Digital Printing: A Brief Overview
Aug 04, 2022
Digital printing is the latest printing technique that involves the creation of prints with the aid of designs conceptualised using computer software. The technique is gaining popularity over other troublesome and time consuming printing techniques like roller, screen and transfer printing owing to cost effectiveness. Designs too can be repeated. The technique finds application in designing a range of apparels, accessories and home textiles.
Accessories engineered and designed from knitted fabrics are the latest rage among consumers who simultaneously seek comfort and aesthetic appeal in the same product. Knitted accessories are not only comfortable owing to good moisture, air and heat transmission properties, but can also be decoratively embellished to offer an appealing look. Several surface embellishment techniques, such as hand painting, crocheting, applique work, addition of trims and notions and digital printing, can be applied to beautify knitted fabrics and accessories.
Digital printing process
Design selection and conceptualisation is the preliminary and most crucial process before digital printing on textile substrates. Fabric is printed by digital printers with the design prepared on computer using inkjet-based method of printing colourants onto fabric. Hand drawn sketch, computer-aided design (CAD) sketch of designs are utilised and edited using various tools available in software like CorelDraw and Adobe Photoshop. The files obtained are utilised on digital printing machines to print the design on to fabrics. The printing process involves feeding the fabric through the printer using feed roller followed by application of ink on the fabric’s surface in the form of thousands of tiny droplets. The fabric is then passed through steam/heat chamber to cure the ink. The steamed fabric is subsequently washed and dried. The advancements introduced in digital printing machines involve the installation of special transport systems that enable printing on knitted and stretch fabrics.
