How to Achieve Premium Results in Digital Specialty Printing

Different from text and image printing in our work or daily life, digital specialty printing always includes a more complex processing that may intricate user’s weariness. Is such annoying processing really needed? Scroll down to figure out.

Written by Procolored - Published on Jan 20, 2025

8 minutes read

Written by Procolored - Published on Jan 20, 2025

PASSAGE SUMMARY

1. Main Features of Digital Specialty Printing
1.1 Digital graphic file
1.2 Digital printing techniques
1.3 Special materials
2. How to Achieve Premium Results in Digital Specialty Printing
2.1 RIP software: a perfect graphic file transformer
2.2 Top-notch digital printer: a competent printing interpreter
2.3 Premium consumables: the reliable execution agents

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1. Main Features of Digital Specialty Printing

Alternative to normal printing that we apply commonly on work or in daily life, specialty printing refers to printing methods that use special techniques, materials, or processes to achieve specific effects or meet particular requirements. Unlike standard printing, specialty printing is typically used to create unique effects, enhance product functionality, or increase visual appeal.
Specialty printing in fact is commonly seen in our everyday surroundings, including but not limited to:

Signage, wooden printing achieved by UV(Ultra-Violet) printing

Custom t-shirts, caps achieved by DTF (Direct-to-Film), DTG(Direct-to-Garment), sublimation, screen or pad printing

Stickers produced by UV DTF or HTV(Heat Transfer Vinyl) printing

Given the above examples, it’s not hard to notice that besides traditional printings like screen and pad printing, digital printing has now been widely applied in the specialty printing industry. So how does digital printing differ from traditional printing? Its three main features will provide a brief understanding:

1.1 Digital graphic file

Take screen printing for example. One key element that make screen printing special is its application of plate, or we call it stencil. In screen printing, a desired graphic has to be processed through film positive creation, emulsion application, exposure to light and washing to become a stencil, which will be used as a graphic template in the following printing process.
Digital printing on the contrary, only requires graphics in digital format that enable direct interpretation and transformation by digital printers. This feature effectively simplifies the graphic preparation, but at the same time demands for a higher quality of both graphics and printers.

1.2 Digital printing techniques

Another feature of digital printing lies in the printing techniques it applies. Unlike screen and pad printing that only handles solid color graphic or a single layer of multi-colored graphic at a time, most digital printing delivers full colors and full details in one go, through digital printers (except for HTV printing, which deliver solid color “printing” by cutting out graphic outline on vinyl sheet and requires further weeding).
Hence, for digital printing, the printer configuration significantly impacts the final printing output and should always be the primary consideration.

1.3 Special materials

Besides printers, digital printing also applies other special materials to achieve high quality printings, including below consumables that vary depending on specific digital printing method:

Ink & films: Designed to match specific configuration, digital printers from different brand often require proprietary inks and films that can’t be used interchangeably.

Adhesive powder & coating: Both are commonly used in digital printing to help improve ink viscosity on specific substrates, such as fabric, metal, glass and so on.

2.How to Achieve Premium Results in Digital Specialty Printing

2.1 RIP software: a perfect graphic file transformer

For people that are new to digital specialty printing, the first challenge might be the use of RIP software, which is a must to process every printing task.
To understand what RIP software is, first let’s understand two formats of image: vector graphic and bitmap graphic (or raster graphic). Vector graphic is commonly seen for graphic design area, it is composed of multiple reference points and curves. On the contrary, bitmap graphic is composed of pixels and is commonly used to present photos. When scaled up, a bitmap graphic can become blurred and pixelated, with the image breaking down into visible individual pixels or dots.

image: https://amadine.com/useful-articles/what-is-vector-graphics

RIP software, also called Raster Image Processor, is used to transform vector graphics into bitmap graphics as digital printers require. Most digital printers, especially inkjet printers, apply nozzles to deposit ink onto mediums. With colors and details get decomposed in raster graphic, they can be easier interpreted by the printer to achieve more accurate, detailed and vibrant printing.
With the popularity of digital printing, RIP software has got giant development over years. Take the PRO RIP software from Procolored for example, since its first launch, it has been progressively upgraded with multiple operation languages, clearer user interface, and more optional printing settings, and is estimated to launch a brand new version designated for Macbook in 2025.

2.2 Top-notch digital printer: a competent printing interpreter

With a high quality bitmap graphic in hand, a very next step is to accurately convey it to a digital printer, which can only be achieved through a top-notch one with below exclusive configurations:

High DPI: DPI refers to Dots Per Inch, it measures the number of dots a printer can place within one inch of space on the printed material. A printer with higher DPI can better interpret a graphic’s high resolution, delivering printings with vibrant reproduction in both colors and details.

image: https://www.kioskmarketplace.com/blogs/203-vs-300-dpi-for-printers-an-updated-guide/

Advanced printer drive: Printer drive decides printer settings concerning to color management and data processing. An advanced printer drive enables a wider range of color gamuts, a quicker data processing and an enhanced printing quality.

Top-notch ink circulation and nozzles: Defective nozzles will get clogged or misaligned more easily, especially when without a powerful and effective ink circulation. To achieve premium effects in digital specialty printing, it’s essential to choose printers configured with stable ink supply (particularly for white ink) and top-notch printhead nozzles, to guarantee a uninterrupted working schedule.

2.3 Premium consumables: the reliable execution agents

As previously mentioned, digital specialty printers exhibit a higher standard of printing consumables since they have to and are designed to perfectly work with each other. Take DTF printing for example. Besides machines like a DTF printer, an oven and a heat press, DTF printing also requires DTF inks that are endowed with specific viscosity and drying time to meet the printing pace of the printer; as well as films with specific thickness and glossiness to protect inks from flowing and bleeding; and finally the adhesive powder with specific components to thoroughly cure inks.
To achieve digital specialty printing in a premium effect, the pairing and genuine consumables must be applied, to avoid any deficiency caused by the incompatibility between them and the printing machines.

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