The working principle of Digital textile printing is the same with ink-jet printer basically, but ink-jet printing technology can be traced back to 1884. In 1960, the ink-jet printing technology stepped into the practical stage. Computer technology began to widely use at the last century of 90s. In 1995, there has been drop-on-demand digital ink-jet textile printing machines. In the year of 1999-2000 many countries exhibited digital ink-jet textile printing printers adopted piezoelectric nozzle. At the present, the development of digital textile printing technology is showing a wide, flourishing trends.
In recent years, textile dyeing industry developed rapidly in China, the production of textile printing simultaneously increased as well. At the same time, the fashion cycle of clothing are getting shorter, the pattern changes faster and faster, and the production of requirements are much higher, but the quantity of order is getting smaller and smaller. Besides, the copy of printing is becoming worse and worse. Although the textile printing factories adopted different digital methods such as printing CAD systems, laser image-setters, flat screen, ink-jet rotary screen, spray wax screen machine to improve the process on the basis of traditional ways of printing. But dyeing factory is the symbol of polluted factory, which has a deep impression for people. Meanwhile, Our international exporting products of textile printing is becoming an “non-trade-barrier” hindered including the environment. On the current technology, digital textile printing is the best way to solve many problems in the field of textile printing.
Traditional textile printing can use flat screen and rotary screen,etc. In a word, it can’t be separated with screen. But the plate making cost much time and money. It can not meet requirement of small quantity and different kinds of modern printing. That’s the reason why the digital textile printing for non plate-making and non-pressure was invented. The basic working principles of digital textile printing is the same with inkjet printers.
Ink-jet printing technology can be traced back to 1884, the American C.H.Richard injected the water into the syringe. the needle splashed water droplets on the pressure. It can form an image on paper if the direction of droplets was controlled, which was called fog ink printing. At that time the image was blur and bad because of the needle & the ink until 1960 when the inkjet printing stepped into the practical stage. Before decades the ink-jet technology was used for code printing processing or printing of product serial number, which was called inkjet printer.
Digital jet textile printing is a systematic project, including CAD technology, network communication technology, precision machining technology and finest chemical technology and other cutting-edge technologies, which is the combination of products for traditional technology between information technology and machinery, textile and chemical .
As the digital jet textile printing technology involves a lot of calculation and control, so it is impossible for us to apply the digital inkjet textile printing technology without high-speed computers. For now, the development of digital inkjet textile printing technology on the ability of work keeps substantially paced with the computer's, and the development of computer technology has still no sign of stopping developing. With the development of computer technology, it can predict that the digital inkjet textile printing technology will develop faster as well in the future. Meanwhile the manufacturing technology of nozzle also benefits from related integrated circuit manufacturing technologies, such as etching, precision assembly, etc. Modern high-frequency and multi-nozzle printhead are emerged to prove this point.
Computers were widely used in the 90s, and continuous digital inkjet textile printing machine appeared. Until 1995 it was maturely used on the carpet, walls and other textile rough pattern.The Austria ZIMMER company pioneered to display digital inkjet textile printing for carpet, which the resolution is 9-18 applying with valve spray technology. The nozzle is not used in the usual sense. Their speed of production was so fast up to 16/min. However, It can not be applied in clothing fabrics due to the large droplets of ejection and low resolution.
Until 1995 drop-on-demand inkjet type digital inkjet textile printing machine appeared, which was mainly thermal bubble nozzle, and the resolution was just 300dpi. Then it was gradually upgraded into 600dpi, 4 color-based, which can be applied on the fabric.
In 1999 - 2000 most countries displayed digital inkjet textile printing machine using piezoelectric nozzle, including Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, USA, Italy and China Honghua Corporation. The resolution was up to 360 ~ 720dpi, 6/h. Because the minimum amount of piezoelectric inkjet nozzle was very small, the design of products of production was more sophisticated. The color was more natural and more uniform, so it is more popular and widely used in different fields.
At the present, a variety of new digital inkjet textile printing machines have emerged, which mainly adopts piezoelectric nozzle and the highest speed of printing from 1/h in 1990, 6/h in 2000 to 80-150/h in 2000, besides, dye ink developed from 4-color dye to 6-8 colors and 2X6-8 colors. The application process has become more sophisticated, control software function gradually improved as well. Thus, the development of digital inkjet textile printing technology substantially develop from continuous shooting to on-demand jet, from a thermal bubble nozzle to the piezoelectric nozzle, from 4 colors to 6-8 colors.
There’s no doubt that the emergence of digital textile printing technology and successful application is a major technological revolution in the textile industry, it has a milestone meaning. Digital textile printing brings economic and social benefits for the world, especially for China named textile dyeing huge country which makes a significant impact. It is the same with previous industrial upgrading and transformation that new digital inkjet textile printing technology appearing is a chance, but also a challenge. Chinese textile enterprises must seize the opportunity in the upcoming revolution .
In 2007 domestic digital textile printing systems was on display at the official business of ITMA, which means China's digital textile printing equipment has been among the world's major industrial areas.
In 2008 it was been through continuous research and development and technology investment, the mature and high-speed digital conduction band printing machine has achieved at the maximum speed of printing of 140 square meters / hour. The maximum resolution of printing is up to 1080dpi. While it can be applied in a variety of professional inks and fabrics, which means the domestic digital textile printing equipment has been able to enter the mainstream of industrial applications. At the same year some overseas manufacturers are offering digital printing equipment to the market.
In January, 2009 "national digital textile printing Engineering Research Center" was established, which also means the application of digital textile printing in China leap forward again.