MATSUI DIGITAL HYBRID INKS FOR M&R DIGITAL SQUEEGEE & ROQ HYBRID
Screen-printed underbase + digital CMYK color in one continuous production workflow. Photorealistic full-color prints at 400-550 pieces per hour on cotton, polyester, and performance blends — no pretreatment, no separations, no custom ink mixes. These are the Matsui water-based screen inks that go down before and after the digital printhead fires. Underbase whites, clear primers, discharge whites, and protective top coats. Every ink engineered specifically for the M&R Digital Squeegee (DS-4000, DS-2000) and ROQ Hybrid (Pro, Pro+) hybrid digital screen printing systems.
SCREEN PRINTING + DIGITAL INKJET = HYBRID
Hybrid digital printing combines the speed and durability of screen printing with the unlimited color gamut and photorealistic detail of digital inkjet. The screen press handles the underbase (white ink), the digital printhead fires full-color CMYK on top, and the screen press finishes with a protective top coat. One integrated workflow. No film separations. No custom ink mixing. No pretreatment.
M&R Digital Squeegee (DS-4000 / DS-2000)
DS-4000: 400+ prints/hr • DS-2000: 200+ prints/hrEight industrial-strength printheads with 21,248 nozzles firing up to 30,000 times per second. Full 16” × 20” CMYK image in a single out-and-back pass in under 5 seconds. Mounts directly onto M&R automatic presses (Diamondback, Gauntlet, Sportsman). The digital printhead occupies one station on your carousel. i-Image CTS integration auto-generates the underbase screen from your digital art file — pre-registered for Tri-Loc. CMYK water-based pigmented inks. 300 DPI resolution.
ROQ Hybrid (Pro / Pro+)
Hybrid Pro: 400 prints/hr • Pro+: 550 prints/hrFujifilm Dimatix piezoelectric printheads with CMYK + optional 2 spot color channels. Maximum resolution 635 × 2,400 DPI. 29” × 35” maximum image area. 20mm Z-axis adjustment for variable fabric thickness. Mounts onto ROQ automatic presses (ECO, OVAL, YOU). Occupies one station on the carousel. ROQ Studio RIP software (powered by Neostampa). Water-based pigmented inks with Eco Passport certification. Built-in ink recirculation prevents nozzle clogging.
Why Hybrid Beats DTG & Traditional Screen Printing
DTG (direct-to-garment) prints at 60-120 pieces/hour and requires pretreatment. Traditional full-color screen printing requires 8-12 screens, hours of separations, and custom ink mixing. Hybrid does full-color at 400-550 pieces/hour with 1-3 screens total (underbase, optional clear, top coat) plus the digital printhead. No pretreatment. No separations. No custom ink mixing. Works on cotton, polyester, performance blends, and synthetics that DTG cannot handle. Add screen-printed special effects (glitter, foil, flock, 3D puff) before or after the digital print.
HOW TO PRINT: STEP-BY-STEP WORKFLOW FOR BOTH SYSTEMS
This is the standard print order for M&R Digital Squeegee and ROQ Hybrid systems using Matsui digital hybrid inks. Each step uses a different station on your automatic press carousel.
Standard Workflow — Dark Garments (Cotton, Poly, Blends)
DS Hybrid UB White 
— Screen print the white underbase. This is the foundation layer. On dark garments, it blocks the garment color and creates a bright white surface for the digital CMYK image. Print through 160 mesh. Flash cure.
DS Hybrid Pre-Digital White 
— Screen print a second white layer. Low-tack formulation optimized for receiving digital ink. Ensures digital CMYK sits cleanly without bleeding. Print through 160 mesh. Flash cure. (Optional on some setups — some printers combine Steps 1-2 into a double-hit of UB White.)
Digiace Digital Screen Clear 
— Screen print the clear primer layer. Creates a smooth, receptive surface that improves digital ink adhesion and color vibrancy. Ink holdout keeps digital inks on the surface for brighter, sharper prints. Print through 230 mesh. Wet-on-wet (no flash needed before digital).
Digital CMYK Print — The digital printhead fires the full-color CMYK image onto the wet clear layer. Single pass. Photorealistic quality. Unlimited colors from a 4-color (or 6-color on ROQ) digital ink set. This is the M&R Digital Squeegee or ROQ Hybrid station on your carousel.
DS Hybrid Top Coat 
— Screen print the protective clear sealer OVER the digital print. Encapsulates the digital ink for wash durability, UV protection, and abrasion resistance. Adds a silky-soft finish. Print through 230 mesh.
Cure at 320°F — Run through the conveyor dryer at 320°F (160°C) for 2-3 minutes. All layers bond together into a single durable, washable print.
Premium Workflow — Discharge Underbase on Dark 100% Cotton
Digiace Discharge White 
— Screen print the discharge white underbase. Removes garment dye and replaces it with white pigment embedded in the cotton fibers. Add 3-8% Discharge Activator. 12-hour pot life. The softest possible underbase with zero surface buildup. Flash cure. 100% cotton only.
Digiace Digital Screen Clear — Clear primer over the discharge underbase. Wet-on-wet.
Digital CMYK Print — Digital printhead fires onto the clear layer.
DS Hybrid Top Coat — Protective sealer. Cure at 320°F.
� Light Garments Are Simpler
On white or light garments, you may skip the white underbase entirely. Print Digiace Clear directly on the garment → Digital CMYK → Top Coat → Cure. Fewer stations, faster production. The white underbase is only critical on dark and medium-colored garments where garment dye would show through the CMYK image.
COMPLETE INK LINEUP — WHAT EACH INK DOES & WHEN TO USE IT
Five screen-printed inks that go down before and after the digital CMYK printhead. All PVC-free, OEKO-TEX® certified, and designed for M&R Digital Squeegee and ROQ Hybrid systems.
| Ink | Print Order | Role in Workflow | Max Mesh | What It Does & When to Use It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White Underbase | 160 | High-performance white underbase designed specifically for hybrid digital systems. Creates a smooth, even white surface for digital CMYK inks to print onto. Prevents dye migration on dark garments. The essential first printed layer that determines the brightness and quality of every digital color printed on top of it. | |
| 2 | Pre-Digital White | 160 | Specialized white screen ink for the layer directly before the digital printhead fires. Low tack formulation ensures digital inks sit cleanly on the surface without bleeding or spreading. Prints through 160 mesh. The final screen-printed white layer before the digital CMYK image is applied. | |
| 3 | Clear Primer / Bond Layer | 230 | Clear primer that creates a smooth, receptive surface for digital inks to bond to. Improves color definition, ink holdout, and adhesion. Digital inks stay on the surface for brighter, sharper prints instead of absorbing into the fabric. Can also be combined with up to 15% Neo Pigments for specialty applications. | |
| Alt | Discharge White Underbase | 160 | Discharge-based white underbase for the softest possible hand feel on dark 100% cotton. Removes garment dye and replaces it with white pigment. Use as underbase beneath Digiace Clear, then digital CMYK on top. Add 3-8% Discharge Activator. 100% cotton only. For the premium vintage/retail feel. | |
| Final | Protective Top Coat / Sealer | 230 | Clear overprint sealer applied as the LAST screen-printed layer AFTER the digital CMYK image. Encapsulates and protects the digital print from abrasion, UV exposure, and moisture. Enhances color vibrancy and adds a silky-soft finish. Essential for wash durability on hybrid prints. |
ADD SCREEN-PRINTED SPECIAL EFFECTS TO DIGITAL PRINTS
One of the biggest advantages of hybrid over standalone DTG: you can add screen-printed special effects to your digital prints using additional stations on your automatic press.
Before the Digital Print
Screen print glitter, shimmer, foil adhesive, or 3D puff on stations before the digital printhead. The digital image prints over and around the special effect areas. Use Matsui special effect inks (Pearl Binder, Foil Adhesive, Shimmer bases).
After the Digital Print
Screen print spot colors, metallics, high-density, or clear gloss/matte finishes on stations after the digital print and before the top coat. Add a screen-printed spot Pantone that falls outside the CMYK gamut.
Variable Data Printing
Because the digital printhead fires from a digital file, every garment on the carousel can have a different image with the same screen-printed underbase. Individual names, numbers, unique designs per shirt — all at production speed.
DIGITAL HYBRID INKS — FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Not always. The minimum setup is: white underbase (UB White or Pre-Digital White) → digital CMYK → Top Coat. Adding Digiace Clear between the white and digital print improves color vibrancy and adhesion. Discharge White is only for premium 100% cotton jobs where you want the softest hand feel.
Yes. DS Hybrid UB White, Pre-Digital White, Digiace Clear, and Top Coat all work on cotton, polyester, blends, and performance fabrics. The only exception is Digiace Discharge White, which only works on 100% cotton with reactive dyes.
Both are hybrid digital screen printing systems that mount onto automatic presses. The M&R DS-4000 uses 8 printheads with 21,248 nozzles at 300 DPI, producing 400+ prints/hour. The ROQ Hybrid Pro+ uses Fujifilm Dimatix printheads with CMYK+2 spot colors at up to 635×2400 DPI, producing up to 550 prints/hour. Both use the same Matsui screen-printed underbase, clear, and top coat inks.
No. That is the primary advantage of hybrid over standalone DTG. The screen-printed white underbase replaces pretreatment entirely. The digital ink prints onto the screen-printed surface, not directly onto the fabric. This is why hybrid works on polyester and synthetics that DTG struggles with.
Digiace Clear is a primer layer between the white underbase and the digital CMYK print. It creates a smooth surface that keeps digital inks from absorbing into the white layer. The result: brighter colors, sharper detail, better adhesion. Think of it as a clear coat that the digital ink sits on top of.
DS Hybrid Top Coat is a clear sealer printed AFTER the digital CMYK image. It encapsulates the digital ink for wash durability, UV protection, and abrasion resistance. Without it, digital inks can fade or crack after washing. It also adds a soft, silky finish.
Yes. This is a major advantage over DTG. Use additional screen stations on your press to print special effect inks before or after the digital print. Foil adhesive, glitter, shimmer, puff — all printable on stations adjacent to the digital printhead.
Use Digiace Discharge White when printing on dark 100% cotton and you want the absolute softest hand feel with zero surface buildup. The discharge chemistry removes garment dye. Requires Discharge Activator (3-8%). 12-hour pot life. Not for polyester or blends.
White underbase inks: 160 mesh for maximum opacity. Digiace Clear: up to 230 mesh. Top Coat: up to 230 mesh. Use water-resistant emulsion (Chromaline CPTex or Hydro-X). Thin-thread mesh (Saati Hydro) helps prevent ink from drying in the screen.
GET YOUR HYBRID DIGITAL PRESS RUNNING ON MATSUI INKS
Underbase whites, clear primers, discharge whites, and protective top coats — everything your M&R Digital Squeegee or ROQ Hybrid needs to produce photorealistic prints at production speed. PVC-free. OEKO-TEX certified. Free shipping over $200. Same-day shipping before 3:30 PM CT.