Brother DTG launches new single-pass GTX printer

Brother DTG has launched the GTX – its next generation of digital direct-to-garment printers which promises faster, one-pass printing capabilities and a larger maximum print area.

The new industrial print heads, which have been developed by Brother, contain 1680 nozzles per print head, allowing for prints at 1200 x 1200 dpi in a single pass. This results in mass-production level speed and makes the GTX printer 2 to 3 times faster than the previous flagship model, the GT-381.

The GTX’s maximum print area measures 40.64 x 53.34cm (16 x 21″) – the largest on any Brother DTG machine – and the new printer has a large print head-to-substrate gap, which allows printing on substrates up to 30 mm thick. This makes it easier than ever to print over seams, pockets, zippers etc, according to Brother.

The new white ink circulation system, which keeps the white ink in suspension, promises less maintenance and downtime due to nozzles clogging and the wet capping station is designed to eliminate ink drying on the bottom of the nozzle plate.

The new GTX is supplied with new Graphix Lab proprietary printing software, and both Graphix Lab and the GTX print driver are available for Mac and PC operating systems. The print driver can be set to pause for a specified length of time between the laydown of the white underbase and colours. This allows for the printing of traditionally difficult fabrics that absorb more ink.

Coinciding with the launch of the new printer, Brother also has released the new Innobella Textile water-based pigment DTG inks. These offer a larger colour gamut, high washability (approved by the AATCC) and are Okeo-Tex Eco-Passport certified and CPSIA compliant.

The GTX comes with a one-year warranty including print heads.