Setting Up Volume Digital Printing Production

Learn how to design your digital printing production line for maximum output. February 25, 2011
By Greg Kitson, Contributing Writer

In a typical day, we may produce two to four orders, which could be two-sided or have prints in more than one location. We deliberately group orders for production efficiency, as well as delivery commitments.

I spent about 4.5 years researching digital printing technology before I invested in two digital direct-to-garment printers in June 2009. I went to trade shows and talked to all the major manufacturers. I also talked to users. I had sample shirts printed that I compared and washed, and I spent countless hours evaluating how I could make this technology work in my shop.  

I went from being very concerned that digital printing may someday replace textile screen printing to realizing that it’s really just another tool that serves a niche in the decorated apparel industry, much like embroidery, sublimation or heat-applied graphics.

When I finally decided that digital printing had a place in my business, I had to stop thinking like a screen printer. While the result — a design on a shirt — is the same, the process is entirely different and literally requires a change of mindset. Even after having digital printing in my shop for more than 18 months, I still have to stop myself from thinking like a screen printer when dealing with digital technology.

Contract work accounts for about 70% of my business, and those customers consist of smaller printers, promotional products distributors and sporting goods stores. My custom business, which makes up the remaining 30%, is the usual mix of schools, local businesses and walk-in customers. Because of my existing customer relationships, background and experience, I immediately knew when I started shopping for a digital printer that I wanted to set it up to do volume production.

Even when we finally purchased two digital printers in summer 2009, the plan was to spend about a year figuring it out. I estimated I would spend about six months learning how to use it and another six months determining how to best sell it.

Shopping For a Machine
I did not want a digital operation that could print only one shirt at a time, meaning that the only way to increase volume would be to add more machines. This instantly eliminated all the machines that only printed one shirt at a time.

The machine I finally selected was different than most on the market. Many digital printers require you to load an individual shirt on a platen. Then, the platen goes underneath the inkjet head and comes back out the same side. The cycle is then repeated.

The model I bought gives me a choice of having the shirt go in and come back out, or go all the way through and come out the other side. So the system I put together works like a conveyor dryer. Eventually, my IT guy — who was in charge of this project — built a custom roller rail system that allows for preloaded platens to be waiting in a “staging” area on the in-feed end of the printer.

The machine can print a design with a dimension of 17" x 31 1⁄2". For a full-front design, it can print two shirts at a time. For a left-chest design, it can print four shirts at a time, or it can print one oversized design, such as a beach towel. We’ve even used it to do shirt labels, in which case we are able to print four shirts at a time with the supplied platens.

The machine came with only one pallet, but I immediately ordered an extra one for each printer. In my quest to do everything possible to keep the print heads moving, I quickly discovered that by tinkering with pallet design, I could get even more versatility in terms of what and how much I could print. So I had a local machine shop make custom pallets to suit our needs. In our present operation, we have 12 pallets (six for each printer), allowing for maximum productivity.

The Production Process
Once a set of shirts is printed, they come out the opposite end of the printer onto another roller rail system, where the operator removes a shirt from a platen, takes a few steps to a table with a heat press, loads the shirt and heat presses it. By using an automatic pop-up heat press, the operator does not have to wait for the timer to go off. Instead, he gets the next shirt and loads it onto the second heat press. By this time, the first shirt is done, unloaded and placed on a table for pickup by another operator, who either prepares it for shipping or — if it’s a two-sided design — loads the flip side of the shirt onto a ready-to-go pallet.

At any given time, if we’re working with a full-front design, there are two pallets waiting to be unloaded or in some stage of being heat pressed, two pallets under the inkjet head and two pallets being reloaded for the next run.

With a full-front design, the process can take up to six minutes per shirt from start to finish. With this type of setup, we consistently can complete up to 25 images (that may be a mixture of full-front, left-chest, or label-printed designs) per hour, per machine. Label prints go extremely fast; we have done up to 50 shirts an hour doing that type of printing.

Precise registration is required to be successful, and we use a laser targeting system to ensure we are accurate when printing on or over pockets, as well as in multimedia applications, etc. You do not load a shirt on a digital printer platen in the same manner as a screen printing platen. The surface must be completely parallel to the inkjet head. So zippers, buttons, plackets, etc., must be tucked under the platen or moved out of the way in some fashion. If the print head strikes the substrate, it may need replacing, which is expensive.

The biggest point to remember about maximizing digital production is that it’s all about workflow. The only time you are making money is when that print head is moving. So when you are setting up your production area, focus on a constantly moving print head.

Pretreatment Machines
In keeping with making the production line as efficient as possible, we also invested in a pretreatment machine. All shirts that use white ink in the design have to be pretreated with a special solution before printing. Without an automated machine, this involves using a hand-held airless spray gun. A shirt is hung in some type of booth or backdrop to catch the overspray, and the operator sprays the shirt. Much like manual printing, the amount of spray and the size of the area can vary from operator to operator — or even with the same operator if he gets tired.

The automatic pretreatment machine applies exactly the same amount of solution each time and is not affected by human frailties. It also takes about half the time from start to finish. I highly recommend it if you want to maximize your productivity.

We also purchased two 16" x 20" automatic release pop-up heat presses for each digital printer (a total of four). We found that two machines per digital printer was just the right amount to keep up with the production. You will have to evaluate drying and curing times in your own shop environment because you will need different time, temperature and pressure formula settings for different garment types.

Remember, you can’t cure the ink without removing all the moisture from it, as well as the garment. And depending on the thickness of the garment, the dwell time will vary. Write down and post each garment’s settings in a prominent location because your memory will be wrong!

Production Logistics
Our digital production area takes up about 600 square feet of space. It’s usually manned by two to three operators who keep both machines printing at maximum speed. Each machine has its own computer.

Our average order size is from one to 100 pieces. In a typical day, we might produce two to four orders, which may be two-sided or have prints in more than one location. At this time, as we continue to build up this business, we deliberately group orders for production efficiency, as well as delivery commitments. So we’re running the machines two to three hours every other day.

As I mentioned earlier, we’ve even printed label or branding prints on the outside of garments. With some tooling changes, it’s also possible to do unique label prints on the inside of a shirt. Other useful capabilities of our digital printers include sampling and mixed media. We have just begun exploring these areas and intend to further increase these applications.

For short-run, multicolor orders, this system has allowed us to accommodate a whole new customer base that previously had to be turned away — either due to the time and cost of making multiple screens or the extremely small order size. Now, when a customer wants a couple of shirts in youth sizes added to their volume screen printed order, we can accommodate him using this system.

I expect to continue to improve on our efficiency and productivity with this emerging technology. As our shop learns how to better “think outside the screen,” we anticipate this part of our business continuing to grow at a healthy rate. For screen printing shops that have been dragging their heels about adopting this new technology, I think you will find that it has a place in any type of decorated apparel operation and can be a profitable endeavor if it is set up to maximize productivity and is properly priced.

Greg Kitson is founder and president of Mind’s Eye Graphics, Decatur, Ind. For more information or to comment on this article, e-mail Greg at greg@mindseyeg.com or visit mindseyeg.com.



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