Not every job justifies an own printing system. For occasional work, prototypes, short runs and for anyone testing the technology before buying, INEQS runs a full ceramic decal printing service on its own machines. Same toner, same profiles and same quality as a customer with an in-house system.
What you get
- Waterslide ceramic decals printed to your artwork, not a catalogue pattern
- Covercoated and ready to soak, apply and fire
- The firing curve for the toner set we used
- A toner set chosen for your ware, not for our convenience
- Formats from A4 to A0, single sheets or production runs
Why use the service instead of buying a printer
A ceramic printer earns its place at a certain monthly volume. Below it, the service is cheaper and faster, and it carries none of the learning curve: no colour management to set up, no developer to change, no first firing to get wrong. Most customers who eventually buy a printer used the service first, and nothing they learned was wasted, because the toner, the paper and the firing curve are the same.
What we print on
- Porcelain, stoneware and bone china
- Glazed ceramic tiles, including large-format and mural work
- Glass, with dedicated glass toner
- Enamelled steel and metal signage
- Memorial plaques in porcelain and enamel
Fluxed or unfluxed: that choice is ours
It is the decision people get wrong most often, so we make it for you. Ware that can take a high refire gets an unfluxed set and the image fires into the glaze. Porcelain that cannot, plus enamel and glass, gets a fluxed or glass set that fires lower. Tell us the piece, the glaze and the kiln and we match it. See fluxed vs unfluxed toner if you want the reasoning.
Formats and quantities
A4, A3, A3+, SRA3, A2, A1 and A0. An image larger than A0 is tiled across sheets with matched colour. Minimum order is one A4 sheet, and new customers are welcome to order a single test sheet on their own ware before committing to anything.
How to order
- Send your file to info@ineqs.com with the substrate, the size and the quantity.
- We check the file and confirm the price, the toner set and the firing curve. Nothing is printed before you agree to it.
- We print and coat the decals in Weinsheim.
- They ship ready to apply and fire, with the firing instructions.
File requirements
PDF, PSD, TIFF, JPG or PNG at 300 dpi with an embedded colour profile such as FOGRA39, sRGB or Adobe RGB. Keep 5 mm clear around every decal. Photographs of people are worth sending in the highest resolution you have, because skin tones are where a ceramic print is judged. Full file preparation guide.
What it costs
Price depends on the format, the quantity and the toner set your ware needs, so we do not publish a table that would be wrong for most jobs. Send the file, the substrate and the quantity and you get a firm figure, along with the lead time, before you commit.
Questions people ask
Do you sell ready-made ceramic decals?
We print to your artwork rather than selling a catalogue of patterns. Send a photograph, a logo or a finished design and we produce the decals from it, from one sheet to a production run.
What is the minimum order?
One A4 sheet. New customers usually order a single test sheet and fire it on their own ware before committing to a run.
What can the decals be applied to?
Porcelain, stoneware, bone china, glazed tiles, glass, enamelled steel and memorial plaques. Tell us the ware and the kiln and we match the toner set to it.
Do you choose fluxed or unfluxed for me?
Yes. That choice is ours to get right. Ware that takes a high refire gets an unfluxed in-glaze set; porcelain that cannot, plus enamel and glass, gets a fluxed or glass set.
What file formats do you need?
PDF, PSD, TIFF, JPG or PNG at 300 dpi with an embedded colour profile such as FOGRA39, sRGB or Adobe RGB. Keep 5 mm clear around every decal.
What sizes can you print?
A4, A3, A3+, SRA3, A2, A1 and A0. Anything larger is tiled across matched sheets, which is how tile murals are produced.
Do the decals arrive ready to fire?
Yes. They ship covercoated and ready to soak, apply and fire, with the firing curve for the toner set we used.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the format, the quantity and the toner set your ware needs. Send the file, the substrate and the quantity and you get a firm price rather than a range.
How long does it take?
Lead time depends on the size of the job and the coating method. We confirm it with the quote, before you commit to anything.
Can I move to my own printer later?
Most customers who buy a printer used the service first. The toner, the paper and the firing curve are the same, so nothing you learned is thrown away. See choosing a ceramic printer.