DTF: A groundbreaking story from China

This transcription has been AI generated and therefore may have some inaccuracies.

DTF: A groundbreaking story from China

Direct-to-film (DTF) printing originated from China and has been successfully adopted all over the world. During the global pandemic DTF printing showed exponential growth.

Speaker 1: WTiN
Speaker 2: Dr Frank Ming, Chief Scientist & Vice President, INKBANK Inc.

Speaker 1
Welcome back to innovate Direct-to-film printing. I'm your host Madelaine Thomas, Head of Content here at the World Textile Information Network. Of last few days we've had some great sessions on on picking the D to F market. If you've missed any you can catch them on demand via the event website. Our next session comes from event partner Ink Bank Group, and inkjet ink manufacture, manufacture and digital printing solutions provider based in China, the birthplace of direct-to-film printing.

Ink bank products include led UV curing ink, textile pigment ink, sublimation ink, high temperature, high temperature dispersion ink, reactive dye in acid dyes, water based pigment ink and water based dye inks as well. The presentation is pre recorded, but we will have a live q&a. So please still submit your questions.

So I'd now like to introduce Dr Frank Ming, who is the Chief Scientist & Vice President, INKBANK Inc. Over to you, Frank.

Speaker 2
Thank you. Hi, everybody. I'm going to talk about the leadership in DTF technology innovation.

Hour divided my talk into three parts. First, I give some introduction about the ink bank. The second part is on the ink bank story on the details. And then on the last part talk about the future development of the TTA.

Ink Bank, which basically has been around 20 years. Currently we have about 30,000 square metres manufacturer and the r&d area. And our r&d team has about eight people's engineers and the current capacity for the production around 18,000 pounds per year. We have three facilities, two in two high and one in st John. And we're building a new facilities which will be finished by the end of this year. And we have the ink capacity of 40,000 tonnes per year after that. We are one of the largest inkjet ink suppliers in the world. And we only supply the inkjet inks. And as the bottom of the slide shows the brief highlight history, some of the products we developed or industry we are getting into. And you can see that we really started on the pigment TTF ink, especially always pigment inks back into the on the 18th at the very earliest stages. So we're really one of the beginner inventor of the system with our partners. As I said that, the development team is very important for our development of the company on the product. Our team, as I mentioned has eight engineers, and nine of them have master's degrees or path and 60% of our development team have a bachelor discrete bachelor degree. And basically, I think our our testing and resources, equipment as probably as good and most of the large corporations, the US and the Europe. Some of them probably have even more closer relationship with the printhead manufacturers and also OEM. And we also have a very strong collaboration with the universities, especially channel solving University of science and technologies and then also ground on industrial universities. We have about more than 41 patents in the last 20 years we are here will accumulate a lot of awards and recognitions. And we are one of the high tech enterprise internal and we are also the specialised knitter chant and prize by government recognised and actually in Guangdong Province where the only inkjet ink engineer development centres and also we work with a lot of partners including printhead, OEM printers, and also the like pen manufacturers. We are best partner recognised by Epson for few years. Last year, Ink water magazine's ranked or the global major leading suppliers, we are ranked at 28th and because of the high growth we have had the last year I think this year our ranking will be even better. Our product mostly tabulate steer the textile applications but we also have other products and the textile applications are tabulated products is sublimation inks were pretty much one of the leaders in the sublimation and all also have reactive dye and acid dye inks. And for the reactive dye and ice retirement phase can we also purify our raw materials. So getting more competitive in the market, our pokeit need to be I talk in the second part on the detail on the pigment inks. We also have major roars on the DTG and a rotor applications, especially last few months says and the row to row pigment with Cara Sarah Quinlan has made major progress in China, especially many multiple prepaid, a few big customers, I installed a lot of equipment because of the link price come down dramatically. As I said, we basically focused on almost all inkjet ink application for different industries. And for Greg the arts. And Edward has an industry this is a relatively mature in Europe and the US actually in China is growing very fast because they are converting from the solvent and the eco solvent to UV. And then we are one of the leading suppliers in this market. And as for the new applications, such as the labour packaging, we basically provide all different chemistries, including UV inks, water based pigment inks, water based dye inks, and then for the book printing, and also the pure addicts. And then in us like direct mailers, we have auto pays pigment for those kinds of applications. For the latest in the unitronics part, we basically focus on the PCB application for the white legend and also photomask solder mask and he racist in use. So this is the first part of the company introductions, I'm going to move to the second part on the ink bank story on the DTF technologies. So the GTF bass Canadians invented in China a few years ago and has major players like printer manufacturers. Powder shaker machine manufacturers DTF for powders and then firms in the US. So all of those suppliers basically within Guangdong Province and pretty much one hour driving distance and because the most of the suppliers are really small, and so, the wallet innovated Interpro tap Zambo run into to the attendants to their adjustment and then I have a quick ping around. So the whole company the industry supply chain is located in the condom province and and then the partner of collaboration to have the product from very beginning as just a small sample printing to word significant commercialization in a very short time. Basically other countries or other regions. No place really can come to in this kind of company Supply Chain collaborations, that's hot opposite reasons that technology is commercialised scared up so quickly. The TTF technology has a lot of advantages compared to traditional your screen printings, this could potentially

already has a huge impact on the screen printing already definitely has some impact on the DTG tool. And here I've highlighted a few basically advantages. And because of the systems and supplies, original start the internal. So everything's made in China, the quantity and then the performance. And then the cost are pretty much very competitive. So the machines and the consumables are also basically originally adapted in Chinese market are very well affordable. And also you don't need a very big area, you only need a small open area, people starting to protect serve the customers. Because it's Digital's so the Digital's advantage compared to the traditional printing is the participation and customizations. So you get a very good short term ROM and a lot you get a customization personal design. And then then you don't build don't need as a human race. So that's another advantages compared to the traditional screen printing is you don't need a stack of screens. And also you don't have the 30 touch college kitchens, I mean less environmental friendly conditions, people went into work. And so, basically this technology, it's digital and also the energy consumption water consumption is also very low compared to traditional technologies. So, you can basically as we continue always improving our product and we started Chinese market with our customers initially, basically working with fare manufacturers for printer manufacturers and TPU powder suppliers to really at beginning to serve as a local market, especially in global area. And then after this market quickly adopted by the customers and then scale up the technology starting to expand to move to the developing countries like Southeast Asia, India, however, expanded to those markets, those markets even more cost sensitive and unless we have to adapt local customer demand and an end to keeping improve, developed a new chemistry including the residence dispersions and an end to meet the cost need of those regions customers after their international expansion in the developing countries and the US and Europe and as starting to get on track to adapt to these technologies. And so, basically ran out since last a couple of years basically traditionally simulate TTG technology in US and Europe gradually moving into the details and then we see the huge pearls and also the brand recommended recognization by this market. So I took these slides I highlight some of the major features and of our product on a teepee 5600 Because this set of ink has been widely approved tested by different market basically as this product now we have developed as a verb proprietary pigment dispersions and also working with partners on their proprietary algorithms. So their unique major component impact the performance and especially on the white, the white the product as a relatively versus low sedimentation rates compared to some products and also the product the White has a very good hiding power and also basically the whiteness is good. Had a bit has a good or bad ability with the colouring so you don't have at the bleeding each other. And also regarding the printhead the jet abilities. We have a many different OEM printers domestically internationally proven tested with a different base Canadian control board, another design user, I study 100 Epson printer day. So it's pretty much the product is almost for Epson printhead A 3200 is a standard and is that the printed product also has a very good fasteners like a dry fasteners were fascinating wash fastness and then their hand and then the stretch affinity is also pretty unique. And also as I mentioned, because of most of the film manufacturers in China are relatively small, all of them have different they have their own different chemistry on the coating and also the process. So, the ink compatibility with the film is also very important. So the ink said has very good compatibility with different types of films. These slides highlight the comparison to their field features compared to some of the competitive product as I mentioned, basically the stability of the especially on the white inks and also the film compatibilities and the lens a elongation stretch ability and also colour vibrance and wash fascinates all those features in the product shows significant better advantage compared to the competition's basically this summarise this is the end of my second apart on the story, we have the ink bank talk about think about the TTF technology on pure love and then the next part our talks about the future development of the DTF technology. So, in the future, there is always the requirement to get a better white and one of the reason is that because the white tends to sediment however in the market, basically recently people are promoting no segmentation white news. So is this really true? The answer definitely is a low because of zip tenement outside of the white pigment has a high densities as compared to the water. And also Packer size is higher than the colour use typically around less than 200 nanometers. And then you're young viscosity is a relatively unknown. So intrinsically the pigment we're settlement with the time and then just the speed and and so, is there a way we can control the sedimentation Yes, because of the sedimentation of the titanium dioxide can be designed or improved by design the different dispersal and also the dispersal interaction with the resins. So basically by designs a resin chemistry this person chemistry we can improve the sedimentation rate and also if we can use different types of printers like MS for example, high viscosity reco printer and then the chemistry could be also improved and then you can have a slower sedimentation rate. And also definitely you don't want to have too much beer tap of the white pigment on the bottom you can use a less of pigment, but that word impact your colours and also another Spectre is that we can design the dispersion chemistry to really help the rate is reduced per minute peanutty of the pigment and then that's called basically the salt segmentation so we're really once is a some soft segmentation after your shake hit the ink can be reused.

The next is that we know the Chatbot is six because the TPU bow the powders Rana is aware use basically adhesives to bound the ink to the fabric the powder base can you have some issues one of the major use of compared to the dTT already is that basically you get a relatively rigid and and then let's have another step to powder is that the potentially is the airborne and then cause some physical issues. And then basically is a powder name shaker process. It is also intricate. So if we can develop as a chair Barack Hussein to replace this and then that's another major breakthrough We have been working with different resin suppliers and then an event to come with some improvement and announce on chip jetabroad He says to replace the TPU powders and for some low end applications there wash or rub fastness especially the wet if it's not very high demand and then those applications are ready for the product. However, for the mainstream, we still need a bigger more breakthrough on the resin technology to get the base kind of data for he saves the company to the commercialization another aspect for the embark from the environmental aspect to use it p fields and basically a code to the PhD film as well very good performance. So receptive to the inks. The only major problem is the environmental recyclable the plastics, especially in Europe. And the compared to the paper is definitely less environmentally friendly. So, we have been working with the different paper suppliers humans since beginning of the technologies and we come and we do find that for some special applications, the coach paper has good quantities can meet some of the applications. However, as a paper are currently available coated, there still has Rinker issues and calculating issues. And and those kinds of issues, especially for high ink loading still needed to be resolved. So basically, for the real mainstream application, use the paper and we need a breakthrough on the some of the design on the coating or the paper substrate or maybe combination with the ink. And then if we can use the paper not only from environmental friendly and also cost could be significant lower to another advantage for TTF is compared to TTG is a random printer on the pony show. However, for the white pony shirts, the DTF is no issues because they don't have time aberrations. For the black pony shirt, they're dispersed time during the heating process, and then they were Maigret were impacted the printed quantities. So, basically, we have been working with the TPO powder suppliers to develop the new powders and then to base Can you can you repeat that sub dispersed emigration during the heating process in the form of the quantities. So we have some initial sampling. And then and then some small customers spatial customers uses those kinds of product for the applied pony application say some advantages some improvement. However, for the wide spread, made mainstream application, we still needed more developing work. The leg This slide shows some progress made a use a different printing system, basically a printer. And as most people know that brother and the RICO post make DTG systems and ran out they're also moving into the base in a TTF. And they show their system in a couple of conventions. And so the Ricoh coronary especially because they can use very high viscosities those kinds of Apprenda head potentially have advantages on the performance improvement for the ink and also points. However, the cost of the printer that you deserve is higher than the Epson. So really we need to wait and see to see how those new printers come into the market, how those impact the future of the technologies. The last slides I will share here is that really new applications currently are basically DTF T clarity really is focused on the t shirt, almost probably 99% or higher or one 2% sometimes is a T shirt application. And just like sublimation use the transfer process. This kind of technologies genuinely have much wider implications So their application not just as a t shirt, they should have an others actually, we already have a few special application with our customers, especially for the like shoes. And then some of the application, why example is a for the clothing, there is a small strips, pack those tacky if you can get a very small font and laser basically found later print. If we can design a single pass printers, and then those kinds of applications can be easily solved.

Here is basically ran out. That's all my talk. If you have any question, feel free to cast. Thank you.

Speaker 1
Thank you, Frank, for that presentation.

So we'll now go to the live q&a.

So Frank, if you'd like to join us?

Speaker 2
Sure.

Speaker 1
Nice to see you Frank.

So we have had some audience questions come through. And one of them and it goes nicely into the end of your presentation really on your future developments at ink bank and the new printhead system that you're working on. Can you tell us a little bit more about that week? Because we've had an audience question that has asked Are you testing at the moment on other print heads other than Epson heads? Epson heads, I think we heard in the in the last session actually that they are have been the most popular for Director film printing up to now, are you testing on other heads or is it because you're developing this this new printhead system? Are you are you looking to bring something else onto the market?

Speaker 2
Yes, we have been working with different printhead suppliers and an OEMs to test the other high viscosity printer and those have not been commercialised especially for like good about adhesives. And for the you know, the some of the even paper applications combined with the high risk acid printhead could be one of the major direction for the breakthrough. So we have been Yes, we have been working with high viscosity different suppliers printed.

Speaker 1
Okay, and we've got another question as well on is your ink eg free? So is your ink ethylene glycol free?

Speaker 2
For some of them? Yes. Yeah. For the TPA? 5600 Yes, yeah.

Speaker 1
Okay. And are there any improvements needed in the CMYK pigment dispersion technology? Apart from dispersions for white inks?

Speaker 2
On CMYK, I think the pigment dispersion is relatively mature. So we don't think there is a major improvement needed for this area, I think a focus to use any weight and also for different regions and reasons because especially for some developing countries, the reason is the steer one of the cost and also the performance issues. Right,

Speaker 1
I say and with the you know, we've had a lot of discussions of the last two days about environmental credentials. Is this something at ink bank that you're kind of looking into Do you do you have this already how important is this you know, if you want to work with you know brands and retailers

Speaker 2
Yes, environmental definitely is always our big concern when we work on the project. For example, like the TPO powders with the jaydata He saves an analysis paper coated paper replace TPO firms, I am TT firms and also those definitely from the environmental a lot definitely coated paper also on the cost side more widely used. So I think from the events like humectants used for the basically use the ink so those of factors definitely come from the environmental aspect.

Speaker 1
Okay, and just just mentioned the TPU powder there Then, what is your timeline for the TPU powder on black polyester that you're developing?

Speaker 2
That's a good question is I ever certainly is it depends on the I would say probably around two years. And then depends on the how the market pushing for it is the currently the TPU powders. Most of the Chinese suppliers are relatively small, and they are less yield centres. But I think there are some European big suppliers maybe work with the in the on the technology side

Speaker 1
of Frankie just breaking up a little bit there. If you don't mind. Maybe just turn your camera off and answer that question again. If that's okay.

Speaker 2
Maybe it turns out the videotape. Okay, thank you. Sorry.

Speaker 1
I think we've we've lost you there. Frank. Bucha.

Speaker 2
Out to the Canadian and the US. TPU.

Speaker 1
Frank, I think we've lost you again there. I think your your connection has gone down. Let's try again. So what's your timeline for the TPU? Powder?

Speaker 2
Yeah, no,

Speaker 1
we've lost you. Okay, well, no. We'll just try and get Frank back. But otherwise, we'll we'll end the session there. And we can send over any of your questions to Frank to get answers back to you. So if you just bear with us a second. Hey, again, Frank.

Speaker 2
Oh.

Speaker 1
How's your connection doing?

Yeah, I think we've lost you again. What we'll do is we'll we'll

Yeah, I think we've lost your Frank. So we'll end the session there. And we'll send any questions of a that have have been missed. So thank you, Frank, for your time. And sorry, everyone to close that session. Slightly early. And, but thank you to our audience. Join us at 4pm UTC for our final session of innovate director film printing, where we will be hearing from those actually using the technology on a daily basis. The print service providers will see you them.