Printing Systems
Pigment Textile
A pigment textile printing system prints directly onto fabric with pigment inks that contain a binder. Fixation usually takes place with heat; the system is set up according to the fabric and the production pattern.
01 / About the System
What is Pigment Textile
Instead of forming a chemical bond with the fibre, pigment inks fix by forming a binder film on the fabric surface. They can therefore be used on a wide range of fabrics, natural and blended fibres above all cotton.
Pre-treatment before printing may be needed depending on the fabric and the ink series. After printing, the ink is dried and fixed with heat; time and temperature values follow the process definition of the ink series.
Pigment printing does not always call for a separate steaming or washing line; handle and wash fastness results are still confirmed with test prints for the fabric and the binder system.
02 / Applications
Areas of use
- 01
Apparel
Printing on garments made from cotton and blended fabrics.
- 02
Home textiles
Pattern printing on bed linen, curtains and decorative fabrics.
- 03
Bags and accessories
Printing on tote bags and textile accessory surfaces.
- 04
Blended-fibre fabrics
Printing on fabrics with different fibre ratios; suitability is set by test prints.
Handle and wash fastness are confirmed with a test print on each fabric.
03 / System Structure
Process flow
- 01Pre-Treatment
Pre-treatment
If needed, the fabric is prepared for the printing and fixation conditions.
- 02Printer
Printing
The pattern is printed directly onto the fabric with pigment ink.
- 03Curing
Drying and fixation
The print is dried and the binder is fixed on the fabric surface with heat.
- 04Finishing
Finishing
The fabric is cooled and, after a handle and fastness check, moves to the next production step.
Drying and fixation time and temperature vary with the ink series and the binder system.
04 / Process
Supply and Commissioning Process
In pigment systems the configuration is set by the fabric type, the pre-treatment need and the drying and fixation capability in the line. Supply, installation and commissioning steps are sequenced within that frame.
- 01
Needs assessment
The target fabrics, the product group and whether the fabric needs pre-treatment are identified.
- 02
System configuration
The printer, the drying and fixation equipment and the ink series are defined according to the fabric type and the production pattern.
- 03
Supply
It is clarified whether the supply scope covers only the printer or also the drying and fixation equipment.
- 04
Installation
The energy need of the drying and fixation equipment and its layout in the print area are addressed in the installation plan.
- 05
Commissioning
In test prints, colour, handle and post-fixation results are assessed on the target fabric.
- 06
Technical support
If colour, handle or fixation results drift after commissioning, a technical service request can be created.
05 / Related Ink
TrueHue Pigment Textile inks
The pigment ink for this system can be selected from the TrueHue Pigment Textile family. Compatibility is not determined by the ink alone; the machine configuration, the print head, the binder system and the fixation conditions are assessed together.