Film, ink and powder are where quality is won or lost. Saving a few pounds a roll shows up as curling, poor release and reprints — which cost more than the saving.
Both work. The right one depends on how your workflow runs, not on which is better.
Peeled straight off the press while hot. Faster on a busy bench, and gives a slightly matte finish. Less forgiving if your press temperature drifts.
Left to cool before peeling. Slower, but more tolerant and typically gives a smoother, glossier finish with crisper fine detail.
Around 75 microns is the common single-sheet standard. Thinner film feeds more cheaply but curls more in the oven.
Finer powder gives a softer feel and better fine detail; coarser powder bonds more aggressively on heavy fabrics.
Film and powder both hate damp. Sealed, dry and off the floor — humidity causes half the mystery adhesion faults people report.
| Issue | What causes it | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| White going thin or patchy | Pigment settling in the line or tank | Daily circulation, agitate cartridges, never leave a machine idle for days without a shutdown routine |
| Nozzle dropouts | Dried ink at the capping station or on the wiper | Clean the capping station and wiper on schedule — this is the single highest-value maintenance task |
| Colour shifting between runs | Ambient humidity and temperature swings | Keep the room stable; profile the RIP under the conditions you actually work in |
| Halo around the design | White underbase generated too large in the RIP | Adjust choke settings in the RIP rather than editing artwork |
TODO: confirm which consumables are supplied and at what price — no figures published until confirmed.
Nine times out of ten it is film, powder, humidity or the cure — not the printer. Describe the fault and we will tell you where to look.
Describe the fault