Mimaki TPC-1000 - Integrated print & cut for dye sublimation breakthrough

Last year, Mimaki introduced its CJV30 printer / cutter line-up running either full or eco-solvent inks. These machines, available in a choice of four different widths, can use either solvent ink to print to a host of different substrates, including garment marking materials that enable the production of printed numbers, team names as well as branding and promotional elements. For those wanting to use a true sublimation solution, the launch of the new Mimaki TPC-1000 combines the integrated print & cut technology of the CJV30 Series with an aqueous ink.

Dye sublimation printing with high density dye sublimation inks exhibits a wider colour gamut, and facilitates printing on heat transfer paper for applying to polyester sportswear, workwear and swimsuits. The print and cut solution allows for fast and accurate order processing of variable data and short run jobs.

The dye sublimation process is actually quite simple - the transfer paper is printed upon, then the fabric and transfer paper are placed in a heat press. Under the influence of heat, the ink transferred to the paper is dyed to polyester materials whereby the water-content of the ink vaporises instantly. This results in vivid dye coloured images being produced directly on the fabric with no appreciable change in the handle of the garment. Due to the fabrics retaining their washability, this technology is particularly suitable for sportswear.

The Mimaki TPC-1000 shares the core features of the award winning CJV30 Series including the very neat ‘Auto Media Clamp function' for continuous printing and cutting with barely any user intervention required. The clamps (that move the media through the printer) are set from the RasterLink Pro 4TA RIP software (that incidentally is bundled free with the machine) whereby four different levels of clamp pressure can be selected according to the type of substrate. The clamp pressure is automatically changed between the printing and cutting, ensuring the correct tension for each, distinctly different, process is correct.

Like the vast majority of Mimaki's current line-up of inkjet printers, the TPC-1000 features their UISS (Uninterrupted Ink Supply System) that automatically switches ink supply when a cartridge runs out. For the printing company working to tight deadlines, this means that printing late into the night can be done without the fear of ink running out and without the need to stay and watch over the printer! In a normal working day, it also means that spent ink cartridges can be replaced ‘on the fly' without having to pause the printer or interrupt the job.

Borrowing a well liked and powerful feature from Mimaki's range of stand alone cutting plotters, the TPC-1000 also features their Half Cut function for producing die cut images that are held into the transfer paper with tiny tabs. This reduces wasted paper, and makes for a neater transfer and easier placement of the print on to the garment or product.

As already mentioned, the TPC-1000 features as standard, not only Mimaki's high end Postscript 3 RIP, but also the Simple Studio TA software for basic design creation, and the powerful FineCut 7 plugin for CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator (on Mac or PC).

Significantly, taking advantage of either the Mimaki Sb51 sublimation inkset or the new Sb52 set that features particularly intense colours and a very dense black (the sort of result normally required on sportswear and promotional products) entitles the owner of the machine to Hybrid's fully comprehensive warranty, affording peace of mind and investment protection for the first two years of the machine's life.

Duncan Jefferies, Marketing Manager at Hybrid (Mimaki's exclusive UK & Ireland distributors), was particularly interested in seeing the launch of the TPC-1000 and felt it added considerable weight to their claim that they very much lead the way in inkjet textile printing.

"Mimaki really has, since the dawn of wide format textile inkjet printing, firmly held the baton for customers who have wanted a genuine, well thought out and productive solution. The Mimaki TPC-1000 features many of the traits of some of Mimaki's most expensive printers, yet in conjunction with a heat press delivers a solution in a compact footprint to customers wanting to up their game when it comes to dye sub printing."

He continues: "Whilst dye sublimation is perfect for garment decoration and sportswear production, its breadth of application doesn't have to stop there. We have many customers producing stunning prints onto fabric bags, polyester coated rigid materials (mugs, plates and promotional items) and at the other end of the scale; flags and in-store displays. The TPC-1000 will do all of this and more!"

Available through Hybrid's network of specialist authorised resellers, further information can be found by visiting the website www.hybridservices.co.uk or by calling them on 01270 501900.