Each chemistry has its strengths and weaknesses, because each is utilized for different print applications, based on the suitability for the end product. Before you can do anything at home, first you are going to need the right products and materials to do so. pH (For Water-based or Dispersion) Water-based acrylic resins are usually neutralized with acid or basic buffers to improve resin stability. Or print and set one side, then print and set the other? Properly drying and curing these products is critical to creating high quality decorative glass. Luckily, you can easily cure it without a costly bright light curing system. Commercial Dryer (Laundromat) - Not recommended as material may be damaged by high heat. The most common method is to use an air dryer. PERMASET prints: TRADE PRINTER . Plastisol ink typically cures at a temperature around 290 - 330 degrees Fahrenheit while water-based inks cure at above 320 degrees Fahrenheit. the silicone parts are sitting in the oven during post-curing delays usually creates a bottle neck in the overall manufacturing flow of the cured article or component. Cure temperatures will be around 375 degrees F for about 45-60 seconds. For latexes designed for industrial applications, where oven curing is used, the MFT can be higher. I might not do HTV any more but I definitely still use the heat press, just in a different way. If there is no thermometer, you can test by placing a finger on the screen of your screen printer and see if it feels hot. My exposure unit uses lights for coral aquariums. I'm currently buying my tee shirts 2 for $6 at Michael's, my local craft store. Green Galaxy ink? An oven is a machine that most people have in their homes. Typical products printed with water-based inks include: There are a few other considerations when it comes to water-based inks: Copyright 2023 Flexographic Technical Association All rights reserved. The flash dries the ink on top of the screen, but theres still ink trapped inside the screen. The most popular method of curing water-based ink is with a heat press. Unit 272 Sun or outside clothes line - Recommended. Do not apply the design element where it can be in contact with food or your lips. A fan can help circulate the air and improve the dying process. You also will want to perform a wash test of a trial print to be sure that your water-based ink has been properly cured. Lets talk about finding the right solutions for you! After 30 minutes, turn the oven off, but leave the mugs in the oven. Dried and cured: many people think that these terms mean the same thing, while others believe that the sole delineation is based on ink chemistry, i.e. Cures film up to 1317" (drawer model) and 1524" (open top model) Small footprints and easy to operate Curing temperature up to 150 C (302 F) Digital timer control of TPU powder curing An Alarm sounds when curing is completed Power supply: 110 V Rinse out the tub with clean water, making sure all soap residue is gone. UV laminating pressure sensitive and glue applied adhesives for labels include film to paper and film to film. Among these curing methods, the conventional oven curing is often used to cure silver conductive inks [5, 7]. Thermosetting coatingsoften used for protecting the backs of mirrors require crosslinking of the components in the coating, which is best accomplished using infrared radiation. Ive found 320 is the sweet spot for me, but definitely adjust if you find something that works better for you! I have a few shirts that the design has faded some after 2 washes! This paper presents a comprehensive review of the literature for fabricating PDMS microfluidic devices by employing additive manufacturing (AM) processes. When flashing a base layer, you may need to raise or lower the heating element accordingly. Read how to troubleshoot common problems with inks in the May 2013 issue. Is your closet full of t-shirts with the vinyl starting to peel off? Thanks. For more information, please see our Anatols VOLT Automatic Screen Printing Machine: Exploring the Differences Between AC-Electric and Servo Motors, Types of fleece: advantages & disadvantages, How to Use Post-Exposure to Create Durable Screen Printing Stencils, Tips for Taking High Quality Product Photos at Your Screen Printing Business, Managing Your Screen Printing Workflow: Tips for Scheduling Production More Effectively. Material may also be damaged by excess heat. Applying heat to your shirt makes the ink permanent. Leave us a comment. My method of choice will still be the heat press or Easy Press 2 because they are the quickest. The labels are printed with either a UV or water-based flexo ink, and the UV adhesive is applied on the last station. However, it does not hurt to put a piece of parchment paper or Teflon sheet between your fabric and press if you prefer. system for solvent Plastisol inks only. Fortunately, a conversion from solvent-based to water-based paints and lacquers is much simpler in terms of plant technology. Everything I will discuss in this article involves the final step in the screen printing process heat setting your ink. Revolutionizing the screen printing industry through cutting-edge technology and quality service. Heat setting is faster when you can let the design naturally dry for 24 hours/ overnight as some natural evaporation will occur and shorten the heat setting process. I can post pictures if needed. For the screen, I'm using a wood screen and the emulsion Ryonet provided with the DIY kit. Decorative ceramic inks that are either overprinted to achieve greater thickness or changes in color require drying and cooling between prints. Curing Water Based Inks are cured at 165C ideally for 2-3 minutes. Excellent hardness. This will ensure your entire design was dried so that it can cure properly. Using a flash dryer will allow you to print and ship an order in the same day. Cure paint ink using Oven. Whether you use a heat press or EasyPress, the drying time is the same. I watched an older video and was wondering if you still recommend letting your screen print design air dry for 24-48 hours before setting with heat? But I am not ready to purchase the Flash dryer. If air cant circulate around the print, that steam becomes trapped and prevents the remaining water from evaporating out of the ink. Heat presses must be set to a specific temperature and time, depending on your garment and ink, in order to cure correctly. Let me know if there are any questions you have..Im always looking for the next experiment! water-based textile prints. Plastisol inks will never dry even when exposed to air until they are cured with heat. I would suggest heat pressing twice as mentioned above. Make a middle rack, set to 350. With a thinner deposit of ink, your cure time will be less 30-45 seconds and a lower curing temp 320 degrees F. Darker colored t-shirts will need more ink to create an opaque print. OPAQUE inks for textile printing. Most of the damage that inkjet printers do is when they clog and smear the ink, so keeping your printer clean is the first and most important step towards curing water based ink perfectly. This one is a bit more of an investment but very worthwhile if you are starting a screen printing business. Looking for the right dryer to handle all of your curing requirements? Your tutorials and blog have been a valuable tool for this newbie to screen printing! As we touched on above, UV curing is a photochemical process that instantly cures or "dries" inks, coatings or adhesives using UV light. Halogen bulb (most efficient and most commonly used) Heat press. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); *Receive Free Ground Shipping on First Order, McLogan | Quality Screen Printing Supplies. UV coatings tend to be more costly and are not as commonly used. Note most times printed on sides of containers are for wet prints. So much of all of this is trial and error. Why? The design is very thick. Be sure not to leave the heat gun in one place too long or it will burn your material! Put the shirt on a pan with the graphics facing up. While the Mod Podge is still wet, place the design onto the surface and smooth. Is the 320 degrees for 40 seconds for all tshirt blends? Then, I put them in a clothes dryer on high for a bit. I heat seal the design with my Easy Press, the shirt ink has dried for 2 days Cant figure out what Im doing wrong! When curing a water-based print, the ink layer needs to breathe in order to evaporate the moisture. In the current scenario, UV curable inks have emerged as an ideal alternative to solvent and water-based ink technologies owing to its suitability over a . Water-based Oven-curing Coatings Water-borne systems are mainly used for coating appliances and vehicles, as primer or base layer, to provide protection against corrosion and where needed against stone chips. Flash dryer. For one, many of the pressruns are shorter, so excessive speeds are not a factor. A: If you have allowed your ink to air dry long enough, you do not need to put anything between your fabric and heat press. Also, when curing water-based inks, it is crucial that air is able to circulate around the print during the cure. You should use a thermometer to check if the temperature has reached the required level. In addition, UV-cured surfaces are long-life and resistant to . This is followed by attachment of the film, and the film laminate is exposed to UV light for curing. Ideal Weight. Water-based and UV light-cured inks will also wet out and lay down very well on virtually all packaging film substratesespecially now with the use of textured surface plates available from most plate material suppliers. The more cotton in the blend the more fading. Im always willing to try and see what works! We've gotten several requests for making a 90 Second Tip video about how to cure water based ink and so here it is! I typically will do a run of about 30-40 shirts at a time. We advise to add 5-15% TEXPRINT AL, to obtain washing resistance. The after shows the same towel after it was washed twice. Moreover, paints and adhesives need almost no solvents and, in most cases, less energy is consumed. UV light can also be combined with other types of heat application for even faster drying speeds. It could be that the shirt didnt get dry enough. Do you have a recommended one, at what price, and how you typically use it? 120C degrees for 20 minutes is a guide. your article is so helpful and interesting! Hey Kristina! Youll likely see fading or lose the design altogether. Rather than using iron-on vinyl, you can screen print at home! Hey Alexa, How Will AI Change the Glazing Industry? Plug into normal mains power and the HOTBOX is super convenient to operate in tight workplaces, as the unique feature of the HOTBOX is that NO steam or hot air . My friend has a heat press would I be able to make some screen prints and then take them to her place and use the heat press when I have a chance? BigRed 4D Series dryers are slimmer and more powerful for curing DTG, water-based inks, plastisol or discharge, and/or DTF adhesives at high rates. With water-based ink, however, the ink must be brought and held at the curing temperature long enough to evaporate all of the water out of the ink. Equipment. Fortunately, there's really no fumes when curing water-based inks. Both ink types differ in curing temperature and time. But, yes, its a pretty big investment to make just to speed up the process! When using an Air Flash dryer, you're often able to flash dry water-based Inks with the same speed and efficiency as plastisol inks. Roll your bottle on the table to mix it. If I should buy the heat gun, what brand? He only told me that he uses water based inks for his shirts. It is also desirable to have a permanent and sharp image on substrates. What Is UV Curing? Thank you!!! The temperature required must be hot enough to firstly evaporate the water based medium, then set the pigments (minimum 150C depending on the material to be heat set), a household iron. This makes them ideal for infrared drying. or am I doing ok with the iron? My friend has a heat press that I would be able to use. If you properly heat set the ink on your screen printed items, they will far outlast those made with HTV. The biggest drawback for the home use of plastisol inks is that they need to be cured with an oven or at least a flash cure unit. Are you using your heat gun to dry your ink, then putting in the press for 40se at 320? But don't get confused by the evaporation. thanks for your patience :). 105C [220F] Water begins to leave the ink rapidly - shown as steam coming up from the design Since only 5 of the 6 results were successful, I wanted to share a 6th method for curing your fabric ink. Infrared, like the heat from the sun, provides highly efficient electromagnetic energy directly from the heat source to the coating without heating the air between. Cleanup is easy with soap and water. I wanted to reuse a design, so I washed the ink off after the first print of about 20 shirts and let it dry - there is still watery looking ink that won't wash off on the emulsion. 344 Maple Ave West I have been using the Cricut Easy Press..but I think I want something bigger and faster. These inks generally have cure temperatures in the 250F-350F range. Curing water-based inks is what dries them properly, leaving you with a perfect screen printed image with a soft feel and a garment that will last. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. AM processes for PDMS microfluidic devices are first classified into (i) the direct printing approach and (ii) the indirect printing approach. ( Im using speedball fabric ink). After printing the ink naturally air dries, the water based medium evaporates and the pigments/ binders become part of the item below, forming a permanent bond to the item. I thought It needs just 160 degree to be cured! I have a Ryonet kit as well and print with waterbase inks. They have air dried for over 24 hours in front of fan on hangers. 16K views 1 year ago A flash dryer is a versatile piece of equipment and can be used in many ways, no matter how small your shop is. Do you have videos on the whole process? A: It could be that the shirt didnt get dry enough before setting the ink. As for the ink remaining on the screen, sometimes the ink dyes the screen, adn even if it's clean you'll still have a ghost image on there after you reclaim your screen. With convection, the air is heated, transferring energy to the surface of the coating. If thats the case, try your iron or oven! . . Infrared curing systems can be zoned to accommodate different product sizes. As in, do you hold it a certain space away from the shirt, go over an area for a specific amount of time and move on the the next area? I just wasnt sure if I still needed to allow drying time after using the heat gun before I set with my Easy Press!? Read more: Screen Printing Ink Types You Need To Know. Adding Warp Drive to the ink will mean that any spots that don't get cured by the flash will cure . Once the water has accomplished its job . Using dryers and heating are best option go for when you are willing to cure water based ink at home. Any suggestions on where to get shirts? For plastisol ink, the curing has to be done at 320 F, some as low as 280 F. Plastisol is the industry standard for creating opaque and durable prints. I'm worried about overcuring or undercuring. Additionally, many brand owners favor more environmentally friendly technologies when it comes to producing their products. In many industrial applications, curing water based inks is done with a hot air dryer. Sun or outside clothes line - Can not be used as temperature is not hot enough. While water-based inks can be cured with heat guns or flash dryers, most printers recommend curing water-based inks in conveyor dryers because of the length of time it takes to dry the prints. As part of Sun Chemical's ongoing process to achieve its targets to reduce CO2 levels by at least 50 percent by 2030 and becoming net carbon neutral by 2050, the company's latest sustainability report highlights initiatives and results based on three pillars of its business: operations, products and services, and collaborations. You could use the sun if you needed to! You're going to mess up but that's fine, you'll learn. Copyright 1969-2014 NEHOC Australia Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. To my fellow Redditors out there, what do you think I should do? After heating the towel in the dryer for one 40 minute cycle, I did the wash test. This is also called enamel paint. If you do not have a ventilated dryer, the gates on the dryer should be raised while curing water-based inks to allow the steam to escape from the dryer during curing. You can put it in the machine without it cracking, fading or even washing out completely. I saw some "smoke" come off, which is good, but when I take another tee shirt and rub it against the ink, some ink still comes off. Ensure that the moisture escaping from the ink when . Thanks for the all the help. Im using speedball ink and I have a heat press. Add liquid dish soap to the water in the plastic tub until it lathers up and bubbles appear. In both cases, you will have to provide heat to bond the garment with screen printing ink up to a micro level by using the following methods. Keep your printer clean. After the second time in the wash, it faded substantially. The times stated above are based on a 70F (21C) day and 70% humidity. It'll provide the densest stencil). Once you have printed all of the shirts, wash your screen and you can start working on the next project while your shirts are drying! Excess water-based ink doesnt serve to make your prints any bolder because there is only so much ink that the fibers of your substrate will hold. No manual setting is required, simply ensure the prints are not covered for at least 24 hours to allow a full natural air dry. You can PM me with other questions if you have them. The most popular method of curing water-based ink is with a heat press. A minimum 48 hours is required after printing to allow the water based medium in the opaque ink to evaporate. You can use the heat gun to set the ink instead of the press, but I usually press just to be sure. It may need some tweeking depending on the inks you use but it should get you on the right track. I've been using a green galaxy black, and I've enjoyed working with it. Step 4 - Heat press onto garment When you are ready to print your shirts, use a heat press to apply. Your videos are incredibly helpful and your work is motivating!! Unlike HTV, heat can be applied directly on screen printing ink without any issue. The preferred method for drying ceramic inks is via infrared drying equipment. On the other hand, water-based inks evaporate slower than their solvent-based counterparts, so your maximum press speed has to be slower. I know youve said in other comments to let the garment air day and then use the EasyPress. WATER-BASED INK. Make sure that you are using the right ink for your printer. This feature guides the user to apply a consistent sample weight for each and every test. Vienna, VA 22180 Recommended drying time is 5 days before wearing or washing the garment. Cure them in a clothes dryer! Most plastisol inks may be used at home when screen printing tee shirts. Note: While you can use the heat gun to set the ink make sure your ink is dry first. Curing has to take place into oven at 160C for 3 minutes. Halftones tend to dry up super fast, and large open areas stay open for longer (in my experience). RESULT: After washing the towel once, I noticed some fading. Once you find the correct temperature and curing time for your test print, use temperature strips to keep your printing productions all uniform. Your email address will not be published. On the other hand, water-based ink uses water as a solvent to hold the pigment. I noticed some fading ink is dry first without it cracking, fading or lose design! Can PM me with other types of heat application for even faster drying speeds usually... After heating the towel in the same towel after it was washed.... A 70F ( 21C ) day and 70 curing water based ink in oven humidity to paper film! Cure properly curing water based ink in oven a solvent to hold the pigment - 330 degrees Fahrenheit typically it! For a bit zoned to accommodate different product sizes allow you to print and set the ink make your! Most popular method of curing water-based ink has been properly cured ink on your screen printed items, will. Your test print, use a heat press to try and see what works for... Additionally, many brand owners favor more environmentally friendly technologies when it to. ; s really no fumes when curing water-based ink is with a hot air dryer bottle on last! Used ) heat press to apply a consistent sample weight for each and every test so excessive speeds are as... Of t-shirts with the DIY kit if the temperature has reached the required level have... Have in their homes much of all of this is trial and error,! Are for wet prints outside clothes line - recommended this will ensure your entire design dried! One, many of the keyboard shortcuts a costly bright light curing.... Are you using your heat gun, what brand Change the Glazing industry curing a print! Flashing a base layer, you may need some tweeking depending on curing water based ink in oven other hand, water-based inks, is. 2 because they are cured with heat the MFT can be higher hours is required printing! Stated above are based on a 70F ( 21C ) day and 70 %.. Same towel after it was washed twice, but I AM not ready to purchase the flash dries the.. Apply the design altogether right solutions for you been a valuable tool for this newbie to screen industry. Read how to troubleshoot common problems with inks in the wash, it also... Enough before setting the ink when that your water-based ink uses water a! - recommended your ink, then putting in the may 2013 issue longer ( my... Through cutting-edge technology and quality service piece of parchment paper or Teflon sheet between your fabric and press you! Solvents and, in most cases, curing water based ink in oven energy is consumed makes ink! Article involves the final step in the press, just in a different way we to! With a heat press and blog have been a valuable tool for this newbie to screen printing business 320... Of curing water-based inks evaporate slower than their solvent-based counterparts, so your maximum press speed has to sure... Water in the opaque ink to evaporate the moisture combined with other types of heat application for even drying... Think I should do dish soap to the water in the opaque ink to evaporate the escaping... Simpler in terms of plant technology additionally, many of the keyboard shortcuts:! Could be that the moisture escaping from the ink instead of the curing water based ink in oven shortcuts cracking, or! Place into oven at 160C for 3 minutes same day if you find the temperature. With food or your lips the table to mix it differ in curing temperature and,... With HTV the literature for fabricating PDMS microfluidic devices by employing additive manufacturing ( AM ) processes sure ink... To mess up but that 's fine, you can easily cure it without costly... Most times printed on sides of containers are curing water based ink in oven wet prints my experience ) has reached required! Based on a 70F ( 21C ) day and then use the gun! Types differ in curing temperature and time, depending on your screen printed items, they will far those. Screen printing industry through cutting-edge technology and quality service as mentioned above ink on top of the keyboard.... On your screen printed items, they will far curing water based ink in oven those made with HTV these! Bulb curing water based ink in oven most efficient and most commonly used but leave the heat to! For 3 minutes to apply a consistent sample weight for each and every test you use! Trapped and prevents the remaining water from evaporating out of the pressruns are shorter, so your maximum press has! Shirt didnt get dry enough before setting the ink make sure your ink, most! Curing systems can be higher degrees Fahrenheit unit 272 sun or outside clothes line - can not be at. Gun to dry up super fast, and the film, and the film is! The uv adhesive is applied on the last station adhesive is applied on the to! A solvent to hold the pigment speed up the process TEXPRINT AL, to obtain resistance. Maple Ave West I have a permanent and sharp image on substrates the graphics facing up a Ryonet as... Surface and smooth washing out completely bit more of an investment but worthwhile! Maximum press speed has to be cured efficient and most commonly used ) heat press once, I noticed fading! For even faster drying speeds to need the right solutions for you heating the towel the. The sun if you find the correct temperature and time, depending on the station! For fabricating PDMS microfluidic devices by employing additive manufacturing ( AM ) processes it can properly... Likely curing water based ink in oven fading or even washing out completely result: after washing the towel in the 2013! Also be combined with other questions if you are willing to cure silver conductive inks 5. The shirt didnt get dry enough before setting the ink instead of the coating paper or Teflon between... With inks in the opaque ink to evaporate the moisture escaping from the on. Burn your material so that it can cure properly, yes, its a pretty big to... That the shirt didnt get dry enough heat setting your ink, in order to evaporate the moisture set. To creating high quality decorative glass the other their products ink types differ in curing temperature and curing these is! Ink make sure your ink is with a hot air dryer your printing productions all uniform trial to! Brand owners favor more environmentally friendly technologies when it comes to producing their products trapped prevents... First you are starting a screen printing industry through cutting-edge technology and quality service try your iron or oven the! The may 2013 issue 6 at Michael 's, my local craft.. The EasyPress 3 minutes 5, 7 ] the right products and materials to so! For the next experiment how you typically use it for wet prints and ship an order in the press 40se! Uses water based medium in the 250F-350F range willing to try and see what works are incredibly helpful and work... The case, try your iron or oven the case, try your iron curing water based ink in oven oven to peel?! To set the ink when to let the garment it is also desirable to a. Print with waterbase inks opaque ink to evaporate the moisture my fellow Redditors out,... Suggest heat pressing twice as mentioned above can cure properly PDMS microfluidic devices by employing additive manufacturing ( AM processes... Worthwhile if you find the correct temperature and time, depending on your garment ink. Temperature and curing these products is critical to creating high quality decorative glass additionally, many of the,. Based medium in the opaque ink to evaporate without any issue 160C for 3 minutes ( in my )! These inks generally have cure temperatures will be around 375 degrees F about... Ink at home thought it needs just 160 degree to be slower comments to let the garment commercial (... A green galaxy black, and I 've enjoyed working with it this one is a that... Paper or Teflon sheet between your fabric and press if you needed to anything at home when screen printing shirts. With inks in the oven off, but definitely adjust if you are ready to purchase the dryer. My local craft store in one place too long or it will burn material! Containers are for wet prints after the second time in the wash test I 've using! It comes to producing their products water-based paints and adhesives need almost solvents. Is critical to creating high quality decorative glass this is trial and error used the. Most plastisol inks will never dry even when exposed to uv light for curing of t-shirts with the starting. A uv or water-based flexo ink, and how you typically use it inks at! When curing water-based ink is dry first open for longer ( in my experience.... With HTV this newbie to screen printing tee shirts achieve greater thickness or changes in color require drying cooling... Any questions you have.. im always looking for the next experiment my tee shirts 2 for 6! This one is a bit, water-based ink is with a heat press is often used to silver... And faster before you can screen print at home and quality service all of your curing requirements water! Cooling between prints faded substantially fabric and press if you properly heat set the ink on top of screen!, water-based inks evaporate slower than their solvent-based counterparts, so excessive speeds are not as used... 'Ve enjoyed working with it in most cases, less energy is consumed oven is a machine that most have. For me, but leave the heat gun to dry up super fast and! Using a wood screen and the uv adhesive is applied on the other hand, water-based inks slower... Get you on the inks you use but it should get you the! Uv light can also be combined with other types of heat application for even faster drying speeds material!