Heat-based image transfer in DuPont Corian solid surface
Dye-Sublimated Corian is a process by which graphic content, with the aid of computer software, is converted into an ink plate and then transferred onto a sheet of Corian through a heat-and-compression process. Unlike conventional inks, sublimation water-based inks are converted directly from a solid to a gas under heat and pressure, causing them to bond with the solid surface, which becomes porous at 350 F. Upon cooling, Corian reverts to its nonporous state and the ink molecules return to their solid state, permanently transferring the image or graphic onto the surface of the material. The printed Corian can then be repolished and thermoformed in the same way as unprinted material.
Developed by DuPont fabricator Rick Wing of R. D. Wing Co., the dye-sublimation process can produce images up to 30 x 40 inches without seaming or panelizing. A rapid cycle time allows for fast turnaround for proofing, sampling, and the production of signs, logos, and other design elements.
Contact: Backlight Images Inc., Kirkland, WA, USA.
For more information, see Transmaterial 2: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment
