An automated system is provided herein for fixing sublimation transfers to mugs in preparation for sublimation printing, the system including: a conveyor; an intake for sublimation transfers; a vertically adjustable transfer platen having an upwardly facing support surface; a feeder for conveying the sublimation transfers from the intake to the support surface; a linear actuator for moving mugs from the conveyor to a target location above the support surface; first and second tape applicators; and vertically adjustable first and second wrapping arms. With a sublimation transfer resting on the support surface, and a target mug in the target location, the transfer platen is caused to press the sublimation transfer against the target mug, and the first and second wrapping arms are caused to elevate to wrap lateral portions of the sublimation transfer about the target mug, to provide a prepared mug for sublimation printing.

A method of depositing a material on a receiving substrate, the method comprising: providing a source substrate having a back surface and a front surface, the back surface carrying at least one piece of coating material; providing a receiving substrate positioned adjacent to the source substrate and facing the coating material; and radiating light towards the front surface of the source substrate, to remove at least one piece of the coating material from the source substrate and deposit said removed at least one piece onto the receiving substrate as a whole.

The invention relates to a direct printing method for enamelling and/or decorating on surfaces in general (ceramic, glass or metallic materials, inter alia), which are subjected to heat treatment following printing, consisting of transferring an enamel/ink, by means of the use of a device for emitting energy in the form of electromagnetic waves, preferably laser, from a carrier vehicle to the printing surface without any contact between said vehicle and the printing surface. The heat treatment, which is carried out at temperatures higher than 500 C., is used for the adherence of the enamel/ink to the substrate, producing the final ceramic and/or chromatic effect.

An illustrative dye sublimation apparatus may include a pair of printed sheets placed on either side of a substrate that allows for image infusion on both sides of the substrate. A second heat source, such as a heated plate, is included in order to heat the second printed sheet. Compared to the conventional systems in which a single heat source heats a single printed, the embodiments disclosed herein describe a process for simultaneous double-sided image infusion, which results in a substrate with sublimated images on both sides.

A printing apparatus, that thermally transfers color ink and an overcoat to a recording sheet, includes a at least one processor and at least one memory that is in communication with the at least one processor. The at least one memory stores instructions for causing the at least one processor and the at least one memory to perform print processing of transferring the color ink and the overcoat to the recording sheet by a thermal head and an ink ribbon, change a pressing force for pressing the ink ribbon and the recording sheet during the color ink transfer and during the overcoat transfer in the print processing, and control a processing speed during the color ink transfer and during the overcoat transfer in the print processing.

An illustrative dye sublimation apparatus may include a sealed chamber and a heating section. More specifically, the sealed chamber is thermally insulated and substantially airtight in order to keep the heat generated by the heating section within the sealed chamber. Compared to the conventional systems that are open-air and require direct heat, the embodiments disclosed herein generate a uniform or nearly uniform heat distribution throughout the sealed chamber, which results in a more consistent and efficient dye sublimation process.

Systems and methods for laser assisted deposition of a material includes a printing unit configured to print individual dot-like portions of a material from a donor substrate onto a receiving substrate, and a vacuum shuttle configured to be positionable in two or three dimensions between the printing unit and the donor substrate and to engage the donor substrate upon application of a vacuum to the vacuum shuttle. The printing unit may include a coating system and a laser. The vacuum shuttle includes a vacuum channel about its periphery and an open window through which the laser irradiates the donor substrate. The vacuum channel is fluidly coupled to a vacuum inlet for receiving a vacuum suction, thereby to engage the donor substrate and hold it taught against the bottom of the vacuum shuttle in operation. The vacuum shuttle may also include one or more distance measuring sensors and fiducial markers.

An illustrative dye sublimation apparatus may comprise a pressure housing in the heating component. The pressure housing may apply a positive pressure on a membrane covering a combination of a printed sheet and a substrate. The positive pressure applied by the pressure housing may cause the printed sheet and substrate to snugly press against each other throughout a heating cycle. Furthermore, the positive pressure applied by the pressure housing may be even or approximately even throughout an upper surface of the membrane. The dye sublimation apparatus may utilize the pressure housing in addition or as an alternative to a negative pressure applied by a vacuum pump.