Dye-sublimation printer

Dye sublimation is a color printing process which finds application in thermal printers. Similar to the thermal transfer ink wax is applied here to the paper. The thermal sublimation particularly high temperatures are used ( 300-400 ° C), whereby the wax is added in a gaseous state and then evaporated. This leads to heating of individual pixels of the print head to an evaporation of dyes from the dye carrier sheet. These are reflected on a special paper. The temperature determines the amount of dye which is transferred onto the paper, and thus controls the brightness of the pixel.

With the so-called continuous -tone dye sublimation printers procedures achieve a high color depth and saturation, but have high acquisition and operating costs. The printing method is used for some time in various photo printers.

Also, the dye sublimation printing in the 1980s and 1990s for durable key cap inscription has been used in computer keyboards, as scored with this technique, the color deep and therefore permanently in the plastic. An example of such a labeled keyboard which is very common at that time IBM Model M keyboard.