A degassing chamber for degassing a material located on a workpiece, comprises a vacuum source and a vacuum reservoir in fluid communication with the vacuum source, a secondary chamber, a port valve which is movable between an open position to allow passage of a workpiece therethrough between the exterior of the degassing chamber and the secondary chamber and a closed position in which the port valve is fluidly sealed, and a reservoir valve which is movable between an open position to provide fluid communication between the secondary chamber and the vacuum reservoir and a closed position in which the reservoir valve is fluidly sealed. The degassing chamber may be provided subsequent to a printing machine in a production line, and has particular application for degassing silicone material when producing fuel cells.

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.

A fixation/transfer device for control of dye waste in a dye sublimation process. The device comprises a textile inlet, a textile outlet, a heat press or calender, an endless belt for driving the textile from the textile inlet to the textile outlet through the heat press, the heat press being held at a temperature sufficient to cause sublimation of the printing dye, and a cleaning station for cleaning the endless belt, the cleaning station being located downstream of the textile outlet and upstream of the textile outlet. The feed belt may be heated at the cleaning station so that sublimation may assist cleaning.

A networked product imaging system includes devices that provide the production of imaged goods. Sellers are easily integrated into the network with minimal or no inventory requirements. Customer requirements are provided to a central computing device (CCD) that has two-way communication with a plurality of geographically separated product image forming devices. The central computing device determines specifications for forming the image on the blank product in accordance with the customer's order. The central computing device selects a product image forming device from the plurality of geographically separated product forming devices for fulfilling the order, based upon factors that include the specification of the product image forming device available, the product image forming inventory and the blank product inventory available at the geographic location of the product image forming device. The selected product image forming device forms the image on the blank product at the remote location.

A networked product imaging system includes devices that provide the production of imaged goods. Sellers are easily integrated into the network with minimal or no inventory requirements. Customer requirements are provided to a central computing device (CCD) that has two-way communication with a plurality of geographically separated product image forming devices. The central computing device determines specifications for forming the image on the blank product in accordance with the customer's order. The central computing device selects a product image forming device from the plurality of geographically separated product forming devices for fulfilling the order, based upon factors that include the specification of the product image forming device available, the product image forming inventory and the blank product inventory available at the geographic location of the product image forming device. The selected product image forming device forms the image on the blank product at the remote location.

The present invention relates to a thermal transfer device, and more particularly, to a thermal transfer device with a communication function and a management system thereof which can transfer state information and/or failure information of the thermal transfer device via the communication function, manage the received state information and failure information, and provide them to a user. The thermal transfer device according to the present invention comprises a driving unit provided with at least one motor to perform a conveying or blowing function under the control of a control unit, a heating unit provided with at least one heater to perform a heating operation under the control of the control unit, a communication unit for accessing the network, and the control unit for controlling the driving unit and the heating unit to perform a thermal transfer function and transferring state information related to the operation of the thermal transfer device to a management server through the communication unit.

The present invention relates to a thermal transfer device, and more particularly, to a thermal transfer device with a communication function and a management system thereof which can transfer state information and/or failure information of the thermal transfer device via the communication function, manage the received state information and failure information, and provide them to a user. The thermal transfer device according to the present invention comprises a driving unit provided with at least one motor to perform a conveying or blowing function under the control of a control unit, a heating unit provided with at least one heater to perform a heating operation under the control of the control unit, a communication unit for accessing the network, and the control unit for controlling the driving unit and the heating unit to perform a thermal transfer function and transferring state information related to the operation of the thermal transfer device to a management server through the communication unit.

The present invention relates to a continuous printing apparatus using a vacuum suction roller, and it is to provide a continuous printing apparatus and method using a vacuum suction roller capable of reducing costs and improving productivity by continuously printing on the surface of a woven fabric using the vacuum suction roller.

The present invention relates to a continuous printing apparatus using a vacuum suction roller, and it is to provide a continuous printing apparatus and method using a vacuum suction roller capable of reducing costs and improving productivity by continuously printing on the surface of a woven fabric using the vacuum suction roller.