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Properties and performance of textiles

Emerging textile technologies: Digital printing

In the Area of study: Properties and performance of textiles you will develop a critical approach towards the effects of innovations and emerging technologies. These innovations and technological advances occur in the use of textiles to enhance performance, machinery to improve construction or to save time, decorative techniques and finishing techniques. This tutorial focuses on decorative techniques, in particular, digital printing.

Outcomes
This material addresses aspects of the following syllabus outcome:

H3.2 The student develops knowledge and awareness of emerging textile technologies.

Extract from Stage 6 Textiles and Design Syllabus © Board of Studies NSW 2007

Digital printing

Any image that can be realised on a computer screen whether originated by CAD, in-put from a digital camera or scanned from photographs or original artwork can be printed onto natural fabric [and now polyester].
Extract from Centre for Advance Textiles, viewed 22/4/03 <http://www.catdigital.co.uk/cat.html>

Digital printing is generally used on short lengths for samples, banners, photographic exhibitions, reproduction of historical prints or artwork.

All fabrics are pre-treated (see question 6) and then steamed and washed to set the dyes. Printing is charged per metre, and although any image can be printed, engineered designs are cheaper than all over designs to reproduce.

Examples of digital printing

Select Textiles on the Longina Phillips Design Studio web site to see a range of prints or select Fashion fabrics, Furnishing fabrics, Design archives, Banners/graphics. Rapid prototyping or Gallery pieces on the Centre for Advanced Textiles , Glasgow School of Art web site.

Activity

What are the main advantages of digital textile printing? Select Advantages of digital print.
Which fibres are best used in fabrics for digital textile printing? Select Direct digital print.
What type of printing technology is used in digital printing?
What types of dyes are used for digital printing on a) natural fibres, b) polyester? Select Direct digital print.
How many dots per inch (dpi) does the artwork need? Select Technical inquiries.
Describe the pre-treatment and processing for:
1. printing with reactive dyes
2. printing with disperse dyes.

Check your answers

Need to know more?

To find out more about digital printing select the Technology button on the Direct Digital Printing web site, and then choose from:

Systems
Inks
Process
Natural fibres.

To find out more about the printers, click here . Select the Equipment button.

Technology update/ Tutorial extension: Visit the following web site http://textile.2456.com/eng/epub/n_details.asp?epubiid=4&id=3087 to read more about the changes that have occurred for digital printing such as ink combinations, textile substrate choice and outdoor applications.