Over the past few years, direct-to-film (DTF) printing has been increasingly popular in the printing industry, contributing to its rapid expansion.
DTF printing is an attractive option due to its wide color range, ease of use, and performance consistency. This method for creating high-quality digital transfers in full color has applications in a wide variety of textiles. DTF printers are also very affordable and dependable machines.
Among the most popular DTF machines available today is the DigitalHeat FX DTF-24H2. Let’s take a look at how this printer stands out from the rest.
How Does the DigitalHeat FX DTF-24H2 Printer Work?
The DTF-24H2 is capable of producing high-quality digital transfer sheets for a wide variety of applications, including single-color shirt labels, left chest logos, and even full-size prints. This DTF printer employs see-through PET transfer film, allowing the pattern to be seen before being heat-pressed into the garment. The PET film is 0.75 mm thick, allowing for improved transfer qualities. The DTF-24H2 utilizes roll-fed, cold-peel-optimized films. Here are some of the benefits that we’ve observed from using the DTF-24H2.
Higher Output Volume
The speed of commercial DTF printers is incredible. As a professional, high-volume DTF printer, the DigitalHeat FX DTF-24H2 can print more than 500 2-inch by 4-inch logo transfers in roughly 15 minutes. This includes applying the transfer with hot melt and curing it with an attached device. After that, pressing it onto a garment only takes around 15 seconds.
If you need to produce 500 items quickly but only have a single heat press, you can expect to spend about 30 seconds on each shirt. If each piece takes 30 seconds to apply, then 500 pieces would take about four hours to finish. Considering the 15-minute print time, this is a quick and effective method for fulfilling bulk orders.
Wide Color Variety
With DTF transfers, there is no limit to the number of colors that can be printed. You have complete control over the range of colors used in a print, allowing you to create stunning works of art with subtle tonal shifts, gradients, and shading. 
To further reduce expenses, the use of white ink is reduced in DTF printing compared to that of DTG.
Resistance to Wear and Tear
DTF transfers created by the DTF-24H2 are incredibly long-lasting. When washed or bent, DTF prints don’t peel or crack. Even after repeated washings and dryer cycles, most DTF transfers will retain their lightweight, soft feel.
Ease of Use
The DTF-24H2 and other similar machines are simple to operate. Because of the lower heat requirement for DTF transfers, delicate fabrics like polyester are less likely to suffer from burn damage and dye migration. Since the design is printed onto a film transfer before being applied to the material, it can be transferred to an area that would be difficult to reach with standard screen-printing equipment.
No Need for Pretreatment or Drying
DTF printing skips the pretreatment phase altogether by applying the design to the material using a hot melt powder. In addition, drying does not take long or require any special tools. Because of this, you can save time and money during production.
More Inventory Options
You can print and store designs in advance or print on demand to meet fluctuating business demands. DTF transfers help reduce the need for intermediate inventory storage facilities, such as warehouses or distribution centers. This is because the goods are transferred directly from one supplier or manufacturer to another, which eliminates the need for additional handling, transportation, and storage costs.
This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of inventory damage or loss, which can occur during the handling and transportation process.
Secondly, DTF transfers allow businesses to remain agile and responsive to market trends and customer demands. Since there is no need for middlemen, businesses can quickly and efficiently move inventory from the supplier to the customer, reducing the time and cost associated with traditional distribution channels. This ensures businesses can avoid inventory holding costs and minimize the risk of holding onto excess or outdated inventory.
In addition to reduced inventory holding costs and improved inventory turnover, DTF transfers help businesses remain competitive by reducing overhead costs and increasing cash flow, which in turn, can lead to increased profitability.
Improved Versatility
A DTF transfer works with virtually any fabric. In comparison to screen printing, versatility is DTF’s most compelling advantage. DTF transfers can be applied to various materials, including cotton, polyester, treated leather, nylon, blends, dark and light fabrics, shoes, wood, glass, and metal. This versatility allows you to cater to a far wider audience.
Retains Softness/Texture: DTF transfers are perfect for products meant to be worn frequently because they retain their lightweight and soft feel despite several washes and dry cycles.
High Quality Printing: DTF transfers produce high-quality prints with vivid colors and excellent image clarity.
Wide Range of Colors: DTF transfers can be printed with a vast range of colors to suit any design or branding requirement.
Durability: DTF transfers are highly resistant to cracking, fading, and peeling, ensuring that the print remains long-lasting. Bending, folding, or stretching the material does not affect the print’s quality, making them ideal for products that experience regular wear and tear.
Versatility: DTF transfers can be applied to a wide range of products, including t-shirts, hats, jackets, bags, and more. They can also be applied to various materials such as cotton, polyester, nylon, and even leather!
Premium Dual Printhead Technology
The printer uses a dual printhead design to ensure that no white shows through the colored layers. The first printhead deposits color using a CMYK blend, while the second printhead overlays the colored layers with the appropriate amount of white underbase. Since the alignment is done on the film rather than textured material, the resulting design edge is crisper than what can be achieved with conventional screen printing.
Comes With a Print Optimizing RIP Program
In a Digital HeatFX setup, the Print Optimizer program gives you complete command over the ink distribution. You can adjust the color fidelity of blended gradients channel by channel. Plus, you can minimize ink waste when printing one-color designs on white shirts by changing the ink flow to the desired amount.
Putting Adhesive on Transfer Prints for Custom DTFs
The distinctive smooth feel of DTF prints results from a special powder adhesive coating. Direct-to-film printing eliminates the need for bulky transfer films or vinyl by using just two simple components: the ink and a layer of adhesive.
DTF’s silky smooth feel is the pinnacle of custom-made clothing. To date, no transfer method has allowed for the exceptional softness of half-tone screen printing — however, DTF provides all of that and more.
Because the DTF powder adhesive attracts moisture, it attaches itself to the printer’s ink and chemically bonds to generate a strong permanent adhesive that attaches particularly well to both polyester and cotton fibers.
World-class Training
Training is crucial to the growth of any custom garment or printer-based business. Companies who choose the DTF-24H2 receive training that will help them have a considerably better chance of succeeding, get up and running with their new equipment sooner, and lose far less time and resources in the process.
To that end, DigitalHeat FX has created the most comprehensive suite of training options available. They employ modern tools and learning management systems, as well as tried-and-true methods of instructional design. Because of this, they can provide the necessary knowledge and aid in the development of relevant skills in a remarkably short time. They provide training for nearly all of their equipment.
Superior and Prompt Support
DigitalHeat FX uses a sophisticated technical support ticketing system to ensure that all customers receive prompt assistance. After submitting a ticket form, your request will be routed to the next available technician who meets the criteria you specified. The time it takes for them to respond can vary, as some days they receive more support inquiries than others and different issues require different amounts of time to resolve.
What Is the DTF-24H2 Capable of Printing?
DigitalHeat FX’s DTF technology is fantastic since it allows you to keep your high-quality transfers for at least six months. Because of this, you can separate your printing processes from your assembly line.
When using methods like screen printing or direct-to-garment printing, you have to physically bring the item to the printer. This means that the number of garment holding stations your printer has will determine how quickly you can produce finished goods.
DTF, on the other hand, dramatically improves both print speed and the printer’s raw machine output. It only takes approximately 10 seconds to print 8 to 10 identical logos on the left chest. More assembly stations can be added to maximize this tremendous machine output.
Differences Between the DTF 24H2 and Other DigitalHeat FX DTF Printers
You can choose from different DTF printers according to your printing needs:
DTF 12H2 Basic: This package includes a printer and applicator that’s 39.5 inches by 65 inches in size. It can print up to 30 linear feet per hour and finish 30 full front transfers per hour.
DTF 24H2: A 67.5-inch by 131-inch printer and applicator are included in this set. It is capable of printing 45 to 55 linear feet per hour and completing 100 full front transfers per hour.
DTF 24H4: This set comes with a 78-inch by 132-inch printer and an applicator. It can complete 300 full front transfers per hour and print up to 145 linear feet per hour.
Financing Your DTF-24H2
Many people who want to start a small business would rather do so without any debt. One benefit of running a debt-free company is not having to stress about making payments each month. The cost might not be manageable if revenue is slow or when you have a tough month. When sales finally begin, all that extra cash will find its way to the bottom line.
However, the drawbacks of not taking on any debt when launching a company are more substantial. For this reason, many of DigitalHeat FX’s customers prefer to lease or finance equipment. The company’s leasing options are adaptable and safeguard against technology becoming obsolete. They improve your firm’s ability to balance cash outflow with income generation.
The Bottom Line
The benefits of DigitalHeat FX DTF-24H2 make it a desirable option for anyone interested in starting a garment printing business. Since it takes advantage of modern software and hardware to print on garments, we think it will be the industry standard in the future. High-volume printers who produce hundreds or thousands of custom garments every day with multiple logos, tags, etc., should put the DTF-24H2 at the top of their list of printers to explore.