|
What is Dye Sublimation Printing?
The sublimation process is a process in which a substrate (usually paper) is imaged using conventional printing processes with dyes and then transferred to another substrate (usually synthetic material) using heat and pressure.
The inks are special sublimation inks, which contain dye. The original substrate (hereafter, printed transfer) is placed against the synthetic material. When heat and pressure is applied the dyes within the ink of the printed transfer turn into a gas and chemically bond with the synthetic material. When the printed transfer and synthetic material are separated the synthetic material ends up with a reverse image of the printed transfer. The printed transfer can only be used once. The printed transfers are usually imaged using the offset or silk screen process. Offset is the highest quality method of producing the transfers.
Top
What Color Inks Can Be Used?
There are up to 30 dyes available for the offset printing process: black, cyan, warm magenta, cool magenta, yellow, brown, fluorescent yellow, fluorescent pink and some others. PMS colors can be obtained using the above dyes given the same limitations that apply to printing PMS colors using process screen mixes with conventional offset printing.
Top
Overall Design Considerations
Try to design the pieces using bright colors. Avoid critical details in low contrast areas as they can get lost during the transfer process. Avoid small and intricate detailed graphics, as they will also get lost. Keep all critical graphics and text 1/2" from the edges of the final transferred piece. Transferring is usually done by hand, so leave 1/4" bleeds on all four sides.
For mousepads, get the exact size of the pad from Tech Media Industries before beginning. Avoid large areas of white, as they will soil quickly. Darker backgrounds work best.
Top
Typesetting
Light Type on Dark Backgrounds
Because of the propensity of sublimation to gain, keep reverse type open. Use a font size no smaller than 10pt. and avoid thin serifs and lines. Keep the kerning and leading open.
Top
Dark Type on Light Backgrounds
Dark type on a light background should be thin or medium. Avoid heavy bold fonts as during the transfer process they have a tendency to fill in. Keep type at least 8pt. if possible.
If feasible, keep all type out of raster images as it can affect the final product. It is preferred to stroke all fonts in Illustrator or Freehand before importing the file into a layout program such as Quark or PageMaker.
Remember to include all non-stroked fonts with the disk. Don't forget the fonts in embedded EPS images.
Top
Graphics
Keep vector images clean using bright colors. If the art originates as a vector image, don't convert it to a raster image. Keep concepts bold and avoid extremely fine detail, as it will get lost during the transfer process. If you have PMS colors be sure to call them out as such even if the job is printing 4-color process. This lets us know the color you are trying to obtain in the final product. Make absolutely sure there is no banding in any graduation screens. It is always preferable to create all graduations in PhotoShop from scratch. If you can see any banding in your color proof at all it will be unacceptable for sublimation.
Prepare raster images as you would for regular offset lithography, except try to choose bright images. Avoid tightly detailed or drab colored images. The brightest images work best. Be sure your image is high resolution, 270dpi or above at 100%. Please give us any layered files if you have them.
Top
Specifications For Plastic Laminated Mousepads
Due to the difference in manufacturing processes of cloth mousepads and plastic laminated mousepads, the following apply:
- Bleed artwork 1/8" beyond pad simensions ( cut Line). If you have any question regarding the specifications, please call us.
- Thinner type may be used on laminated pads.
- Keep all critical artwork and text at least 1/4" from edge.
Top
File Preparation and Shipment to Tech Media
Because of the complexity of the process, we cannot accept film. We must work with the image digitally.
Please set up your file in the Mac format if at all possible. Send us your files on 3.5, 100mb Zip disk, or 1 gig Jazz disk.
Top
Be sure to include on the disk:
- Layout file (Quark, PageMaker, etc.).
- All fonts. It is a good idea to convert all your fonts to outlines (paths), as this will guarantee that there won't be any problems with the fonts (fonts converted to outlines (paths), don't need to be included).
- Graphic files (Tiff, EPS, etc).
If you are trying to match any PMS color or company corporate colors, be sure to send us any swatches or samples. Remember, though, we can only mix colors using the limited number of dyes. Include some sort of guide to let us know what and where PMS colors are trying to be obtained.
Please send us a hard copy if at all possible. It is preferable to have a color proof at swop standards that have been okayed by all concerned parties.
If you have any further questions concerning sublimation printing please feel free to contact us at the following addresses.
Tech Media Industries, Inc.,
1556 Ocean Ave.
Building 14
Bohemia, NY 11716
Tel:1-800-329-8299 Fax:1-631-493-0380
Top
|
