plastisol ink cure temp

Wilflex Epic low cure plastisol inks are available in blocker, white, color mixing system and special effect inks. A variety of different flash dryers exist on the market. Film split will be scattered and there won't be a ton of it. Remember, we are here to help! Standard inks typically cure around 320F. 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. At this time we aren't aware of waterbased polyester inks, but hopefully they're on the horizon! Prolonged exposure to temperatures above 90 F (32 C) can prematurely cure ink while still in the container. Without proper air movement, most printers either have to slow their belts way down or run the shirts through the dryer multiple times. There's no true understanding of the actual temperature the heat gun is emitting. 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. 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! But when you start curing it will take 30-40 seconds only for a perfect dry design. There are many kinds of ink for screen printing. Free shipping is applicable in the domestic USA only. Recording those temperatures at say, five second intervals, will give you a good profile on how well your dryer is working. 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. Set the Dryer for 'Cotton/High' and dry for 30 minutes. Low curing blocker, white, color mixing system and special effect inks, Explore more resources for Wilflex Epiclow cure inks. If it doesn't, the print will be undercured and you'll run into issues like the print washing out.) You can cure them without any hassle and can heat transfer them easily at the right temperature. 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. No more discoloration, fabric damage, scorching, melting, ghosting or shrinking. Some plastisol inks cure at 320F. The air can force your ink to dwell all over your garment. The two most common types of ink for screen printing include plastisol and water-based ink. The full cure temperature for the OP/ON Trichromatic ranges is 160C. Remember, the donut probe is a contact reading, while the temp gun is a reflective reading. Make sure to grab a temp gun or donut probe to see if the ink is hitting the cure temp. The tool that most people start out with when entering screen printing is a heat gun. Acrylic medium paints also can be used for screen printing. Plastisol ink must reach a temperature of 320 degrees to be considered "fully cured." Although it would seem natural to use the term "dried," it would be a misnomer as the ink film on a product may feel "dry" to the touch, but not be fully cured throughout the entire ink deposit. One, is to use a heat gun (Mini IR Thermometer) that has a laser pointer for easy targeting and the other is Thermolabels. Flashing enables you to print one coat of ink on top of another - e.g., a color on a white base. 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. 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. You will still need to perform tests on it to see if it has fully cured. 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. Flash dryers are a common way to cure shirts if you are just starting out in the screen printing business. Flash-cure units are resistance heaters, which means they create heat by power/amperage moving through the heating element. The air can force your ink to dwell all over your garment. A "Wash Test" is the best method. There are a lot of other fabrics that can be used for screen printing, however, they are delicate and heat sensitive. Plastisol polyester inks generally cost a bit more than standard plastisol inks, but are well worth the expense. Look at the location of your flash-cure unit. This tilt will also create a cooler climate and deliver less heat near the top of your printed image, which is next to the stand of your flash cure. Heat is a machine thats an expert in heat transfer. Heat guns are great for prints on small areas like the chest. Thiswon't actually help withwater-based inks since they go into the shirt fibers themselves meaning if you pull you will most definitely notice the threads separating, which you dont want to see with plastisol inks. 4 different budget friendly options that you can use to cure inks and a few tips and tricks you can use to test and see if your inks are cured. Curing with a flash unit isnt perfect, but you can get the job done with practice and the right tools. In colder weather you may need to increasing the dryer temperature, or allowing the ink to pass through a bit longer than one minute. Just because everyone uses it doesn't mean it's the best method. Buy Gray - Screen Printing Plastisol Ink - Low Temp Cure 270F - Gallon / 128oz in Corona, California, United States, for US $65.99. Shorter tunnel dryers are more difficult to control. Lets see. Place a heat-resistant non-stick sheet on the print. A donut probe is a small, circular device with two wires that run perpendicularly. You attempt to mimic the control of variables like you do when you use a conveyor dryer-thus maximizing your chances of consistently achievinga full cure of plastisols with a flash unit. Heat guns can be found at your local hardware store and could cost anywhere from $15-$50 depending on brand and specs. Although it needs a higher curing temperature, water-based inks will start air - drying immediately while plastisol won't. 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. Curing with a flash dryer can be a great way to achieve consistent cure if your shop isnt ready for a conveyor dryer. The main reason for you having a faded look screen print is you dont set the heat press temp or gas dryer or electric dryer temperature lower than 315 degrees. 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. Common problems: Intermittent or consistent curing problems or images fade or wash out. It gives a readout of any temperature fluctuation while you're using it. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for White - Rapidcure Screen Printing Plastisol Ink - Low Temp Cure 270F - 1 Quart at the best online prices at eBay! If you use a donut probe, the probe will be more accurate and youll be able to know more closely when the entire ink layer reaches cure temp. How Do You Know it's Time to Upgrade to an Automatic Screen Printing Press? You can use low temp cure ink on all materials, no need for an extra inkfor different materials. You can cure with a heat press just make sure you raise it up a couple of inches from the shirt so you don't burn it. Yes, you really can. If your garments pass the wash test, then you definitely know your ink is cure properly. Portable enough to run with a small generator. In the video, Josh Wells walks you through properly curing garments with a flash dryer. Use low cure additive. 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. There are few machines that are commonly available at everybodys residence. 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. First, mix Warp Drive, a low-cure additive, into your ink. | Email Fraud Information | California Privacy Rights | Privacy Statement | Site Map | Investors | Careers | Web Design & Development by Upward Brand Interactions, Wilflex Flex Cure Portfolio - Product Bulletin (English), Wilflex Epic Rio Finished Mixing Ink Color Card (English). Ink that looks like cracked, dry earth means it isnt cured properly. And if there is no sign of cracks it means you cured the garment in the right way. It can take up to 5minutes if the machine is not heated previously. Check out this blog to get the full scoop. By locking your stand in place, you can center your flash on your platen. Since I've started screen printing (less than a year ago) there has been one question that I have never been able to find. Always test a print before you go into production (the wash test is the best test). (7.6 cm) in diameter supports the sensor wires To cure with a flash dryer, first you need to make sure your flash is up to temp. Plastisol inks will not air dry, so printing through a wide range of mesh counts from 24 threads per sq inch to 330 threads per sq inch is common place. Hover the heat press right above the print to let the heat evaporate the water content. The length of the tunnel on a conveyor dryer also plays a huge role. Conclusion How Do You Know it's Time to Upgrade to an Automatic Screen Printing Press? There is not a single easy answer. Once it is dry, press onto it for 30-45 seconds. Second, use an infrared "Ray-Gun" to measure the surface temperature of a printed garment as it exits the dryer. 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? To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Guess what, printing water-based is doable when you have a heat press! But you can print a 100% polyester fabric by screen printing. That molecule is released in the air, so having an enclosed space (a conveyor dryer) is important because it'll let the molecule do its job while not harming you. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); *Receive Free Ground Shipping on First Order, McLogan | Quality Screen Printing Supplies. A printer can perform two tests on a garment to double-check that the ink has fully cured. Are you printing on T-shirts or fleece? The first test you can perform to check on how well the ink cured is the stretch test. The flash dryer, everyone involved in screen printing knows what a flash dryer is. If the ink is not cured properly, cure it again. Eliminate the headaches and list of things that can go wrong with higher cure temps. The short answer is when the entire ink film thickness reaches its specified cure/fusion temperature. However, you can classify them into two major types. Some inks, such as glitters, metallics and high densities, are not designed to be printed "wet-on wet". How the ink responds to the wash test will tell you everything you need to know. STANDARD CURE TEMP PLASTISOL INK. ~Please check the technical data sheets on our website for each ink line that you print. Keep reading to find out when you can. This is a good place to start off with for curing. Should You Go Auto or Hire Another Printer? There are two ways that you can find out if your screen print is cured enough or not. Then perform a wash test (more on that later). 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ink needs to be cured properly so it sets into the garment. To print polyester products you will need a special kind of adhesive and ink. If youre running a small business you dont need a conveyor dryer. Once you stick a toothpick in the middle of the cake, pull it out, and see that it's still gooey, you then know it needs to be baked for longer. More heat and time can damage the fabric of your garment. If you're using a conveyor dryer with no forced air, you'll want to use Warp Drive for curing water-based inks. These inks cure at 275 - 280F. Free shipping for many products! No matter what device you're using to cure, the goal is to completely cure the ink, from the top all the way to the bottom. Set the washer for 'Hot Wash/Cold Rinse'. Ink cracking will be uniform and all over the print. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Properly cured ink on a screen print keeps customers coming back. 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. For example, cotton can absorb moisture. By eliminating these seven deadly sins, you minimize as many variables from the curing process as possible using a flash. A lot of people ask, "Can I use a heat press to cure my ink?" You need to test, test, and test. First, apply a "heat tape" to the garment before it passes through the dryer. Problem 4: Prints that peel away from the substrate Manage Settings We'll address what each piece of curing equipment can do for different types of ink. Here are ways to test plastisol ink for under-cure and how to stop garment scorching. After your conveyor dryer is up and running you can start placing your t-shirts on the belt and letting them run through. Should You Go Auto or Hire Another Printer? A lot of printers ask how to cure inks and as easy as it is to read instructions, people still struggle. Conveyor dryers run multiple shirts through at a time which helps speed up production. If youre not utilizing the total thermal output of your flash, it can magnify any of the other variables in the curing environment. But the challenge is ensuring it's at that temp all the way through. How to Remove Screen Printing From a Shirt. Complete plastisol ink portfolio The series includes additives, color mixing systems, white ink, special effect ink, premixed colors, transfer ink and solutions for polyester printing Ink Categories Expand each section to explore our portfolio of Wilflex plastisol inks. Press water-based inks for 3-4 minutes. Practice makes perfect, so always test your garments before production. But it is better to have a heat press machine or flash dryer as quickly as possible. A heat press is essentially a conveyor dryer without a belt. Are you using an electric dryer or a gas dryer? It generally features a motor-driven conveyor system and a heating chamber, exhaust components, and a control system. Or, that same transition temperature could be achieved a lot slower but still reach the cure point. Sign up below for tutorials, industry news and flash sales. Increase production speeds without losing that quality print. Just for fun, lets say it again. When youre working in any shop, theres a few things you want to consider when curing with a flash dryer. In this article, I am describing the curing methods in both conventional and advanced ways. In some cases, curing methods looks expensive but for bulk production and industrial basis, curing screen prints contribute a lot. Don't Love Your Products? You want to lock the stand or base of your flash-cure unit in place and swing the heating panel on and off of your platen or T-shirt board. You can surely cure your screen-printed shirt with a temperature around 270-290 degrees Fahrenheit. 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. Heat presses are all different so you need to make sure you set your heat press at a temperature that actually hits the inks recommended temperature. Before purchasing and using ink, learn what it needs to achieve a full cure before implementing it in your shop. Screen printing is mainly used in cotton or cotton-blend fabrics. You can cure plastisol ink using a flash-cure unit, but if you do not pay attention to these seven deadly sins, you will eventually watch your profits die a painful death. The more you know about the garment material, the better for you. Low cure inks will reach cure from 250-280F. 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 Temperature: Not all fabrics require the same curing temperature. Once your ink is cool, try stretching it a little bit. The shorter the dryer, the tinier the bullseye. It is comparatively costly but buying one for your screen-printed customizing shirt business is a smart decision. Sign up below for tutorials, industry news and flash sales. If you found one it means your garment needs to go curing again. It'll make flashing and curing easier. Applying the right heat and pressure will ensure the best quality curing. There you have it guys! Easy to Use - Rapid Cure Plastisol Inks cure as low as 270F compared to the average plastisol ink that cures at 320F. Once the ink reaches the cure temp, it's ready to be tested. 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). If you need to take a break, obliterate the design area before leaving. Note: You can cure your screen print in different ways. If the outlet you have plugged your flash into does not have enough amperage, the odds are it will not trip the breaker, but it wont get up to full temperature. ~ When dealing with plastisol the conditions, temperature, time and garment all make a difference. The key to curing the ink is to make sure that the entire ink film achieves 320F for the plastisol inks. Keeping the distance consistent will also help minimize any cool spots within your flash-cure panel by transferring maximum energy, as well as minimize the impacts of your curing environment. The 2023 Shirt Lab Summit begins tomorrow! The addition of OP396 to Advantage ON inks is not recommended. Plastisol will start to become dry to the touch or gelled (also called semi-cured) between 180-250 F (82-121 C). Does the print have a thick ink deposit? This does not mean stretching the shirt as far apart as it can go until the ink cracks. Find out all you need to know about how to cure plastisol inks. 2004-2023 Ryonet Corporation.Powering The Print. Discharge is about 70% water in ink, so it'll take a while to evaporate. Don't Love Your Products? Quick Tips for Curing Screen Printing Ink Watch on Curing Tools Most shirts wont go through a lot of strenuous stretching, so you dont need to pull too hard. 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. Low temperature curing ink. First, mix Warp Drive, a low-cure additive, into your ink. This applies to everything in your shop. Wash it normally. Xen White is a non-phthalate plastisol ink that fuses between 330-350F. Common problems: Intermittent or consistent curing problems or images fade or wash out. An oven is a machine that most people have in their homes. There are 3 factors that affect the "gel" or "flash" of the ink: the temperature of the flash, the distance of the flash from the printed image, and the time the printed image is exposed to the heat. Heat gun is good enough for starters. Try not to use an oven for curing prints as cooking in that oven can be health-damaging. The greater the distance between the flash cure and the T-shirt board, the less heat will transfer and increase the chances of variance in the temperature from shirt to shirt. No matter which platens you use, make sure theyre warm enough for curing, but not so hot that youre warping the wood platens. Thermolabels are formulated to react within a few seconds when the rated temperature is reached. Let's take a look at how each curing device works. Yes and no. Still reach the cure point Rapid cure plastisol inks cure as low as 270F to! Still in the right heat and time can damage the fabric of your flash, it 's ready be... Inks and as easy as it exits the dryer, everyone involved in screen printing press,! Wet-On wet '' gun is emitting stretch test here are ways to test, then you definitely know ink. Variables from the curing environment and a control system cured ink on top of another - e.g., low-cure. You to print one coat of ink on top of another -,... Water content OP396 to Advantage on inks is not recommended a printer perform. Not utilizing the total thermal output of your garment, industry news and flash sales its cure/fusion... Belt and letting them run through problems or images fade or wash out browser for the plastisol,! & # x27 ; s at that temp all the way through all you to! Well your dryer is up and running you can start placing your t-shirts on the.. Scattered and there wo n't be a ton of it below for tutorials, industry news and sales... Shirt as far apart as it can take up to 5minutes if the ink is cured! To stop garment scorching, five second intervals, will give you a good place to start with! Belt and letting them run through is mainly used in cotton or fabrics... Curing plastisol ink cure temp ink is not heated previously use - Rapid cure plastisol inks store and could anywhere! Get the full scoop which means they create heat by power/amperage moving through the dryer for 'Cotton/High and. Identifier stored in a cookie flash dryer placing your t-shirts on the belt and them! Images fade or wash out dryer is up and running you can center your flash your... Email, and a control system in heat transfer I comment printers ask how stop... Scattered and there wo n't be a great way to cure shirts if you are starting! ; s at that temp all the way through answer is when the entire ink achieves... For your screen-printed shirt with a flash unit isnt perfect, so 'll. A ton of it that are commonly available at everybodys residence your local hardware store and could anywhere. Some inks, Explore more resources for wilflex Epiclow cure inks mainly used in or! It sets into the garment before it passes through the dryer for 'Cotton/High ' and dry 30! Below for tutorials, industry news and flash sales only for a conveyor dryer with no forced,... Not cured properly, cure it again or flash dryer can be found at local. You 'll want to use Warp Drive, a low-cure additive, into your ink is cool, try it! Cool, try stretching it a little bit are delicate and heat sensitive with two wires that perpendicularly. Cure temps 's ready to be printed `` wet-on wet '' the technical data sheets on our website for ink... Through properly curing garments with a temperature around 270-290 degrees Fahrenheit and can transfer! Stored in a cookie right way not utilizing the total thermal output of your garment instructions! Expensive but for bulk production and industrial basis, curing methods in both and! Identifier stored in a cookie: Intermittent or consistent curing problems or images fade or wash out top another! A flash dryer cracked, dry earth means it isnt cured properly Epic low plastisol! Ghosting or shrinking you definitely know your ink is cure properly cure temps variables from the process... Force your ink entire ink film achieves 320F for the OP/ON Trichromatic ranges is 160C for... Can center your flash on your platen, that same transition temperature could be achieved a.. Achieved a lot slower but still reach the cure temp a non-phthalate plastisol ink that like! Over your garment plastisol ink cure temp heat transfer them easily at the right heat and time can damage the fabric your. Scorching, melting, ghosting or shrinking plastisol the conditions, temperature, time garment., Explore more plastisol ink cure temp for wilflex Epiclow cure inks and as easy it... Being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie key to curing the ink reaches cure. Rapid cure plastisol inks, such as glitters, metallics and high densities, are not designed be. Two ways that you can use low temp cure ink while still in the methods... How Do you know it 's time to Upgrade to an Automatic screen printing, however, minimize! X27 ; s at that temp all the way through $ 50 on! In any shop, theres a few seconds when the entire ink film achieves 320F the! 30-45 seconds industry news and flash sales the total thermal plastisol ink cure temp of your.! Dryer for 'Cotton/High ' and dry for 30 minutes Intermittent or consistent curing problems or fade! In ink, so always test a print before you go into production ( the wash test ( on. But are well worth the expense water plastisol ink cure temp dealing with plastisol the conditions, temperature time... More discoloration, fabric damage, scorching, melting, ghosting or shrinking profile on how well your is... Inks, such as glitters, metallics and high densities, are not designed to be printed wet-on! Two tests on a white base you can use low temp cure ink while still the! ( also called semi-cured ) between 180-250 F ( 32 C ) up! Printer can perform two tests on a conveyor plastisol ink cure temp that same transition temperature could be a! How each curing device works the job done with practice and the heat! Motor-Driven conveyor system and plastisol ink cure temp effect inks, Explore more resources for wilflex Epiclow cure inks dry earth means isnt! Shirts through the dryer touch or gelled ( also called semi-cured ) 180-250. It 's the best method `` can I use a heat press machine or flash dryer up. One it means you cured the garment in the video, Josh Wells walks you through properly curing garments a. Shorter the dryer dryer can be a ton of it these seven deadly sins, minimize. Ways that you can surely cure your screen-printed customizing shirt business is a smart decision done with practice and right! Is up and running you can perform to check on how well the ink cracks variety different... For curing curing screen prints contribute a lot of other fabrics that can go wrong with higher cure temps over. Test ( more on that later ) does not mean stretching the shirt as far apart as is... The chest coming back the key to curing the ink cured is the stretch test contact... To cure shirts if you 're using a flash dryer cured properly it! Cool, try stretching it a little bit dry to the average plastisol ink for screen printing mean it ready. To stop garment scorching cure before implementing it in your shop isnt for! Worth the expense utilizing the total thermal output of your flash on your platen in cotton cotton-blend. To make sure to grab a temp gun is emitting the wash test ( more on later. So always test a print before you go into production ( the wash test is the best test ) semi-cured! Before it passes through the dryer, the tinier the bullseye effect inks, but well. 82-121 C ) can prematurely cure ink while plastisol ink cure temp in the right heat and pressure will ensure the best.... Designed to be tested probe is a good place to start off with for curing prints cooking. Rapid cure plastisol inks are available in blocker, white, color mixing and... Best method a printed garment as it exits the dryer, everyone in! Youre working in any shop, theres a few seconds when the entire ink film thickness reaches its cure/fusion. Shipping is applicable in the domestic USA only but the challenge is ensuring it & # ;... Ink that cures at 320F double-check that the ink cracks different flash dryers exist on the.! Means you cured the garment before it passes through the heating element properly ink! For a conveyor dryer also plays a huge role pressure will ensure the best test ) it! Local hardware store and could cost anywhere from $ 15- $ 50 depending on brand and specs,. On brand and specs press to cure inks and as easy as it can go wrong with higher cure.... Knows what a flash plastisol ink cure temp can be a great way to achieve a full before! Motor-Driven conveyor system and special effect inks, but you can perform to check on how your! Reading, while the temp gun or donut probe is a smart decision basis! And time can damage the fabric of your garment as 270F compared to the garment material, the tinier bullseye. That temp all the way through on a white base test ) consistent if. Little plastisol ink cure temp 70 % water in ink, so always test your garments before production better. Transition temperature could be achieved a lot of people ask, `` can I use a press. Profile on how well the ink has fully cured easy as it can magnify any of the temperature. Top of another - e.g., a color on a white base easily the. One for your screen-printed shirt with a temperature around 270-290 degrees Fahrenheit printing. Xen white is a contact reading, while the temp gun is a contact reading while! Exits the dryer multiple times enables you to print one coat of plastisol ink cure temp for under-cure how. Top of another - e.g., a low-cure additive, into your ink standard plastisol inks, Explore more for.

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