All Posts, Printing Equipment, Start a T-Shirt Business

Roland BN-20 DTF Printer FAQ: Essential Guide for Printers

Posted on by David Seth
27
Jun

Recently updated on January 29th, 2024 at 02:36 pm

Welcome to our guide on the Roland BN-20 DTF Printer and the FAQ. This article will provide an extensive exploration of the Roland BN-20 DTF Printer and some common FAQ’s, addressing some of its most commonly asked questions and exploring what makes it a unique choice for both screen printers seeking a reliable T-shirt transfer option and hobbyists interested in this exciting new printing technology.

As we have no skin in this game you know that you can trust our review of tis printer as we do not sell them or provide maintenence, we just want to provide an un-biase view to help out.

Whether you’re a screen printer looking for a reliable full colour DTF T-shirt transfer option or a hobbyist keen on purchasing a printer that allows you to create your own transfers, we’ve got you covered. We delve into what makes Roland DG’s VersaStudio BN-20D unique and discuss its key features.

You’ll also find practical advice on setting up your new printer, including an overview of what’s included in your purchase and a step-by-step setup guide. The Roland BN-20D DTF Printer. The article would not be complete without a FAQ discussing ink requirements, costing details, and commonly asked questions.

Maintenance tips are crucial for any device longevity; hence we offer daily upkeep suggestions. Finally, we explain the printing process intricacies and give insights into balancing speed and efficiency during print jobs. Stay tuned!

Table Of Contents:

Understanding the Roland BN-20D DTF Printer

The Roland BN-20D is a game-changer in the world of desktop DTF printers. It’s a Direct To Film (DTF) printer that doubles as a vinyl cutter, making it perfect for small print shops and hobbyists looking to produce high-quality T-shirt transfers.

What makes Roland BN-20D unique?

The Roland BN-20D Is a Desktop DTF Printer that uses Rolands uses enhanced ink types and an improved white circulation system for superior performance. It’s easy to operate, even if you’re new to DTF printing technology. Plus, it creates custom printed T-shirt transfers without compromising on quality or efficiency.

Key features of Roland BN-20D

  • Versatility: Functions as both a DTF printer and a vinyl cutter.
  • Ink System: Uses CMYK + White, Roland DG S-PG DTF Ink for rich colour output.
  • User-friendly Interface: Comes equipped with Roland DG Versa Works Studio software.
  • Durability: Rolands traditional BN-20 is well known for their durability, these machines can withstand heavy usage while maintaining quality prints and continues to work over time.

If you’re planning on venturing into the t-shirt business or simply want to upgrade your current setup, aand are consider investing in a Roland BN-20D read on to get our thoughts. The Roland BN-20D has an impressive feature set and outstanding support service offered by Roland itself, you can be assured of getting a value-for-money product.

Roland BN-20 DTF Printer FAQ: Essential Guide for Printers

Setting Up Your New Printer

Do you have a small Screen Printing Shop and need the ability to do low volume DTF Transfers to value add to your business? Ready to revolutionise your printing experience? The Roland BN-20D DTF printer might be  the way to go. In this step-by-step guide we provide help you get the most out of your Roland BN-20D DTF printer.

What’s in the Box?

The Roland BN-20D comes with everything you need to start printing right away. You’ll get a 30-meter roll of DTF film, which is essential for creating high-quality T-shirt transfers. (While the film supplied is fine you may want to look at other options long term.)

Just a heads up, the printer doesn’t come with ink cartridges or other Direct To Film supplies. You will need to purchase these separately, as well as purchase the necessary other Direct To Film supplies to get your printer ready for use.

Setting Up Your Printer

  1. Unpack Carefully: Make sure you don’t miss anything important like power cables or user manuals.
  2. Ink Installation: Follow the instructions provided by Roland to install each of the four CMYK ink cartridges, as well as the White ink cartridge.
  3. Film Loading: Load up your DTF film, ensuring correct alignment and tension for the best results.
  4. Film Feeding: Feed in DTF film carefully, ensuring no wrinkles or creases that could affect final print quality.
  5. Software Installation: Install the software onto a PC or Laptop, follow the supplied instructions, connect the computer to the BN-20D with a USB cable.
  6. Cutter Adjustment: This machine doubles as a vinyl cutter too. Adjust the blade depth according to material thickness for precise cuts every time.
  7. Preliminary Test Print: Run an initial test print before starting production runs to avoid any surprises down the line.

Remember, taking the time to set up your printer correctly at the start will save you time and resources later on. So, get familiar with this fantastic printer because once set up properly, it can revolutionise the way you print small full colour orders.

Ink Requirements

The Roland BN-20D DTF Printers ink is the lifeblood of your DTF prints. Each colour cartridge (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) costs around $120.00+GST, while white ink is a bit more expensive at $130.00+GST per cartridge. You will need to use the Roland priority specific inks due to its special formulation designed specifically for DTF printing process. You should not attempt to retrofit aftermarket inks to the Roland BN-20D printer.

Why Use Recommended Ink?

Using cheaper alternatives or refillable cartridges may seem like a good idea, but it could lead to poor print quality and even damage your machine over time. The main reason for using a Roland BN-20D is because of its well known robust nature, and by comprimising on the ink you will also comprimise this legendary bullet proof reputation. Always use genuine Roland Inks to ensure high-quality prints every time while also extending the life span of your Roland BN-20D printer.

Costing Details on Cartridges

Maintaining an adequate supply of Inks is essential for uninterrupted operation, so budgeting accordingly to account for their ongoing costs should be considered. So when budgeting for operating expenses related to owning a Roland BN 20D, remember to consider not just the initial purchase price but also ongoing costs such as those associated with replenishing ink stocks regularly.

Importance of Using Genuine Roland Inks

Genuine Roland DG S-PG DTF Inks are formulated specifically for this particular model, ensuring vibrant colours and sharp images as well as protecting your machine’s printheads from potential damage caused by inferior quality inks. To ensure optimal performance from your Roland BN 20D printer, always make sure that you’re using genuine Roland Inks only.

One of the common problems with DTF Printing is the Colour Profiling and the fact that with many Chinese Printers it is not done correctly, the big advantage of purchasing a DTF Printer off of a known brand name is that you can feel confidant that this has been done correctly by the manufacture. The printer, the ink and the software all work together to make sure the colours look right when fitted onto your T-Shirts and Apparel. This is yet another reason to stick with the Roland DG S-PG DTF Inks, so you know the colours will look right every time.

Don’t compromise on quality or risk damaging your machine. Stick with genuine Roland Inks for the best results.

Printer Maintenance Tips

Keep your Roland BN-20D DTF Printer in top shape with these daily maintenance tips.

Maintenance Matters

Regular upkeep is crucial for your printer’s longevity and performance. Neglecting maintenance can lead to pesky problems and costly repairs.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Shake It Up: Give those inks a good shake before starting your day. Especially the white ink, which is prone to settling and clogging.
  2. Nozzle Check: Run a nozzle check using Roland’s software to catch any issues early on.
  3. Clean It: If you spot any problems during the nozzle check, clean your printer following the manufacturer’s guidelines found in the user manual.

Weekly Maintenance

Once a week do a full clean of the machine, do a comprehensive test and print even if the printer has not done any work through the week.

Pro tip: Never turn off your printer, thinking that you will avoid ink wastage and technical issues is incorrect, leaving the printer on at all times allows it to do all the automated maintenance as it is needed. And in the long term letting the printer do its thing will save money on expensive service costs.

By following these simple steps, you’ll keep your Roland BN-20D DTF Printer running smoothly and producing top-quality prints for years to come.

Printing Process: Simplified

The Roland BN-20D DTF printer is sure to be a game-changer in the printing world. It’s unique as the first desktop printing process from a reputable brand. But, it’s not compatible with an inline shaker and dryers because it prints the CMYK first and then returns the film and then prints the white ink. Sorry, no shaker or dryer.

How It Works

First, the printer lays down a layer of CMYK inks on your chosen film. Then, it adds a second layer of white ink. This dual-layer approach creates vibrant colours and sharp details in your print jobs.

Unlike traditional screen printing methods, where each colours is printed one or layer at a time, the digital process prints all colours at once and then applys a layer of white at the end.

Steps to Follow

  1. Design Preparation: Use software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or CorelDRAW to prepare your design. Make sure it fits within the printable area of your media size. (The Roll is 500mm wide)
  2. Loading into VersaWorks: Load up the necessary artwork into VersaWorks, we have found it easiest to pre-gang the atrwok into a file and then just add the single file instead of loading individual files. Select the settings as per the recommendations from Roland, We have found Max Impact to be a good preset. send and let the printer print.
  3. Powder Application: After printing, apply powder evenly across the entire surface area.
  4. Cure the Adhesive: Using a Speed Oven, Heat Plate, Drying Tunnel or a heat press cure the Adhesive. This helps bond ink to film and cure the adhesive, creating durable transfers ready for application onto garments.

Follow these steps closely to get professional-grade results every time. Remember to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions closely when operating the printer and the DTF machinery. Happy Printing.

Printing with Roland BN-20D DTF Printer

Quality over quantity is the main reason to choose to print T-shirt transfers with the Roland DTF printer. The BN-20D DTF printer is not quick, yet it produces prints with vibrant colours and is able to print photos. It will only print 4.6 square meters per hour. Yes it is very slow.

Efficient Printing Tips

To ensure problem free prints, avoid printing gang sheets longer than 600mm at once. Breaking down larger jobs into smaller ones not only maintains quality but also makes troubleshooting easier. This is due to the roll back style of printing it is not able to print long lengths of film in one print.

Quality vs Quantity

In screen-printing businesses, precision and clarity are paramount. The Roland DTF Printer excels at producing high-quality images, making it a great choice for T-shirt transfer designs for a small Screen Printing Workshop that wants to produce their own Transfers.

Recommended Equipment

Purchasing the Roland DTF Printer is not the end, We would also recommend in purchasing a A2 Heat Plate to cure your transfers, while it is possible to cure the transfers with a heat press or a drying tunnel, it has been our experience that you will get a far superior outcome using a Heat Plate, and getting an A2 size allows you to use the size capacity of the Roland efficiently.  

Getting a Quality Heat Press will also help elevate your transfers and their finish as well. 

Roland BN-20 DTF Printer FAQ: Essential Guide for Printers

FAQ

Can the Roland BN-20D print DTF?

Yes, the Roland BN-20D is capable of Direct to Film (DTF) printing, making it perfect for small print shop T-shirt transfers.

What is the lifespan of a DTF print?

The durability of a DTF print can vary depending on usage and care, but typically lasts around 50 washes or more.

What is the difference between Roland BN-20 and BN-20A?

The BN-20D has advanced features compared to the BN-20, making it more versatile for professional-quality graphics and prints. The D model is tesignd to print DTF Transfers without the need to weed and they are primarly for fabric, and the normal model is designed to print onto Vinyl to create stickers and transfers and does need to be weeded.

What can you use the Roland BN-20D for?

The Roland VersaStudio BN-20D is designed for producing high-quality transfers, that are applied using heat and pressure. The Printer also has a cutter attached and has the capacity to cut vinyl to creat single colour HTV transfers and stickers.

Can I print DTF Transfers with my exsisting Roland BN20?

No, unfortunately, you cannot print Direct To Film (DTF) transfers using a Roland BN-20. The Roland BN-20 is a versatile printer that excels in cut and print jobs but it’s not designed for DTF printing. DTF requires specific inks and the equipment has extra featuers to handle the specialised ink and film used in this process. It’s recommended to use dedicated DTF printer like the BN-20D.

What is the difference between Roland BN-20 and BN-20D?

The primary difference between the Roland BN-20 and BN-20D lies in how they are setup. While both machines us very similar parts and look very similar there are some important differences, they use different inks and the printer handles and circulates the ink differently. They also print slightly differently.

In Conclusion

The Roland DTF Printer is a great option for people that already have a BN-20 and want to upgrade, it is perfect for a small print shop and with a price tag of around $11.000 it is a work horse.

But there are some things to consider before diving in

  • Is it important to incorporate the ability to be able to print your own DTF transfers into your business.
  • Is speed of printing high-quality prints a factor, or is it just so I can do it myself.
  • How often will I print transfers, And what size jobs to I need to produce.
  • Understand that daily maintenance and weekly maintenance are necessary to keep the printer working.

After asking your self this consider DTF Transfers Australia offer Print Ready Transfers at an affordable price and we take care of all of the printing, we make it easy and take the hassel out of the process! We alos offer Speciality transfers.

If you do purchase a printer we are able to offer consumables such as Adhesive and Film for you at competive rates.

Avatar for David Seth
David Seth

Call Now Button