Ink jet printing a perspective- for home textiles

KITL

Future Directions in the Indian Home Textiles(Ink Jet Printing of Textiles – A Perspective)

Dr. Sanjiv Kamat

KITLKothari Info Tech LimitedWho we are ?

KITL is a technology company known for its innovative products world-wide. KITL has invested into its own R&D covering the field of ink chemistry, RIP and colour management and variable data printing software.

What we do ?

• Producer of Inks for digital textile printing. Charu™ inks and Disha™ pre-coatings • Producer of RIP and colour management software for digital textile printing.

Print Pro™• Provider of Digital textile printing solutions to customers in India based around the

equipments of our OEM partners.

As an OEM supplier of inks and RIP, our products are marketed all over the world through our OEM customers and are well accepted.

inks@kothariinfotech.com

KITLThree Key Perspectives-

1.Technology. Road ahead with advances in technology ...

2. Practitioner.

Myths and constructive suggestions to improve print quality and optimization of resources... Road to Quality

3. Business. How business should treat this new form of printing so that it is profitable for them and meaningful for the customers / end-users...... The market approach.

Today’s Journey

KITL

1. Technology Perspective

June 2014

KITLMethods of Textile Printing• Block, Brush, Spray

• Stencil / Table

• Roller

• Screen• Flat Bed• Rotary

• Transfer

• Digital/ Inkjet

KITLKITLInkJet - Historical Timeline17th to 19th Century

Development and evolution of basic science related to inkjet – Fluid Dynamics.

1878Rayleigh-Mechanism of liquid stream in droplets

1930’sInk jet for e recording device

1951Siemens “Elema” first commercial ink jet m/c

1967Stork produces high colour images by ink jet

1970’sPiezo and thermal DOD, Printing of carpets, Milliken/Zimmer

1991Seiren develops inkjet production line

1995 Canon in cooperation with Ichinose develops a printer capable of printing 1mt per minute at ITMA

1999Ichinose develops 12 color printer using thermal heads.

21st Century

DuPont/Ichinose, Durst, Mimaki, Konica Minolta, Reggiani, Robustelli, Stork, MS, Zimmer and many others contributed to the development of this industry and emerged as major players.

This period also saw the development of the print-head that eventually led to the development of the machines that rival the production of conventional machines!

KITLThe Essential Elements

Process oriented• Fabric• Pre-Treatment• Ink• Post-treatment

Technology oriented• Fabric Feed System/

Printer• Print head• Software -RIP

KITLFabrics

Acrylic

Cotton

Linen

Nylon

Polyester

Rayon

Silk

Viscose

Wool

Blends

• Most fabrics can be printed digitally with selection of proper inks and suitable pre-treatment and fixation methods.

Non woven

KITLInks

DuPont

DyStar

Fuji-Sericol

Huntsman

Jaysynth

Kothari Info Tech

Nippon Kayaku

Nazdar

Sawgrass

Stork

Solunaris

• Fabric dependent

• Acid dye• Reactive Dye• Dispersed Dye• Sublimation

• Fabric independent

• Pigment

KITLPost processing

Coaters, Steamers, Washers - What do these machines look like?

KITLPrinthead Technology

Epson

Fuji Diamatix

HP

Konica Minolta

Spectra

Seiko

Kyocera

Ricoh

Kyocera KJ4 2656 nozzles

Epson DX 7 1440 nozzles

Konica Minolta 1024

KITLSoftware- your printer is as good as your sw

Wasatch

IneditPrint Pro-KITL

ErgosoftDP Innovations

DGS

Features of a textile RIP

• Ensures the colour reproduction.

• Selects the volume and placement of the drop needed to reproduce a colour.

• Manages the workflow and Imaging model – from Design to Print.

Caldera

KITLPrinting Machines

DGenDurst

IchinoseKonica / Minolta

KornitLa Mecchanica

MimakiMS / Dove

Mutoh

ReggianiRoland

SPG PrintsZimmer

Robustelli

KITLGarment Printing

KITLPrint methods

KITLFuture ProductivityScanning based systems present a robust model with

regards to image quality.

Speed could be improved byIncreasing number of printing rails. Increasing the number of nozzles per colour Higher Jetting Frequency Larger Swath SizeImproved Chemistry

KITL

2. Practitioner’s perspective

June 2014

KITL

• Designers / Merchandisers

• Production house/ Printer

June 2014

Who are the stake holders ?

KITL

1. Complete Paradigm shift !• Creative freedom for Designers

with no color limitations.• Easy, flexible and eco-friendly

way of production.

2. Opportunities!

June 2014

What is at Stake?

KITLThe Digital Advantage• Advantages No minimums• On demand manufacturing• Efficient sampling• No repeat size• No limit on colours• No colour kitchen• No screen engraving• No screen warehousing• No limit on design size• Flexible design possibilities• Superior design resolution• Reduced waste• Reduced manpower• Consistent quality• Reduction in Water and Carbon Footprint

• Presumed Disadvantages• Speed• Cost

KITL

“Cheap no good. Good no cheap”

Old Red Indian Saying

KITLComparison of the Print Process

KITLHow Green is the Process

KITLNeeded change- Education

• Digital printing is yet not given the due importance in educational institutes.

• Production in today’s environment is managed by machine “operators” with no exposure to textiles.

• Textile printers have little knowledge or inclination towards digital printing.

This must change. Focus is necessary in formal education sector to teach different aspects of this new technology.

KITLNeeded change- Mind set

Traditional Printer “what it cant do”

Designers, textile artists, fine artists- this technology is about “what it can do” to never before products and services

Unlimited repeat sizes, tonal graphics, engineered designs that cross seam lines, quicker samples, customization and short run production

KITLImplementation…

Quality is not by chance but by design.

It depends upon what and how the choices are made in the technology selection and implementation!

KITLMake proper & informed choices

Don’t – •Base your purchase decisions on a feel good factor.

Instead – •Choose your solution provider carefully.

KITLSolution provider 

• Select vendor with “problem solving ability/experience”.

• Must have sound knowledge of the following domains to help you succeed –

• Printing Machinery• Chemistry• Software / color management process.

KITLMaking choices – Printing machine

• Invest in right technology – • CMYK is not enough. 8 colors needed.

• Speed is not the only panacea, Speed must always be evaluated at sufficient inking rates for each primaries.

• For some fabrics, it requires about 18 – 20 gm/m2 per color to achieve coloration similar to conventional printing.

• One pass vs Multiple pass.

• High DPI, how high is high enough?

KITLMaking choices – Good Pretreatment

• Maximize color yield, given the limited quantity of ink that can be jetted at particular resolution.

• Handle large ink volume laid down at high speed printing

• Controls penetration when printing with high viscosity inks at high printing speeds - brighter colours.

• Soft handle and maintain whiteness and strength of the fabric.

• Better levelness of colour

• Maintains the definition of the drop- sharper prints and better image quality.

Pre-treatment needs to be given its due importance

KITLMaking choices – Chemistry

• Is cheap ink really cheap?

• A Good ink can -

• Provide Good coloration

• Reliable jetting and printing performance

• Longer print head life.

• Higher printing speeds ( by able to jet at higher frequencies).

Choose your ink supplier carefully.

KITLMaking choices – Software

• Besides speed of processing, one should also look for - ability to handle very large images.

• Colour handling, especially light and dark inks.

• Colour management

• Colour profiling

• Ability to handle colour gradations

• Imaging model

• Ability to handle variable drops.

KITL

3. Business Perspective

June 2014

KITLHome textiles in India

KITLBed Linen: Rotary. High end Luxury (Lamp shades)

Bath linen: Beach towels, shower curtains

Upholstery: Jacquards, coordinates

Curtains: Design

Blankets: Sofa Throws

Kitchen linen: Price sensitive

Rugs and carpets: Woven

Printing Status Today

KITLMarket Drivers

Fast and Frequent Design Changes

Economic Short Print Runs

Increased Demand For Personalisation

Increased Demand For Niche Products

Delivery time is same day

KITLRegionwise Coloration Units

Regions Coloration units

South India 1050

West India 900

Central India 250

East India 100

North India 550

TOTAL 2850

KITLShorter print runs

Lesser inventory risks

Production to match shorter fashion cycles

Unlimited Colour-ways

No repeat length limitation

The Digi Advantage

KITL

Favorable Demography (35?!)Favorable Demography (35?!)

Indian Consumer

• New Indian Consumer

• Living in a globally integrated environment

• Moving towards to self-indulgence and self expression

• New Indian Consumer

• Living in a globally integrated environment

• Moving towards to self-indulgence and self expression

Changing LifestyleChanging Lifestyle

Rising AspirationsRising Aspirations

Increasing Awareness (Internet 3rd)Increasing Awareness (Internet 3rd)

Increasing AffordabilityIncreasing Affordability

KITLChanging Housing Market

• Housing has moved from “area” to “pick and choose”

• Desires adjusted based on prices but ready to pay a premium.

• Coordinated colours textures designs or what is called as “concepts” for homes.

Annually there is 15-20% growth in the Luxury segment including home textiles

KITLSocialites

Conservatives

Working Women

Rich

Consumer Segments

KITLSituation as it exists nowCurrent Status: • Designs in 8-12 colours• Decisions at the production level•without the customer being involvedIn spite of reduction designs/order mts ,the sale is through material in stockChoice to customer, limited to what is offered by the manufacturer

What has changed today with Digital printing in India:•Little better designs•better inventory control•better production planning•faster response time due all the above

Makes you wonder Is That All?!

KITLDigiprint the way Forward

Designer becomes the creative link between the business and the technician and do “Uninhibited Thinking”

A Quantum Leap possible only with customer involvement

Idea is to• Engage the customer • Enhance the customer experience • Produce on demand

KITLCustomer Involvement

Key factor is to engage (all the stake holders ) each and every one in the value chain

In fact billion people have billion choices and with this technology it is possible for Individualistic satisfaction

The future would be to sell on demand with mass customisation

KITLExperience Centres

•Feel and select fabric,•choose textures •work with designers/ editors to generate designs as per their idea / need, •make choices of colours they require and• finalise quantities they wish to purchase.

At such centres, customers can't and will not go empty handed !!!

KITLInternet Based

•Compliment experience centres. On line catalogue, choose from standard fabric, colour and design or supply on design and get quantity printed.

•Supplement experience centres. Repeat orders, new orders. Need not go away from the living room. Material delivered at specifies place

KITLNew additional opportunities

• Standard coated fabrics for feeding machines.

• Specific Pre-post processing centres at digital printing clusters.

• For Designers to set up their exclusive boutiques

KITL

“Yesterday has gone.Tomorrow has not yet come.Today is what we have.Let us begin.”

- Mother Teresa

KITL