Brother has added a new variant to its established GTX line of industrial-strength direct-to-garment (DtG) printers, the GTX600 Extra Colors, and introduced a roll-to-roll direct-to-film (DtF) printer, based on the GTX Pro DtG model.
The GTX600 Extra Colors adds orange and green primaries to the CMYK-plus-white capability of the existing GTX600, itself built on Brother’s 15 years experience in DtG printing, to provide an expanded palette of vivid colours.
According to textile product manager Tim Rählert the GTX600 Extra Colors is ‘built for industrial-level performance’; the printer supports platen sizes up to 61 x 61cm (24 x 24in; a 14 x 16in platen is supplied as standard) and has six Brother printheads. It can work both as a DtG or as a direct-to-film printer, with automatic platen height adjustment, and features a built-in dehumidifier and cooling system to optimise printing conditions.
The water-based Innobella inks are dispensed via 9l tanks with four-point white ink recirculation for sustained production and economy and are both OekoTex certified and GOTS-approved. The GTX640 EC is priced at €64,995 including a ‘starter kit’ but no pre-treatment equipment, which is necessary for use of the white ink.
The roll-to-roll DtF machine is based on the GTX Pro model with a dedicated roll feeder attachment and an automated inline powder/dryer unit to address the fast-growing DtF market. Mr Rählert advised that not all Brother offices would have this option immediately but that it is available across EMEA now and is expected in Asia and the US from January 2024. The printer is priced at €32,985, which includes the powder unit.