What is the difference between a DTG printer and screen printing?

Screen printing and DTG printer (direct to garment) are the two most common ways to print custom t-shirts. Screen printing is an affordable way to print hundreds of shirts, the pure cotton printer is an affordable way to print a few shirts. So how to choose between screen printing and DTG printer?

Here is the content list:

l An introduction to screen printing.

l Introduction of DTG printer.

An introduction to screen printing.

Screen printing, a proven method of printing inks on textiles, apparel, and various substrates, is a labor-intensive process designed to rapidly produce hundreds, if not thousands, of prints. The screen printing process starts with a nylon mesh screen that is coated with a photosensitive emulsion. The negative image is printed (usually on transparencies) and then "burned" into the emulsion with a strong light. The emulsion solidifies (or hardens), but the negative remains a water-soluble paste. This produces a hardened template. The screen printing technician then washes out the negative, leaving openings in the mesh for the ink to pass through. Screen technicians use automated machines to clean screens for screen printing. Rinse the screen with an automatic screen rinser. The screen is placed on the screen printer and aligned so it will line up correctly on the printing surface (usually a t-shirt). The ink is applied directly to the printing surface by pressing the ink through the openings in the stencil with a squeegee. The print is then usually cured in a heated dryer, which is heated to 320 degrees Fahrenheit for the most common screen printing ink, plastisol (though there are dozens of other types of screen printing inks). This curing process makes the ink extremely durable. Why use a DTG printer instead of screen printing? Screen printers can print shirts very fast, sometimes up to 1080 per hour! However, the setup time of the screen printer limits its possibilities.

Introduction of DTG printer.

DTG printer newer method of using digital printheads to print designs directly onto different surfaces, DTG printing is in rapid development. DTG machine is functionally similar to typical inkjet printers you can find in your home or office. The process is the same: the image is digitized by a printer and then printed directly onto a t-shirt or garment. Ink is ejected onto the surface by carefully controlled printheads.

DTG printing inks also require curing (like screen printing inks) to adhere permanently. Most DTG print shops use curing dryers or heat presses to cure their products. DTG printer range from small desktops to units requiring large climate-controlled garages. Many envision a future where customers order online and the digital printing machine prints the shirts automatically. While many businesses are trying to do this, the technical and labor challenges are proving to be enormous (even for Amazon). DTG printing is not as simple as pressing a button and there are many variables and factors to consider.

Committed to bringing customers more and better products, this is what we have been doing. If you are interested in our DTG printer products or have other needs, you can contact us, our website is https://www.kaiaotech.com/, you are welcome, and look forward to cooperating with you.