Dlubak Powder Coatings
3D Sublimation Success
"SoftRIP has all the tools necessary for my workflow," comments Frank. "Setting up a print unit and opening a file in the Layout screen is straightforward."
Dlubak Powder Coating and Design's unique process of dye sublimation accommodates for substrates in any shape and size, allowing them to create custom garage doors, ceiling panels, specialized artwork, and 3D design elements. With Wasatch SoftRIP's color management tools, Dlubak achieves consistent and reliable results with every print in their dye sublimation process.
3D Dye Sublimation
Using large ovens, including an oven that is 24 feet long, Dlubak can sublimate onto various sizable substrates. Artwork is first printed on a dye sublimation film and placed on a powdered coated substrate. The substrate and film are then put through an oversized oven on a vacuumed sealed table that keeps the film in place. The end results are one-of-a-kind 3D sublimated substrates.
Dye sublimated three-dimensional substrates are popular among architects that want natural looking finishes for wall facades, light posts, or skylights with the durability of a powder coated material. Artists also choose this method to create pieces in different shapes and textures, including on glass. Sublimating to unique shapes has its challenges so Frank Dlubak, President, utilizes SoftRIP's tiling tools to produce multi-panels prints with a small tile overlap. This eliminates any errors when placing the prints on a substrate.
"Escalator to Where?” is an award winning image from a Clemson University student.
At Clemson University the students learn how to create a four color separation with SoftRIP SP.
Color Consitency
Frank chose SoftRIP because
"it simply has the best-ripping capabilities" so taking on a large project isn't a concern for him. Dlubak recently finished a project working with Art Metro, a department of Los Angeles Metro, to create artwork showcasing four independent artists. Each artist has four different pieces in their series that is displayed at the El Monte Station, the largest bus facility west of Chicago. The artwork panels for each artist are eight-by-eight feet and sublimated onto a thick metal panel. Art Metro chose this method of displaying the artwork because of the durability against harsh environmental elements. With SoftRIP's 16-bit rendering, Dlubak is able to achieve premium color output with smooth gradients and color that is faithful to its original file, which was vital for this project. "I know when I click 'Print' in SoftRIP the file will reproduce accurately with color consistency throughout," states Frank.
Sublimation Success
In addition to the premium color output and color consistency with every print, Frank appreciates SoftRIP's ease-of-use. "SoftRIP has all the tools necessary for my workflow," comments Frank. "Setting up a print unit and opening a file in the Layout screen is straightforward." SoftRIP has features specifically designed for the dye sublimation process including an option that automatically mirrors all images. Plus, Wasatch's Queues Manager maintains Frank's ripped and printed jobs, making it easy if a job needs to be reprinted. SoftRIP has the workflow tools that give Frank complete control of his production.
With SoftRIP SP, the students have a number of halftone methods to choose from.
About Dlubak Powder Coating and Design
Frank Dlubak has a passion for art and started his career as a stained glass artist. He has worked on over 500 churches creating and restoring stained glass. He was introduced to powder coating and realized that a lot could be done with this technology, but owning a business that allowed him to continue creating art only made sense. Frank, president of the company but insists on being called a worker, has grown his business to have one of the largest dye sublimation capabilities in the United States. Dlubak's powder coating creates a hard surface that can withstand harsh environments and is more durable than conventional paint, which is a perfect match for the durability of dye sublimation. Plus, the process is completely environmentally friendly. To learn more, visit www.dlubakpowdercoating.com.
