The system, on display at Fespa this week on the STS booth in Hall 1, stand F67, uses the 630mm-wide STS VJ-628D printer, which is based on Mutoh’s Valuejet 628 eight-channel printer chassis.
Fitting onto a table or rolling stand, the device will print artwork onto single-sided, coated STS PET film. The printed image is then transferred onto textiles using powder adhesive through the STS automatic TPU adhesive powder shaker.
Alternatively, for cut-sheet or roll-to-sheet prints, the film can be cured at up to 150C in the STS curing oven, which can handle media up to 584x483mm.
STS Inks also offers hotmelt adhesive powder that is specially formulated to provide excellent bonding and flexibility properties, withstanding up to 40 washes with maximum coverage and a high-level transfer rate.
The DTF system uses Flexi/STS 628D RIP software, created exclusively for the VJ-628D printer and features fast processing speeds, enhanced printing-while-ripping and user-defined custom cut-line names and colours.
“With the debut of our modular system, STS Inks has monumentally improved the process of DTF printing, especially for new entrants in the custom apparel marketplace and existing firms that are looking to expand their product line,” said Shahar Turgeman, who founded STS Inks in 1999.
“We’ve given each of the essential DTF components a smaller footprint, deployed a user-friendly software program, bundled in the highest-quality supplies, and are offering the STS DTF System at a lower price with improved performance than anything available in the marketplace today.”
Mutoh Europe’s managing director, Mitsuo Takatsu, said Mutoh Japan’s R&D team had adapted the basic chassis of the Valuejet 628 to cover the specific needs of DTF, including but not limited to the capability of jetting white inks.
“We look forward to partnering with STS Europe for them to roll out this programme throughout the EMEA business area through selected Mutoh Certified Distributors who have the local presence, the experience with our VJ-628 engine as well as knowledge of the DTG/Textile markets. The total solution including all key components such as inks, TPU adhesive powder, PET film, powder shaker and software will be fully supported and warranted by STS Europe”.
The manufacturers said the setup was designed to be “the most cost-effective and hassle-free” solution for quickly creating custom t-shirts and apparel. The advantages of DTF over DTG (direct-to-garment) was its compatibility to a wider range of materials such as non-treated cotton, silk, polyester, denim, nylon, leather and 50/50 blends, while DTG was limited to cotton pre-treated fabrics which were faster wearing.
Additionally, DTF works equally well on white or dark textiles and allows users to choose either a matte or glossy finish, meanwhile it requires no cutting or weeding, creates crisp and defined edges and images, does not require advanced technical printing knowledge, and produces less waste.
In the EMEA business area, the STS DTF system will be offered by STS Europe through selected Mutoh distributors.
