NEWS RELEASES

ALLENTOWN, PA — Vastex International has introduced a new LittleRed X3D-54 multi-function dryer with 54 in. (137 mm) wide conveyor belt capable of curing over 720 plastisol-printed garments per hour, 240+ water-based or discharge-printed garments per hour, and 100+ garments per hour per chamber inkjet-printed with digital white ink.

The new dryer features a high-powered pre-heating zone that boosts ink temperatures past 300°F (149°C) within the first few inches of conveyor travel, maximizing the dwell time garments are exposed to optimum digitally-controlled curing temperatures.

"We've thoroughly tested the X3D heat curve profile in real time with specialized meters and probes to validate the temperature rise and fall through every inch of conveyor travel, proving it maximizes drying rates while minimizing energy usage," says Mark Vasilantone, president, adding, "No other dryer this compact or affordably priced equals its performance."

By significantly shortening the pre-heat time, the X3D allows inkjet-printed garments and pretreated garments, as well as garments pretreated and printed in one process, to cure at the optimum temperature and dwell time without constant monitoring.

The dryer's three 48 in. (122 cm) wide heaters (17,800W @ 240V total watts) are digitally-controlled and height-adjustable to maximize curing efficiency for bulky or over-sized garments. The X3D also offers precision-thermal-profiling (PTP) to match curing conditions to the drying characteristics of each ink type, particularly difficult-to-cure inkjet-printed white ink.

The multi-purpose dryer is 88 in. (224 cm) long, 41 in. (105 cm) wide and 50 in. (127 cm) high, and features a 550 cfm (15.6 cmm) targeted exhaust system as standard to rapidly remove moisture and air contaminates from the heating chamber, keeping the exterior surfaces and controls cool.

The conveyor belt is continuously centered by a roller belt tracking system, and driven at precisely controlled speeds to vary dwell time in single-chamber units from 30 seconds to four minutes, and up to eight minutes in dual chamber models, which are particularly suited for Kornit^® DTG printers and high capacity screen printers.

The capacity of all LittleRed dryers can be increased by adding heating chambers, extending the conveyor belt length and increasing the infinitely-variable speed setting of the digital belt control.

The heaters of all Vastex dryers carry an industry-leading 15-year warranty, and feature closely spaced coils that provide high-density, medium-wavelength infrared heat for maximum cure speed without cold spots or under curing associated with conventional units.