Nowadays, UV DTF printing is becoming increasingly popular. Manufacturers produce exquisite items such as custom ceramic cups and key chains through UV DTF technology. Many people also want to try this technology to make their own unique objects, but have given up because they do not have a dedicated UV DTF printer. In fact, you can use a UV DTF type B film without a UV DTF printer to make unique items. In this blog, we’ll explain the relevant knowledge and the specific operation process.
Table of Contents:
Having a Regular Printer
Not Having a Printer
Relevant Knowledge You Need to Know
What is UV DTF Printing
UV DTF Printing stands for ultraviolet direct to film printing. It is a digital printing method that uses a UV printer to print on film to make decals or stickers for hard surfaces. The products printed by UV DTF are bright in color and have a strong three-dimensional effect. After curing, these products have excellent wear resistance and are not easy to fade or fall off.
Advantages and Disadvantages of UV DTF Printing
Advantages:
- UV DTF printing breaks the limitation that traditional UV printing cannot work on smooth surfaces. And this UV DTF printing technology is suitable for hard or curved material surfaces. It can present excellent printing effects on items made of materials such as metal, glass and ceramics.
- The UV DTF printing technology can achieve varnish printing, making the printed patterns more vivid, the text clearer, and the printed designs can also be retained for a long time.
- During the printing process, the UV LED inside the printer can instantly cure the UV ink, which can reduce the waiting time after printing.
Disadvantages:
- Due to the conventional size of AB film and the requirement for pressure uniformity during transfer, UV DTF printing is difficult to handle super-large substrates (such as large outdoor billboards).
- The cost of using UV DTF printing is relatively high. If you want to experience UV DTF printing technology fully, you need a dedicated printer and UV ink, which requires a higher initial investment and higher consumable costs than other traditional printing technologies.
What is a UV DTF Type B
UV DTF type B is a material that is used in UV DTF printing. It is used in conjunction with type A film. Type A film has glue and is used to carry printed patterns. The type B film has stronger adhesion than the type A film. When the type A film and the type B film are pressed together, the pattern will adhere to the type B film and eventually transfer to the surface of the substrate.
Why Use a UV DTF Type B without Printer
As we mentioned earlier, UV DTF printers are very expensive. Therefore, if you just want to experience UV DTF printing technology or your production scale is relatively small, you can choose to use a UV DTF type B without a printer.
The printer we are mentioning here is a specially designed UV DTF printer. Next, we will specifically introduce the usage process of two scenarios: having a regular printer and not having a printer.
How to Use a UV DTF Type B without Printer
Having a Regular Printer:
If you have a regular printer (preferably an inkjet printer), you can make unique UV DTF items through these steps.
1. Prepare Your Design
- First of all, you need to prepare your design. You can search for your favorite design templates online and save them as PDF files. If you need a more personalized design, you can use design software to complete this step, such as Adobe Photoshop, Canva, and so on.
- Then, you need to print your design on ordinary paper. You can choose the right size of paper according to your design size. If you have multiple designs, it’s best to print each design pattern on a separate sheet of paper to facilitate subsequent operations.
2. Cut Your UV DTF Type B Film
- After the ink on your design dries, you can cover your design with UV DTF type B film and cut the type B film according to the size of the design.
- It is worth noting that you need to leave an appropriate safety zone. The cut UV DTF type B film should be slightly larger than your design size to prevent the design from being damaged.
3. Apply UV Adhesive
- You need to place the cut UV DTF type B film on a clean and flat table. Please note that it is best to complete this step indoors to avoid direct sunlight, which may cause the UV adhesive to cure prematurely.
- Take an appropriate amount of UV glue (determine the amount according to the size of the type B film) and pour it in the center of the UV DTF type B film.
- Use a hard plastic scraper to evenly apply the UV adhesive onto the UV DTF type B film. Make the UV adhesive form a uniform thin adhesive layer on the surface of the type B film.
4. Transfer Your design to the Type B Film
- Align the design paper precisely with the UV adhesive layer of the B film.
- After fitting, immediately use a scraper to scrape from the center of the design paper to all sides, and completely discharge the air between the paper and the glue. If there is residual air, it will cause some ink to fail to transfer to the B film, resulting in blank areas.
5. Cure UV Adhesive
- Keep the design paper and B film in a fit state, and align the UV lamp to the fit area for curing. The specific curing time and distance need to be referred to the usage instructions of the UV adhesive you are using.
- After curing, gently lift one corner of the design paper to check if the ink has been completely transferred to the B film. If there is still obvious ink residue on the paper, it means that the curing time is insufficient or the adhesive layer is too thin, and it is necessary to re-implement the previous step and extend the curing time. If the pattern on the B film is intact, the entire design paper can be completely torn off.
- Properly handle the cured type B film to prevent dust accumulation. You can use a clean cup or bowl to cover the UV DTF type B film.
6. Clean the surface of the Substrate
The substrate must meet the conditions of a smooth and hard surface (such as mobile phone cases, metal plates, ceramic cups, etc.). Wipe the surface with alcohol to remove dust and grease.
7. Transfer Your Design to the Substrate
- Align the UV DTF B film with the substrate. When applying to curved objects (such as glass cups), you need to stick them slowly from one side to the other to avoid wrinkles or bubbles.
- Press the UV DTF sticker with your palm for 3-5 minutes to activate the adhesive with body heat. This strengthens the bond, making it easier to remove the carrier sheet.
- Check if there are any lifted edges or bubbles. If there are small bubbles, you can gently prick them with a needle tip and then flatten them with a scraper. If there are small areas of warped edges, a small amount of UV glue can be applied to the warped areas and then cured by irradiation with a UV lamp.
- Slowly peel off the UV DTF type B film at a low angle, leaving the design on the surface of the substrate. Ultimately, you can obtain items with your ideal design.
Not Having a Printer:
If you don't have a printer, you can make unique UV DTF items through these steps.
1. Prepare Your Design
- You can search for your favorite design templates online and save them as PDF files. If you need a more personalized design, you can use design software to complete this step, such as Adobe Photoshop, Canva, and so on.
- To ensure good results, you can add appropriate safety zones around the design during the design process.
2. Purchase the Pre-Printed Type B Film
Purchase the UV DTF Type B film from a store specializing in selling UV DTF materials. You can send your design over to obtain the pre-printed UV DTF type B film.
3. Cut Your UV DTF Type B Film
Use scissors to trim the UV DTF type B Film into the desired shape. When cutting, a safety boundary should be left for easy handling. If you are purchasing UV DTF gang sheets, please carefully cut each design.
4. Clean the surface of the Substrate
The substrate must meet the conditions of a smooth and hard surface (such as mobile phone cases, metal plates, ceramic cups, etc.). Wipe the surface with alcohol to remove dust and grease.
5. Transfer Your Design to the Substrate
- Carefully peel off the backing layer of the UV DTF type B film to reveal the adhesive side. Avoid touching the adhesive to prevent reduced bonding.
- Align the UV DTF type B film with the substrate. When applying to curved objects (such as glass cups), you need to stick them slowly from one side to the other to avoid wrinkles or bubbles.
- Press the UV DTF type B film with your palm for 3-5 minutes to activate the adhesive with body heat. This strengthens the bond, making it easier to remove the carrier sheet.
- Slowly peel off the UV DTF type B film at a low angle, leaving the design on the surface of the substrate. If any parts lift, press them back down and re-peel carefully. Smooth out any remaining bubbles with your fingers. Ultimately, you can obtain items with your ideal design.
FAQs about Using a UV DTF Type B without Printer
1. Is heat pressing required when using UV DTF type B films?
UV DTF is a special form of DTF, specially designed for hard surfaces, including both flat and curved ones. It uses UV-cured ink that is not heated. Therefore, whether a dedicated printer is used or not, an oven and a hot press are not required during the process of using UV DTF type B films.
2. Can UV DTF Type B films be used for large-scale production without printers?
Although using a UV DTF type B film without a printer can meet the needs of individual DIY or small-scale customization, it is not suitable for large-scale professional-level production. The main reason lies in the fact that this method is less efficient and difficult to achieve consistent printing results compared with production using dedicated printers. Therefore, if you want to mass-produce UV DTF products, it is recommended to purchase dedicated UV DTF printers.
Conclusion
Although using a type B film without a printer cannot be used for professional-level production, it is worth trying for individuals. By using a type B film without a printer, you can not only obtain unique items, but also enhance your practical ability and creativity. As long as you carefully follow the operation procedures, you can achieve the result you desire.
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