Introduction of Textile Printing

Textile Printing:

Textile Printing is one kind of localized dyeing that is dyes or pigments are applied locally or
discontinuously to produce various design on the fabric with a motif or motives in one more
colours.

By the term “Textile Printing” we mean the localized application of dyes or pigments and
chemicals by any method which can produce particular effect of colour on the fabric according
to the design.

Steps in Textile Printing:

Grey textiles / Raw materials

1. Preparation of textile mtls ( singening, desizing , scouring, bleaching)



2. Preparation of printing paste



3. Printing (with a certain style and method)



4. Drying of the printed fabric (in the drier)



5. Steaming of the printed fabric

(to transfer dye into fibre, 100-1020 C, 15 min in a steamer)

6. After treatment (Soaping of washing)

Difference between Dyeing & Printing:

 Dyeing Printing

1. There is no localized 1. This is the localized application of

application dyes/pigments on the fabric according to
design.

2. Colour is applied in form of 2. Colour is applied in form of thick paste.

solution.

3. Fabric, yarn and fibres are 3. Fabric is only printed

dyed.

4. Generally a colour is used. 4. One or more colour is used.

5. Thickener is not used. 5. Thickener is used.

6. Steaming is not required on 6. Steaming is used in the printed fabric for

dyed material. fixation.

7. More time is required 7. Less time is required.

8. Less expensive. 8. More expensive

9. Much amount of water is used 9. Less amount of water is used.

Printing Ingredients:

1. Dyes/Pigments
2. Wetting agent.
3. Thickener
4. Solvents/dispersing agent
5. Defoaming agent
6. Oxidizing and reducing agent.
7. Catalyst and oxygen carrier.
8. Acid and alkalis
9. Carrier and swelling agents.
10. Miscellaneous agents
Function:

1. Dyes/Pigments:
 Attraction of dye stuff to the fibre due to presence of auxochrome.
 To achieve colour effect on the fabric
 To produce required shade.
e.g. Vat, Azoic, Reactive, direct etc.

2. Wetting agents:
 To wet the fabric as well as dyestuff.
 To reduce surface tension of water allowing the dyestuff for easy penetration into
fibre.
 To obtain smooth paste.
 To dissolve the dyestuff in the paste
e.g.: Olive oil, T.R oil, caster oil etc.

Lissapol N. Animal oil, Glycerine

3. Solvents/dispersing agents/solution acids:

 To get bright design.
 To assist dye penetration
 To spread dye moles evenly in the past.
 Assist dye fixation.
 To prevent aggregation of dye molecules in the highly concentrated of the dye.
 To prevent precipitation.
 To increase solubility of the dyes.
 To make proper printing shade
e.g.: Urea, Glycerine, desirable, Alcohol, Acetone, Diethylene glycol, Thio diethy lene
glycol.

4. Thickener:
 To give required viscosity to the printing paste.
  To prevent premature reactions betn the chemicals contained in the print paste.
 To hold the ingredients of the print paste on the fabric
Ex: Na-alginate, fine gum, british gum, CMC(Carboxy Mehyl Cellulose)

5. Defoaming agents:
 To prevent the foam generation during printing.
e.g. Silicone, defoamers, sulphated oil, perminol KB, Emulsified pine oil.

6. Oxidising and reducing agent:

Oxidising agent:

 To develop the final colour during steaming or in the subsequent after treatment.
 Assists to dye fixation.
e.g.: Sodium chlorate, Potasium chlorate, Sodium nitrate, Resist Salf Ammonium chloride,
Ludigol, Na or K dichromate

Reducing agent:

 Used for reduction of different dyes.

 Used for mainly in discharge printing.
 To destroy colour from the ground of fabric.
 To make the insoluble dyes to soluble
e.g. Sodium hydrosulphite, Stanus chloride etc. Rongolite-C

7. Acids/Alkalis:
 To maintain PH
 To develop the colour or printed fabric.
 To fix dye on the fabric permanently.
e.g. Organic acid Alkali KOH, NaOH, Na2CO3, pottasium carbonate, sodium
bicarbonate, Sodium acetate.

8. Carrier and swelling agent: Swelling agent:

 To create the big size holes of the fibres.
  Helps to swell the fibre structure.
 To reduce crystallinity.
 Help the easy penetration of dye molecule inside the fibre polymer.
e.g. Polyethylene flycol, Phenols, DEGDA (di-ethylene glycol. diacetate)

Crrier:

Used for fixing disperso dyes on polyester or polyster wool blends at temp below 105oC.

Cl

OH Cl

OH Cl

e.g. Diphenol, Ortho-phenol, Tri-chloro benzene, P ara phenyl phenol

9. Mild oxidizing agent:

During steaming of ago colour, the partial colour can be destroyed by the effect of
Reducing. To secure of this condition, Mild agent used. Example: Ludigol, Resist Salt.

Style of Printing:

Style of printing means the manner in which a printed effect is produced. H involves certain
chemical reactions and operations.

1. Direct style of printing.

White discharge
2. Discharge of printing.
Colour discharge

White resist
3. Resist style of printing.
Colour resist

4. Raised style of printing.

 5. Raised style of printing.
6. Azoic style of printing.
7. Metal style of printing.
8. Flock style of printing.
9. Crepe or crepon style of printing.
10. Lining style of printing.
1. Direct style: The dyes are printed directly at the required places of the multicoloured
design on the fabric, leaving the other portions white. Thus a multi-coloured print on a
white ground can be produced.

2. Dyed Style: The style consists of two stages-

I). Mordanting.

II). Dyeing.

 Printing of the colour with a thickened mordant.

 Fixing of a mordant.
 The dyestuffs combine with the mordant to form an insoluble colour take.
But the colour on the unmordanted portions only adheres mechanically.
 Washing and soaping of the dyed cloth to remove all adhering colour.
3. Discharge style of printing:

Discharge style of printing means the process which can produce a white or colour effect on a
previously dyed ground.

Discharge style of printing is carried out.

1st step: Dyeing: Fabric is dyed firstly with an easily reducable dye.

Reduction (Reducing agent

Dye(-N=N-) ~NH2 + NH2~
Steaming 2nd step: Printing:

 The fabric is printed with a thicked soln of discharging agent.

 This discharging agent destroy the colour at the printed areas and leaves the dye of
unprinted areas unaffected.
 If any dye is present in the soln of discharging agent which is not affected by its
discharging action, can also be deposited and fixed on the ground.
 Reducing agent must be stronger than Dye
3rd Step: Steaming

4th Stepj: washing

Types of discharge styles:

I) White discharge:

 After dyeing and printing, the discharge agents discharge the dye of printed areas and
leaves the dye present on the unprinted area unaffected
A while design is produced on colour ground

Green

Green Green

Dyed Fabric Print with discharging White

agent

II) Colour Discharge:

 The coloured printing paste remove the initial value from the coloured ground
At the same time deposit colour on the original ground.

Green Green

Dye with Print with discharging Red

Green agent + Red

Colour discharge

4. Resist style of Printing:

In this process, a substance is applied to the fabric that will prevent the fixation of any colouring
agent employed afterwards on that area.

Resist style of printing is carried out-

I) Printing : The fabric is printed with a resist salt sol which is spreyed on the fabric
mechanically or manually.

II) Dyeing : The fabric is dyed with a suitable dye as a result the areas covered by the resist salt
will not be dyed and other portions would be dyed.

Types of resist style of printing:

White Resist:

 No colour is added to the print paste sol with resist salt

 After dyeing the printed area remains white.

Print with Print with green

resist Salt + resist Salt

After dyeing with After dyeing

Red with Red

White Green

Red Red

White Resist Colour Resist

Colour resist :

 Colouring mtl is added to the print past with resist salt

 The printed area contain the colour added to print paste and the remaining areas will
contain the colour of dye sol.

(5) Azoic style: Two components constitute the azoic dye.

The two components are the base or diazo component and the Nepthol. Dyeing or
printing with azoic dyes is a two stages process:

I). Diazotisation: It involves converting diazocomponents into soluble diazonium salt.

II). Nepthalation: It involves dissolving the napthol in H2O. When dissolved napthol
comes, in contact with soluble diazonium salts ‘ coupling’ reaction tahesplace and colour
is obtained.

Azoic style of printing consists of two steps-

I). Printing: The fabric is printed with diazo compund.

2). Padding: Then napthalation occurs i.e. napthol is added to the fabric.

The printing of B napthol is an example of azoic style of printing.

(6) Raised style: It is the same process of white discharge style of printing.

(7) Metal style: In this style of printing some spangle type metals are printed on the fabric as it
will be brighter.

(8) Flock style: Flock is a branch of short fibre.

In the electrostatic method of flocking, the fabric is printed with on adhesive and passes
on a moving belt through an electric charge. The flock made from cotton, rayon, is
filtered from the flock hopper on to the fabric and is attracted to the adhesive in per
pendicular form. After a baching process the sharpless fibres are removed.

(9) Creep style: In this style, printing is performed after alkali treatment or heat setting.

Difference bet Discharge style of printing & Resist style of printing:

Discharge Style Resist style of printing

1. It is always sharp in outline, bright in 1. It is less sharp in outline and less bright
appearance

2. Discharging agent used 2. Resist salt used

3. Strong chemical reaction in required 3. No chemical reaction due to pre dyeing

4. At first the fabric is dyed and then 4. At first reisting salt printed, and then
discharging printing fabric is dyed.

5. Two or more coloured can be dyed at a 5. Only two class can be dyed
time

6. Discharging agent destroy pre fixed dye 6. Resisting salt resist to be fixed of colour
of fabric on the fabric

7. The cost of discharging agent is high 7. Less wastage of dye

8. More wastages of dye 8. Less wastage of dye

Methods of Printing:
 1. Block printing
2. Roller printing Hand screen
3. Screen printing
4. Rotary Screen Semi automatic
printing
5. Transfer printing Fully automatic
6. Burnout printing
7. Flock printing
8. Batik
9. Ink - jet

Printing with Reactive Dye

Thickeners used for pointing with reactive dyes:

Normal thickeners are not suitable for printing with reactive dyes. Example British gum, guar
gum, starch are not suitable for printing with reactive dyes.Because they all contain terminal-OH
group (hydroxyl group) which readily reacts with reactive dyes.

i) Na-alginate to thicker is used for printing with reactive dyes Na-alginate show improved flow
properties and gives depth, Sharpness and levelness of the printing, in roller printing.

ii) In screen printing it is essential to use emulsion thickenings when overlapping designs are
being printed, since Na-alginate does not give sufficiently sharp outlines.

iii) Half emulsion (Mixture of Na-alginate emulsion) is suitable for reactive dye printing.

Printing with Procion Dyes:

There are dichloro triazine (cold brand) and monocloro triazine (hot brand) reactive dyes in this
type of reactive dyes. Different sequences may be followed in printing with procion dyes:

1. Steaming process:

Pad with alkali  Dry  Steam  Wash off  Dry

2. Dry heat process: Banking Process:

Print with alkali  dry  cure  wash off  Dry.

3. Alkali pad printing process:

Print with OR without alkali Dry  Pad with alkali  Dry with alkaliDry on
cylinderWash offDry
4. Air development process:

Printing without
alkali on alkali
padded cloth

Hang in  Wash off

OR
 Dry air
Print with alkali on
unprepared cloth

Printing with procion Dyes:

1. Steaming Process: In the process, the printing paste contains

 a mild alkali (sodium bi carbonate)
 a mild oxidizing agent (to counteract any reducing in fluencesw resist salt on the
reactive dye)
 Urea helps to bring the dye into solution and helps to bring about the humidity
required fixing during the subsequent sfeoming.
 Sodium alginate as the thickener.

Recipe:
The printing paste is prepared as
1) Urea 50-150 gm
2) Water (heated to 70º C) 420-245g
3) Procion dyes 10-80gm
4) Na-alginate (5%) 500 gm
5) Resist salt L/ Ludigol 10 gm
6) Sodium bicarbonate 10 to 15 gm
1000 gm/1 kg

Pretreatment of cotton fabric:

Brushing, Singeing, Desizing, scouring, bleaching, Mercerising.

Printing paste preparation from recipe

Urea+Dye+Boil water+Stirring  paste-I+Resist salt+water

Paste-I+No-alginate+Resist salt+stirring  paste-II

Paste-II+Sodium bicarbonate  past-III

Style of printing: Direct style

Method of Printing: Block Printing

 After printing The fabrics is treated/carried out

 Drying at 140 to 160 for 4-6 min
 Steaming at 1000-1020c for 5- 10min
 Washing off-Dying

Process sequence: Print with alkali dry steamwash offdry.

Printing Thickener
Definition: Thickener is a thick mass which imparts stickiness and plasticity to the print
paste so that it may be applied on the fabric surface without bleeding or spreading and
be capable of maintaining the design out lines.

Function of Thickener in textile printing:

  To give the required viscosity to the printing paste.
 To prevent premature reactions between the chemicals contained in the print paste.
 To hold the ingredients of the print paste on the fabrics.

Classification of Thickener:

Printing thickener

Natural Modified natural Synthetic

1. Starch derivatives 1.Acrylic

1. Cereals Starch i.e. Polyacrylic acid
i.e. Maize Starch e.g. British gum
C.M.S etc. Polyacrylic amides
Wheat Starch 2. Vinyl
2. Plant exudates 2. Cellulose derivatives
e.g. C.M.C i.e. Polyvinyl Chloride
i.e. Gum tragacanth Polyvinyl aceetate
Gum arabic HEC
3. Gum derivatives Polyvinyl alcohol
Karaya gum
3. Root and seeds i.e. Meypro gum
i.e. Guar gum Indalca
Locust beam gum
4. Sea weeds
i.e. Na - alginate

HLB: HLB value is eh Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance value.HLB system was introduced by

Griffin as an empirical scale from 1-40, to characterize the balance between the dydrophobic and
hodrophilic (lipophilic) regions in surfactants. A low HLB value (i.e.<10) signifies a
predominance of hydrophobic groups indicating that the surfactant is lipophilic. Whereas a
higher HLB value (>10) means predominance of hydrophilic groups that the surfactant is
hydrophilic. Surfactants with HLB values of 3-6 stabilize water-in-oil (w/o) emulsions and those
with values of 8-18 are effective for oil-in-water(o/w) emulsions.
The following properties are determined by HLB values-
 1. surfactant solubility
2. emulsifying properties of surfactant
3. Soil suspending properties of surfactant.
Emulsion thickener/Viscous thickener: Emulsion thickener is a thickener for textile printing
consisting of emulsifier, water and a water immiscible liquid (chiefly kerosene or white spirit).
Depending of the type of emulsifier, two types of emulsion thickeners are formed-
1. Water-in-oil emulsion, which is a dispersion of inert hydrocarbon oil in a continuous
phase.
2. Oil-in-water emulsion, which is a dispersion of an aqueous phase in hydrocarbon.
A stable emulsion is formed in presence of an emulsifying agent which reduces the interfacial
tension between the two phases. The emulsifier forms a layer between the two phases and act as
a diaphragm which has a definite interfacial tension against the oil on one side and against water
on the other. Emulsion thickeners are mostly used in pigment printing. For other colorants,
particularly reactive dyes half-emulsions are generally used.
Advantages:
1. Oil-in-water emulsions are easy to prepare because low speed stirring is enough to
prepare them.
2. Water-in-oil emulsions have better lubricating properties.
3. The superior properties of emulsion thickener results in a reduced tendency of roller and
doctor blade damage.
4. Emulsion thickener is very effective when thermosol fixation is done for pigment,
reactive or disperses dye.
Disadvantage:
1. Anionic dyes should not be added to emulsions prepared by cationic emulsifiers and vice-
versa.
2. Addition of electrolytes may affect the distribution of the emulsifier between the two
phases.
3. The oily phase may collect at the surface causing the fire hazard.
4. Emulsions exhibit pseudo-plastic behavior hence unleveled dyeing may be formed.

Half emulsion: Half emulsion is a combination of an emulsion thickener and a conventional

thickener (e.g. alginate, guar gum) . It can be expressed by half emulsion + half natural thickener
or modified natural thickener. Half emulsions are used directly in printing for the application of
most dyes with the exception of indigo and oxidation dyes. Half emulsions are used-
1. When short flow property of an emulsion paste does not give a satisfactory print.
2. When faster drying and good color yield is necessary.
Synthetic Thickener: Synthetic thickeners are weakly cross linked copolymers of oleofinic
monomers containing carboxyl groups with a high molecular weight which act as thickeners in
the range of PH 7-10. They have same rheological properties as emulsion thickeners. Synthetic
thickeners are extremely sensitive to electrolyte and to bruising. Some generic names of
synthetic thickeners are of-
a) Polyelectrolytes d) Ethyl acrylates
b) Poly vinyl alcohol e) Product of maleic anhydride
c) co-polymer of acrylates

Properties of synthetic thickener:

1. Synthetic thickeners are copolymers of oleofinic monomer containing carboxyl groups.
2. For preparing synthetic thickeners copolymers of acrylates have been used more widely.
3. The viscosity of polymer is critically dependent of the amount of alkali added. High
viscosity is obtained with co-polymers of optimum ratio between acid and ester units but
viscosity is too sensitive to PH for industrial use.
4. Synthetic thickeners have the same rheological properties as the emulsion thickener.
5. A particular high rate of swelling takes place in the pH range 7-10.
6. Synthetic thickeners are extremely sensitive to electrolytes and are also sensitive to
bruising.
Advantages:
1. No requirements of kerosene or mineral spirit in making thickener solution.
2. No possibility of explosion.
3. No need of steaming after printing, direct curing can be done.
4. Reasonable price i.e. low cost.
5. Readily available in comparison with natural thickener.
6. Flexible thickener film.
7. Better handle and sensation.
8. Sufficiently higher fixation rate in disperse dyeing.

Screen Printing
 Screen printing

Flat screen printing Rotary screen printing

Hand Semi auto Fully auto

screen screen screen
printing printing printing

Difference between Rotary and Flat screen printing:

Rotary screen printing Flat screen printing
1. Rotary screen rotate 1. Flat screen moves up and down.
/moveable
2. Roller is used 2. Squeeze is used
3. Large width fabric is 3. Small width fabric is printed (40-50")
printed by rotary screen
printing (67")
4. 14-15 colour is printed 4. 6-8 colour is printed.
5. Production is three times 5. Less production
higher than flat screen printing

Factors affecting the amount of print paste passing through the screen:
 1. The mesh (thread/inch) or raster (thread /cm) of the screen; generally a coarse mesh
allows more past to pass through than a fine one.
2. The fraction of open area in the screen fabric.
3. The hardness or X-section of squeeze blade.
4. The hardness of eh printing table
5. The viscosity of eh print paste
6. The number of squeeze strokes (2-4)
7. The squeeze angle and pressure(550)
8. The speed of the squeeze strokes.

Flat screen preparation process:

Chemical preparation Recipe:
Auto-sol → 99%
Sensitizer → 1%

Process Sequence:
A piece of fabric made of glass fiber is taken
↓
It is stretched and attached to a strong metal frame by glue straightening by metal brackets at the
corners.
↓
Glue is used to attach the cloth with the frame and dried.
↓
The photosensitive chemical is applied on the fabric uniformly and is dried in electric dryer.
↓
The negative of the design is attached on to the screen so that its printed portion faces the
exposed light
↓
Now pressure applied onto the screen fabric so that the fabric alone with negative touch the glass
of the exposure
↓
The system is then exposed for 4 to 5 minutes
↓
Now it is rinsed with cold water flow forcing at the designed area.

Fully automatic flat screen printing:

Feature:
 The M/C consists of a fabric feed unit and endless conveyor belt to bring the
fabric onto the table under screen.
 A no of screens a special mechanism for lowering the screen on the required
parts of fabric.
 Squeezes are driven by motor.
 An arrangement for gumming the fabric on conveyor belt by a driver.
 Special arrangement under table to collect extra paste.
 Speed 5-20 m/min.
 Fully automatic flat screen printing method may be called a semi-continuous method of
printing.

M=Fabric to be printed,
S1,S2, S3, S4 =Screen
t=Printing table, d= Conveyor belt
W=Washing device for blanket
I=Device for bringing gum to the printing table.
Procedure:
 All the screens for the design (one screen for each color) are positioned accurately along
the top of along endless belt (blanket)
 The fabric to be printed is feed to the printing table by feed system and is
welded by glue with endless conveyor belt.
 The conveyor draws forward below screen in equal difference and printing paste
mechanically supplied is welded on fabric according to design by squeeze through
screen.
 Automatic squeeze system of individual screen is controlled by mechanically or
electro magnetic power with individual motor.
 By using different colors in different screens, printing effect of different colour
can be made.
 By washing device, weld glue on belt can be cleared.

Advantage of Automatic Flat Bed Screen Printing:

 The flat bed screen printing method is mostly used for sarees.
 Easy and very cheap to prepare screen.
 The colors have a transparency, purity and richness.
 Up to 14-16 colour in one pattern can be produced.
 Since the whole width of fabric is printed at a time, its faster than block
printing.
 Comparatively cheap than roller printing.
 Wastage of printing paste is less.
Disadvantage of screen printing:
  Joint markers at the repeat often precipitated.
 For high production a large no of tables have to bel used requiring huge space.
 Fine mesh screen used for sharp designs are often chocked.

Rotary screen printing: Rotary screens are mainly cylinders containing fine pores whose walls
have a thickness of 0.08-0.15mm and which can be more than 3m in length. These cylindrical
screens rotate allowing continuous printing of fabric passing under the screens. Screens for
rotary printing are made from very thin, perforated metal cylinders into which patterns have been
put. The pattern is made by blocking selected areas of screen to hinder the passage of the print
formulation.

Rotary Screen Printing machine:

Feature:
 This is a genuinely continuous printing method where the continuous rotation of a
cylindrical screen in contact with the fabric ensures continuous production.
 A perforated cylinder or spherical screen.
 Each screen is independently driven.
 Printing paste is fed to individual screen by special pump.
 The printing paste level inside the rotary screen is automatically and constantly
controlled.
 The transfer of printing paste through the perforations of the screen into the
fabric is governed by specially designed squeeze blades.
 Gummy device.
 Washing device.
Procedure:

M=Fabric to be printed, d=conveyor belt

W= Washing device, L=Device for bringing gum to the blanket.
 At the time of printing, the fabric is brought on and placed on the conveyer belt
through feeding system.
 The conveyer brings the fabric continuously under the series of rotary perforated
screen made of metal foil where the printing colour is passed through the squeeze
inside each rotary screen forces the printing paste into the fabric.
  The conveyer belt is cleared with water once during each revolution by the
washing device.
 In this method, print paste is fed to the different screen individually by special
pumps.

Advantages:
 Highest production.
 As many as 24 colors in a pattern can be produced, 8-10 colour can be printed
easily.
 No joint mark.
 Suitable for woven and knitted fabric.
 Stripe design can be done in warp.
Disadvantages:
 Printing cost is high due to high price of screen.
 Not suitable for short runs.
 Different screens are needed for varying colors.
 Not possible of fine line design.

Difference between rotary and flat bed screen printing:

Rotary screen printing Flat bed screen printing

1. Rotary screen is a 1. Flat bed screen printing si a semi-
 continuous method of printing. continuous or intermittent method.
2. The printing blanket may be 2. The printing blanket should be longer
shorter because cylindrical because flat screens occupy more fabric
screens occupy less fabric length.
length.
3. Automation is required for 3. Print paste may be poured manually on flat
print paste pouring on the screen.
screen.
4. suitable for printing 4. Suitable for printing large repeats but not
continuous warp wise stripe for continuous warp wise stripes.
but not for longer repeat.
5. A joint mark may occur on 5. No such joint mark on flat screen print.
print if the screen is not
seamless.
6. Frame mark does not occur 6. Frame marks occur.
7. Air bag squeeze system can 7. Air bag squeeze can not be used.
be used.
8. Printing speed is higher i.e. 8. Printing speed is lower i.e. only 7.3m/min
37m/min
9. Production capacity is 9. Production capacity is lower i.e. 381m/hr
higher i.e. 1931m/hr
10. Screen should be cleaned 10. Screen should be cleaned less frequently.
more frequently.
11. 15-20 colors possible 11. 8-10 colors possible

Printing of Acrylic fibre by Basic dye:

The printing is carried out in two stage-
1. Preparatory (Singeing, desizing and scouring, bleaching, drying and
stentering).
2. Printing (Printing, steaming, washing, soaping).

Recipe:
10-40 parts Cationic dye
20 parts Acetic acid (50%)
20-30 parts Thiodiethylene glycol
20to 30 parts Tartaric acid (50%)
4 to 8 parts Sodium choloride
X gm parts water
Y gm parts stock thickening
20-40 parts Phenol
--------------
1000 parts
The acrylic fiber may be printed with the above paste on dried in a hot
flue drier. The printed and dried fabrics may be steamed in a star ager at
1030C for 40 min. A temp of 1050C is the maximum allowable steaming
temp.
The steamed fabric may be ater-treated (after a cold and hot rinse) with a
bath containing 1-2 g/L anonionic detergent at 600C for 25 to 30 min.

Necessity of drying and steaming after printing

Drying consists of exposing printing goods to more or less prolonged action of steam at
atmospheric pressure to assist in the diffusion and fixation of the dyes.
This can be done in various ways:

1. By hanging the goods in large ageing room.

2. By passing them through an ageing chamber continuously where the
required condition of temp and humidity are maintained.
3. By a short steaming in a continuous steam ager in the presence of moist
or superheated steam.

Different types of steaming process after printing-

1. Short steaming , method

2. Thermo fixation “
3. High temperature
1. Short steaming method: after printing and drying the cloth is steamed for 1 to 2 min at 102 to
1030c washed and dried.

2. Thermo fixation Method: In this method, the printed and dried cloth is thermo fixed at 1800c-
1400c for 30 – 60s following by washing and drying.

3. High temperature steaming: The printed and dried cloth is steamed in a high temperature
steamer at 1300c for 30 sec at atmospheric pressure in a supper heated steam followed by
washing and drying.