The Full Process – Our 10 step guide to digital printing.

Last week we gave you an insight into the traditional screen printing method so we thought that it was only right to follow on and show you the amazing new technology of Digital printing!

Over the past eighteen months Stuart Morris have invested heavily in state of the art high tech digital textile printing equipment. We are now able to reproduce the most detailed and elaborate full colour designs with no screen making or set up costs. We can achieve brilliant colour intensity and full wash fastness across all our ranges of textile products.

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Step 1

Firstly you will send us your design or commission our artists to create a bespoke design for you. You will be emailed a visual proof of your design to sign off with the art department. This way we know you are happy with everything before we proceed to the printing stage.

Step 2

Once the design is given the go ahead, our art department will then convert the format of your artwork into the correct one, so the digital printer can recognise it and print the products correctly.

Step 3

Before printing any products on the printer, the print heads must be given a clean with a specific fluid, used to keep the print heads from drying out and getting damaged. This process must be done for every one hundred prints produced and can even need cleaning sooner; depending on how much colour is in the print.

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printing 1

Step 4

There are quite a few checks that need to be carried out prior to printing. Every time a product is printed, the printer produces waste ink, which is transferred into a drum. This must be checked and emptied regularly to prevent any spillages. The machine also has a container of cleaner that we mix every time it gets low. This container is very vital to the machine and must also be checked regularly and must never run out. Whenever the printer is stopped and is then started again, this process will use a required amount of cleaner. One last thing that must be checked before printing is the temperature of the ink. The printer must operate at a temperature between 20-25 degrees centigrade. Any temperature lower or higher can damage the print heads.

Step 5

Now all the necessary checks have been made and the artwork is ready, we can now print your artwork on the product you’ve requested and see your designs come to life!

Step 6

We use two different sizes of pallets to hold the product, the correct size is attached to the machine ready for us to lay the product out on to. Tea towels are done on our larger pallets and then bags or aprons are done on smaller pallets.

tea towels pallet
bag and apron pallets

Step 7

The product is then laid down flat on the board, it is very important that the product is laid completely flat and that there are no creases. Any creases will cause a distortion in the print.

Step 8

The digital printer then begins its work, the head moves from side to side over the top of the product spraying the design onto the product.

Step 9

The printed item is then carefully removed from the pallet and is run through a large dryer at a specific temperature. This bakes the print onto the item, which results in a colourfast product.

Step 10

Your order is then checked for print quality and prepared for dispatch.

There you have it, our 10 steps to digital printing.

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