Digital Printing or Dye-Sublimation?
ATI can help YOU find the right solution for your design! Every day, ATI’s Fusion Team relies on Digital Printing and Dye-Sublimation to achieve our customers’ goals of creating decorative wall panels, unique furniture surfaces, and beautiful room dividers. Whether you’re looking for a quality photo image, a custom pattern, an engaging organic design, or a display for your company’s logo; one of these processes will get you there. Each one has its own set of rules; each is tailored to achieve certain goals.
What is Digital Printing?
A method of printing a digital-based image directly onto a variety of surfaces using an inkjet process. Since 1991, digital printing has become the preferred process for large format printing and allows for printing on a broad range of materials. So what are some of the advantages of digital printing?
- UV Protection – If your space has a lot of natural light, digital printing is guaranteed to stand against excessive UV exposure
- Flexibility – Ink flexes with the surface and will not crack, peel or delaminate. You also have the ability to print white as a spot color or a backer
- Variety of Substrates – Substrate possibilities are endless! Almost anything that will fit in the printer can be printed; Acrylic, Aluminum, Clear PVC, FRP, LuxCore, Polycarbonate, Glass, Fabric, Sintra, Wood and more
- Laminating Capabilities – Add an extra layer of laminate protection to increase its lifespan, while enhancing its appearance and surface qualities at the same time
What is Dye-Sublimation?
Dye-Sublimation is a heated printing technology that works with a variety of surfaces that have been specially coated to absorb the dye. An image is digitally printed on special paper, then transferred with high heat and pressure into the surface coating. As the name implies, inks are “sublimated” beneath the surface creating a gentle gradation at the edge of each pixel that creates a smooth, rich, high-quality image. Why choose sublimation printing?
- Long-Lasting – Embeds the image into the substrate, leaving the properties of the substrate visible. Though the image is embedded into the substrate, sublimation does not provide UV protection
- Durability – Outstanding scratch, chemical, water, and stain-resistant properties; making it great for high traffic environments such as hospitality, healthcare, and retail. The surface will not crack, peel or delaminate
- Vibrant Colors – Brilliant and deep colors give the illusion of texture and depth
- Variety of Substrates – Substrates we sublimate include Aluminum, Glass, LuxCore, Plywood, FRP, and Hardboard
What are the differences between the two?
The Choice is Yours! Virtually any image can be printed with both types of printing. Whether you need custom graphics on a durable metal surface, or soft organic images to divide a room; our team of experts can assist you in making the right choice for your project!