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laser decals

updated thu 24 mar 05

TRUTA Calin on tue 1 jun 04

Dear Colleagues,=20

Please find bellow a brief description of my experience with laser =

decals

Things are not described from the ceramist's point of view, but I think =

my "abstract" will be useful.

One year ago my brother in law has purchased a digital system for colour =

ceramic decals.

I call it "Stuart's system" because I have got basic information and =

main specific supplies from Stuart Jones, at Digital Ceramic System =

(DCS) in UK.

It is made of:

- a second hand copier, CLC900, in good operation condition, with a =

second hand Visutech RIP ( not fully satisfactory)

- set of ceramic toner - from Michael Zimmer, Germany (DCS associate) =

-firing temp 830 Celsius- decal paper ( fireable at high temp) from Stuart, also the lamination =

paper=20

- spare toner and lamination paper with covercoat from another supplier =

in Cyprus

- associated hardware + software : 700 MHz computer, flatbed scanner, =

Photoshop 5, Photodeluxe 2

- heat laminator (laminates the decal with the transfer/covercoat paper)

The system works fine, as long it is operated by a person with good =

knowledge of:

- copier settings and maintenance- four-colour printing

- photoshop

I have to insist on the aspect of full understanding of processes in the =

copier. This is essential since technicians are expensive and moreover =

do not want to deal with ceramic toner

Also, ceramic toner colour is quite different (especially magenta) from =

the regular toner. This makes rather difficult for a beginner to adjust =

the copier.

In a way or another, the image sent for printing to the copier has to =

have the colours more saturated than for a normal look. Otherwise the =final product (the image fired onto ceramic) looks dull.

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More saturation can be achieved in 3 ways, I think : with the software =

in the computer, in the RIP and using the copier internal settings. This =

is one place where strong knowledge is needed.

Also, good knowledge of colour calibration in a printing system is =

needed. It means that one has to develop or buy a software to transform =

the image on the monitor into the final fired image - to allow for fine =colour corrections. Calibration by third party is offered a high prices.

Other drawbacks compared to Cromaline (DuPont) method are:

- a weaker sharpness of the image ( the prepared image has to be =

over-sharpened)

- pure black and gray tones are pale / dingy / toneless when obtained =

solely from black toner. If obtained from a CMYK they are satisfactory.

The firing scheme to obtain a good shine is rather time-consuming, when =

using laminated covercoat. With a silk-screen lacquer, it works faster.

Concerning the printers with iron oxide, I have to say that we have =

tried with Xerox Phaser 4400N. It has enough iron as to produce a good =

image on the plate, it also accommodates decal paper (at least that from =

Stuart). But if fired in an ordinary electric kiln, the iron colour is a =

toneless red-brown - an ugly colour.Maybe one could try to:

- fire in inert gas, or in air at above 1100 Celsius ( iron oxide must =

turn black ?)

- blend the original Xerox toner with 1/3 of black ceramic toner.

I am in East Europe, Romania.

Please do not hesitate to contact me, if further details are needed.

Calin TRUTA

p.s. I almost have forgotten : the colour process is very expensive. =

Initial investment is well above 12 thousand dollars.