Shima Seiki, a leading computerised knitting machine manufacturer of Wakayama, together with its sales distributor Fenix Digital Group, will participate in the 29th International Trade Fair and Conference on Visual Communication (Viscom Italia 2017) in Milan, Italy, this month. On display will be the company’s newest offering in digital textile printing.
SIP-160F3 is Shima Seiki’s latest flatbed inkjet printing machine that is capable of providing beautiful full colour printing on a variety of fabrics. Reactive dyes, acid dyes and pigment inks can be used to support different types of print applications.
“Especially of note is the SIP’s new capability to print with white pigment, which will be shown for the first time in Italy at Viscom Italia,” the company reports. In order to cater to the growing digital printing market for pigment inks on textiles, direct-to-garment (DTG) printing technology will be demonstrated on finished products such as T-shirts, denim products and towels. The printing head can be raised or lowered according to substrate thickness, allowing printing on fabrics with 3D textures and finished products. Taking advantage of SIP’s flat and wide printing surface, emphasis will be placed on printing with pigments directly on various media. Multidrop inkjet technology, ink circulation and degassing system, and ink thermo-regulation provide efficient and stable printing.
Also on display is the latest version of Shima Seiki’s SDS-ONE APEX3 3D design system. The colour management system on APEX3 provides accurate simulations of the printed piece for checking before printing on SIP-160F3. APEX3 is also at the core of the company’s Total Fashion System concept. With comprehensive support of all aspects throughout the apparel supply chain, APEX3 integrates production into one smooth and efficient workflow from yarn development, product planning and design to production and even sales promotion.
“Especially effective is APEX3’s capability to improve on the planning process with Virtual Sampling. Photo-realistic simulation capability allows Virtual Sampling to minimise the costly, time-consuming sample-making process while enhancing presentation quality. Virtual Sampling also shortens the production cycle to such an extent that on-demand production is possible for mass-customisation applications,” the company adds.
