Sublimation on aluminum
Chromio is a company that specializes in sublimation. We sublimate on different materials and can deliver any shape and size. We will gladly help you!
Sublimation literally means a phase transition from a solid phase substance to a gaseous phase. When printing the aluminium ChromaLuxe panels, special ink is used which, by heating, assumes a gaseous state. In this state, the ink can attach visibility to the special coating on the Chromaluxe panels. After sublimating the photo panel, the ink returns to a fixed state and is connected to the panel. The ink is therefore not on the panel but forms a permanent bond with the panel.
How does sublimation work on photo panels?
Sublimation is thus the transition from a solid phase to a gaseous phase. It does not accept an intermediate liquid phase. When Chromio sublimates a photo, this photo is first printed by a sublimation printer with sublimation ink. When the photo comes out of the printer, the photo still has light colours. The photo is then attached to the ChromaLuxe plate where the coating is located. The inks take on a gaseous state at a high temperature. The next step in the process is that the ink pulls into the coating. This is done by a heater, which is heated to 200 degrees. Here the ChromaLuxe plate is illustrated with the picture. Due to the heat, the ink evaporates and pulls it into the coating. When the ink penetrates into the coating it takes on a solid form again. After a certain time, the photo panel is removed from underneath the heater and the plate is cooled down. The result is a beautiful photo sublimated on aluminium!
What's the difference between aluminium printing and aluminium sublimating?
When printing on aluminium, the ink is applied directly to the aluminium. The ink is on the aluminium plate. When you touch the aluminium plate with your finger you feel relief. When the photo is printed directly on the aluminium, the light grey colour and the structure of the aluminium remain visible. If this is not desirable, the aluminium plate is sprayed with a white top layer. The photo is then printed on it. Sublimation is a completely different technique. The inks are introduced into the coating layer by heat. The photograph forms a whole with the aluminium plate. ChromaLuxe's coating provides depth effect, gloss and bright colours.
What are photo panels of ChromaLuxe?
The aluminium photo panels of ChromaLuxe are specially developed for sublimation. The photopanels have a thick coating layer which allows the ink to penetrate deep into the coating. Photo panels manufactured in China often contain no more than two coatings, while ChromaLuxe photopanels contain up to 9 coatings. The thicker the coating layer, the deeper the ink can penetrate into the coating, resulting in extra colour, depth and sharpness. ChromaLuxe has been developed by Unisub, which is the market leader in the manufacture of coated sublimation products.