Before we know what is Dye Sublimation Printing, we must know "what is sublimation" first.

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Table of Contents

• What is Dye Sublimation Printing ?
• Process of Dye Sublimation Printing
• Can I print on ANY SURFACE using Dye Sublimation Printing ?
• Which inkjet printer works best for Dye Sublimation Printing ?
• Cartridges or bulk-ink System ?
• how to choose Dye Sublimation Papers ?
• What is a Heat Press ?
• What is a Flat Heat Press ?
• What is a Mug Press ?
• What is a Plate Press ?
• What is a Cap Press ?
• Sublimation imprintables

We have learnt in Chemistry that an element or compound normally has 3 states viz. solid, liquid and gaseous state and conversion from one state to another can happen by applying heat (solid>>liquid>>gaseous) or by removing heat (gaseous>>liquid>>solid). However, there are certain elements where only 2 states exist viz. solid and gaseous. Thus in these elements, when heat is applied, an element gets transformed into gaseous form without intermediary liquid form (solid>>gaseous). This process of transformation is called "sublimation". For more technically correct definition and related information, please click here.

Dye Sublimation Printing uses above property to transfer any image / artwork from one surface to another. Popular uses are to transfer images on mugs, T-shirts, mousepads, etc.. A dye which sublimates under pressure and heat, is mixed with the inks. Click here for technically appropriate definition of Dye Sublimation.

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You need following for Dye sublimation Printing

• an inkjet printer having Sublimation inks,
• sublimation paper,
• heat press and
• imprintables - also known as substrates (the surface on which image is to be transferred).

The first part of the process is very simple and resembles exactly to normal process of printing. How do we print something on paper using computer and desktop printer ? Precisely in the same manner, we print the artwork (as mirror image) on the sublimation paper using sublimation ink, through any DTP software like CorelDraw, PhotoShop, etc.. Here, instead of normal paper, sublimation paper is used and instead of normal ink, dye sublimation ink is used.

After printing, this paper is kept on the surface on which this artwork / image is to be transferred (with printed surface facing downwards on the surface) and heat and pressure is applied using a heat press. The ink sublimates i.e. converts to gaseous form and gets deposited "into" the surface, thus transferring image.

Sublimation transfers are made from special sublimation dyes that penetrate synthetic materials like polyester when you apply heat and pressure. During the transfer process, the dye heats up and turns into a gas that bonds with the synthetic portion of the fabric. No other decorating process can beat sublimation for the brilliance of color and durability. Because the sublimation process dyes the fibers of a garment, instead of putting a layer of ink on top of the fabric, the image cannot crack, peel, or wear off. The trade-off with using the sublimation process is that for the chemistry to work, it must be used with shirts that have a high polyester content (at least 50%).

The more polyester in the shirt, the better the quality of the image. In the past, nobody wanted to wear a polyester shirt because they were uncomfortable and lacked many of the desirable qualities of cotton. But today, a number of manufacturers have come up with new processes that have resulted in polyester shirts that are soft, breathable, and comfortable even in warmer temperatures. These shirts have a polyester yarn on the outside to accept the transfer and a cotton yarn on the inside for comfort. You can get these shirts in light colors only since sublimation does not work on dark garments. In fact, polo shirts are also available using this special knitting process. Sublimation transfers are widely used to decorate bicycle racing jerseys.

Sublimation paper used is a specially coated paper which does not absorb the ink and thus helps in transferring maximum ink onto the surface of the immpritables.

Given below is a schematic of dye sublimation process which will help you understand it in a better sense.

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Yes and No.... Well you must understand finer details of this process of dye sublimation tranfers to understand why am I saying this.

When heat and pressure is applied to polyester and certain polymers, the pores in their fibres open up. If substrates made up of such materials are used, then the ink in gaseous form (when it is heated) goes inside these pores of polyester / polymers. After substrate is removed from the heat press, the temperature drops down and as a result, ink solidifies, pores get closed and thus solidified ink remains "embedded" into these polyester fibres. When correctly done (i.e. by using proper pressure, temperature and time), such transfers DO NOT feel to the hand, DO NOT fade away with time, even after multiple washes.

Knowing above, now I can answer your question easily. Dye Sublimation Printing can be used on all those substrates which are made up of or can be coated with polyester.

Precisely for this same reason, you CANNOT print any NATURAL material using Dye Sublimation Printing. e.g. 100% cotton T-shirts cannot be sublimation printed as cotton does not have "fibres" and "pores" to retain the solidified sublimated ink.

However, where there is a will, there is a way. 100% cotton T-shirts can be printed using a process called Heat Transfer Printing and uses either a Laser Printer or an inkjet printer to print on either Laser Heat Transfer Papers or Inkjet Heat Transfer Papers. The images printed on these papers are then transferred onto the cotton T-shirts using the flat heat press. To know more about how to print a 100% cotton T-shirt, click here.

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Any printer that "forces" the ink through its nozzles can act as sublimation printer. Having said this, I will insist on using Epson make printers for sublimation printing. Reason ? Firstly, Epson printers use on-demand inkjet nozzle (piezoelectric) Technology which forces the ink through their nozzles. The nozzle size is so small that it can precisely control droplets size upto 3pl in most printers, giving photo-quality print-outs. Secondly, they are readily available almost all over the world. Thirdly, they are affordable and priced competitively. Most importantly, they are proven for sublimation printing and bulk-ink systems are readily available for most of the Epson printers. A bulk-ink system substantially reduces the cost of printing. Even for those who do not wish to spend on bulk-ink systems, pre-filled sublimation ink cartridges are available for most of the Epson printers (more on this later).

People in India, please visit www.epson.co.in to know more about latest printers available and their configurations. At the time of writing this, Epson C-87, R-230 and R-270 are the choices you can look at.

People in other countries can visit www.epson.com to get the similar information.

It is advisable to visit country-related website of Epson where you reside because, a model that is described on their common website may not be available in your country for sell AT THAT TIME.

Few sites claim that using sublimation inks with Epson printer does not void the warranty. However, I have failed to gather a proof to support this claim, at least in India. Epson clearly states that usage of inks other than recommended will surely void the warranty (Visit http://www.epson.co.in/other/help/inkjet_common_faq.shtml).

Using certain procedures, Epson Service Department can easily identify whether or not, you are using different inks. So, you will have a tough time claiming warranty for the printer if printer head clogs or "fails". Sublimation inks are thicker than normal inks hence chances of head getting clogged are more if printer is kept in unused condition for more time (usually in days) OR is in continuous use for more time.

In my opinion, considering the cost of the printers now-a-days, it is worth taking the risk.

I am not biased for Epson (I do not get any commission from Epson for endorsing their products). It is just that there were no other printers available at that time when I started sublimation printing. Curious readers may compare other brands like Sony, Kodak, Canon, HiTi, Olympus to name a few renowned, which are available at the time of writing this, for their prices vis-a-vis availability in your local area.

You must choose a printer which has a service center preferably in your town or very close from your location. In any case, having a stand-by printer always pays off. Its more like an insurance than investment. You don't want to claim it to realize its value.

Lastly after finalising the make of the printer, you will also have to select a model. Apart from various other consideration aspects, one major aspect is printable area. Generally printers are available in A4 or A3 size. For more information on currently available Sublimation Printers in India, their prices and features, please click here

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Depending on the volume of the volume of the the items printed per day, you may choose either cartridge system or bulk-ink system for your sublimation system. In cartridge system, cartridges pre-filled with sublimation inks are used for printing. The advantage with cartridge system is low-cost. A set of cartridges (4 or 6, depending on whether you have 4-colour or 6-colour printer) costs considerably lower than bulk-ink system. So its the best choice for those who wish to "try out" the things before making real investment decisions. The capacity of each cartridge and the number of pages printed per cartridge depends on the particular printer model.

Bulk-ink system is the best choice where the number of pages printed per day is high. Bulk-ink system considerably reduces per page print cost. Only disadvantage is the cost of the bulk-ink system. Bulk-ink System consists of tanks filled with sublimation inks on one end and cartridges at the other end. They are connected using tubes through which ink flows from tanks to cartridges. Users keep a watch on the ink level in the tank and "top up" the ink in the corresponding tanks when ink level goes below the low-level mark.

As design of printing mechanism of each printer is different, cartridges and bulk ink system for a particular printer model vary from other printer models. So make sure to specify your printer model before ordering cartridges or bulk-ink system.

At the time of writing this, only bulk-ink systems are used widely in India and very few setups use cartridge system.

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As we have mentioned above, one of the most important characteristic of the dye sublimation paper is the coating on its working surface which does not allow ink to penetrate through it. Also when heated, it enables transfer of the maximum ink onto the surface of the imprintable.

Depending on their size, they can come is sheet form (popular options being A4 and A3 size) and roll form (suitable for large format sublimation printers).

To buy the dye sublimation paper, click here.

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A heat press is used to apply various types of transfers onto various types of surfaces. Common examples include a flat press which is used to apply transfers onto various flat surfaces like T-shirts, coasters, mousepads, etc..

The heat presses can be classsified as per their end-applications viz. flat press, mug press, cap press, plate press, etc.. Depending on sophistication, facilities and speed of working, they can also be classified as low-cost manual heat presses, pneumatic heat presses, twin bed heat presses, multi-purpose combo presses, large format sublimation presses, etc..

Broadly each heat press must have following : work area to hold / place the imprintables or the objects on which transfers are to be applied (this is generally fixed), heating element, adjustment to accomodate for different sizes and to apply pressure, temperature selector and indicator, time selector and indicator and pressure indicator (optional).

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A flat press, as the name suggests, is used to apply transfers on the flat surfaces like T-shirts, coasters, mousepads, etc.. Typically, it consists of a fixed table on which the imprintable is kept with its working surface upwards (working surface is the surface on which transfer is to be applied). The transfer (printed sublimation paper or heat transfer paper) is then kept on the imprintable with its working side facing towards the imprintable. A movable flat heating element, commonly known as heat-platen, then presses against this transfer and imprintable. After pre-set time, the heat platen is moved aside and finished imprintable is removed from the table. This process is repeated again and again for mass production.

Flat presses can be swing type (where heat platen can be swung aside) or pedastal type (heat platen goes up), single table or twin table (to facilitate faster production), single station or multi-station (again, to facilitate faster production), manual or automatic. Choosing the right type of press having appropriate work area which is right for your application is very important.

Click here to visit our store and select flat press just right for your requirements.

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A Mug Press is used to transfer images, artwork, text onto mugs. For different sizes of the mugs, the mug press may remain the same and transfer can be applied just by changing the heat pad which wraps around the mug.

The most common Mug press is for 11oz mugs as shown in the picture above. The other mug press can be for small Tea Mugs and big beer mugs (14 Oz).

Click here to visit our store and select mug press as per your requirements.

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A plate press is a type of flat press which is modified to enable printing on the ceramic plates. A plate press can have detachable circular heat platens to suit to the diameter of the flat portion of different sized ceramic plates.

Click here to visit our store and select plate press as per your requirements.

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As you might have guessed, a cap press is a modification of flat press. The shape of the table and the shape of the heat platen is such that it perfectly accomodates the curve of most of the caps. A cap press is used to print any artwork or text on the caps.

Click here to visit our store and select cap press as per your requirements.

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As covered previously, for effective sublimation printing to happen, the surface on which printing is to be done, must have a coating of polyester. The polyester fibres open up when heated and sublimation ink in gaseous form enters these pores. When the imprintable is removed from the heat press, it cools down, thus closing the pores in the fibres, trapping the ink which has now become solidified (because of drop of temperature).

We can now conclude that all those surfaces on which polyester fibres are present (e.g. polyester T-shirts) or polyester fibres can be coated with, can act as sublimation imprintables. On those surface where sublimation transfer cannot be effectively done, another method of heat transfer printing is used for printing onto those surfaces.

Today, sublimation printing alongwith transfer printing can be applied on variety of imprintables like T-shirts, caps, bathrobes, towels, bed-sheets, pillow-covers, aprons, hand-kerchief, Mugs, wooden key-chains, FRP sheets (for mementoes, trophies, etc.), mousepads, cigarette lighters, ceramic tiles, wall clocks, table clocks, wooden coasters, fridge magnets, jigsaw puzzles, name-plates, ID cards, business card holders.

This field is fast developing. Click here to visit our store and select sublimation imprintables as per your requirements.

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