A thread printing system includes a source spool containing thread. The system also includes various print heads, each of which is fluidly connected to an ink tank. The print heads are positioned to direct and apply ink to a segment of the thread as the thread travels along a transport path along from the source spool. The system also includes a fuser having one or more print rollers that are connected to a heating element. The fuser receives the dyed thread and fuses the ink to the thread. The system may include a controller that is configured to apply ink of different colors to different segments of the thread.

A hybrid printing machine is described having both silk screening stations and a direct-to-garment digital printing station with a raster image processor to control a portion of a printing process.

A printing machine for printing fabrics on a rotary drum, comprises one or more drums rotatable about a drum axis, that receive tubes of fabric thereon, and a print head placed in proximity to the drum, to print onto the fabric fitted onto the drum. The print head comprises multiple printing nozzles or linear arrays of printing nozzles which are aligned linearly along the axial direction of the drum, which are all at a predefined printing distance from the drum surface or the fabric surface. Also, a rotary drum for a textile printer comprises a groove extending along the length of the drum, and a catch mechanism built into the groove for catching on to a garment or backing for a garment as the drum rotates. The rotation of the drum pulls the caught edge and wraps the garment around the drum ready for rotary drum printing.

A garment printing machine is provided with a transportable platen that can be utilized to significantly decrease the delay in printing expended in loading and unloading a garment for printing in either a digitized garment printing machine or a screen garment printing machine. The platen is provided with structure that holds a print receiving area of a garment firmly in position atop a print panel support plate that forms a part of the platen. Furthermore, the invention includes a platen support structure that cooperates with the conventional couplings on existing conventional garment printing machines. A plurality of transportable platens constructed according to the invention are utilized interchangeably so that while one garment loaded on one of the platens is being printed upon in the printing machine, the prior garment just printed upon is unloaded and the next garment to be printed is loaded onto another identical platen. This totally avoids any delay in printing due to loading and unloading of garments on the platens.

A garment printing machine is provided with a transportable platen that can be utilized to significantly decrease the delay in printing expended in loading and unloading a garment for printing in either a digitized garment printing machine or a screen garment printing machine. The platen is provided with structure that holds a print receiving area of a garment firmly in position atop a print panel support plate that forms a part of the platen. Furthermore, the invention includes a platen support structure that cooperates with the conventional couplings on existing conventional garment printing machines. A plurality of transportable platens constructed according to the invention are utilized interchangeably so that while one garment loaded on one of the platens is being printed upon in the printing machine, the prior garment just printed upon is unloaded and the next garment to be printed is loaded onto another identical platen. This totally avoids any delay in printing due to loading and unloading of garments on the platens.

A rotary screen transfer printing machine and a control system thereof. The rotary screen transfer printing machine having a feeding unit, a printing unit, a drying unit, and a receiving unit; the printing unit has at least one rotary screen transfer printing assembly and a guide belt assembly; each rotary screen transfer printing assembly has a rotary screen plate roller and a transfer roller; the rotary screen plate roller is close to the transfer roller; the transfer roller is seamlessly coated with rubber or a resin having good affinity for a water-based ink. A control system includes: a motion controller; a conveying synchronization module, used for controlling the feeding unit, the printing unit, the drying unit, and the receiving unit to synchronize the conveying speeds of the four units; and a rotary screen transfer printing synchronization module.

A hybrid printing machine is described having both silk screening stations and a direct-to-garment digital printing station with a raster image processor to control a portion of a printing process.

A garment printing machine is provided with a transportable platen that can be utilized to significantly decrease the delay in printing expended in loading and unloading a garment for printing in either a digitized garment printing machine or a screen garment printing machine. The platen is provided with structure that holds a print receiving area of a garment firmly in position atop a print panel support plate that forms a part of the platen. Furthermore, the invention includes a platen support structure that cooperates with the conventional couplings' on existing conventional garment printing machines. A plurality of transportable platens constructed according to the invention are utilized interchangeably so that while one garment loaded on one of the platens is being printed upon in the printing machine, the prior garment just printed upon is unloaded and the next garment to be printed is loaded onto another identical platen. This totally avoids any delay in printing due to loading and unloading of garments on the platens.

A PU printing method and system including a textile component; and a rotary screen device component. More specifically, the system can include: a source of PU material; a rotary screen containing a squeegee blade or magnetic roller that is connected to the PU material source; means to carry the textile in proximity to the rotary screen and in position to receive a print; and a source of pressure, hydrodynamic or magnetic, to force the PU through the rotary screen and onto the textile.

A hybrid printing machine is described having both silk screening stations and a direct-to-garment digital printing station with a raster image processor to control a portion of a printing process.