As you work toward becoming a competent sublimation printer, you may experience some hurdles, such as image ghosting, mainly because of low-quality inks and transfer papers.
It is, however, imperative to know that this is just a learning process. Sublimation printing necessitates a higher level of expertise and familiarity than other printing methods because of the sheer number of production steps involved.
Sublimation printing is among the most current have advanced features that enhance printing efficiency unrivaled by few printing alternatives.
Suppose you are facing challenges with your sublimation printer, and you keep getting poor print quality. In that case, it could be due to several issues, such as the temperature in the heat press or inappropriate supplies.
Let’s review some of the core problems making your sublimation printer give you lousy quality and recommend some solutions.
Reasons and Solutions for Printer Printing Bad Quality:
There are several reasons why your sublimation printer is printing bad quality, here are some of the four common reasons;
1. Printer settings:
Incorrect printer settings can degrade printing quality and have significant consequences. With fast printing modes, the likelihood of your printing quality being bad is high, which is why you need to turn these off.
To achieve optimum printing quality, it is advised that you double-check your printer settings before beginning the printing process.
Poor printer settings can result in blurry and faded images, which means one will not be satisfied with the images they print; to prevent this from happening, use heat strips.
2. Moisture issues:
Undesirable results may occur when moisture is introduced into the sublimation printing process, thus the bad quality. There is a risk of the ink being blown away by moisture and smearing it onto the intended surface, resulting in poor print quality.
Color shifting is one of the factors that contribute to moisture. Keeping your paper in a dry area and not using plastic bags can protect it from accumulating moisture.
It is also an excellent idea to pre-press the paper for about three seconds to eliminate wrinkles and moisture.
3. Clogged print head nozzles:
Sublimation printers with clogged nozzles can impair the quality of your printing as it causes banding, which is a prevalent issue among most printing systems.
Banding is the encounter of missing ink on your printouts, primarily due to the irregular use of printers.
To correct this problem, one can rely on the head cleaning function of your sublimation printer that keeps the ink wet and safe from getting dry. Regularly using the printer can prevent your printers from banding issues.
4. Using the wrong equipment:
The most common mistake people make when printing is using the wrong equipment as there are particular necessities needed when using a sublimation printer.
You need to have sublimation ink and paper for quality printing.
Failure to use these jeopardizes your printing quality, thus the bad quality. To achieve that specific sublimation design, the sublimation ink must be installed in the printer. Some use copy paper, and although it still works for them, better results are achieved when one uses the sublimation paper.
How to Improve Sublimation Print Quality?
Improving the sublimation print quality is doable as long as you do what is needed. Here’s how one can improve the sublimation print quality.
1. Temperature and time:
For optimal success, control the temperature and time for the printing process where the temperature needs to range between 180 and 230 degrees celsius and the transfer time of 10 to 30 seconds.
Be reasonable about the amount of time and temperature you decide to allocate for your printing procedures.
2.sublimation Ink:
One can improve the quality of their prints by using the correct sublimation ink, as this is the only way to get the desired results.
Relying on sublimation ink is the way to go as it promises quality results as the ink is transparent, possesses a significant transfer effect, and is strong.
Selecting high-quality sublimation ink is effective as it leads to unprecedented prints.
3. Pressure:
Pressure can either improve or deteriorate your print quality, which is why it is mandatory to be sure of the pressure you use.
With appropriate pressure, the yarn and gap between the transfer paper and transfer printing shading effect are significant, thus producing clear and smooth patterns.
Low pressure causes fuzzy and poor prints, while high pressure causes deformation and staining hence low-quality prints.
What Is The Best Resolution for Sublimation?
Print resolution is situation-dependent, as there is no conclusive evidence that a higher or lower resolution is superior.
The high resolution of the sublimation printer is 280 x 2880 DPI, and to achieve the desired results, the printing materials must be compatible with and support this resolution.
Consequently, remember that the higher the resolution, the better the outcomes.
The suggested resolution for large files is 300 dpi. Consider utilizing a low resolution if you want small images.
What Is The Best File Format for Sublimation Printing?
Although there are different file formats, such as JPEG, EPS, TIF, PSD, SVG and PNG stands out as the best file format for sublimation printing.
This is because the PNG file format is modern, universal, preserves transparency, and maintains resolutions.
The most outstanding element about this file format is that it has a 300DPI resolution, unlike the PDF and SVG files in vector format.
The PNG format generates high-quality files, meaning the product you are creating will have quality print on it.
Is Sublimation Printing High Quality?
Sublimation printing results in exceptional quality prints as it produces prints with fine details.
In other words, it is unbeatable due to its minimal setup costs and viability for printing various things. As a result of sublimation printing’s ability to resist fading, the colors remain constant, and the print’s quality will not diminish.
When using sublimation printing, it is simple to personalize garments and gifts for various events, as you receive precisely what you want.
Is Sublimation Printing long-lasting?
Sublimation printing, unlike other methods, produces intricate prints of different shapes and is more long-lasting.
To satiate your desire for durable prints, use this printing method on plastic substrates and your preferable fabrics. It is better to create different patterns knowing they will last long, as this motivates you further into printing custom designs.
Conclusion:
Proper maintenance is essential in sublimation printers’ performance and the quality of their output. Part of the maintenance of sublimation printers includes using recommended supplies such as quality inks and papers.
It is also wise to invest in a good quality sublimation printer that is compatible with various printing equipment and accessories. If your printer is misbehaving and tampering with the quality of the graphics, first review the common sublimation problems outlined above and their solution before considering acquiring a new printing machine.
