Which Printers Can Be Converted to Sublimation?

It’s simple to get started with sublimation printing, and perhaps the most crucial piece of equipment you’ll require is a sublimation printer. You can choose between printers that are designed specifically manufactured for sublimation printing and ones that must be converted.

Choose the perfect option for you from our list of printers that can be converted to sublimation printers and begin sublimation printing either as a hobby, a small company, or even both. We will also discuss the procedure for converting a normal printer to a sublimation printer.

First, let’s discuss the type of printers that can be used for sublimation printing.

Comparison Table

Printer	Print Speed	Copy Speed	Ink Palette	Weight
Epson WorkForce WF-7210	Black Text A4 (Normal) – 18 ISO ppm Color Text A4 (Normal) – 10 ISO ppm	Black Text (A4) – 16 ISO ipm Color Text (A4) – 8.8 ISO ipm	Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black	32.8 lb
Epson EcoTank ET-3830	Black Text A4 (Normal) – 15 ISO ppm Color Text A4 (Normal) – 8 ISO ppm	Black Text (A4) – 15 ISO ipm Color Text (A4) – 8 ISO ipm	Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black	12.6 lb
EcoTank ET-4700	Black Text A4 (Normal) – 10 ISO ppm Color Text A4 (Normal) – 5 ISO ppm	Black Text (A4) – 7.7 ISO ipm Color Text (A4) – 3.8 ISO ipm	Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black	11 lb

Our Top 3 Picks

Printers That Are Suitable for Sublimation Printing

A printer must have a certain printhead style for it to be utilized for sublimation. Printers having Piezo print heads will function in sublimation, whereas machines with Thermal print heads will not.

Piezo Print Heads

A narrow coating on the tip of a piezo print head is subjected to electrical charges, causing them to oscillate. This oscillation causes the film to stretch and twist, increasing the pressure that presses ink across the nozzle over the sheet. The film’s rapid oscillation and flexing allow it to regulate the rate at which ink is pumped out more precisely.

Inks that are based on water, oil, gel, as well as eco-solvent, and solvent are all usable with this kind of print head. This sort of print head may be found in printers like Epson, Sawgrass, as well as Roland, plus it can be employed for sublimation. There are several printer companies that use this Piezo Print Head. However, no sublimation inks are available for those.

Thermal Print heads

Heat is used in thermal print heads that boils ink causing the formation of air bubbles. These bubbles get driven into the nozzle of the print head, in which it bursts and exits the chamber.

Once the ink gets placed into the sheet, it cools swiftly near the final step. Water-based inks are used in thermal print heads for assistance with the heating process. These print heads are found in printers from Canon and HP.

Printers That You Can Transform Into Sublimation Printers

These printers can be converted to sublimation printers:

Epson WorkForce WF-7210

This Epson WorkForce WF-7210 can be converted to a sublimation printer. It is very similar to its predecessor, WF-7110, that it replaces. Both single-function printers print effectively in general and at moderate speeds, and they come with a variety of conventional and mobile networking options.

This printer can also print borderless sheets up to 13-inch x 19-inch and double-sided pages automatically up to 11-inch x 17-inch. As a result, the WF-7210 takes over as the best low- to moderate-volume solitary wide-format printer from its previous version.

The WF-7210’s printing performance is similar to the printer it replaced, the WF-7110. The sample font sheets that you print will have a laser-like quality down to around 6 – 7 points, and they will look perfectly understandable below that. Characters are clear and beautiful, as well as placed correctly, rendering text suited for a wide range of commercial purposes.

The majority of the full-page corporate graphics you print will look nice as well. However, you will notice some slight banding in a PowerPoint presentation with a gradient from green to black, as well as a handful of other slides with little color changes in dark tints. These aren’t very appealing, but they’re worth remembering.

Epson EcoTank ET-3830

Another printer from Epson that can be converted to a sublimation printer is Epson EcoTank ET-3830. Using easy-to-fill, extra-large ink tanks, the Epson EcoTank ET-3830 eliminates the need for cartridges.

Every set of replaceable ink bottles contains sufficient ink to print a maximum of 6,000 sheets, which is the equivalent of around 145 single cartridges, resulting in far minimal waste. EcoTank containers with distinct keys make it simple to refill every color tank.

In addition, the ET-3830 has a paper capacity of 250 sheets, a big 2.4-inch color LCD, automated double-sided printing, borderless printing to a maximum A4, and effortless wireless printing via phones and laptops.

Extra cheaper ink is available in large-capacity bottles with a drip-free nozzle with a resealable lid for simple storing and refill. The ink bottles have been modified to include a distinct key mechanism. Every container is keyed to slide exactly into the printer’s appropriate ink tank, eliminating spillage and miss-filling.

The 2.4-inch color LCD and user-friendly display screen controls make navigating the device menu simpler than before. Printing papers, surveys, bills, and presentations from home or on the road has never been easier.

The Epson EcoTank ET-3830 has Wi-Fi Direct® that supports the newest wireless technology. This eliminates the need for a router, giving consumers more range and better bandwidth.

Epson EcoTank ET-4700

Basically, if you’re searching for a low-cost printer, the EcoTank ET-4700 is among the finest options. Though this printer is more costly than several inexpensive printers, its lower printing expenses will compensate for it over the period you keep it.

Converting this printer into a sublimation printer is also possible. This printer is incredibly easy to connect to, both wirelessly and through a cable network if you want. It’s also completely functional with Google Cloud Print as well as Apple Airprint.

Another thing users may not even realize is that users can connect this printer to smart home devices, such as Alexa as well as Google Home. It will be considerably simpler for anyone to print or switch it off after they’re done if they do this.

The primary reason you should think about the ET-4700 is due to its low printing expenses. In case you print on a daily basis, this printer will save you a great deal of money compared to several alternative ink printers on the market.

Of course, how frequently you print will determine this, and if you just print sometimes, it may not be worthwhile to invest in such a costly printer.

The device comes with more than enough ink for printing 7,500 papers in bright colors, and the ink to replenish it is also reasonably priced. This might be a good purchase if you’re presently blowing a lot of money on ink cartridges.

Other Printers That Can Be Converted To Sublimation Printers

Epson WorkForce WF Series

• Work Force 7820 Click here to Buy
• WF 7840 Click here to Buy

Epson EcoTank Series

• Epson ET 2800 Click here to Buy
• Epson ET 2803 Click here to Buy
• Epson ET 2850 Click here to Buy
• Epson ET 3850 Click here to Buy
• Epson ET 4760 Click here to Buy
• Epson ET 4800 Click here to Buy
• Epson ET 4820 Click here to Buy

Here’s the recorded version of my review about these printers:

Process of Converting a Printer to Sublimation Printer

Follow these steps to convert your old printer into a sublimation printer:

• Run a nozzle test prior to starting the conversion procedure to ensure that the printhead is in good operating order. Converting on a printer that isn’t printing properly isn’t a good idea.
• When you begin, make sure you possess a backup maintenance container or the maintenance tank resetter on hand.
• Discard all of the existing ink cartridges, then replace them with a set of refillable cartridges loaded with cleansing fluid from a container.
• Clean the existing ink from the edges and substitute it with purging fluid using the first fill technique. To remove all residues, perform the first fill operation once again.
• Put any sublimation ink that you want. A secondary set of refillable ink cartridges is recommended for efficiency. It is viable, however, to reuse a similar set of cartridges.
• Remove as much purging fluid as possible from the cartridges. However, avoid rinsing with water.
• Add around 50 mL of sublimation ink into the cartridge, then use the priming injection to draw out all of the resultant ink/fluid combinations and remove it.
• Lastly, load the cartridge using sublimation ink to the maximum limit.
• Load the lines using sublimation ink before starting the print process with the first fill method!

Also Check: Best Sublimation Printer for Beginners

Conclusion:

In this article, the printers that can be converted to sublimation printers have been discussed with other information that will be valuable for you when picking the best option. You will find all the information required for converting a printer to a sublimation printer in this article.

We are hopeful that this article on sublimation printers will assist you with the aforementioned purpose.

FAQs:

Can you convert any printer into a sublimation printer?

A printer that comes with a tank can only be converted to sublimation if it is fully fresh and has never been loaded with any type of ink. Employing the accompanying syringes, you can inject any good quality sublimation ink into the printer and convert it to a sublimation printer.

Can an Epson printer be used for sublimation?

An Epson printer can be used for sublimation only if it has a Piezo print head, which is suitable for sublimation printing. You should cross-check if the Epson printer you want to convert to a sublimation printer has a Piezo print head.