Is DTF for everyone ?
Yes and no. If you are going to be printing daily and have a market for it, then yes absolutely (as long as you are willing to spend the time doing the daily maintenance dtf printers require). The smaller units need more maintenance than the more industrial units which take care of most of the maintenance automatically. If you are only going to print occasionally it's then best to have the prints done for you, until such time as you can justify your own machine. We have partnered with a local company that has purchased our A2 Industrial solution and they will be doing prints. They are next door to our Joburg offices and will be offering prints from January 2024.
It’s critical that a DTF machine NOT be exposed to temperatures over 30C with humidity levels to be between 35-65%.
DTF Wash durability
DTF prints are the 2nd most durable digital transfer after sublimation and the most durable digital transfer on cotton. The combination of ink and film used determines the durability. The best ink comes from Korea and the cheapest from China. Professional Chinese DTF manufacturers only use Korean ink. There are companies selling dirt-cheap inks/ films which have poor washability and result in cancelled orders and unhappy customers.
The choice of ink, coupled with film and powder is crucial to achieving the best washability of the product. Skimping on one of these can lead to undesirable results.
We have tested our film and inks to 50 wash and tumble dry cycles with excellent results!
DTF Print heads used
The print heads used in DTF can be the secret to your success or failure. In order to keep prices low many companies use reconditioned or even B-grade heads which have been rejected by Epson, Prestige uses only A-grade print heads purchased from Epson in Japan. Many A3 dual head printers (dual head = much faster print speed) use an XP600 head to keep costs down but the problem here is that the XP600 heads only last 4-6 months and can trap air which is what reduces their lifespan. Also, they have only 1080 nozzles. A higher nozzle count = better colours and higher speed.
The I- series heads are Epson’s Industrial print heads with a native resolution of 600dpi and 1600 / 3200 nozzles depending on the head. They cost more but last way longer and work out more cost effective over time.
Prestige DTF Printer comparison 2024
Approx. print head lifespan
Printer Size
Print head used
Print speed
Market
A4
Epson L805
6 months
0.5m2 / hour
Home user
A3
Epson I1600 dual-head
1.5 – 2 Years
3-5m2 / hour
Print shop
A2
Epson I3200 dual-head
1.5 – 2 Years
4-7.5m2 / hour
Industrial use
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