Digital textile print Steaming (post treatment) issue
Steaming is one of the important process in digital textile printing. If it is not done properly we won't get the desired result.
- The steaming process fix the ink in printed textiles.
- The temperature we give to digitally printed fabric helps to become the part of the fiber.
- During the process ink and fiber bond together by making covalent bonds under alkaline conditions.
- In fact, ink reacts with fiber by given temperature and time.
- Water-based ink, like reactive, acid and disperse can only be fixed by steaming
- But before steaming the water is evaporated by an inbuilt heater in the printing machine.
- When the water is evaporated, only the raw ink and chemicals left on the fabric.
- The chemicals like sodium alginate (nature thickening agent), urea, soda, resist salt keep the ink by making a thin layer of protective film
- Thickeners like sodium alginate do not react with dye-based ink during steaming.
- steam consolidates on the fabric surface and is consumed by the thickener and hygroscopic chemicals, like urea in the printed zones
- ink and all chemicals dissolve together and make a kind of very concentrated bye bath within the layer of a film created by thickener and other chemicals.
- The digitally printed fabric is steamed for 15-20 minutes at 102-degree centigrade applying saturated steam on a closed vessel or loop ager
- The given temperature for fixation processes should typically be done by maintaining atmospheric pressure.
- There might be 0.5kg per cm square to create a 102 degrees centigrade temperature.
- It is highly advisable to cover all metal parts above the fabric roll. Otherwise, the condensed water may develop on the metal surface and might fall on printed fabric.
- Any kind of water contact (Even highly moist area may create a problem) to the unsteamed printed fabric
