Sublimation printing, also known as thermal sublimation, is mainly used to print on media other than paper. It is thus an essential part of communication through objects. Here you can Check the 6 Best Sublimation Printer for T-Shirts with product reviews and Buying Guides.
What is sublimation?
Those who answer “sublimation is used to make objects sublime” will be able to return to high school. Sublimation, in reality, is a chemical process. It is a question of transforming a body from the solid state to the gaseous state, without going through the liquid stage. If You want the Vinyl Sticker Machine Check Now the Best Printer for Stickers of 2022 here.
How does sublimation work in printing?
The fact that there is no liquid also implies that there is no ink directly. It will therefore be necessary to use other printing processes than conventional printers. First, the images will be printed on a transfer paper the image being reversed as in a mirror. Files must be in full color. The inks used are indeed the famous CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black).
Then strong pressure at high temperature between 180°C and 210°C using a calendar or a suitable press, will transform these pigments into gas and permanently impregnate them in the chosen medium.
When to use sublimation?
Sublimation printing is often used for textiles. It is particularly recommended in this area because the inks and designs are linked to the fibers of the fabric, and will therefore resist washing. But you can also use sublimation for solid objects, such as key rings, pencils, USB keys, mugs or other materials.
What are the interests of sublimation?
So, sublimation doesn’t just make objects sublime (you see, we’ll come back to this) thanks to its vibrant and long-lasting colors. Its low sedimentation rate also helps to prevent possible lack of uniformity in the colors. textile fashion the precision is much better than for an inkjet print, for example, and it is possible to print the most complex drawings or photos in this way.
It is also an ecological process: it has a low CO2 content, for little vapor emission. Sublimation inks are often water-based, which confirms the low environmental impact. It has already been specified that sublimation makes it possible to mark many different supports. All for a low production cost. Sublimation adapts to situations.
It is possible to print both small formats and large stretched canvases. This is why we find sublimation both in the marking of advertising objects and in furnishing fabrics. This technique makes it possible to imagine many personalized projects, as well as mass-produced ones. Sublimation meets more and more success in the field of printing.
Its main limitation is that it will be especially effective on light backgrounds. The colors obtained in this way will indeed have more difficulty in imposing themselves on dark backgrounds.
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It is also an ecological process: it has a low CO2 content, for little vapor emission. Sublimation inks are often water-based, which confirms the low environmental impact. It has already been specified that sublimation makes it possible to mark many different supports. All for a low production cost. Sublimation adapts to situations.
