Rigid substrates like glass, metal, and snowboards can be printed on using dye sublimation printing if they are treated with a polymer coating first. This coating allows the dye from the transfer paper to be absorbed into the substrate during the printing process. While fabrics can be printed on directly, rigid items require different temperatures, pressures, and dwell times due to the complexity of their surfaces. Once printed, the image becomes a permanent part of the substrate and is durable. Dye sublimation printing is becoming more widely used for rigid items and signs due to its ability to produce high-quality, long-lasting images.

1. Rigid Substrates Like Glass,
Metal, or Snowboards - Can
These be Printed Using Dye
Sublimation Printing?

2. Question: Candirect-to-textiledyesublimation
printedfabricbeusedforexteriorbannersorflags?
You bet. The better dyes now are good for exterior usage, and
there are several good options for polyester fabrics that are
available for exterior usage.
Teardrop flags, beach flags, pop-out banners, and basic banners
are all outdoor types of flags and banners that are used every
day all over the world to advertise products and services.
Check here to see more details about dye sub printing on
outdoor banners and flags.

3. Question: Canrigidsubstratesbeprintedusingdye
sublimation?
Yes. Many items can be printed using dye sublimation printing
such as coffee mugs, snowboards, license plates, and other
promotional items.
Treating with Polymer-based Coating
Because the surfaces of these aforementioned items are not
polymer-based like polyester fabrics are, the surfaces of these
items need to be treated with a special polymer coating to
enable these items to accept the sublimation dyes.
Because of the complexity of the surfaces of these and other
rigid items, each item will require varying temperatures and
pressures and dwell times, as well as being dependent on the
variation of heat presses available for these items.

4. Sublimating the Graphics onto the Substrates
Once the printed paper has been sublimated to the treated rigid
substrate, though, the image has become part of the surface, so no
clear-coating or any other surface protection is needed. The image is
durable and permanent and won’t wash or rub off. This is why dye
sublimation is becoming the choice of many companies that rely on
splashy graphics to sell their products.
In the past, you needed to have different types of dye sublimation
transfer papers to transfer the dye from the paper to the substrate.
However, new innovations in sublimation transfer papers have
produced the hybrid transfer paper which is allowing the transfer of
images to both rigid and fabric substrates, thus streamlining
production as well.
Because the technology of dye sublimation printing is still expanding, it
is likely that dye sublimation printing will continue to emerge as one of
the favorite forms of printed products, both rigid and fabric. New
breakthroughs in the dye sub industry are pointing to the potential for
dye sublimation to be used on printed signs and displays where long
term usage is required. Literally, the sky is the limit with dye
sublimation printing on rigid substrates.

5. Question: Candyesublimationprintingbeusedon
glasssurfaces?
Yes.
If the surface is treated with a specialized polymer coating. The
way that the polymers work is that when heated and pressed
together with the dye sublimation printed transfer paper, the
polymers expand, the dye turns to gas, and is infused into the
polymers.
As the polymers cool, the colorful gases get locked into the
polymers, and they become permanently part of the surface of
the glass.

6. Question: Howdoessmallformatsublimation
comparetolargeformatsublimation?
They work the same way, for the most part, but they’re typically
used for different products.
Wide format dye sublimation printing is typically used
specifically for fabric banners and displays whereas the smaller
format heat presses and dye sublimation printing is used for
more specialized items like custom mouse pads, glass items,
coffee cups, and/or license plates.
However, with the new hybrid transfer papers that have come
out, many small items can be printed on the wider papers, the
separated to be used on the smaller heat presses if you have
more than one unit.