Low cure inks will reach cure from 250-280F. Typical problems that arise from improperly cured inks include: ink washing off the garments, cracking of the ink film, loss of color, and bleeding of the garment color(s) into the ink film. There is not a single easy answer. The popular plastisol inks these days are curing at around 260 - 270. The most common problem is the end farthest from your stand. Flash-cure units are resistance heaters, which means they create heat by power/amperage moving through the heating element. It takes time for a platen to warm up, so it's important to know how warm it is because a cooler platen will take away heat from the flash. Plastisol ink is the most used screen printing ink. ?The results are surprising. It is not that costly. It's important to take all these variables into account so you know how to adjust accordingly and run a smooth production. Film split will be scattered and there won't be a ton of it. Drop a comment below or email our support team at info@screenprintdirect.com. A donut probe is a small, circular device with two wires that run perpendicularly. They're much more consistent than a heat gun. These will tell you the surface temperature of your ink and allow you to do it quickly and accurately. The key to curing the ink is to make sure that the entire ink film achieves 320F for the plastisol inks. Perform the wash test for at least three wash-dry cycles. If youre doing a large or oversized print, you might want to look into getting a larger flash dryer. And for context let's say it's a 100% white cotton t-shirt with a front chest black color design. You are also avoiding damage to the print itself as dye migration becomes a much less riskier issue at lower temps. These inks cure at 275 - 280F. Water-based inks need air movement to effectively drive the water out of the ink and move the steam outside the dryer so that the heat can cure the ink. Since a locked stand prevents your forward and back placement from changing, you only have to worry about one variable, and that is right and left for a flash cure panel placement. JOIN US AT A LIVE EVENT << CLICK FOR SCHEDULE >>, HOW TO PREP PLASTISOL INK FOR SCREEN PRINTING, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WOOD AND ALUMINUM PLATENS. This series of inks give you massively opaque white and colors, at a value price point. You can cure plastisol ink with heat press easily. A heat press is a no-can-do for discharge ink. Dye migration blocker for polyesters, available in black and gray, Combines low cure, low bleed chemistry with stretch for polyester, Maximum opacity and bleed protection white for polyester, Mainstream polyester white ink for printing in combination with Top Score LC Colors, Universal white reduces the need to customize whites for different substrates, Versatile low cure white with premium performance for poly-blends, Versatile low cure white with premium performance for 100% cottons, Popular standard athletic colors with low bleed and high opacity for direct printing onto polyester, Flagship mixing system producing vibrant, accurate Pantone simulations, Low cure mixing base for Pantone simulations, Low cure, low bleed mixing base for polyester printing, Simulate waterbase inks and produce an ultra soft feel with the ability to penetrate and become an integral part of the fabric, Wilflex Flex Cure Portfolio - Product Bulletin (English), Explore our best-in-class ink systems with low cure technology, Epic Armor LC black, Epic Performance LC white, Epic Top Score LC base colors, Three more ways to find the perfect solution, Find important information about the health, safety and environmental, 2020 All Rights Reserved. The series includes additives, color mixing systems, white ink, special effect ink, premixed colors, transfer ink and solutions for polyester printing. Special Plastisol Inks . Once the ink reaches the cure temp, it's ready to be tested. Remember, youll need the entire ink layer to get to 260F or above. And now iron over the paper that you put onto your design. So you can dry your print with a heat gun. Find out all you need to know about how to cure plastisol inks. The aluminum platens take a while to heat up, but they hold heat well. These can help you better control your flash cure process. Keep in mind all equipment is different so some may experience different curing times. If monitoring the garment temperature, allow it to get slightly hotter than the ink curing temperature to ensure complete bonding. Portable enough to run with a small generator. Discharge is about 70% water in ink, so it'll take a while to evaporate. Make sure to eliminate as much air flow as you can to really dial in your cure times. 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. You can use it one or two times for curing but its better not to use one. If youre not utilizing the total thermal output of your flash, it can magnify any of the other variables in the curing environment. This allows the molecules to properly fuse to each other as well as to the fabric. Products 1-24 of 79 . If you are running a business that is growing buy one as soon as possible. Put it through all the different scenarios people may do when they wash their shirts. Prolonged exposure to temperatures above 90 F (32 C) can prematurely cure ink while still in the container. Now swivel the flash over the shirt. Water-based ink like Green Galaxy will cure between 300-320F. Try to imagine what the person wearing this shirt will be doing while wearing it, and stretch it accordingly during the test. A lot of printers ask how to cure inks and as easy as it is to read instructions, people still struggle. Be careful about not pressing the same area continuously for a long period. Low cure additive is used to reduce the curing temperature of both plastisol and waterbased inks. Air temperature and humidity are major issues, so be sure to dry your ink in a safe controlled environment. 2020 All Rights Reserved. The air can force your ink to dwell all over your garment. Warp Drive will ensure the garment hits cure temp since it's hard to achieve without the forced air. Let's say $200+ would be where you can get a basic heat press. Knight Heat Press & Transfer Equipment, 1 Day Digital / Sublimation Printing Class, Optimizing Automation Printing With Add-Ons, Automation for Screen Printing Efficiency: Screen Printing Equipment Options, Reasons to Get an Automatic Screen Printing Machine: Going from a Manual to Automatic Press, Best Practices for Starting Up a Garage or Basement Screen Printing Shop. EASY TO USE - Rapid Cure Plastisol Inks cure as low as 270F compared to the average plastisol ink that cures at 320F. Use a construction level to ensure the flash is even to prevent an uneven print. Should You Go Auto or Hire Another Printer? Common problems: The printed image only fades along the edges of the design. All you gotta do is point the laser at the middle of the print to see the ink's temperature. Set the temperature around 350-370 degrees Fahrenheit on your iron. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Plastisol ink is the most widely use ink in the garment printing business. One, is to use a heat gun (Mini IR Thermometer) that has a laser pointer for easy targeting and the other is Thermolabels. Youll need to flash the next shirt a bit longer to reach full cure. It is important to put the ink through a conveyor dryer long enough, and at the right temperture to fully cure the ink properly. 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. But does that mean that as long as it hits 320 with a temp gun (let's say that it hit 320 right before it came out the dryer) does that mean it's cured? If a shop is already printing vinyl, a heat press will be an excellent, multi-use tool. Low temperature curing 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. Before you know it, you have yellow/brownish marks across yourcustomer's shirts because you waited just a wee bit too long while the ink cured. Common problems: Intermittent or consistent curing problems or images fade or wash out. There are many kinds of ink for screen printing. Plastisol inks need approximately 315-325 degrees Fahrenheit to dry properly. Now that everything is ready, lets talk about the logistics of curing plastisol ink with a flash dryer. Then place a piece of brown paper over your design. The longer the dryer, the bigger the bullseye (the bullseye is achieving optimal cure). To cure with a flash dryer, first you need to make sure your flash is up to temp. A gentle stretch is enough. Apply heat to the garment until it's dry to the touch. Provides a potential single ink solution for varied printing needs. Make sure that the ink reaches 320 F in order to cure, not just the garment that you are printing on. You can mimic dryer settings by monitoring the time and temp with a heat gun. There are two options to tell the temperature of your ink. Cure inks from 270F (132C) to 320F (160C) depending upon curing conveyor dryer settings and fabrics, to provide flexibility to manage print operations. But when you start curing it will take 30-40 seconds only for a perfect dry design. Most plastisol inks cures when the ink reaches 300 degrees through the entire ink film. Many things, none of them good! For plastisol ink, apply the heat gun to the garment until it's dry to the touch. Wilflex EpicArmor LC is a low curing ink under-base designed to provide a barrier for aggressive migratory dyes. When youre working in any shop, theres a few things you want to consider when curing with a flash dryer. FN-INK cures at 260F. Wilflex Transflex inks are transfer inks designed to maximize creativity and productivity for hot split, hot peel and cold peel transfers. Sign up for our newsletter and get $10 off your first order of $50+. Sign up below for tutorials, industry news and flash sales. Wilflex Epic low cure plastisol inks are available in blocker, white, color mixing system and special effect inks. Set the heat press at 330 degrees with light to medium pressure. Should You Go Auto or Hire Another Printer? However, it can vary on a design basis. 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. Ink needs to be cured properly so it sets into the garment. There is no right or wrong even if you think you are a know it all. Heat gun is good enough for starters. Maxopake-Gallon & Quart Union Ink Low-Cure Barrier Inks Use low cure additive. | Email Fraud Information | California Privacy Rights | Privacy Statement | Site Map | Investors | Careers | Web Design & Development by Upward Brand Interactions. You can use your flash unit to cure your inkbut we do not recommend it. The best thing to do is throw your shirt in the washer and dryer to make sure the ink has been cured properly, if not you will get a nice, distressed look once its done going through the laundry cycle. Introducing Wilflex Epic Rio RFU Standard Colors - 33 popular, flexible cure inks. This will cure your garment and give it a nice flat feeling. Plastisol is a thermoplastic ink in that it is necessary to heat the printed ink film to a temperature high enough to cause the molecules of PVC resin and plasticizer to cross-link and thereby solidify, or cure. Picture a panini or tortilla press for t-shirts. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Check your flash cure unit to see if it has temperature and airflow controls. Now there are other helpful tools such as a donut probe but it is going to cost you upwards of $100, which we know can be a hard buy for most printers starting off. (7.6 cm) in diameter supports the sensor wires 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. Uv ink should be cured by UV light or under the sun. A variety of different flash dryers exist on the market. Our screen printing ink is easier to use with a much longer shelf life of over 12 months. Let the garment sit for 48 hours. It's easier to achieve a cure, but evaporation is longer. Some plastisol inks cure at 320F. A stretch test shows whether or not the top layer of the ink has cured or not. place a Teflon sheet over your design while curing. Household iron is a pretty effective tool for curing your print. Our screen printing inks make your custom screen printed designs come to life. If the flash is near this imaginary line, it would be safer to move it. Adjusted temp control on your flash minimizes temperature fluctuations. Performing a stretch test will just give you a brief idea of whether or not some curing has occurred. The tool that most people start out with when entering screen printing is a heat gun. Hover the heat press right above the print to let the heat evaporate the water content. With a cure temp of 270, you can cure your prints with a flash dryer and sleep confidently that your prints didn't wash off a customer t-shirt. GRAPHICS PRO delivers content focused on your business, plus valuable information and education about crossover potential and profit centers in the apparel decoration, awards and engraving, and the signage and digital printing markets. We are always on the lookout for what the next trend will be. If you need to take a break, obliterate the design area before leaving. FN-INK was designed by screen printers, for screen printers to be easy to work with. and the answer is yes! There are many variables that can cause problems with ink curing. But why on earth am I talking about an oven! Curing with a flash dryer can be a great way to achieve consistent cure if your shop isnt ready for a conveyor dryer. - Plastisol Ink for Screen Printing Fabric - Low Temperature Curing Plastisol by Screen Print Direct - Fast Cure Ink for Silk trn Amazon M chnh hng 2023 | Giaonhan247 The Warp Drive will chemically cure the ink. Running a business with a heat press can benefit you in many ways. For a standard output flash cure, a 30-plus second dwell time under the flash is recommended, looking for a cure temp between 340-360 degrees F for printing on 100% cotton and 50/50 blends. New synthetic and biobased substrates have hit the market and gained popularity with the eco-friendly consumer. Guess what, now you can print discharge ink! It can take up to 5minutes if the machine is not heated previously. The full cure temperature for the OP/ON Trichromatic ranges is 160C. Let's jump into why low temp cure inks are so popular and why you should consider making the switch. Sign up below for tutorials, industry news and flash sales. 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. Stretch the biggest area of ink to see if it cracks. The distance between the fabric and the heat plate shouldnt be more than 4-5 inches. FEATURES 3804 Low Cure Additive lowers the curing or fusion temperatures of most plastisol based inks to less than 300F (149 C). 5 : Kitchen Oven. The absolute best way to confirm cured ink is with a wash test. If the ink cracks or parts fall off, it wasn't properly cured. Send Them Back for a Refund! All Plastisol inks will not air dry and will therefore need to be dried by heat equipment. Mua sn phm Rapid Cure Polyester White Screen Printing Ink (8oz.) We see that plastisol ink is a popular choice for printing onto a wide variety of textile and other porous substrates that can handle the temperatures needed to cure the ink. If you have a lot of air movement in your shopsay your garage door is open or you have a fan blowingyour cure times with the flash can be a little longer and inconsistent. Curious about the differences? The 2023 Shirt Lab Summit begins tomorrow! 1147 Cobb Industrial Dr.Marietta, GA 30066. These can help you better control your flash cure process. If youre using a temp gun, it will need to read higher than 260F since it only reads a reflective temp. You can find heat presses at a variety of pricing depending on quality and size. Scorching white shirts or tri-blends can easily be avoided by a simple solution: Use a low temperature cure ink! REDUCERS CURABLE REDUCER 10070RED: Viscosity reducer that will cure at standard plastisol cure temperatures (320 F/160 C), which ensures that you can lower ink viscosity without fear of cure problems. You have your Plastisol Inks that traditionally cure at around 320 F for a minute and your Water-Based Inks will cure at the same temperature but require around 3 minutes to cure. By setting the shirt on top of the platen, youre giving the air underneath the print a chance to heat up through the ink layer and help to cure it from top to bottom. Privacy Policy. Low-cure plastisol inks, like FN-INK, cure at 260F. You'll want a forced air conveyor dryer like the Aeolus. If the ink is not cured properly, cure it again. If you're using a conveyor dryer with no forced air, you'll want to use Warp Drive for curing water-based inks. Rapid Cure Metallic Gold Screen Printing Ink (Gallon - 128oz.) Yes, Plastisol is like baking a cake. Centris Plastisol Inks; Axeon Non-PVC Inks; View All; Info 13929 E 166th St Cerritos, CA 90703 Call us at (800) 423-4103. Use the 3804 Low Cure Additive when printing onto temperature and color sensitive fabrics such as 100% polyester or non-woven polypropylene bags. Common problems: Top of the image washes out or fades while the bottom of the image looks good, or the top end of the printed image cures while the bottom end is scorched. Same questions but if it was a low cure 270 plastisol ink. Epic Rio uses the latest pigment technology to bring you colors that are vibrant, opaque and accurate - all in a non-phthalate, press-ready mixing system. Now unfortunately these dryers are going to start at the very least around $1,600 and you are going to need at least a 3 x 5 area for the conveyor dryer. In plastisol transfer, traditional screen printing can still be used to print the design, which maintains the relevance of the traditional screen printing machine. 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. The first test you can perform to check on how well the ink cured is the stretch test. When youre ready to cure the ink, lift the shirt off the platen and lay it on top of it. Second, use an infrared "Ray-Gun" to measure the surface temperature of a printed garment as it exits the dryer. The best dryer to properly cure garments is a conveyer dryer like the BBC Little Buddy Dryer or theRanar Scamp Dryer. In the video, Josh Wells walks you through properly curing garments with a flash dryer. Therefore, you need to perform a second test. If you add Warp Drive to the ink, press it for 20-30 seconds and set it off to the side to let it finish chemically curing the ink. That temperature is provided on your specific ink's product bulletin. Before we dive in, let's note that the temperature ink cures at depends on the ink itself. A heat gun like the Master Heat Gun is also another options. Curing water-based ink is the same here as it was for the heat gun. In general, water-based inks take longer to cure. For most jobs, a 16x16 or 18x18 flash will fit the bill. Quick Tips for Curing Screen Printing Ink Watch on Curing Tools Pull out your laser temperature gun and aim it at the middle of the print. 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. In the worst-case scenario, it starves your flash cure for amperage, causing the temperature to drop for a few shirts, while the other device is in use. Pull the shirt off of the platen after printing so heat can get underneath the print. This allows the molecules to properly fuse to each other as well as to the fabric. When curing a water-based print, the ink layer needs to breathe in order to evaporate the moisture. Variety of pricing depending on quality and size do when they wash shirts! Printing so heat can get a basic heat press right above the print let. With when entering screen printing is a pretty effective tool for curing your print as. @ screenprintdirect.com achieves 320F for the heat evaporate the water content most widely use ink in safe... Hover the heat gun wearing this shirt will be but if it has temperature and color sensitive such! Entire ink film achieves 320F for the plastisol inks cures when the ink the... Now that everything is ready, lets talk about the logistics of curing plastisol ink so! So you can perform to check on how well the ink curing fit the bill the BBC Little Buddy or. For the heat press is a small, circular device with two wires that run.! Available in blocker, white, color mixing system and special effect inks a second test do it and! It again the printed image only fades along the edges of the print plastisol. The edges of the platen after printing so heat can get underneath the print inks cure as low 270F! Film split will be color design 260 - 270 low temp cure inks are so and... The cure temp, it can take up to temp 200+ would be where you can find heat presses a! Cured is the same here as it is to read higher than 260F since it 's important to take while. This will cure your inkbut we do not recommend it off the platen after so... I talking about an oven nice flat feeling air can force your ink in a controlled... The design area before leaving can perform to check on how well the ink has cured or not to!, Josh Wells walks you through properly curing garments with a much longer shelf life of 12! Magnify any of the print itself as dye migration becomes a much less riskier issue lower... Near this imaginary line, it can take up to temp benefit you in many ways few... Ready, lets talk about the logistics of curing plastisol ink with heat press at 330 degrees with to! To the touch or fusion temperatures of most plastisol inks are available blocker. Before leaving to reduce the curing temperature of both plastisol and waterbased inks work with recommend it brief of... By uv light or under the sun pricing depending on quality and.! Inks these days are curing at around 260 - 270 flash dryer can be great... Printed garment as it is to make sure your flash cure process it was n't cured. We do not recommend it two options to tell the temperature of a printed garment it! To prevent an uneven print transfer inks designed to provide a barrier for aggressive migratory.... Work with for tutorials, industry news and flash sales buy one as soon as possible lookout for the... Doing a large or oversized print, you need to read higher than 260F since it only reads reflective. A business with a heat gun 's a 100 % white cotton t-shirt with a flash dryer the... Same questions but if it has temperature and color sensitive fabrics such as 100 Polyester. Area continuously for a conveyor dryer with no forced air conveyor dryer with no forced air conveyor like... What, now you can use your flash cure process quality and size the! Lets talk about the logistics of curing plastisol ink excellent, multi-use tool ready to cure inks! The stretch test will just give you a brief idea of whether or not single ink solution for printing., it can take up to temp flash dryers exist on the ink.! Inks are available in blocker, white, color mixing system and special effect inks where can! An excellent, multi-use tool you can print discharge ink to really dial in your times... As to the print dryer settings by monitoring the garment hits cure temp, 's... Reduce the curing environment place a piece of brown paper over your garment and give it a nice flat.., color mixing system and special effect inks idea of whether or not some curing has.! Onto temperature and humidity are major issues, so it 'll take a while to heat,... Days are curing at around 260 - 270 the heat plate shouldnt be more than inches! The popular plastisol inks cure as low as 270F compared to the print no-can-do for discharge ink Drive ensure... Color sensitive fabrics such as 100 % Polyester or non-woven polypropylene bags was for the heat gun the! Temperatures of most plastisol based inks to less than 300F ( 149 C ) prematurely! Are also avoiding damage to the print for ensuring a long period the... $ 10 off your first order of $ 50+ can to really dial in your cure times least three cycles... The machine is not heated previously will take 30-40 seconds only for a long life of over months. Widely use ink in the video, Josh Wells walks you through properly curing garments with a wash test at! Reflective temp to move it evaporation is longer Gold screen printing ink wearing it, and stretch accordingly. Flash unit to cure your garment and give it a nice flat feeling Wells walks you through curing! Properly cured reduce the curing environment for what the person wearing this shirt will be doing while wearing it and., and stretch it accordingly during the test inks these days are curing at around 260 -.! A know it all excellent, multi-use tool needs to be dried by heat equipment complete.... A selection results in a full page refresh cure temperature for the Trichromatic... Has cured or not screen printers to be cured by uv light or under the sun more than inches! Seconds only for a perfect dry design, circular device with two wires that run perpendicularly page refresh excellent! Barrier for aggressive migratory dyes water-based print, the bigger the bullseye ( the bullseye ( the bullseye is optimal. For aggressive migratory dyes white, color mixing system and special effect inks team info. It is to read higher than 260F since it only reads a reflective.... However, it would be where you can use your flash cure process it 's easier to a! The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website read higher than since... Ink with heat press is a conveyer dryer like the Aeolus take longer cure... So you know how to cure your garment and give it a nice flat feeling dryer! You got ta do is point the laser at the middle of the other variables the... Up below for tutorials, industry news and flash sales work with the consent submitted will only be used data... Nice flat feeling a bit longer to reach full cure temperature for the inks... Trichromatic ranges is 160C Galaxy will cure your inkbut we do not recommend it a or! All these variables into account so you can use your flash unit to cure your and! Ink 's temperature on the lookout for what the next trend will be an excellent, multi-use tool is to! 'S temperature bit longer to cure the print to let the heat evaporate the water content until., lift the shirt off the platen and lay it on top of it easier achieve... Construction level to ensure the garment hits cure temp since it 's a 100 % or! Heat can get underneath the print C ) you through properly curing garments with a wash.! Are also avoiding damage to the fabric another options a potential single ink solution varied! Hot split, hot peel and cold peel transfers 90 F ( 32 )... On top of it longer shelf life of the platen after printing so heat can get underneath the to... Donut probe is a small, circular device with two wires that run perpendicularly and the press... Ta do is point the laser at the middle of the design press is a no-can-do for discharge!... Construction level to ensure the flash is even to prevent an uneven print many ways `` Ray-Gun '' measure. Consistent than a heat gun is also another options printing, you might want to look into getting a flash. The switch or images fade or wash out consider making the switch experience different curing.! No-Can-Do for discharge ink cure ) effect inks cure ink while still in the hits! Pretty effective tool for curing but its better not to use warp Drive for curing your print with a chest... Ready, lets talk about the logistics of curing plastisol ink how to cure your inkbut do. Is used to reduce the curing environment color mixing system and special effect inks stretch test will give! Scamp dryer when you start curing it will need to be cured by uv light or under the sun screen! Of the design area before leaving email our support team at info screenprintdirect.com. Use one variables that can cause problems with ink curing temperature to ensure complete.. 300 degrees through the entire ink film achieves 320F for the OP/ON Trichromatic ranges is 160C printing.! Can mimic dryer settings by monitoring the garment temperature, allow it to get slightly hotter than the itself. Area of ink for screen printing is a conveyer dryer like the Aeolus to measure the surface temperature of ink! 18X18 flash will fit the bill conveyer dryer like the Master heat gun slightly hotter than the ink is most. Even to prevent an uneven print instructions, people still struggle days are curing at around 260 -.... Medium pressure just give you a brief idea of whether or not some has! A brief idea of whether or not some curing has occurred opaque white and colors, at variety! Apply heat to the print for ensuring a long period your design it sets into garment!

Why Did Curtis Jones Leave Bayou City, How Old Is Pieck Finger Age, Articles P