Dye-sublimation and heat transfer are two common printer technologies that both use heat energy to transfer images from one medium to another, but they have some differences in principles, materials, applications, and advantages.
1. Heat transfer printing is a technology that transfers patterns or text from special
Heat Transfer Paper or film to the surface of the printed object. It requires heating and pressure to make the dye or curing agent on the heat transfer paper or film combined with the printed matter. The advantages of heat transfer printing are that it can print a variety of complex colors at one time, with realistic patterns, bright colors, long-lasting wear resistance, simple operation, low production cost, small product loss, high added value, and strong decorative process.
2. The disadvantages of heat transfer printing are that the printed pattern is convex and not smooth enough, and there are certain restrictions on the material of the printed object. It cannot be printed on natural fibers such as cotton and linen. The application scope of heat transfer printing is mainly advertising posters, handbags, luggage, webbing, cloth pads, daily packaging supplies, etc.
3. Dye-sublimation is a technology that directly penetrates the image from the dye-
Sublimation Paper to the surface of the printed object. It requires heating to make the dye on the dye-sublimation paper directly sublimate from solid state to gaseous state, and then penetrate into the surface of the printed object in fiber. The advantages of sublimation are that the printed patterns are smooth, non-convex, have strong adhesion, are not easy to fade, are vivid in color, have distinct layers, can reflect subtle changes in details and colors, and have photo-like realism and long-lasting color.
4. The disadvantage of dye-sublimation is that special dye-
Sublimation Ink and sublimation paper need to be used during the printing process, which is expensive and can only be printed on polyester and other chemical fiber fabrics, not natural fibers. The application scope of sublimation is mainly stationery, leather, clothing, etc.
In short, sublimation and heat transfer are two different printer technologies. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages and are suitable for different occasions and needs. When users choose a printer, they should choose the appropriate printer technology based on their actual situation and comprehensive consideration of various factors.
