How to select the right print head configuration for your sublimation or direct to fabric printing machine?
Digital inkjet printing becomes more and more popular in textile industrial since last 5 years. The fast growing is sublimation printing, it almost double times, from 10.1 billion meters in 2014, increased to 20 billion meters in 2019, according to WTIN. The digital inkjet printed textile contribute 7.6% of the total volume. And it growing rapidly.
There are total 45990 units textile digital inkjet printing machine in the market, and 7290 units are direct to fabric printer, 38700 units are sublimation printers. Replacement for latest sublimation printer is nearly 50% of the total volume every year. Such attractive market creates a lot of opportunities, as well as challenges.
How to choose a right printer for your business? How to choose a right print head for manufacturing?
The most common printhead for textile printers are EPSON & Kyocera. EPSON is so aggressive in this market, even he is already strong in the past with the large format printer, in 2019, EPSON open its cooperation of print head business for Chinese manufacturers, the i3200-A1 is the first launched print head, then it is S3200-A1, aim to Kyocera market. In 2021, the S3200-A3 is coming to enhance its position in the market. The EPSON i3200 is so successful in the entry level sublimation printing market, Why they promote S3200 ?
Let us see the technical comparation between those water base ink printheads.
KJ4B VS S3200
Physical size: S3200 is better for a compact design, and the S shape design real saving the space.
Printhead width: the effective print width for KJ4B is 108.25mm, while S3200 is 120.2mm, but when we do the staggered head configuration, S3200 only have 2840 nozzles, which means the head width is only 106.7mm, even less than Kyocera.
Print resolution: the printing resolution is much closer, both running at 600dpi. There are only 300 nozzles different in the final jetting.
Print speed: both heads are running at about 1.5~1.6m/s.
Technically speaking, EPSON S3200 and Kyocera KJ4B is very similar at the printing speed and quality. But on the durability, Kyocera has a better experience than S3200 due to its longer history for textile printing.
S3200 VS i3200
S3200 and i3200 both from EPSON, and use the same technology- PercisionCore, and it is the same jetting module as well, The only difference is the physical sharp, combine 4 piezo element in staggered or line. Another advantage for S3200 is the S shape, which contribute to minimize the printer. Also the ink circulation helps the printhead running heavier ink and faster jetting.
For the printing performance, 4 color, 4 heads S3200 in one line configuration is equal to 4 heads i3200 in staggered.
How to choose the print head for our sublimation printing?
If you are an industrial textile printing demand customer, industrial printing we define the printer speed is more than 200m/h, Kyocera and S3200 is better choice, to achieve a same productivity, less print heads are demand, which reduce a lot of maintenance as well as improve the constantly of print out in different batches.
If you are also want to make a choice between Epson and Kyocera, you’d better think about the supplier capability in that case, whether your supplier can support you a stable and total solution. The cost also important. The print head cost is almost the same at these two industrial heads. The only concern is the ink accessibility, mass production consume a lot of ink, if you can easy to find a good cheaper ink for productions, then that is it.
For the printing service, the EPSON i3200 seems more safety, while the orders are variable, a lower investment for a same productivity is always secure our money. What’s more, the ink for i3200 is so easy to find and good price as well. The maintenance cost is only 1/4 compare to industrial heads. Printing speed is about 100m/h to 400m/h(16heads configuration).
