Can you use sublimation ink for regular printing? Find in 2023

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Can you use sublimation ink for regular printing?

Because it can be used on a variety of materials, including fabric, ceramics, and glass, maybe it can be used on paper. Okay, your reasoning is sound and cannot be challenged. But before replacing ink cartridges, there are some very important considerations to notice. A printer can be damaged if you don’t know which inks work with it.

Is sublimation ink suitable for everyday printing? No, to put it briefly. When printing frequently, it’s not advised to utilize sublimation ink with regular printers. The large majority of printers do not have sublimation capabilities. However, some printers already have or can be easily converted into sublimation printing machines.

Can sublimation ink be used on regular printing paper?

Let’s bring both regular papers and sublimation papers into the spotlight while sublimation ink and printers are discussed.

Again, the issue is that if it is possible to use sublimation ink on regular printing paper due to the high price of sublimation paper. This explanation will serve as our answer to the question.

Sublimation paper temporarily holds the sublimation ink for transferring to the final substrate. Because of its special wax coatings and other substitutes, the paper does not absorb ink and can easily be transferred to other materials like ceramic, glass, or fabric.

If you try to transfer a design onto regular paper, the ink will be absorbed by the paper because it has not been treated with any coatings or pigments, meaning that you won’t get a complete transfer and the colors will be muted. Because of this, regular paper can’t be used with sublimation ink.

But, you know, an exception always lies in any situation. If you don’t want to waste time transferring the pattern to other surfaces, regular printer paper will do the trick. This means that standard documents can be printed using sublimation ink.

Sublimation ink, on the other hand, doesn’t reveal its true colors until after you’ve pressed the design onto the desired substrate, so the colors won’t be as vibrant until you’ve pressed it onto the surface of the substrate.

What makes Sublimation Ink so Special?

Printing using sublimation ink is very popular these days But it undergoes a procedure very different from that of regular ink.

The ink is heated to the point where it becomes a gas and then permanently bonds to the paper or fabric. Sublimation paper and a compatible inking system are needed for this complicated process.

This doesn’t work like regular ink. Therefore, it is best to avoid using a printer that does not support sublimation for any printing projects.

Then how can you make your regular printer support sublimation? It’s important to remember that printing technology is the main differentiator between compatible and non-compatible printers when deciding whetherto use sublimation ink for everyday printing.

Traditional thermal printers can’t print sublimation. Since the ink doesn’t get hot enough to evaporate, it can damage your printer by leaking into it.

Canon printers are equipped with this thermal heating technology. Thus, those who use Canon printers are currently out of luck.

Regular Printers updated with Sublimation Ink System

You might be wondering if it’s possible to turn your current regular printer into a sublimation-capable one. You can turn any standard printer into a sublimation printer by installing the CISS Ink System.

Before attempting anything with your printer, it’s best to learn as much as possible about your printer model online. Your printer’s manual or website should specify whether it’s compatible with the CISS Ink System.

While it may be possible to make minor adjustments on your own, professional assistance may be required for more complex printers.

Sublimation ink cartridges and special sublimation papers are also required for this process.

Finally, to ensure successful printing, check that your printer has the most recent software installed.

Will My Regular Printer Explode If I Use Sublimation Ink?

This is the most common question people ask after placing sublimation ink in regular printers and getting to know afterward that these printers are not sublimation compatible.

For this, I would advise you to flush the sublimation ink-filled cartridges properly and clean the printer thoroughly. Multiple professional services can assist you with this. Do not attempt to clean your printer if you are unsure of how to do so safely.

Sublimation ink is not a fun experiment with printing, but exceptions are there that your printer cannot handle it. Therefore, it will prove to be a bad experiment to use sublimation ink for regular printing.

Get full knowledge about your printer’s inking system and how it works.

What printers work well with sublimation ink?

Sawgrass is known for producing the highest quality, most reliable printers for sublimation printing. Even so, Epson does offer Eco tank and Work Force series printers that can be upgraded to sublimation printing.

Due to Epson’s inkjet printers, many people want to know if they can sublimate with inkjet printers or not. Thankfully, the answer is “yes”. It is possible to convert an inkjet printer at home or with the assistance of a professional.

But there are four primary varieties of ink used in Inkjet printers: sublimation ink, photo ink, dye-based ink, and pigment-based ink. You can determine what kind of inkjet printer you have and its capabilities by looking at the four primary ink types.

Dye-based ink is widely used in home inkjet printers due to its low price and adequate quality for most everyday printing needs. However, photos printed with dye-based ink will fade over time.
Office inkjet printers favor pigment-based ink because it lasts longer than dye-based ink and produces higher-quality photo prints.
Sublimation ink, on the other hand, is the most durable type and, in theory, could last indefinitely. While dye-based and pigment-based inks are relatively inexpensive, sublimation ink is extremely costly. Furthermore, sublimation ink is only compatible with some special papers.
As a final point, photo ink is commonly used in digital cameras and printers due to its ability to print detailed images and photographs.

After looking at the specified type of ink and its purpose in your inkjet printer, you can easily identify and make decisions about converting your printer into a sublimation one.

Some Epson inkjet printers can be used for both normal printing and sublimation. In particular, these are

Epson Eco Tank Models 2000-5000
Sawgrass VJ 628
Epson WorkForce-Models 1000-7600
Epson Profession T3170

Conclusion

Even though sublimation ink works wonderfully on mugs, tees, koozies, canvas, and wood, it does have its restrictions. It is incompatible with standard printers and paper sizes. You can either use a dedicated sublimation printer or modify your existing inkjet printer to print in the appropriate format. Sublimation printing is not compatible with “any” inkjet printer.

Although HP printers are widely used, they too depended on thermal printing and are unable to carry out sublimation. But some models with sublimation support have just recently been made available. Unfortunately, they are large, incredibly costly, and considered suitable for industrial use.

On the other hand, Epson printers use a technique called Piezo technology. Both sublimation and regular printing are compatible with these printers. If you have an Epson printer and are interested in using sublimation ink, you can check the website to see if the cartridge head is compatible.

Each type of printer has its own set of unique requirements, and these specifications change from one manufacturer and technology to the next. Before adding sublimation ink to your regular printer, be sure to check with the manufacturers about the details of your printer model.