Various embodiments of a universal hold down pallet system for garment printing are described. In one example, a system includes a gasket plate comprising a plate having an opening and a gasket disposed at a perimeter of the opening, the opening sized and configured to mate with a pallet to hold a garment in place, and a head frame comprising at least one gasket plate guide channel positioned on a bottom surface of the head frame and a gasket plate latch assembly positioned at a first end section of the head frame, the at least one gasket plate guide configured to slidably receive the gasket plate. Where the gasket plate and the pallet are a set sized for a specified printing area, the set being one of a plurality of sets that are interchangeable in the universal hold down pallet system.

In some embodiments, a direct-to-garment personalization system for personalizing an article includes a direct-to-garment printer configured to print a graphic onto the article; a hanger for supporting the article; a storage area containing the article supported on the hanger; and a transfer system configured to remove the article from the hanger in the storage area and move the article to the direct-to-garment printer. The hanger includes a first arm coupled to a second arm, wherein the arms are collapsible to a smaller size in response to a pull force; and a hook coupled to at least one of the first and second arms.

Various examples are provided related to processing and handling of products. In one example, among others, a material product holding system includes a product holding assembly and a structure supporting the product holding assembly, the structure coupled to the positioning assembly. The product holding assembly can include support arms and a positioning assembly that can adjust positioning of the support arms with respect to each other to engage with at least a portion of a product supported by the support arms. In another example, a method include engaging support arms with a surface of at least a portion of a product, the support arms tensioning the product, positioning the support arms to load the product on a workstation, contracting the support arms to remove the tension, processing the product, re-engaging the support arms after completion of the processing, and unloading the product from the workstation.

A platen is disclosed. In an example, the platen may include a shirtboard configured to receive a garment. A backing is coupled to the shirtboard. The backing and the shirtboard are compressible to selectively compress the shirtboard against the backing during a printing operation. An example method of printing on a garment includes threading a garment onto a board so that the board is wearing the garment, supporting the board against a backing during compression, and printing on the garment. In an example, a fabric of the garment is pretreated, heat-pressed, and printed on, all without removing the garment from the board.

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.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a number printing machine is provided. The machine includes at least one pallet, and an input to input at least the height and width of, and spacing between, a plurality of numbers to be printed on a substrate. The machine also includes a controller responsive to the input to control movement of the at least one pallet to print the plurality of numbers on the substrate in registration. In another embodiment, a method for printing numbers in registration on a substrate is provided. The method includes the steps of inputting into an input the length, width, and spacing between numbers to be printed, and positioning the substrate in response to the input such that the numbers are printed in registration.

A platen assembly for printing on face masks which includes a base member having a plurality of jig members mounted thereon. The base member has a top surface and a bottom surface, with its bottom surface operative to attach to a platen holding mechanism of a conventional direct to garment printer. Each of the jig members may be attached to the top surface of the base member and hold a single face mask in such a manner that it can be printed on. Edges of the base member and of each jig member include interface portions which allow portions of the face mask to be selectively threaded through to more effectively keep the face masks in place, being held smooth and taught.

Printing machine includes a guide; at least one printing station located along the guide; at least one supporting station for supporting a product to be printed by the printing station; at least a first and a second positioning units mounted along the guide, at least one of the positioning units being located at the printing station. The supporting station includes: a motor substantially integral with the supporting station for moving the supporting station along the guide; an acquisition device capable of acquiring an identification code from each of the positioning units when the supporting station is at each of the positioning units; a memory wherein reference codes corresponding to the identification codes and at least one reference distance corresponding to a distance between the first and second positioning units are stored; a processing unit configured to control the motor based on the acquired identification codes and on the reference codes and reference distance stored in the memory.

An apparel printing system for printing on regions of tubular fabrics with repeating patterns includes a textile printer having a print head and a tubular platen that includes features on the platen surface to retain and register the tubular fabric on the platen surface during printing.

A platen assembly for printing on face masks which includes a base member having a plurality of jig members mounted thereon. The base member has a top surface and a bottom surface, with its bottom surface operative to attach to a platen holding mechanism of a conventional direct to garment printer. Each of the jig members may be attached to the top surface of the base member and hold a single face mask in such a manner that it can be printed on. Edges of the base member and of each jig member include interface portions which allow portions of the face mask to be selectively threaded through to more effectively keep the face masks in place, being held smooth and taught.