Profiling steps for Direct to Film (DTF) printers

Profiling steps for Direct to Film (DTF) printers

Below are the steps to make a profile for DTF printers, whether on colored or white t-shirts/ bags,... 
These steps apply for V6.8.0 and V6.8.1.  Future versions might have some presets built in. 

Creating a pmm for DTF

  1. Calibrator:  Create pmm and select the CMYK +W  ink setting.  
    In the example below we took a ALHC driver and selected the below setting. (Leave screening as is for now)



  2. Go to Ink Settings and change all Screening algorithms to ED (Error Diffusion) and click OK


  3. Go to Next window and name the media.  Leave it to Frontlit and Overwrite Internal Linearisation -> go to Next


  4. Set the White to Shape and select Print. 
    If you intend to make a pmm for a Colored t-shirt (any color, incl. black): then print the White linear - Mirrored on a Black t-shirt.  

    The white file sent the printer has a solid white bar, stepped increments of 5% white and teeth.  Once transferred onto the Black t-shirt you select the White patch representing the minimum amount of white with the max opacity.  Enter that value in Calibrator or move the slider. 


    If you intend to make a pmm for a White t-shirt: then just set value to 50% and go to Next - no need to print.


    Go to Next
  5. Print the linear file - mirrored - and make sure to set the Spectro. 
    NOTE:  this step onwards - regardless whether you profile for a colored or white t-shirt : all prints and measurements are done on a White t-shirt.  



    -  Measure the linear, Go to Next and let the engine clip the Primary colors.  
    -  Leave the TAC at the suggested value and go to Next to print the Target.  

    Spider diagram showing auto clipping and TAC screen
  6.  Target printing: again in Mirror. 
    Note:  Suggested to change the patch count to 1000, which is largely sufficient for DTG.
    Note2:  suggested to do a double Press:  after first pressing, peel back film and then let it cool and do another press.


  7. After measuring, then the profile is calculated the finished



  8. Profile shows in Calibrator



    More detailed info on PMM creation steps in the Create PMM video
       Once the profile is created, you can use the DTG preset in Editor to help prepare the files - benefitting from e.g. using the background color of the image to reduce the ink amount,...

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