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What is sublimation? What are the features of this printing technique?

Co to sublimacja? Czym cechuje się ta technika drukarska?

Adrian Koźlik |

In the previous post, we learned more about the printing method called screen printing . Today we will take a closer look at the printing method called sublimation. High-quality final product, with an extraordinary odor

Nadruk sublimacją krok po kroku color patterning are the main advantages that make sublimation printing more and more popular. If you want to learn what the printing process looks like and what the advantages and disadvantages of sublimation are, this post is just for you!

What is sublimation?

Sublimation printing is a popular printing method that is performed by transferring a design made on sublimation paper onto fabric or selected material using a very high temperature (it is
is usually 400 degrees Celsius). The high temperature causes the solid ink particles to turn into a gas and then combine with the fabric and permanently settle on it. The prints are extremely durable and much less susceptible to fading or cracking because the ink is embedded inside the fabric and not just applied to its outer surface.

This process can be very aptly compared to tattooing, where the ink penetrates the skin and settles there permanently. In the case of sublimation, high temperature opens the pores of the selected material, and then under the influence of high pressure, the ink cools down, returning to a solid form. The result is very colorful and extremely durable prints that do not fade or crack. Dye-sublimation printing therefore enables the transition from a solid to a gaseous state without having to transform into a liquid. The entire process takes place at extremely high temperatures and is controlled by pressure. Sublimation, as one of the few printing methods, allows for the so-called printing on the entire surface of the item. The selected pattern can therefore be placed from seam to seam.

Advantages and disadvantages of sublimation

Each printing method has its advantages and disadvantages. How does sublimation fit in this comparison...

Advantages:

  • High color reproduction
  • Extremely durable prints
  • A short process from design to printing
  • The prints do not fade or peel
  • Possibility of printing on the entire surface of the selected item
  • There are no contraindications to washing in a washing machine.

    Defects:

  • High precision required when pressing paper to material. If this operation is performed incorrectly, minor print shifts may occur, the so-called "ghosting".
  • Sometimes white creases appear on the printed surface. The cause may be too moist sublimation paper or insufficiently precise pressing of the paper to the material.
  • Sublimation printers print in CMYK colors, which may result in slight color differences. This is due to the fact that graphic designs are most often made in RGB colors.

As you can see, sublimation printing has definitely more advantages than disadvantages. It is worth noting that the above-mentioned defects are very easy to eliminate. In professional printing houses, they occur very rarely, but when a defect appears on the product, it is usually rejected and the print is made again.

If you want to learn more about other printing techniques, please refer to previous posts :)

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