Sublimation Printers
Dye sublimation printers are used to create professional quality photos by transferring dye to a variety of substrates including paper, poster board, and plastic cards. Sublimation printers work with a four color panel ribbon. The images are created by laying one color at a time. Sublimation ink printers have many advantages over inkjet versions.

Color Range
The primary advantage of dye sublimation photo printers over inkjets is its broader range of colors. An inkjet printer varies the colors that it prints by changing the size and number of dots used to create an image and no dot can be laid on top of each other. However, dye sublimation color printers can change colors by changing the temperature in its print heads. Currently each colored panel can achieve 256 different shades and the colors can overlap. This means that die sublimation printers can achieve up to 16.8 million different colors.

Dry Time
Sublimation inkjet printers also have a faster drying time than standard inkjets. This means that the prints can be handled right away. In addition a faster drying time reduces the risk of smudges and smears.

Speed
Dye sublimation printers are generally faster than inkjet printers. Inkjet printers average a print time of 7 to 10 minutes per print. In contrast, sublimation printers can produce photos in as fast as 45 seconds.

Durability
Dye sublimation printers create prints that last longer and are more durable than inkjet prints. This is because sublimation printers create a protective coating layer that is waterproof and fade resistant. Sublimation prints can last up to fifty years under normal circumstances.

Cost
While dye sublimation printers have a higher initial price tag, they cost less to operate. This is because the cost per page for sublimation printer is less than inkjets. On average inkjet printers cost 40 percent more to operate than the sublimation printers. In addition, ink consumption on sublimation printers is more predictable than with inkjet printers. This is because they dye sublimation printers use the same amount of ink for each print. Also, inkjets may have one color run out in the middle of a print job causing all of the printed pages to go to waste. This will not happen with sublimation printers.