LONGER ePrint Upgraded: One of Kickstarter’s Top Funded Live Project Adds Full Direct-to-Film Printing

LONGER has introduced a key technological upgrade to the ePrint series, the company’s personal dual-head UV printer, currently ranking among the world’s most funded live campaigns on Kickstarter, expanding its capabilities beyond traditional UV printing. With native DTF (Direct-to-Film) support, ePrint is now the only desktop platform that seamlessly integrates UV and DTF workflows within a single machine. This upgrade addresses core challenges, such as ink compatibility and printhead maintenance, ensuring stable and reliable operation of both printing technologies within a single hardware system.

The LONGER ePrint and ePrint SE are now available on Kickstarter, providing creators and small studios with versatile desktop printing solutions.

ePrint (dual-printhead model) features 12 ink channels for expanded multi-material applications, starting at $1,899. ePrint SE (single-printhead model) offers six ink channels focused on high-precision UV printing, starting at $1,499. From personalized creative projects and custom gifts to small-batch commercial production, both models deliver flexible, efficient, and professional-grade desktop printing experiences – now validated by their position among Kickstarter’s top-funded live projects worldwide.

Expanding Creative Possibilities: ePrint Adds DTF Support for Dual-Process Printing

With the introduction of DTF printing, the creative scope of the LONGER ePrint expands significantly beyond single-material workflows. UV inks continue to cover rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible materials – such as glass, metal, leather, and various boards – while newly supported DTF inks open the door to textile applications.

DTF printing enables stable, flexible, and wash-resistant results on fabrics, such as T-shirts and tote bags. With a single device, users can now produce both rigid products and customized apparel, allowing DIY creators and small businesses to diversify product offerings while reducing equipment costs and increasing commercial potential. At the same time, ePrint retains its core distinction as the world’s first dual-printhead personal desktop UV printer.

DTF Printing on ePrint Unlocks Fabric Creativity: From T-Shirts to Home Furnishings

With the newly added DTF functionality, the ePrint series can now deliver high-quality printing on textiles while fully retaining its original UV printing capabilities. Standard UV inks support rigid, semi-rigid, and semi-flexible materials, enabling stable printing on ceramics, acrylic, KT board, leather, and more. With DTF technology, users can now produce customized designs on a wide range of soft fabrics, including T-shirts, hoodies, family apparel, pet clothing, hats, shoe uppers, umbrellas, as well as cushions, curtains, and tablecloths.

DTF printing uses water-based inks in combination with dedicated transfer film and hot-melt powder. The hot-melt powder enhances adhesion between the printed graphic and the fabric, delivering high opacity – particularly on dark-colored textiles – without the need for pre-treatment. After printing, hot-melt powder is applied evenly to the design, followed by heat fusion and transfer onto the fabric using a heat press.

LONGER has confirmed that its proprietary heat press will be released in the future. This upgrade requires only the installation of LONGER’s cleaning ink cartridge kit to enable DTF functionality on the ePrint series, opening new creative and commercial opportunities across apparel customization, home textiles, and personalized workwear markets.

UV, UV DTF, and DTF: One Platform for All Materials

1. DTF Printing

DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing uses water-based inks in combination with dedicated DTF transfer film. The core workflow involves printing the design onto the DTF film, evenly applying hot-melt powder – acting as an adhesive to bond the image to the substrate – and then transferring the design onto fabric or other flexible materials using a heat press.

DTF is particularly well suited for soft materials such as cotton, polyester, nylon, and leather, and delivers high opacity on dark-colored fabrics without the need for pre-treatment. With DTF capability, users can achieve more versatile customization across a wide range of textiles and fabric-based products, including T-shirts and tote bags, significantly expanding both creative and commercial applications.

2. UV DTF Printing

UV DTF printing uses standard UV inks to print designs directly onto an adhesive film (UV DTF Film A). A protective layer (UV DTF Film B) is then applied over the printed image using a laminator, after which the design is transferred onto rigid or flexible surfaces through cold or heat application.

This process combines the high precision of UV inks with the flexibility of transfer films, enabling fine, high-quality image reproduction across a wide range of materials while preserving realistic texture and color fidelity. UV DTF is well suited for applications that require detailed graphics on both rigid and flexible objects, offering expanded possibilities for multi-material design.

3. Traditional UV Printing

Traditional UV printing uses ultraviolet light to instantly cure ink, bonding the image directly onto the surface of a wide range of materials. This includes rigid substrates such as glass, metal, ceramics, and acrylic, as well as semi-rigid materials like PS board, PVC foam board, and KT board, and even flexible materials such as PVC film, lightbox fabric, wallpaper, and leather.

This process delivers high-resolution output with precise color accuracy and realistic textures, making it an ideal solution for rigid material customization. Creators can leverage traditional UV printing to produce high-precision items such as phone cases, wooden crafts, and metal gifts, achieving both visual impact and tactile realism in their finished products.

4. All-in-One Advantage

In short, DTF printing enables textile customization through a workflow of “printing onto DTF transfer film + hot-melt powder + heat transfer,” while traditional UV printing relies on direct UV curing onto the substrate, and UV DTF achieves multi-material printing through “UV curing + lamination + cold transfer.”

LONGER ePrint supports all three printing methods on a single platform, allowing one machine to cover both rigid materials and textiles and delivering a true all-in-one desktop printing solution. Whether for DIY enthusiasts, creative studios, or small-scale commercial production, ePrint offers flexible creative freedom and strong commercial potential.

ePrint DTF Upgrade Kit: Easy Entry into Textile Printing

This DTF upgrade does not affect the ePrint’s existing UV printing functionality. By simply adding LONGER’s ink cleaning cartridge kit, users can easily enable DTF printing on the system. The kit provides a one-stop solution that simplifies ink switching and ensures more stable, reliable printing performance.

1. DTF Upgrade Kit Includes:

• Cleaning Ink Cartridge ×1
• DTF Transfer Film (300 × 420 mm) ×25
• DTF Ink 200 ml ×6 (C/M/Y/K/W/W)
• Hot-Melt Powder 250 g ×1
• DTF Cleaning Solution 1 L ×1

2. Automated Cleaning Solution

The external cleaning system provides fully automated and thorough maintenance. After each DTF printing session, users simply need to activate the machine’s flushing (jet purge) function. If the printer remains idle for more than seven days, connecting the cleaning ink cartridge allows the entire ink path and printhead to be flushed with DTF cleaning solution, effectively preventing ink residue and clogging.

For DTF printing, enabling Automatic Maintenance Mode allows the system to perform periodic jet purging and self-cleaning. At preset intervals, the printer automatically ejects 5–10 ml of ink (with adjustable frequency and volume). In this mode, the printhead can remain clean for up to one week without requiring additional cleaning solution.

UV Cleaning Kit (for UV ink switching)

To further improve maintenance efficiency, LONGER also offers a dedicated UV cleaning kit designed to automatically clean UV ink lines and printheads, ensuring long-term, stable operation. The kit includes:

• Clean Ink Cartridge ×1
• UV Cleaning Solution 1 L ×1

With these two cleaning solutions, creators can maintain clean printheads, ensuring more consistent print quality and making the ePrint a truly stable and reliable all-in-one multifunctional creative platform.

3. Printhead and Ink Configuration: ePrint Dual-Printhead Design Balances Stability and Flexibility

1) ePrint (Dual-Printhead Model)

The ePrint features a dual-printhead design with a total of 12 ink channels, each printhead assigned a dedicated role to ensure both ink compatibility and long-term printing stability.

Printhead 1 (6 channels): Dedicated to UV inks and compatible with multiple formulations, including soft UV, hard UV, embroidery-effect inks, and fluorescent UV inks. This printhead meets high-precision printing requirements for both everyday creative projects and professional production.

Printhead 2 (6 channels): Configurable as a flexible ink channel for either UV or DTF inks during initial setup. To ensure long-term reliability and consistent performance, it is not recommended to frequently switch ink types after selection. This architecture allows the ePrint to deliver both stability and versatility. Users can continue expanding UV printing applications while also enabling the full DTF workflow, meeting diverse production needs and creative scenarios.

2) ePrint SE (Single-Printhead Model)

The ePrint SE is equipped with a single printhead and 6 ink channels, all configured for UV inks. It focuses on high-precision printing for rigid materials, providing a streamlined and efficient solution for individual creators and small studios.

Additional Core Features and Highlights

1. Powerful Printing Core and Automated Maintenance System

The ePrint features a dual-printhead architecture with a 12-channel ink system, delivering breakthrough speed, color flexibility, and multi-layer printing capability. Its built-in intelligent automatic cleaning system uses a white ink circulation loop to prevent white ink from clogging. At set intervals, the printheads automatically perform jet purging and self-flushing using the ink, without any user intervention.

This closed-loop maintenance design prevents blockages, ensures continuous ink flow, and maintains consistent performance even during high-intensity production cycles.

2. Pushing the Limits of Flat Printing

The ePrint goes beyond traditional 2D UV printing, delivering true raised texture effects. Using precise UV layering technology, the system can achieve build heights of up to 60 mm, creating realistic depth, shadows, and tactile impact.

3. High-Gap and Complex Surface Printing

Both ePrint models feature an industry-leading 10 mm high-gap jetting capability, ensuring precise droplet placement even on substrates with height variations between 2-10 mm. The system continuously adjusts droplet trajectories and output parameters in real time to prevent banding, ghosting, misalignment, and splattering.

This enables stable, high-quality printing on curved, cylindrical, embossed, or irregular surfaces – including cosmetic bottles, decorative packaging, and electronic housings.

4. Open Ink System for Maximum Workflow Flexibility

The ePrint series features an open ink system compatible with a wide range of third-party UV inks as well as DTF inks, offering complete flexibility for studios and businesses in terms of workflow and cost structure. Users seeking the highest color accuracy can rely on LONGER’s original ink formulations, while budget-conscious operators can opt for compatible third-party inks and fine-tune color profiles.

For packaging and food-related applications, the system also supports low-migration inks that meet regulatory standards for labels and packaging.

5. High Resolution and Wide Material Compatibility

Equipped with a 1440 DPI high-resolution imaging engine, the ePrint delivers extremely sharp fine details, rich color depth, and precise tonal accuracy across all supported materials. It is compatible with over 300 different substrates, including wood, metal, glass, plastics, ceramics, and fabrics – covering nearly all common creative and commercial applications.

6. AI-Powered Assisted Workflow

The ePrint is equipped with advanced AI capabilities that seamlessly integrate with the LONGER ePrint system, enabling a fully connected workflow from design to printing and significantly enhancing creative efficiency.

Key AI features include:

• AI-powered image generation and reproduction
• AI templates and background removal
• Text-to-logo conversion
• Sketch enhancement into finished illustrations
• Automatic product modeling from a single photo
• Dual-laser automatic positioning
• AI-assisted auto-focus
• Real-time AI preview and correction suggestions
• Batch synchronization and automatic filling for large-scale production

These integrated AI functions streamline the entire process from design to print, maximizing productivity and creative output.

7. Extensive Accessories for Expanded Applications

To meet the diverse production and creative needs of users, the ePrint series offers a range of professional accessories:

• Rotary Module: Enables 360° cylindrical printing, ideal for cups, bottles, and other curved surfaces.
• Laminator: Applies scratch-resistant and waterproof protective films, with options for various surface finishes such as glossy, matte, and frosted, as well as gold and silver foiling effects. In addition to protection, it can also be used for creating transfer stickers.
• Roll-to-Roll System: Supports continuous printing on flexible materials such as leather and films.
• Conveyor Belt System: Suitable for automated batch production, with AI-assisted detection and batch filling capabilities.

These accessories allow the ePrint to handle a wide range of production scenarios – from flat and curved surfaces to flexible materials – making it suitable not only for DIY creators but also for high-efficiency studios and commercial applications.

Ink Compatibility and Usage Recommendations: Prioritize LONGER Original Inks

LONGER provides a complete range of original inks for the ePrint series, covering various ink types to meet both everyday and professional printing needs. Users may also choose third-party inks; however, it is important to note that third-party inks may differ from LONGER’s original inks in properties, color profiles, and print performance. Using third-party inks may require additional adjustments and calibration, otherwise color deviations or inconsistent print quality could occur.

To ensure optimal print results and maintain long-term device stability, LONGER strongly recommends using original inks whenever possible. This not only guarantees accurate color reproduction and high print quality but also reduces the risk of printhead clogging or maintenance issues, providing creators with a more efficient and reliable printing experience.

Conclusion

With the addition of native DTF ink printing, the LONGER ePrint expands its capabilities beyond the original UV all-in-one desktop printer, enabling broader multi-material printing. A single device can now handle rigid materials, transfer films, and a wide variety of fabrics and textiles, eliminating the need for additional machines. From customized gifts and apparel to home textiles and small-batch industrial production, LONGER ePrint delivers professional-grade performance, strong material compatibility, and competitive pricing – bringing advanced UV and DTF printing within reach of individual creators, studios, and small businesses alike.

Where to Back:

• Kickstarter

Follow LONGER’s official websites for more information.

• US official website: Best Laser Engraver and 3D Printer for Creators|LONGER
• EU official website: Longer Europe Store Laser Engraver & 3D Printers – Longer EU