the paper. If the dye is oppositely charged, then it is attracted to the paper coating and is retained. The solvent sinks into the printer paper. Cellulose is most commonly used to retain the dye. An advantage of dye inks is that the dye molecules in these inks interact chemically with the other ingredients in the inks and perform better than pigment inks in interacting with brighteners and other color enhancing agents to increase the intensity of the color and also to enhance the appearance of the dyes.

Sublimation ink
Sublimation ink is used to create short run and highly customized images. Breakthrough in sublimation printing technology has ensured that sublimation inks are an economical and practical way to print on a variety of objects. Sublimation uses sublimation ink and sublimation paper in sublimation printers to print sublimation transfers. When the sublimation transfer is put into a heat press along with a substrate at 400 F, the ink turns into gas (like dry ice) to form a permanent bond on the substrate. The substrate is a polymer coated item or synthetic fabric. The resulting print is a premium full color, photographic quality image that does not crack, peel or wash away. Sublimation inks work best with white substrates. Ash gray substrates also work well. For other light colored substrates, if the print colors are dark and complementary, then sublimation can be done well. Synthetic fabrics like polyester, satin, nylon and rayon are good substrates for sublimation. There are many items that can be used for sublimation, namely, aprons, tiles, dog tags, license plates, bag tags, ceramic mugs, door hangers, light switch covers, boxer shorts etc.

7 Things You Need to Know Before Buying a Sublimation Printer

Sublimation Ink & Printer — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:31:09 +0000

With the advancement in sublimation technology, sublimation printers are finding increased use in today’s world. Sublimation printers are used for printing sharp and high quality images that are sometimes better than photo lab quality images. If you are looking to buy your first sublimation printer, then let us look at some of the things you will need to know before you buy one.

What is a sublimation printer? A sublimation printer is a type of printer that uses the process of heat transfer to a substrate at 400 F. At this temperature, the ink turns into gas (like dry ice) and forms a permanent bond on the substrate. The substrate is a polymer coated item or synthetic fabric. The resulting print is a premium full color, photographic quality image that does not crack, peel or wash away.

Which are the items on which a sublimation printer can print? Some of the most common objects on which a sublimation printer can print are There are plenty of items that can be sublimated and newer products are being added to the list every day. Some of the most common products that can be sublimated are – aprons, tiles, dog tags, license plates, bag tags, ceramic mugs, door hangers, light switch covers, boxer shorts, clipboards, hardboard tiles, mini tees, tote bags, softlink t-shirts, plaques, pet shirts, neckties, travel mugs, ornaments, pet tags, puzzles, lab coats, dash plates, business card holders, name badges, jewelry, coaster, bookmarks, mouse pads, jackets, clocks and car flags. Apart from these, more items are being added every day.

What other items do you need in addition to a sublimation printer? Apart from the sublimation printer, there are some other items that are needed for sublimation printing.

• A computer with a good amount of RAM and hard drive storage space.
• A monitor that is able to display colors properly.
• Sublimation ink – ArTainium UV+ ink is perfect for Epson printers.
• ICC Profiles – This is an accurate method for color management that instructs the inks how to mix colors to produce the right color.
• Sublimation paper.
• Printer – Epson.
• Bulk ink.
• Heat press.
• Specialty tools for easy printing, photo enlargement and photo editing.

Is a sublimation printer costly? Sublimation printers are slightly more costly to purchase and operate than normal printers because they require special paper to print on.

Which substrate colors are ideal for sublimation printers? Since sublimation ink is translucent, white substrates replicate true colors. Ash gray substrates also work well. For other light colored substrates, if the print colors are dark and complementary, then sublimation can be done well. Darker substrates kill the color of the print.

Can I use a sublimation printer on cotton clothes? Cotton substrates cannot be sublimated. If there is a fabric that is 50-50 cotton and polyester, sublimation cannot be done. The image will look unimaginative, faded and dull. For decorating 50-50 cotton and polyester fabric, heat transfer paper should be used.

Are sublimation printers easily available? The breakthrough in sublimation technology has ensured that sublimation printers are now easily available in the market.

Most Popular Top 7 Sublimation Printers & Sublimation Ink Supplies

Sublimation Ink & Printer — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:25:54 +0000

Sublimation technology was first used in 1957 and since then, there have been rapid strides in technology as far as sublimation printing is concerned. The cost has also gone down and as a result, more and more people are now choosing sublimation printers and sublimation printing over traditional printers. There are a variety of sublimation printers available in the market and since the market is very competitive, the prices are also within budget. Let us look at some of the most popular sublimation printers available –

• Canon Selphy CP760 – It has a plug and play design and is easy to use. It is a color printer and can print 4 in x 8 in photos. It is wired and is compatible with PC and Mac. It is USB enabled and can print directly through USB.

• Canon Selphy CP770 – It includes a bucket for travelling with it easily. It is a color printer and can print 4 in x 8 in photos. It is wired and is compatible with PC and Mac. It is USB and Infrared enabled and can print directly through USB.

• Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock Series 3 – It produces great photos and is easy to use. However, it is a bit clumsy in design. It is a color printer and can print 4 in x 7.25 in photos. It is wired and is compatible with PC and Mac. It is USB enabled and has a camera dock. It can print a page in 1.5 minutes.

• Canon Selphy CP740 – This printer is more for the casual photographers. Prints are inexpensive to produce. It is a color printer and can print 4 in x 8 in photos. It is wired and is compatible with PC and Mac. It is USB enabled and can print directly through USB.

• Professional 1400 Digital Photo Printer – This printer is ideal for portrait photographers. It is a color printer and can print on A4 sheets (8.25 in x 11.7 in) and legal papers (8.5 in x 14 in). It is wired and is compatible with PC and Mac. It is USB enabled. It can print a page in 1.5 minutes.

• Canon Selphy CP710 Compact Photo Printer – This printer is fast and is easy to operate. It is a color printer and can print 3.9 in x 7.9 in photos. It is wired and is compatible with PC and Mac. It is USB enabled and can print a page in 1.5 minutes.

• Canon Selphy CP780 – This is an ideal printer for homes and offices. It is a color printer and can print 4 in x 8 in photos. It is wired and is compatible with PC and Mac. It is USB enabled and can print directly through USB. It can print a page in 0.8 minutes

With the increase in the usage of sublimation printers, the use of sublimation ink has also increased manifold. There are thousands of sublimation ink suppliers from all over the world. Searching the Internet is the best option of locating your nearest sublimation ink supplies.

Sublimation Printing: All You Need to Know About Sublimation Ink

Sublimation Ink & Printer — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:18:04 +0000

Sublimation printing is used to print photographic quality pictures. With the recent spurt in technology, the cost of sublimation printing has gone down drastically and digital camera owners are lapping it up. A sublimation printer loads a long roll of film that is transparent. These look like rolls of colored cellophane of red, yellow, blue, and gray. The printing dyes get embedded in this film. Commonly used subtractive primary dyes are used that are cyan, yellow, magenta, and black (CMYK). When the printhead traverse over the film, it heats up. Because of this the dyes vaporize and penetrate the glossy surface of the paper and form a permanent image. As a result of the permeation, the printing is fade resistant over a long period of time.

What can be sublimated?
• Hard substrates – Polymer coated items are ideal for sublimation. The sublimation print penetrates the polymer coating and becomes part of it. When running a hand over the coating, the print cannot even be felt.
• Soft substrates – Synthetic fabrics like polyester, satin, nylon and rayon are good substrates for sublimation. When working with nylon or rayon, specific types must be chosen. Soft substrates include can koozies, car flags, mouse pads and puzzles.
• White substrates – Since sublimation ink is translucent, white substrates replicate true colors. Ash gray substrates also work well. For other light colored substrates, if the print colors are dark and complementary, then sublimation can be done well. Darker substrates kill the color of the print.

What cannot be sublimated?
• Soft substrates like cotton cannot be sublimated. If there is a fabric that is 50-50 cotton and polyester, sublimation cannot be done. The image will look unimaginative, faded and dull. For decorating 50-50 cotton and polyester fabric, heat transfer paper should be used.
• Hard substrates that are not polymer coated cannot be sublimated. Specialized suppliers must be contacted to procure polymer coated hard substrates. Color is of extreme importance in sublimation. Dark colored hard substrates will render the print color useless and impossible to detect.

The unique part of dye sublimation ink is that like dry ice, it gets converted from solid to gas without any liquefaction. The conversion is pressure and time controlled and initiated by heat. When the sublimation transfer is put into a heat press along with a substrate at 400 F, the ink turns into gas to form a permanent bond on the substrate. The substrate is a polymer coated item or synthetic fabric. The resulting print is a premium full color, photographic quality image that does not crack, peel or wash away.

There are two types of dye sublimation inks that are available in the market. For use in desktops and large format printers, the most popular dye sublimation ink is aqueous dye sublimation ink. The other type of dye sublimation ink is used in XAAR, Spectra and Konica printhead wide format printers and it is a solvent dye sublimation ink. With a spurt in digital textile printing, these inks are gaining huge popularity.