News

Apr 22, 2023

New dye

Richard Stuart-Turner Tuesday,

Richard Stuart-Turner Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Mimaki will use its presence at textile and garment technology exhibition ITMA to debut its most productive sublimation transfer printer to date, plus two other new innovations.

The Tiger600-1800TS, which will be on the company's stand (H7-C304) at the Milan show from 8 to 14 June, is a roll-to-roll inkjet machine that Mimaki said "has been designed to accelerate the analogue to digital transformation within the textile printing industry".

The machine boasts a maximum printing speed of 550sqm/hr – 143% faster than the previous model – due to its renovated high-speed printhead and Mimaki's proprietary image quality enhancement technologies.

The printer's size has also been halved compared to the previous system, with the paper mounting and winding system both located at the back of the machine.

"All of these latest and innovative developments ideally position the Tiger600-1800TS to compete with analogue textile operations and support the move to digital print production," said Arjen Evertse, general manager sales, Mimaki Europe.

"The benefits of digital printing are wide-ranging compared to lengthy, complicated and unsustainable analogue production methods. Digital printing offers a seamless, cost-effective solution for producing smaller quantities that can be adjusted to fit varying demand.

"It also enables greater design flexibility and reduces environmental impact by enabling local production, minimal inventories and therefore, wasted products, as well as completely cutting out the wastewater that results from the analogue process."

Mimaki said a further environmental benefit of the Tiger600-1800TS will be the imminent Bluesign certification of its MLSb510 series sublimation transfer inks.

"This certificate, expected to be awarded in June 2023, will provide assurance that these inks are of highest quality combined with due consideration for the safety of consumers and print operators, and environmental conservation, and therefore, contributing to the sustainability of the textile industry," Mimaki stated.

The ink tanks on the Tiger600-1800TS can be replaced without interrupting the printing process, minimising downtime. Maintenance of the printer is also reduced with its roller paper feeding method, which eliminates the need for the application of adhesives onto a belt.

Also at ITMA, Mimaki is showcasing for the first time, ahead of commercial availability, its new Textile Pigment Transfer Printing System, and the Neo-Chromato Process.

The Textile Pigment Transfer Printing System is said to minimise water usage and simplify the printing workflow.

Mimaki said the transfer printing method is more sustainable than both analogue and digital textile dye printing methods with zero water consumption and substantially lower CO2 emissions.

The system comprises three elements: the textile pigment Ink; the transfer system; and textile pigment transfer paper Texcol, which was developed by Dutch paper manufacturer Coldenhove.

The paper allows for transferring a digital print using an environmentally friendly three-step transfer process to create a vibrant application on a wide range of materials, including natural fibres.

The design is initially printed onto the paper using a customised TS300-1600 – Mimaki's high-volume, high-quality dye sublimation printer – and Mimaki's new pigment inks developed for the process.

The module that adapts the TS330-1600 will be available as an option for existing and new Mimaki customers in Q3 2023 but is being previewed at ITMA.

Finally, the new Neo-Chromato Process is said to revolutionise the reuse of coloured polyester textiles.

By decolourising polyester textiles that have been dyed using dye-sublimation technologies, this process allows materials to be re-printed or dyed immediately, contributing to a smaller circular economy.

There is no limit to how many times reused polyester can be treated with the Neo-Chromato Process, and the process itself minimises water usage and pollution by enabling the disposal of the absorbent paper and decolouring solvents used in the process as burnable waste.

Mimaki is exclusively distributed in the UK and Ireland by Hybrid Services.