- For serious printing performance, the Epson L8180 is required (29×42 cm graphic takes exactly 12 minutes to print at 1440×720 DPI). The L1800 does not make sense economically, and the L805 (A4) is the cheapest solution for printing smaller items.
- The cost of printing an A3 sheet is approximately: film + ink (A3 film – €1.05 per piece, ink depending on print quality, estimated at €1.40).
- The cost of applying adhesive powder is around a maximum of €0.66 when buying 1 kg of powder (15 grams per print).
- Graphics should preferably be prepared in PNG format, at a 1:1 size, and without errors such as transparent raster areas within the design.
- The printer either feeds the strip without issues, or it may be necessary to tape it or pre-attach it to regular office paper. Different DTF rolls are read differently by printers, so the printer must “learn” how to work with each DTF film. The film cannot be bent or folded; it is best to use a cleanly cut strip directly unrolled from the roll. We have tried various materials from different suppliers, and simply put, there are batches of DTF films of varying quality. In general, everything works, but sometimes handling is better or worse depending on the batch.
- The powdered film must be thoroughly shaken or blown off. This prevents the printer from forming a “crust” at the edge of the graphic. Other than that, powdering is not a problem. Every print must be powdered after printing.
- Curing can be done using various heat sources. Most printers will probably use a regular convection oven. Screen printers, for example, cure in a drying tunnel or under an intermediate dryer. DTF prints can also be cured with a heat gun (slow and prone to errors) or in a regular heat press. In the latter case, the bottom silicone pad is removed and replaced with a frame – for example, made from OSB. The press is closed, and the powder melts without direct contact. Curing is not tricky – usually done at 125-135°C for about 2.5 minutes. The goal is to melt the powder. Everything depends on feedback from the oven/tunnel. If curing is insufficient, it can be felt or seen, and additional curing is possible. The simplest solution is a regular home convection oven with three racks. In 2.5 minutes, three A3 films can be cured at once. Adding more racks increases performance. Depending on the oven type, curing can be high-quality and very fast, which is why curing a print with a heat gun (see Best Sub videos) is pointless.
Transfer:
- Transfer to cotton textile: around 160°C for 12 seconds, then after cooling, 12 seconds for final pressing.
- Transfer to polyester: around 165°C for 3-5 seconds, then after removing the film, another 3-5 seconds for final pressing.
There are cold peel and hot peel films on the market. Cold peel does not mean you need to wait for the transfer to reach room temperature. Simply let it cool slightly (20-30 seconds?), then the film can be peeled off. Re-pressing can then be done.
Conclusion:
Costs depend on many factors, including design quality, print quality, RIP settings. Costs can be reduced or increased. For example, one A3 film costs €1.05, so 100 pieces cost €105. A 30 cm x 100 m roll costs €109 and yields about 230 A3 sheets, meaning one sheet costs €0.47.