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Digital textile print problem and solution

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Machine:


 Specification:

These two images are taken from http://www.colorjetgroup.com.  The yellow highlighted texts are marked as commenting issues from my side.

I have seen this machine along with along with following pre and post-treatment textile processing machine.
Padding, hydro exciting, calendaring, diesel fired steam generating,  Steam Pressure Ager Loop Steamer.

Location: Kathmandu, Nepal

Issues to be addressed:
1 Reactive Ink

 Let's see what the leading ink manufacturers have recommended:

Huntsman (Formerly   known as CIBA)





Dupont has clear described There range of ink cannot be recommended for wool.

Dystar

Clarient ( Formerly SANDOZ has been merged into Huntsman ) :N/A (seems they produce only pigment-based ink.) But i was once fan of there acid dyes "Lanasyn"




Source:http://www.solunaris.com/reactive-inks/antelos-r-km/
(Excellent performance with Konica-Minolta® KM512 and KM1024 printheads)


Source:http://imieurope.com/inkjet-blog/2016/2/9/selecting-the-right-ink-and-process-for-digital-textile-printing-part-1-ink-types









CLICK HERE TO UNDERSTAND DIGITAL TEXTILE PRINT CONCEPT

 So, after seeing these tables, facts and recommendation We can easily say:
  • All the screenshot above clearly suggest or recommend if we are printing wool we have to use  Acid ink 
  • The source or internet link of the screenshot are listed at the end of this post
  • We, machine manufacturer, dyes and textile expert can say we can use reactive ink in case of wool but to what degree, or what level of print , its a great subject of discussion or research.
  • This is obvious that reactive ink made from reactive dyes.


 I am a textile chemist and have been experiencing and playing, experimenting dyeing, printing (including Digital Print) for more than 25 years now. I have printed thousands of cashmere scarf using latest digital technology and ink.
When I started digital printing may be 5-6 years back. I have also recommended to use reactive ink then by machine manufacturer. 

 I was a bit confused then.
The reason was:
  • I used to dye pashmina(wool) scarf using Acid Dye
  • I have tried reactive dye on wool also
  • But the Result was not good.
  • The brightness, solid effect, sharpness obtained from acid dyes cannot be compared to reactive dyes.
  • The result obtained using reactive dyes, for me, is satisfactory only or even less.
  • But if here can't be a scarf dyed using acid dyes, the reactive dyed scarf could be a good one.


So, about a year ago I have written about reactive VS acid ink.


If you read my this article

The Conclusion is clearly written there.

My passion says I have to do some more research on this issue. While writing about reactive versus acid ink I have clearly seen the differences on the woolen scarf. As that post content only text, I was thinking to do some more with references. This time I am presenting images also. Those images are self-explanatory.

 Before starting the topics, I would also like to share my work, which is relevant also. This video was made for the tutorial purpose only. But it shows my machine and most probably what i have printed then, I have printed the same design as well by using this COLORJET machine. Anyone who sees this video until the end may see my 2 or 3 design that has been presented later for reference also.



So let's see what I did recently. This researched-based study itself explains which ink we have to use to print wool (Cashmere/Pashmina). you can see mine this blog post to know more about Cashmere or Pashmina.
  • Machine:Vastrajet manufactured by Colorjet
  • Print head:Konica-Minolta® KM512 and/or KM1024 printheads
  • Ink: Reactive ink supplied by the machine manufacturer.


These scarves are also seen if you see my video listed above (Made about 5 years back)


Cashmere/Pashmina are printed first,  then viscose is printed using same designs. All the pre and post-treatment are done as per the recommendation. So the picture itself describe the differences. No penetration, no brightness, everything is not comparable. It seems those wool scarves have been used for 10 years. 

The problem which I faced and observed or seen by other printer and customer also,  is some unwanted spot, which are still seen there. I have used dx5 configured machine and finding then was the erected fiber on the surface touches the head nozzle and it pulls it up and throws that fiber along with ink drop.These unwanted stuffs most of the time is visible, many times I had picked it and thrown out as well, but that is not the solution. I had hired a boy just to see it. I had instructed him just to see the nozzle, whenever head pulled that erected fiber, he used to pause the machine and clean it. But after that fully opened nozzle started to print dark which was easily noticeable. 
In case of this machine, such drop or spot cannot are seen while printing, but after steaming I found some spot. I have noticed such problem earlier in my print also they are so tiny it can not be seen while printing but later they spread. 
But here, the degree and frequency of such thing happened very less compared to mine.
Seeing machine configurations and head, I am a bit sure that this problem can be minimized. 

Clearly visible Cyan color spot

noticeable drop or spot on the wool shawl


Penetration and dullness issue:


Penetration is almost not acceptable. However, the red one in the middle has some penetration which might be considerable. I have faced this problem a lot. even if we do very excellent or suggested and recommended padding it doesn't make a remarkable or noticeable change. The weaving pattern thickness and kind of wool used may give us different result.

Regarding dullness, I would like to present an inquiry received from Mumbai India. Which itself is explanatory on this issue.


This inquiry clearly indicates it's not some individual or particular company's problem. it's a common problem.
Who is hiding the problem:
My answer to above inquiry is sufficient to understand this issue
Let's see some other issues: found in this machine:

  • RIP
  • Printing Profile
  • CYMK VS RGB
  • media or fabric composition 
  • Padding or pretreatment and steaming or post-treatment.
  • Expiry date of textile ink
  • Missing and defective nozzle.
  • Fastness data 
  • Same design different results
  • Head and ink compatibility issue 
  • Why COLORJET says reactive/disperse ink (See yellow highlighted ink type Specification Table (Why not ACID INK?)


RIP is the short form of raster image processing. Most of the image is created by vector-based software Abobe illustrator. Vector images are very sharp and created for printing purpose. Format extension like .ai or .pdf are example of vector image format.These vector file can be blown up any desired size. Software like photoshop rasterizes them. RIP is used connect large format connects computer either via high-speed USB or network using an ethernet cable.
In this case, the machine manufacturer has recommended RIP Master or Ergosoft, but the service engineer has connected the machine using neo stampa
I found this neo stumpa has multiple printing profiles, which creates confusion. Installing something not recommended by machine manufacturer is not good and not getting logical while asking is even very worse.
I have already written a post about and it is relevant to share it here.

Here let's see how this machine printed it.


These are both woolen scarf. The left one is printed using CYMK mode and the right one is using RGB mode. And just looking at both we can say right one is very bright and left one is very dull.
The textile media which we are printing may have great affinity or migration rate towards fiber. Migration or reaction or penetration or thickness is directly proportional to its result. If the selected fiber or fabric is right one pretreatment is properly done and the distance between printing head is adjusted and aligned properly then we get the optimum level of print.




Here we have three different media or fabric. The first one (silk by cotton), second one (100% silk) and the third one is (100% wool)

The differences are clearly visible. Since here we have used reactive ink,  the first one look very good, some penetration other side is also noticable. As the reactive ink is made primarily for cotton and silk so the result is very good. but the fabric is a bit think and the penetration to another side not very good. We can say the other side is acceptable.

Let's come to the middle one 100% silk very thin the penetration to another side is almost more than 90%. Its an excellent, vivid, vibrant and lovely. For me, it is gold or diamond. My passion says this is what my property is. Love to create such print and for this, I would like to give full credit to Daniel Tuladhar, A Denmark based world class photographer for creating such lovely, vibrant, sharp creation. I would also like congratulate for initiating his organization which will help to promote the homeless, helpless, illiterate people here in Nepal.
Let's come to third one 100 wool scarf. Satisfactory print, penetration problem, we can only see the shadow of print side. This is where we have to think. Is it acceptable? Cashmere digital print scarf is supposed to be sold to the western world. Do they buy it? Very big question?

THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND.



For me rip master is probably the best ones. I have even used Maintop chinse software which has an option while selecting a profile, just clickind handle by the driver option. You don't have to keep so many profiles and do so many prints to find the right one.

Padding and steaming have also something in common but there are a lot of differences. Like Huntsman recommend their own brand of the auxiliary for padding. And another issue like when doing a piece of scarf we use exhaust method which may not properly or uniformly be applied on the scarf surface. In such case, we may get a kind of uneven flow of ink.As the medium to transfer or migrate should be acidic,  the recipe which we are using is alkaline type, so adding soada bicarbonte is creating some problem in printing.

 Click Here To UNDERSTAND pAdDiNg

Self life of textile ink:

I haven't heard or read or get the answer while about the expiry date of textile ink. This an important issue but you can not find any definite answer. I heard that company like Huntsman and Daystar are booked by the trader, machine manufacturer to buy whatever amount of ink they manufactured. This is my own opinion, when the ink comes to the end user it may take 3 months. A country like Nepal where ink consumption is very less, the manufacturer doesn't reply And if it comes through trader it may come even after 6 months. I have thrown out many bottles when I used to buy ink from China. Because of some faulty print, then I did a test print about 75% of dx5 nozzle was blocked.
Finally, I tried Jaysynth, a dyes and ink manufacturer from India but luckily I found locally here in Kathmandu.
It was Digitex R,  reactive ink manufactured by Jaysynth. I clean whole machine put those CYMK set surprisingly I got a very good result. These bottles have manufacturing date and lot no. This picture was taken later, when I received 1 set locally they have the only lot no.



I emailed Jaysynth about the expiry date of those lot no. Next day I got the reply "Please do not use that set this is expired one, we will send you fresh set". I use Digitex R the result was random. I never received an excellent result. Only SATISFACTORY. When I and my company DIGITEX NEPAL PVT. LTD has decided to shut down, we received DIGITEX A, 1 set acid ink from Jaysynth. I tried it and got some amazing and excellent results.Thereafter we got multiple technical issues, related to machine and we have shut down the company spending a huge amount of money, maybe more than the cost of the machine.

A result obtained from this machine:

Same design different results. 
If you look at the cyan color (The middle part) it is completely different with other two. In such cases, either the profile not correct or nozzle are missing.

Color matching procedure:If the nozzles are blocked ,then we do not get desired result. I have tried to match this skirt i found cyan color was not coming properly. Nozzle may block due to several reason.
Reason could be

  • ink clogging
  • air in the channel
  • machine not running continiously
  • ink is expired
  • Print media touching head surface



Lets have a look at this..I did this color matching for a given  but the result was a bit confusing cause the cyan(Sky blue) was different. I thought  It could be due to blocked nozzle. So the best way of finding solution is nozzle test. So i did it



I have asked the nozzle test the output was like this.This clearly shows the several nozzle are blocked.

Nozzle test

This machine has  Conika Minolta each having 256 X 4 line nozzles. These nozzles are very hard to see, and they are almost 6 times finer than a human hair.
Here we can easily see several missing or even defective nozzle.

CLICK HERE TO UNDESTAND STEAMING


The ink Used in this machine has nothing on it. Like lot No. Expiry date or manufacturing date or best before 3, 6, 9 or 1 year.
A big question mark is there? 

The ink supplied by  colorjet 

This company (ABCD) has been running on test for more than six months, Its time to go for commercial production.
I think Colorject doesn't manufacture Ink. They probably buy it from Konica Minolta because Colrjet has used Konica Minolta head so they have use head compatible ink. Does Konika Minolta make ink?
A big question here as well?
Probably they may also ask a big company like Huntsman to make head compatible ink.
Straight question........
Manufacturer to Konica Minolta to Colorjet to customers ............ohhh i am exhausted
It takes 3 months to arrive at costume's address. Customers go for 3 moth test
AND thus, almost six months go.
Does that ink still work?
Big question?
?
We buy bread, butter, medicine or something useful in a department store where we see everything like the lot no. batch no, manufacturing date, expiry date or best before ???? day month or year. Why not a question for textile ink?

?
I am more surprised by those kinds of stuff like, ink supplier doesn't provide fastness data. How fast the ink is like when printed fabric exposed to sunlight how does it fade? when you do washing what happens. When you rub it does ink come out. Does it get reacted by your body perspiration?



The above table clearly shows all the fact that I wrote,  above the picture.
We buy a bread and look at the manufacturing date and best before time. But the ink which has been produced after so many research and development and the chemistry behind ink manufacturing definitely provides its shelf-life. 

 CLICK HERE TO UNDERSTAND WASHING PROCESS

Head and ink compatible issues: Print head compatible issues is directly related to viscosity range. So while changing ink only head manufacturer or machine manufacture suggest the right one.

 The given data also show the ink test. The standard is 6. All the figure given are all good to very good because 6 is the highest value. 
This is something endless issues, every now and then technology is changing. A very big large format printing machine can be operated using our smartphone. So whatever I have written above should be updated. 


 Findings
  • Machine is still not tuned perfectly even after 3-4 month
  • Skill person or professional with managerial skill is not there to run the machine commercially.
  • Digital textile print is not a so easy job, pre and post treatments plays more productive role than printing.
  • People currently working either should be trained or replaced by skilled individual
  • When we build skilled and responsible for pre, printing and post treatment team then we can see the result.
  • Hiring a highly skilled professional or manager only does not create result , a strong skilled and dedicated team should also be there.  


Recomendations

  • You have the right to ask the question to machine manufacturer which i have raised here
  • Change the INK reactive to acid if you want to work on pashminas
  • But if you change the ink you won't be able to print other than wool, silk and nylon.
  • If you still want to go for cotton viscose print you have to have another option like TFX model



  • I personally suggest to automatize the machine, let there be everything automatic, manual handaling between the process creates error,  resulting unacceptable print
  • If you wnat to go for automtic world class machine,  I rcomended These two:




Source:https://www.slideshare.net/MikeRaymond/digital-textile-printing-20150206-v11
https://www.slideshare.net/adit_1285/introduction-to-digital-textile-printing?next_slideshow=1
http://www.fabric-custom.com/digital-ink-jet-printing-technology-4-i149.htm
https://www.slideshare.net/nega2002/lecture-8-digital-printing-of-textiles
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/234137929_Comparisons-of-inks-for-digital-inkjet-textile-printing
http://www.skyimagepaper.com/sublimation-dye-ink/160-textile-reactive-dye-ink.html
https://www.signmedia.ca/digital-technology-comes-of-age/
http://www.imdyechem.com/6-important-chemicals-used-reactive-dyes/
https://mimaki.com/supply/ink/reactive.html
http://www.globalsources.com/si/AS/Ksi/6008845442501/pdtl/Reactive-Ink/1058830533.htm
http://www.globalimaginginc.com/digital-textile-inks-sublimation-dispersion-reactive-and-acid-take-a-dive-into-dye-sublimation-digital-textile-inks/
http://www.dupont.com/products-and-services/printing-package-printing/digital-printing-materials/brands/artistri-inks/products/artistri-reactive-dye-inks.html
http://imieurope.com/inkjet-blog/2016/2/9/selecting-the-right-ink-and-process-for-digital-textile-printing-part-1-ink-types

CONVERSATION

29 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 24, 2018 at 2:44 AM

    Thanks for solving the problem of Digital Textile Printing solutions. We Are Gopal Chemicals and Manufacturer of Reactive Dyes in India.

    ReplyDelete
  2. DarknightJune 4, 2018 at 1:16 AM

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    Replies
    1. UnknownAugust 16, 2018 at 9:23 PM

      Even textile printing with reactive dye inks ? What kind of set up do you have ? Perhaps we should catch up.
      Kamal@colorjetgroup.com
      Whatsapp: +919811055005

      Delete
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  4. UnknownAugust 16, 2018 at 9:22 PM

    Is your bedsheet printer wide Eno gh to print 290cm wide fabric?

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownAugust 16, 2018 at 9:27 PM

    Some queries and observations:
    1. Have you printed the same design with both neostampa and RIPmaster on the same fabric ? If yes, what was the difference ? I am told neostampa gives better digital effects like halftones etc.

    2. Vastrajet tech. Specs have changed alightly. You could have a look at the latest ones by clicking on http://colorjetgroup.com/upload/brouchers/New_Range_brochure_Textile_2017.pdf

    I am reachable on whatsapp +919811055005 or by mail - kamal@colorjetgroup.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownAugust 16, 2018 at 9:32 PM

    You say that machine is still not tuned after 3-4 months of use. Do you mean the Vastrajet ?

    The Metro is a more advanced model from Colorjet and probably half the cost of Reggiani efi

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