DTF Printer Kit - CADlink Edition

More information about the DTF printer kit and the CADlink Edition software

• New personalisation technique: DTF means Direct To Film. This technique consists of printing a design onto a film and transferring it to a garment, accessories, and more by applying heat.
• Simple: easy to learn and apply, without the need for a major initial investment.
• Versatile: it allows you to personalise almost any fabric, regardless of its colour. You can apply it on cotton, polyester, and blends of those two materials. It is also suitable for nylon and leather.
• Excellent personalisation alternative: to apply where other techniques can’t be used or fail. It is the case with dye sublimation, which application is limited to white or light-coloured polyester fabrics.
• Cheaper and less complex than other techniques: for example, white toner transfer. A + B sheets are more expensive, and the process is more complicated. DTF is similar to Sublimagic and No-Cut transfer but benefits from a lower cost and easier applicability.
• Efficient: both in short and long print runs. You can print your design on the film and store it as you would for a screen print transfer until it is ready to be applied on a garment.
• High-quality results: colourful prints with excellent elasticity, fully blended into the fabric. Very soft and pleasant to the touch.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

(*) Brildor offers a warranty of 30 calendar days, estimated time for installing and starting your printer, provided that all the consumables used have been purchased from Brildor.

(**) The board must be placed on the vertical paper input tray for a smoother entry of the film.

A3 DTF PRINTER

The printer included in this pack is the Epson L1800 model. This high-quality inkjet printer has been modified to use the DTF printing technique. Both usability and hardware have been modified. Some of its features are described below:

• Originally, this printer includes 6 refillable ink tanks for yellow, black, light cyan, light magenta, magenta, and cyan (Y, K, LC, LM, M, C).
• In DTF printing, the tanks intended for light cyan and light magenta (LC and LM) will be used for the white ink. This will allow this colour to be used in the design and print the underbase.
• Original front rollers have been removed to avoid print marks.
• A maintenance tank has been added.
• Incluye 2 bandejas. One standard pull-out tray and a flat one, acting as a support for the film. To prevent the printheads from touching the film, you must use the flat tray, as its height aligns with the film output. This will avoid ink mixing and shifting.
• Connectivity: the L1800 printer connects via USB (cable included) and does not support Wi-Fi connectivity.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

• After installing the inks, the printer must be operated at least once a week, preferably every 2 days. That is because white ink sediments quickly, which can cause damage to the printhead. For the same reason, it is also advisable to shake the ink tanks and the white channel dampers with the same frequency.
• In Related Products, you will find a kit for proper maintenance of the Epson L1800 printheads (Ref. 034220).

DIMENSIONS (APPROX.)

CADLINK DIGITAL FACTORY V10 DTF EDITION RIP SOFTWARE

This version of CADlink software has been specially developed for DTF printing. It allows full control of the image, helping you achieve high-quality printing and optimise the printing process to the maximum.

• Very simple, user-friendly interface with quick responsiveness.
• It controls the print’s size and quality, manages its colour, the white underbase, and many more.
• Image editing through GIMP, a free software similar to Photoshop and optimised to interact comfortably with the RIP without exiting the programme.
• Super Size Image: increases the resolution to avoid visible pixels in non-vector images.
• The white mask ensures that the colours of the design remain the same after being applied to the substrate.
• KnockMeBlackOut: a setting for designs to be printed on black garments. It removes unneeded black areas from the design, consequently saving ink.
• KnockMeColorOut: allows you to select and remove up to 4 colours from the design with a single click.
• Control of white and colour ink flow to optimise consumption and calculate costs per print.
• Real-time nozzle checks, automatic printhead cleaning, and maintenance alert notifications.
• This software allows you to program the printer to switch on automatically at a set frequency, simplifying maintenance work.
• Supports countless vector and pixel file formats such as BMP, GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, PING, TIF, TIFF, PSD, SVG, PS, TMP, EPS, AI, and PDF.
• Compatible with Windows 10.
• CADlink is not compatible with macOS devices. We recommend installing Parallels, VMware Fusion, or creating a Windows partition with Bootcamp if you are a Mac user.
• For more detailed information, you may refer to the software’s product sheet, which you will find in Related Products (Ref. 040631)

WHAT’S IN THE DONGLE?

• Licence files (xxxxxxHM), where x is the dongle number
• Program files (Digital Factory v10)
• Quick setup sheet in PDF
• Setup wizard link (setup.exe)

To install the software, connect the USB to the computer, run Setup.exe and follow the on-screen instructions.

FABRIC PRINTING INK

• Water-based and thinner than the inks used for DTG printing.
• They guarantee flexible prints blended with the fabric that doesn’t crack when stretched.

FILMS

They act as a support for the ink to transfer the design to the fabric.

• Made of PET, a thermoplastic material highly resistant to heat and handling when applying this technique.
• Similar to acetates but translucent. You can see the design on both sides of the film.
• They keep the ink wet but prevent migration.
• The printable side of the film has a rougher texture and a lower gloss than its non-printable one.
• The packaging shows which side you should print on. If you get the sheet out of the bag and forget which one is its printable side, you can test it as follows: place the film on a flat surface and gently press down and slide your finger over it. The printable side will provide more slip resistance, feel rougher and have more texture.
• If you accidentally print on the wrong side of the film, you can remove the ink with a piece of kitchen paper or a napkin.

DTF POWDER

Polyamide powder that creates an adhesive layer on the film previously printed with the design:

• They are spread on wet ink and will stick to it. The remaining powder can be reused.
• Heat will solidify the powder and form an adhesive layer.

ABOUT THE WARRANTY FOR THE EPSON L1800 A3 INKJET PRINTER

• Epson's official warranty becomes null and void after modifying the printer for DTF printing.
• Brildor offers a warranty of 30 calendar days, estimated time for installing and starting your printer, provided that all the consumables used have been purchased from Brildor.
• If the inks are already loaded in the printer, a devaluation of 50% of its cost will be applied.

How to print cotton and polyester fabrics using DTF printing?

STEP 1. PREPARING THE FILM

• Print the design on the film in mirror image, including a white top layer at the end.
• Carefully remove the film from the printer without touching the wet ink.
• Preheat the press to 165ºC ^(*)
• Spread DTF powder on the printed design. Store the remaining powder in a container to protect it from humidity.
• Place the film on the press’ lower platen and lower the upper platen to keep it 3-4 cm from the film, without touching it, for 2 minutes.

^(*) If you don't want to apply the design onto the fabric immediately, you should cure the powder for 8-10 minutes at 190ºC. This will allow the film to work as a screen print transfer, and you will be able to use it whenever you like.

STEP 2. TRANSFERRING YOUR DESIGN TO THE FABRIC

• If the garment is made of cotton, prepress it at 165ºC. You won’t need it if the fabric is polyester.
• Place the film on the area you want to print.
• Press for 15 seconds at 165ºC, medium-heavy pressure when personalising cotton fabrics.
• Press for 50 seconds at 140ºC, medium-heavy pressure when personalising polyester fabrics or polyester/cotton blends.
• Once the pressing time is finished, remove the fabric from the press and allow it to cool down.
• Peel slowly but steadily.
• Your garment is now ready.