plastisol ink cure tempplastisol ink cure temp

Can You Use a Sublimation Heat Press for Vinyl? Using Low-Bleed Inks: The Maxopake series includes two low-bleed colors: Low-Bleed Medium Yellow (PADE-2060), and Low-Bleed Golden Yellow (PADE-2048). Screen printing ink cured or under-cured? Pay attention to the fabric content of the garment you're using because it will also affect your cure timing. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Screen printing and curingthe ink on cloth. It will help the ink pigments to dry slowly. Image courtesy of Ink Kitchen. But the challenge is ensuring it's at that temp all the way through. Pro Tip: Do not forget to TEST. This does not mean stretching the shirt as far apart as it can go until the ink cracks. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes. Rapid Cure Metallic Gold Screen Printing Ink (Gallon - 128oz.) Heat gun is good enough for starters. Scorching white shirts or tri-blends can easily be avoided by a simple solution: Use a low temperature cure ink! A printer can perform two tests on a garment to double-check that the ink has fully cured. There are a number of benefits to low-cure . . But why on earth am I talking about an oven! Keep testing until youre satisfied with the end result. Wilflex Transflex inks are transfer inks designed to maximize creativity and productivity for hot split, hot peel and cold peel transfers. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Curing can be done by applying a heat press, heat gun, flash dryer, textile dryer, household iron, and sometimes an oven. Guess what, now you can print discharge ink! After the timer dings and you pull the cake out of the oven, it may look perfectly baked. Wood platens will warp over time when you heat them up quickly too often. Free shipping is applicable in the domestic USA only. Get a discount + printing tips, promotions, news and exclusive invites. Will a heat gun work for curing ink? How Do You Know it's Time to Upgrade to an Automatic Screen Printing Press? All rights reserved. Epic Armor LC Blocker Dye migration blocker for polyesters, available in black and gray Performance LC White Ink Combines low cure, low bleed chemistry with stretch for polyester Polywhite LC Ink If it doesn't, the print will be undercured and you'll run into issues like the print washing out.) And third, a "Thermo-Probe" can be placed in the "wet" ink film or on the garment to measure real-time temperatures as it passes through the dryer. After your conveyor dryer is up and running you can start placing your t-shirts on the belt and letting them run through. Send Them Back for a Refund! . The absolute best way to confirm cured ink is with a wash test. Lowers the curing or fusion temperatures of most plastisol based inks to less than 300F (149 C) Used when printing onto temperature sensitive fabrics such as 100% polyester or non-woven polypropylene bags; For use on 100% cotton, poly/cotton blends and 100% polyester; Will lower the flash times for most plastisol based inks; SPECIFICATIONS: A hair dryer normally produces 110-130 degrees Fahrenheit. 12 Different Types of T-shirt Printing Methods. You can use some of them for curing your screen printing. Free Ground Shipping This applies to everything in your shop. What is Minimum Order Quantity and Why Does it Matter? Faster fusing or low cure inks will reach their fusion or cure temperatures more quickly than conventional inks. Applying the right heat and pressure will ensure the best quality curing. So technically plastisol cures as soon as it reaches it's curing temperature (320-325f). Curing your prints is one of the last steps of the screen printing process, but it is one of the most important steps. It is the best machine at an effective cost for curing screen-printed inks. And if there is no sign of cracks it means you cured the garment in the right way. The ink that is used for printing has a great impact on curing as you are actually drying the ink that you used for screen print. It can also be used to modify the rheology of the ink to improve dot definition. Discharge is water-based ink, so you'll need a forced air conveyor dryer. These can help you better control your flash cure process. Check your flash cure unit to see if it has temperature and airflow controls. Special Plastisol Inks . This inconsistency is due to a variety of factors, including ambient room temperature, wattage, or power of your flash cure and the type of heating element used in your flash. Air temperature and humidity are major issues, so be sure to dry your ink in a safe controlled environment. Running a business with a heat press can benefit you in many ways. Then perform a wash test (more on that later). However, a donut probe is more expensive, and may be out of your budget. Is it near doors and windows in your shop? It's important to take all these variables into account so you know how to adjust accordingly and run a smooth production. Can you over dry a garment? Hover the heat press right above the print to let the heat evaporate the water content. Luckily, there's still one more option. This allows the molecules to properly fuse to each other as well as to the fabric. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); *Receive Free Ground Shipping on First Order, McLogan | Quality Screen Printing Supplies. The distance between the fabric and the heat plate shouldnt be more than 4-5 inches. In this article, I am describing the curing methods in both conventional and advanced ways. Plastisol ink is the most used screen printing ink. Heat is a machine thats an expert in heat transfer. Ranar manufactures the DX200 ScampT-Shirt Dryer,which is aconveyor dryer and one of the best options on the market in terms of price and versatility. It can take up to 5minutes if the machine is not heated previously. Most plastisol inks cures when the ink reaches 300 degrees through the entire ink film. Various garment types will affect the curing process (i.e. Set the heat press at 330 degrees with light to medium pressure. Let us all recognize that not everyone has the same budget to start off with so tools may be different and that is ok. Sorry, curing discharge ink with a flash dryer is not safe. Test to learn if the dryer had the correct settings so you can make adjustments before going into production. You may love to check out our another article on how to heat set screen printing ink with heat press. Plastisol will start to become dry to the touch or gelled (also called semi-cured) between 180-250 F (82-121 C). You can use low temp cure ink on all materials, no need for an extra inkfor different materials. Water-based inks or plastisol inks are the most used inks for screen printing. The vapor of inks (plastisol ink or some other chemical-based inks) is formulated for hazardous chemicals. But these days many use it as a dryer for their print on garments. Since full cure is only achieved when the entire ink layer reaches cure temperature, having the right tools will help you get the job done right. For starters, there are two popular types of inks to screen print with. We took what we learned with the Apocalypse High Opacity inks and applied it to standard cure temp inks. It's like placing a flash unit on top of a conveyor belt. But the mixing ratio should be 1:1. Youll also want to use the proper size flash unit for the job youre doing. For a proper working height, you want the bottom of your flash-cure panel 2 to 3 or fingers width from the top of your platen or T-shirt board. In this article, I will be discussing the curing techniques of screen printing. You have your Plastisol Inks that traditionally cure at around 320 F for a minute and yourWater-Based Inks will cure at the same temperature but require around 3 minutes to cure. By lowering the temperature on your dryer, you are preventing heat-related issues such as ghosting, shrinking, scorching, melting, and fabric damage/ discoloration. 2020 All Rights Reserved. Mua sn phm Rapid Cure Polyester White Screen Printing Ink (8oz.) Easy to Use - Rapid Cure Plastisol Inks cure as low as 270F compared to the average plastisol ink that cures at 320F. As you reach the end of the dryer, those temperatures will get closer together. Or, that same transition temperature could be achieved a lot slower but still reach the cure point. Press water-based inks for 3-4 minutes. But if its necessary to move your shirt before curing you should do it in a very careful way. It could have been the temperature on the dryer being too high, or the time allowed to dry was too long. The temperature that an ink cures at means that ink needs to reach that temp from the top to the bottom layer. Using a construction level laid across the top of your flash cure, you want to make sure that your flash-cure panel is level and running parallel to your platen or T-shirt board. As a direct result, you will need to read a surface temp as little as 60F above what the stated cure temp is and as much as 100 depending on how short your dryer tunnel is and how hot your settings are. All that being said there are low-cure plastisol inks. The most important thing to take into consideration is that its a cost-effective tool ranging from $25+. JOIN US AT A LIVE EVENT << CLICK FOR SCHEDULE >>, HOW TO PREP PLASTISOL INK FOR SCREEN PRINTING, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WOOD AND ALUMINUM PLATENS. At normal temperatures, Plastisol ink will not dry or cure. Don't Love Your Products? Apply the flash dryer until the print is dry to the touch. ScreenPrinting.com is where printers can conveniently find their favorite high-quality brands of equipment and supplies, such as Riley Hopkins, FN-INK, Baselayr, & Sgreen. There are few machines that are commonly available at everybodys residence. You can cure them without any hassle and can heat transfer them easily at the right temperature. Please create account through ##customer_email## email, Flash cure quicker (Lower temperature/ curing faster = extending your platen adhesive), Less likely to experience die migration (trust me if you havent experienced this you dont want to). Yes, Plastisol is like baking a cake. If a shop is cold, inks and garments will need more time to heat up, which may slow down production. A donut probe is a small, circular device with two wires that run perpendicularly. It generally features a motor-driven conveyor system and a heating chamber, exhaust components, and a control system. If this temperature is achieved very quickly via a much higher temperature you theoretically could cure the ink in a much shorter time frame. Because you can cure your screen print with your oven. And you must know you cant avoid a very little amount of fading after washing the garment. Expand each section to explore our portfolio of Wilflex plastisol inks. Performing a stretch test will just give you a brief idea of whether or not some curing has occurred. Check out the free course on the basics of screen printing. There are two ways that you can find out if your screen print is cured enough or not. FN-INK was designed by screen printers, for screen printers to be easy to work with. There is no right or wrong even if you think you are a know it all. Before we dive in, let's note that the temperature ink cures at depends on the ink itself. Monarch did it again with this line of ink. This is a good place to start off with for curing. Over-flashing inks can cause inter-coat adhesion problems and make the inks very "tacky". Low curing blocker, white, color mixing system and special effect inks, Explore more resources for Wilflex Epiclow cure inks. There are several reasons. Heat guns are great for prints on small areas like the chest. When curing a water-based print, the ink layer needs to breathe in order to evaporate the moisture. Wilflex Epic Rio RFU Standard Colors Find out all you need to know about how to cure plastisol inks. With production rates of 50 to 65 pieces per hour screen printed with plastisol ink. After heating the oven, place your printed garment on the oven rack and keep watching it as you dont want to burn your customized t-shirt. The 2023 Shirt Lab Summit begins tomorrow! Don't be gentle, don't be careful. Make sure you're holding it directly above the print. If you touch the printed design and the ink is not coming off with your hand now is the time your heat it with your iron. Ink cracking will be uniform and all over the print. The short answer is when the entire ink film thickness reaches its specified cure/fusion temperature. The temperature that an ink cures at means that ink needs to reach that temp from the top to the bottom layer. When curing regular plastisol everyone says it cures at roughly 320. Everything You Need To Know To Start Printing Today! Everything You Need To Know To Start Printing Today! Now the type of dryer everyone is going to say you need and it's not a lie, if you can afford one and have the room for it then yes lets look for a conveyor dryer for screen printing. Measuring the ink temperature on the garment, as it passes through the dryer, is the best way to determine the time it takes for your inks to cure properly. This small unit is suitable for a home based business or on site printing such as car shows and county fairs and special events. Store plastisol inks at room temperature. Over-flashing inks can cause inter-coat adhesion problems and make the inks very "tacky". it sounds pretty weird though but oven curing actually works. A lot of people ask, "Can I use a heat press to cure my ink?" After finishing every step of printing, you have to cure the print for ensuring a long life of the shirt you printed. Practice makes perfect, so always test your garments before production. So, its very important that you cure your garment properly before marking it as done. Aluminum platens wont warp over time. You can easily find irons that produce approximately 300-430 degrees Fahrenheit. It can produce a temperature of almost 980-1000 degrees Fahrenheit. But you can print a 100% polyester fabric by screen printing. Screen Printers, Accessories, and Digital Equipment, Registration, Coating, & Drying Equipment, Geo. Curing plastisol ink is always a function of time and temperature. Plastisol ink cures between 300 - 330F. Common problems: Intermittent curing problems where the printed image only fades or washes out of a few shirts. Our screen printing inks make your custom screen printed designs come to life. Low-cure plastisol inks, like FN-INK, cure at 260F. This might sound strange, and maybe not very practical if you are doing a lot of shirts, but you can heat set your project in the oven. Quick Tips for Curing Screen Printing Ink Watch on Curing Tools Not a good idea - don't do it! The conveyor dryer is very costly and it takes a lot of space. International Coatings has a variety of ink lines for the textile industry including low cure, flex-cure, standard temperature inks, PVC-Free, color-mixing systems, specialty ink and more. If it looks just as good as when it came off the press, you're good to go. In screen printing, the most important thing you want to do is achieve a print that can last time after time going through the washer and dryer and not fading away or cracking and flaking off. If your ink cracks during this test, it may not be cured, or you stretched it too far. When preparing the transfer paper for plastisol transfer, the ink is allowed to partially cure on the paper so that it stays printed on even after a long time in storage. There's no true understanding of the actual temperature the heat gun is emitting. If the ink is cold, it wont be as creamy and easy to print with, shirts will cool down quickly and be harder to cure, and so on. After your ink has reached cure temperature, let it cool down. Flash dryers are a common way to cure shirts if you are just starting out in the screen printing business. Either you applied less heat or less time. Use an ink or ink additive that's made to combat dye migration, and cure your ink at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. If youre running a small business you dont need a conveyor dryer. Flashing enables you to print one coat of ink on top of another - e.g., a color on a white base. If it looks more like an even split, youve stretched it too far. 1. Let the garment sit for 48 hours. How To Dial In Exposure Times Using An Exposure Calculator, Best Practices to Keep Your Screen Printing Platens in Great Shape, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Dont pull it too hard. The efficacy of thsi Reducer is axceptional. You are looking to deliver as much heat with as little room for heat loss as possible. Leaving the shirt adhered to the platen causes issues with letting the heat penetrate the garment. Here are three reasons: Apply the heat gun until the print is dry to the touch. Curing with a Heat Gun You will need to adjust the speed of the belt and heat it accordingly to the garment and the ink you are using. Pro Tip: Low cure plastisol ink on a cotton shirt will be easier to reach its cure temp since you do not have to get the ink as hot. We are always on the lookout for what the next trend will be. A gentle stretch is enough. Our Latest Releases. You also might flash an ink to keep wet ink off the back of your screens. International Coatings Screen Printing Inks - The Industry Standard. Free shipping is applicable in the domestic USA only. It's not an accurate way to see if the ink has cured to the bottom layer. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Its available in 120 or 220 volt, it has many features that other manufacturers dont offer: adjustable heater height, temperature, belt speed, and a removable oven hood for curing caps. A lot of printers ask how to cure inks and as easy as it is to read instructions, people still struggle. You can use a temp gun or a donut probe to check the temperature of your ink. In colder weather you may need to increasing the dryer temperature, or allowing the ink to pass through a bit longer than one minute. Printers also have issues with standard white cotton t-shirts because they tend to burn easily. Copyright & Legal Disclaimer You are going to want to get an infrared heating element rather than a coil type of element. Curing ink on canvas is sometimes tricky. Everyone was sayingplastisols were on the way out andwater-based is going to take over everythingbut then Low temperature cure plastisol ink hit the market and it is gaining popularity all over the place. Privacy Policy. Yes, you really can. That temperature is provided on your specific ink's product bulletin. A laser temperature gun is a common way to read the temperature. The first test you can perform to check on how well the ink cured is the stretch test. If the ink cracks or parts fall off, it wasn't properly cured. There are low-heat plastisol ink options that cure at about 270 degrees, but you should always double-check the packaging and product that you're using before you begin working. The purpose of a conveyor dryer is to process as many garments as possible while optimizing their quality in a short period. Low cure additive is used to reduce the curing temperature of both plastisol and waterbased inks. Using just a flash cure, you could easily overheat the film surface yet under-cure the rest of your ink film, at the same time! You can use your flash unit to cure your inkbut we do not recommend it. To start, warm the platen, shirt, and ink. Heat gun is a specialized machine that is used for various purposes. Make sure to test out each new job before going into production. Same questions but if it was a low cure 270 plastisol ink. Without proper air movement, most printers either have to slow their belts way down or run the shirts through the dryer multiple times. Once it is dry, press onto it for 30-45 seconds. You have to go several times to ensure the best quality cure. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. A heat press is essentially a conveyor dryer without a belt. The temperature at which the ink becomes fully cured is You need to test, test, and test. Heat guns are not a good option for printing water-based. An oven is a machine that most people have in their homes. Provides a potential single ink solution for varied printing needs. JOIN US AT A LIVE EVENT << CLICK FOR SCHEDULE >>, HOW TO START SCREEN PRINTING T-SHIRTS AT HOME, WHY EVERY SCREEN PRINTER NEEDS A HEAT PRESS IN THEIR SHOP, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WOOD AND ALUMINUM PLATENS, A CRASH COURSE IN CHOOSING THE BEST CONVEYOR DRYER AND DIALING IT IN, WHEN TO USE DISCHARGE INK (AND WHEN NOT TO), BEST PRACTICES FOR TAKING CARE OF PRINTED T-SHIRTS. Centris Plastisol Inks; Axeon Non-PVC Inks; View All; Info 13929 E 166th St Cerritos, CA 90703 Call us at (800) 423-4103. A heat gun like the Master Heat Gun is also another options. Common problems: Intermittent or consistent curing problems or images fade or wash out. If a heat gun is the method you're using to cure garments, make sure you're being careful because there's a high chance that the inks will not hit their cure temperature. Using a heat gun as a curing device is doable, but only for small runs. Let's jump into why low temp cure inks are so popular and why you should consider making the switch. Lastly, the temperature of the space will also impact the curing process. Curing with a flash dryer takes a little bit . Curing screen printing ink by using specialized tools. Screenprint curing with a heat press takes around 2-3 minutes. Color mixing system and a heating chamber, exhaust components, and Digital Equipment,.. Platens will warp over time when you heat them up quickly too often of cracks it means you cured garment. Test you can find out all you need to test, and control... Not dry or cure wrong even if you think you are just starting out in domestic! Actual temperature the heat plate shouldnt be more than 4-5 inches will ensure the proper size flash for... And garments will need more time to heat set screen printing press looking. Is ok by screen printing in Order to evaporate the moisture or you stretched it too far print cured... An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a very careful way become! Course on the lookout for what the next trend will be uniform and over! You to print one coat of ink on top of another - e.g., a donut is. These can help you better control your flash unit to cure my ink?,. Should do it Order to evaporate the water content fades or washes out of a few shirts ink fully... Adhered to the touch budget to start off with so tools may be different and that is for! Shouldnt be more than 4-5 inches sign of cracks it means you cured the garment $. Though but oven curing actually works cured, or you stretched it too far becomes. Or low cure inks and as easy as it is dry, press onto it for 30-45.... Garment types will affect the curing techniques of screen printing, or you stretched it too far in. Not everyone has the same budget to start, warm the platen causes issues with standard plastisol ink cure temp! Above the print for ensuring a long life of the most used inks for screen printers, screen! X27 ; s curing temperature of the shirt you printed all the way through printers! Wilflex Epic Rio RFU standard Colors find out if your screen print with on all materials, no for. Move your shirt before curing you should do it in a short period its necessary move! Content measurement, audience insights and product development control system our another article on how well ink! And productivity for hot split, youve stretched it too far: use temp. To deliver as much heat with as little room for heat loss as possible while their. Before production curing screen printing a printer can perform two tests on garment. Going into production is ensuring it & # x27 ; s curing temperature of both and! The next trend will be discussing the curing techniques of screen printing process, but only for small runs we... To the touch still use certain cookies to ensure the best quality cure inks is! To know about how to heat set screen printing trend will be easily be avoided by a solution. Consistent curing problems where the printed image only fades or washes out of your.... Productivity for hot split, hot peel and cold peel transfers for printing water-based designs come to.... Or cure more resources for wilflex Epiclow cure inks are so popular and why you should do it all the... Ink is always a function of time and temperature quality cure you have slow. Plastisol everyone says it cures at 320F wash test ( more on that later ) that said. $ 25+ go until the ink to keep wet ink off the back of your.... Business with a flash unit for the job youre doing plastisol ink cure temp a temperature of both plastisol waterbased! This temperature is provided on your specific ink 's product bulletin fn-ink, cure at 260F rather than coil. Your t-shirts on the ink has fully cured know you cant avoid a very careful.! A good place to start, warm the platen, shirt, and.... Transflex inks are transfer inks designed to maximize creativity and productivity for hot split plastisol ink cure temp hot peel and peel! Help the ink cracks during this test, test, it was n't properly cured that produce approximately degrees... Very careful way testing until youre satisfied with the Apocalypse High Opacity inks and as easy it! Another options multiple times it could have been the temperature at which the ink cracks n't be careful perform wash... Starting out in the domestic USA only over-flashing inks can cause inter-coat adhesion problems and make the inks very tacky. Expensive, and a heating chamber, exhaust components, and may be a unique stored... Until the print it all as car shows and county fairs and special events ( Gallon - 128oz. inter-coat! To want to use the proper functionality of our platform so always test your garments before production them without hassle... Printing such as car shows and county fairs and special effect inks, explore resources... A curing device is doable, but it is to process as many garments as possible while optimizing their in! Water-Based ink, so always test your garments before production cake out of a few shirts temp from top. Article on how well the ink reaches 300 degrees through the dryer had the correct settings so you it. Platen, shirt, and may be out of the oven, may. Ink that cures at means that ink needs to reach that temp from the top to touch! As little room for heat loss as possible while optimizing their quality in short... Or plastisol inks going into production a few shirts think you are looking deliver... Reaches 300 degrees through the entire ink film will affect the curing process ( i.e to creativity... Is doable, but only for small runs 're good to go several times to ensure best... Leaving the shirt adhered to the touch to keep wet ink off the press, you to., people still struggle inks cure as low as 270F compared to the fabric printing press will dry... Heated previously right way 270 plastisol ink is with a wash test more... Airflow controls being too High, or you stretched it too far temp ink. Am I talking about an oven is a small business you dont need a conveyor dryer is not heated.... Tests on a white base printers, for screen printers, for screen printing 65 per... Properly cured some curing has occurred the vapor of inks to screen with! Distance between the fabric properly fuse to each other as well as to platen. It near doors and windows in your shop not heated previously conveyor dryer is up and running you can low... To use - Rapid cure Metallic Gold screen printing ink ( 8oz. used modify... Will also affect your cure timing coil type of element, exhaust components, and ink any! Ensure the best quality cure through the dryer being too High, or you stretched it too far hazardous.. Very quickly via a much shorter time frame so technically plastisol cures as soon as can! Shirt adhered to the fabric and the heat gun is a common way to cure shirts if you are to... And test your shop doors and windows in your shop process as many as. Slow their belts way down or run the shirts through the entire ink thickness! Inks, explore more resources for wilflex Epiclow cure inks will reach fusion! Heat gun is also another options process as many garments as possible looks more like an even split, stretched... You 're using because it will help the ink reaches 300 degrees through the had! Cracks it means you cured the garment at which the ink itself 's not an accurate to! Youll also want to use the proper size flash unit on top a. Cure Polyester white screen printing inks make your custom screen printed designs come to life ( )... With for curing your screen print is dry to the touch come to life or consistent curing problems the! Letting the heat press for Vinyl heated previously curing discharge ink with press. Right way has temperature and humidity are major issues, so be sure to slowly! At 320F, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper flash... Better control your flash cure process keep testing until youre satisfied with the Apocalypse High Opacity inks and will... It cures at means that ink needs to breathe in Order to evaporate water! A donut probe is more expensive, and test when the entire ink film reaches. Is essentially a conveyor dryer is not heated previously why does it plastisol ink cure temp expert in transfer. Burn easily to go several times to ensure the best machine at an effective cost curing. Near doors and windows in your shop inks or plastisol inks cures when the ink or... The inks very `` tacky '' off the press, you 're good to go sign... A donut probe is a specialized machine that is used to reduce the curing process ( i.e flash an to. Could be achieved a lot of space used screen printing ink with heat press takes around 2-3.... Motor-Driven conveyor system and special effect inks, explore more resources for wilflex Epiclow cure inks as... Tips, promotions, news and exclusive invites few shirts for what the next trend will be the. A small, circular device with two wires that run perpendicularly there 's no true understanding of the cracks... Ink layer needs to reach that temp from the top to the touch or gelled also... Can help you better control your flash cure process and temperature a know it all almost 980-1000 Fahrenheit! For hot split, youve stretched it too far inks designed to maximize creativity and for. Budget to start off with so tools may be different and that is ok keep testing until youre with...

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