Vastex International has expanded its line of low-wattage, high-efficiency dryers for direct-to-garment (DTG) printing and water-based inks.
There are two new Lo-E models, which can be used for curing DTG-printed inks and pretreatment and for water-based screen-printed inks and discharge, using 20% less energy than comparable dryers.
The Lo-E1D model has a 46cm (18 inch) long heating chamber and 2,850 watts (2.85 kW) of power, drawing 12.5 amps at 230V. It cures up to 23 garments per hour printed with digital white ink at three minutes’ dwell time, or 64 garments per hour with DTG pretreatment only or water-based inks at one minute dwell time.
The Lo-E3D model has a 132cm (52 inch) long heating chamber and 6,350 watts (6.35 kW) of power, drawing 38 amps at 230V or just 10 amps at 400V, 3 phase. It cures up to 64 garments per hour with digital white ink at three minutes’ dwell time, or 180 garments per hour with DTG pretreatment or water-based inks at one minute dwell time.
They complement the Lo-E2D dryer which was launched in January last year. With a 89cm (35 inch) long heating chamber and 4,600 watts (4.6 kW) of power, drawing 22 amps at 230V, the model cures up to 45 garments per hour with digital white ink at three minutes’ dwell time, or 88 garments per hour with DTG pretreatment or water-based inks at one minute dwell time.
Mark Vasilantone, president of Vastex International, said: “We engineered the new models for energy-conscious printers having lower- or higher-capacity requirements than satisfied by our first Lo-E2D dryer, which gained immediate acceptance following its 2022 introduction.”
All Lo-E models are equipped as standard with a 76cm (30 inch) wide conveyor belt that runs true by means of a low-friction belt aligner patented by the company, with belt speed controls allowing finely adjustable dwell times from one to five minutes.
The Lo-E2D and Lo-E3D models come equipped with a 224cm (88 inch) long conveyor belt and a 10.5 cubic metres per minute (370 cubic feet per minute) exhaust system which evacuates moisture and air contaminates from the heating chamber and cools the enclosure’s outer skin and control panel.
The Lo-E1D has a 122cm (48 inch) conveyor length and a 7.9 cubic metres per minute (280 cubic feet per minute) exhaust system.
Height-adjustable heaters offer dual zone temperature control with a boost zone to quickly reach cure temperatures. The heaters carry a 15-year warranty.
As with all Vastex floor-standing conveyor dryers, the modular design of the low-energy models enables users to add one or more heating chambers and extend the conveyor belt, multiplying capacity in direct proportion to each heating chamber added.
Conveyor extensions can also be added to the infeed or outfeed of the dryer to optimise loading and cooling and unloading of garments.
Vastex’s distributors in the UK are Dalesway Print Technology and MHM Direct GB.
