Dryer For DTG And Screen Printing Now 78 In. Wide

A new LittleRed X3D-78 infrared conveyor dryer with a 78 in. (198 cm) wide conveyor belt can cure 185 garments/h DTG-printed with digital white ink, 1080/h screen printed with plastisol ink, and 555/h screen printed with water-based ink or discharge.

"All LittleRed XD series dryers are specifically engineered to cure DTG printed digital white ink, which is the most difficult due to its high water content, and can therefore also cure all types of screen printed inks at extremely high rates," explains Mark Vasilantone, president.

The DTG-specific feature of this dryer is a high-powered pre-heating zone that boosts ink temperatures past 300°F (149°C) within the first few inches (centimeters) of conveyor travel. This increases the dwell time that ink is exposed to optimum curing temperatures, allowing speed of the conveyor belt and machine output to be increased.

Previously available in a 30 in. (76 cm) wide model for a single row of garments and a 54 in. (137 cm) wide model for two rows, the new 78 in. (198 cm) wide X3D-78 can accommodate three rows of normal sized garments or two rows of oversized garments, yielding higher capacity than any conventional dryer in the equivalent amount of floor space, according to the company.

"This super-wide machine is ideal for high-production shops that need to handle the maximum output of automatic presses and/or direct-to-garment printers including shops running high capacity Kornit DTG machines” says Vasilantone, adding, "No other dryer of equivalent size or cost can match its performance."

The dryer’s three 12 x 72 in. (30.5 x 183 cm) wide heaters output a combined 26,700 watts @240V, and are digitally-controlled and height-adjustable to maximize curing efficiency for bulky or over-sized garments. The X3D-78 also offers precision-thermal-profiling (PTP) to match curing conditions to the drying characteristics of each ink type, particularly difficult-to-cure inkjet-printed white ink.

The new dryer is 102 in. (260 cm)  long, 89 in. (226 cm) wide and 54 in. (137 cm) high, and features a 1100 CFM (31.2 CMM) targeted exhaust system as standard to rapidly remove moisture and air contaminates from the heating chamber, while keeping exterior surfaces and controls cool.

The output of all Vastex floor-standing conveyor dryers can be increased by an order of magnitude as needs grow by adding heating chambers and lengthening the conveyor belt, with one or two additional heating chambers, allowing doubling or tripling of conveyor belt speed and drying capacity.

The conveyor belt is continuously centered by a roller belt tracking system patented by the company, and driven at precisely controlled speeds to vary dwell time.

The heaters of all Vastex dryers carry an industry-leading 15-year warranty, and feature closely spaced coils that provide high-density, medium-wavelength infrared heat for maximum cure speed without cold spots or under curing associated with conventional units.

The company also manufactures smaller tabletop dryers, larger industrial-grade dryers, heavy-, medium- and light-duty presses, athletic numbering systems, flash cure units, screen coaters, screen exposing units, screen drying cabinets, pin registration systems, washout booths and complete equipment packages for entry-level to large commercial shops. Also offered is a comprehensive range of training classes covering general subjects for beginners to specialized topics for experienced professionals.

Source: Vastex International.

The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Wide-Format Impressions. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of Wide-Format Impressions.