# A novel DTG application - any tips?



## ezitag (Nov 17, 2009)

This is one of my first posts so I'm a bit apprehensive. Please be gentle!

For the past 8 years we've been producing sublimated and screen printed lanyards. We think we may be the largest producer in Australia producing more than 3 million per year - Australia is a small market and 3 million is a lot.

We have 2 large format sublimation printers (Epson and Mimaki) and 2 wide format presses. The screen printing setup is pretty basic, a single head with a tunnel dryer.

Recently we decided to expand into DTG garments and have almost signed for a Viper. In the evaluation process, we printed tees but also asked our supplier to print onto cotton lanyard fabric. While the final results were surprisingly good, we struggled with pretreating fabric 40 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Over Christmas I tried to work out a method of doing it and came up with this idea.

We want to print 12-15 strips of fabric at a time. We could get thick perspex sheets and create "channels" for the fabric to sit in - half in the channel and half protruding. We need to come up with a method of securing the fabric (double sided tape?). We then pre-treat the strips on the perspex sheet (standing up) and put it through the tunnel dryer. We then place the perspex on the Viper and print. The perspex can then be either heat pressed or put thru the tunnel. Finally we wash down the perspex at the end of the process.

Do you guys have any tips to enhance our proposed method? Has this given you an idea for your own business?

BTW, The advantage of cotton lanyards is they are eco friendly compared to Polyester. And in case you are wondering, we attach the hooks, crimps, etc at the end of the print process. We don't print onto fully assembled lanyards.

The image below is an example of our sublimated lanyards. I can post photos of the DTG lanyards if anyone wants them.

Cheers and thanks for being patient with me.

Mark


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## princessracer (May 31, 2009)

While I have no suggestions for you.. thats pretty cool! 

I never would have thought of printing on lanyards! 

Good luck and let us know how your idea works!


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## orakel (Feb 11, 2011)

Hello Mark

Great idea, we also sell lanyards and thinking about dtg, pls comment if you have any new experience. Also would be highly welcomed any photo about dtg printed lanyards. 
pls check this, this is your version automatized: YouTube - macc nastri digitale


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## 102557 (Mar 6, 2010)

ezitag said:


> This is one of my first posts so I'm a bit apprehensive. Please be gentle!
> 
> For the past 8 years we've been producing sublimated and screen printed lanyards. We think we may be the largest producer in Australia producing more than 3 million per year - Australia is a small market and 3 million is a lot.
> 
> ...


 
I dont know if this is any interest to you, but i will post a vid that looks similar to what you are doing!!! 

this guy is rip software developer out of korea, he has sent me numerous videos on some of the stuff he can do.. this looks like it may fit your application.. he uses a epson r1400 printer thats been converted with his software to run in roll mode... he has many rip applications he has written from epson 1400-9880 and some other brand epson head machines..

hope it helps

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8AtR8q586g[/media]


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

I'm thinking you can use a piece of wood for a platen and use a router to route straight flat grooves to slightly recess the fabric into channels? Might be an option and pretty easy to make...


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

use a temporary tack spray to hold them down and painters tape on either end if that doesn't completely secure them?


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## orakel (Feb 11, 2011)

first, sorry my english is not the best, hope you understand me. 
second, thanks for your posts, great feeling that you react so fast and nice. 
this small epson could you some direct ink i guess ( ribbon 3 ) seems nice,it even i am a bit sceptic to make roll print such a way by a printer as you need fix the rolls tight to keep proper head distance, no white printing, and when you need pre-treatement rolls making it hard way. As we have many 4450 epsons, we make a trial of the idea anyway, thanks for the post. 
The idea of using dtg+platen seems better way, we use such routed platen for uv flatbed for tokens,plastic cards... all are rigid ones, ribbons are more challenging. We tried ribbons on uv faltbed ( poor result with any primer so do not try ), worked only with tack spray, so this way we must follow. 
If you could help on which supplier you would go for a trial ? As ribbons are 95cm long cutted size ( 38 inch ) we would need a machine that can handle this size platen, I looked dtg viper as an option but your are more into this business so may you have some very valuable recommendation. 
anyway thanks to dealing with


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## subprinting (Nov 3, 2008)

DTG Printers


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## 102557 (Mar 6, 2010)

above epson 48xx


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