The difference between thermal transfer and digital thermal transfer
The thermal transfer process refers to the technology in which the thermal transfer equipment heats the patterns and images on the thermal transfer paper to different material media.
In recent years, with the application of electronic color separation, color matching and other CAD technologies in the textile dyeing and finishing industry, textile digital thermal transfer technology has become more and more widely used internationally. The digital thermal transfer process is also a kind of thermal transfer printing. It is a new technology that combines digital printing technology on the basis of traditional sublimation thermal transfer to print pattern images in the form of plateless printing. It is characterized by the application of digital printing technology to print color patterns and images without plate making, which saves the plate making process and cost, so it is suitable for the production of personalized products. Let us take a closer look at the difference between thermal transfer and digital thermal transfer:
1. What is the difference between traditional thermal transfer printing and digital thermal transfer printing?
a. Differences in printing color quality: traditional thermal transfer printing cannot solve the problem of color reproduction well; digital thermal transfer printing can solve this problem as long as the ink quality is guaranteed.
b. Differences in application products: traditional thermal transfer application products are relatively single; digital thermal transfer application products are relatively extensive.
c. Differences in market positioning: The traditional thermal transfer market positioning is a mass market; the digital thermal transfer market is a personalized market.
d. The difference in production quantity: the traditional thermal transfer printing has a large production capacity, which is suitable for the production of mass-produced products; the digital thermal transfer printing has a small production capacity, which is suitable for the production of small batches of personalized products.
e. Difference in market price: Traditional thermal transfer products are popular products, and the market price is low; digital thermal transfer products are personalized products, and the market price is high.
2. How to understand and distinguish between the traditional thermal transfer market and the digital thermal transfer market?
The digital heat transfer market is a new market of personalization, and its products and market prices are determined by the concept of personalization. Digital thermal transfer products and technologies are the development and extension of traditional thermal transfer printing. The two markets coexist and complement each other and are independent of each other, forming different market prices and consumer groups. The difference between the two markets cannot simply be based on price. The fundamental difference between the two markets lies in the quality, content, form and technical content of products. Due to technical limitations (plate making, color performance), traditional thermal transfer printing cannot produce high-quality products and personalized products required by digital thermal transfer printing. Therefore, the market for digital thermal transfer printing is the consumer group of application products with high added value. Due to the clear market positioning of digital thermal transfer printing, it is not inconsistent with the traditional thermal transfer printing market, and each has different consumer groups and application fields.