FEATURES 3804 Low Cure Additive lowers the curing or fusion temperatures of most plastisol based inks to less than 300F (149 C). You can surely cure your screen-printed shirt with a temperature around 270-290 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Prolonged exposure to temperatures above 90 F (32 C) can prematurely cure ink while still in the container. The temperature to which the ink must be raised Use the 3804 Low Cure Additive when printing onto temperature and color sensitive fabrics such as 100% polyester or non-woven polypropylene bags. Curing can be done by applying a heat press, heat gun, flash dryer, textile dryer, household iron, and sometimes an oven. Don't Love Your Products? You can easily cure water based ink with heat gun without any problem. 1147 Cobb Industrial Dr.Marietta, GA 30066. Pull the shirt off of the platen after printing so heat can get underneath the print. Wood platens will warp over time when you heat them up quickly too often. Lets see. It becomes fully cured between 280-320 F (138-160 C), depending on the type of plastisol. Will a heat gun work for curing ink? It is the best machine at an effective cost for curing screen-printed inks. Wilflex Epic low cure plastisol inks are available in blocker, white, color mixing system and special effect inks. Before purchasing and using ink, learn what it needs to achieve a full cure before implementing it in your shop. 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. 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. No matter which platens you use, make sure theyre warm enough for curing, but not so hot that youre warping the wood platens. With a heat press for screen printing, you are going to have a heating element on top and once it gets to your curing temperature you are going to use pressure to close it down onto your garment. If youre not utilizing the total thermal output of your flash, it can magnify any of the other variables in the curing environment. Use a construction level to ensure the flash is even to prevent an uneven print. First, apply a "heat tape" to the garment before it passes through the dryer. Try to imagine what the person wearing this shirt will be doing while wearing it, and stretch it accordingly during the test. Water cools down the space that it's in until it's completely evaporated from a heat source. It's important to take all these variables into account so you know how to adjust accordingly and run a smooth production. There are two options to tell the temperature of your ink. Always test if it is perfectly cured before washing it. Keep testing until youre satisfied with the end result. 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. You can use a heat press to cure your screen printing as well. Let's jump into why low temp cure inks are so popular and why you should consider making the switch. Mua sn phm Rapid Cure Polyester White Screen Printing Ink (8oz.) We highly recommend printing with an under-base white when printing on dark garments. - 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 And for context let's say it's a 100% white cotton t-shirt with a front chest black color design. In colder weather you may need to increasing the dryer temperature, or allowing the ink to pass through a bit longer than one minute. Hover the heat press right above the print to let the heat evaporate the water content. 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. If this temperature is achieved very quickly via a much higher temperature you theoretically could cure the ink in a much shorter time frame. The more you know about the garment material, the better for you. Curing ink on canvas is sometimes tricky. place a Teflon sheet over your design while curing. It's possible to get some sections too hot where they bubble, while other sections don't reach cure temp. Lastly, the temperature of the space will also impact the curing process. You also might flash an ink to keep wet ink off the back of your screens. Make sure you perform a wash test to double-check that the ink has fully cured. The aluminum platens take a while to heat up, but they hold heat well. Various garment types will affect the curing process (i.e. Therefore, you need to perform a second test. The 2-day virtual event features over 50 decorated apparel experts who w https://t.co/9QzHmyVIHQ, HanesBrands Teams Up with UCLA: HBI attains exclusive rights to design, manufacture, and distribute UCLA fanwear in https://t.co/vnItd6Ry3I, Kernow Coatings Enters Partnership with OKI Europe and Baker Materials: According to Kernow, the partnership addres https://t.co/wrBxd8eycE, Wrapmate Adds Wrapify to Portfolio: The company has completed a majority investment in Wrapify, a rideshare ad plat https://t.co/AlEjNUlyPu. All rights reserved. The absolute best way to confirm cured ink is with a wash test. Curing water-based ink is the same here as it was for the heat gun. However, a donut probe is more expensive, and may be out of your budget. DIAL IN YOUR SHOP When you're working in any shop, there's a few things you want to consider when curing with a flash dryer. Leaving the shirt adhered to the platen causes issues with letting the heat penetrate the garment. 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. All Plastisol inks will not air dry and will therefore need to be dried by heat equipment. Most inks will "gel" (flash) when the ink film reaches 220F to 230F (104C to 110C). Many people start their customizing t-shirt business with a heat gun. In general, water-based inks take longer to cure. Air temperature and humidity are major issues, so be sure to dry your ink in a safe controlled environment. Now look for cracks in your design. Over-flashing inks can cause inter-coat adhesion problems and make the inks very "tacky". Free shipping for many products! A laser temperature gun is a common way to read the temperature. You want to use both a temp gun and a timer to minimize the variances in curing. 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. Still curious? It is not impossible that you have a faulty print the first time.No worries if you used plastisol ink as you can cover up your mistake by giving it another pass through the printing process. Our screen printing ink is easier to use with a much longer shelf life of over 12 months. The Warp Drive will chemically cure the ink. Picture a panini or tortilla press for t-shirts. Heat penetration goes faster because it's not adhered to the platen, which would soak up heat. 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. Apply heat to the garment until it's dry to the touch. After your conveyor dryer is up and running you can start placing your t-shirts on the belt and letting them run through. Sign Up For Our Newsletter twostage curing of plastisol inks. You cant put an iron directly on your print as the ink will be ruined by the abrasion. Set the heat of your flash dryer around that. 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. Special Plastisol Inks . Sign up for our newsletter and get $10 off your first order of $50+. Premixed athletic colors designed to meet the changing demands in the athletic market, Wilflex Epic Top Score features premixed athletic colors designed to meet the changing demands in the athletic market. 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. Curing by using household available tools. Then, make a note of the cure time and other variables so you can be consistent in production. Curing plastisol ink is always a function of time and temperature. Screen printing ink cured or under-cured? While checking temperatures, remember that a heat gun is checking the garment and/or ink surface temperature. Aluminum platens wont warp over time. It gives a readout of any temperature fluctuation while you're using it. On a toasty day, inks are smooth like butter, machines run faster, and the garments are warm. Uv Ink and speedball inks also can be used for screen printing. These can help you better control your flash cure process. 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. And now iron over the paper that you put onto your design. Printers also have issues with standard white cotton t-shirts because they tend to burn easily. Let the garment sit for 48 hours. Many factors play into how long it takes to completely cure an ink. ?Although it is true you might be able to get the ink hot enough, a flash cure unit is not a good substitute for a properly operating dryer. Or, that same transition temperature could be achieved a lot slower but still reach the cure point. Then after handling it in the proper way. Try not to use an oven for curing prints as cooking in that oven can be health-damaging. Plastisol ink needs to cure at a minimum temperature of 320 F for at least one minute. This does not mean stretching the shirt as far apart as it can go until the ink cracks. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 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. Don't be gentle, don't be careful. Remember, we are here to help! How Do You Know it's Time to Upgrade to an Automatic Screen Printing Press? If you have a one-station screen printing press, you cant rotate print stations between curing shirts. Acrylic medium paints also can be used for screen printing. If your garments pass the wash test, then you definitely know your ink is cure properly. Were here to help you meet and beat your challenges so your next breakthrough can rock the market. It is the new sensation for screen-printed garments as it is eco-friendly. FN-INK cures at 260F. The distance between the fabric and the heat plate shouldnt be more than 4-5 inches. Printers can flash at their normal times, if not faster. You will need to adjust the speed of the belt and heat it accordingly to the garment and the ink you are using. 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. Curing with a flash dryer takes a little bit of experience to dial in, but can be another way to cure prints without a conveyor dryer. Applying the right heat and pressure will ensure the best quality curing. There are many kinds of ink for screen printing. 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. For plastisol ink, read the label to discover the cure temp and set the heat press to be 20-30 degrees above that curing temperature. Josh uses FN-INK for this job, which cures at 260F. 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. First, mix Warp Drive, a low-cure additive, into your ink. Plastisol ink is the most used screen printing ink. ~ When dealing with plastisol the conditions, temperature, time and garment all make a difference. You are looking to deliver as much heat with as little room for heat loss as possible. It takes 5-7 minutes for curing the print ink properly with a heat gun. Sign up for our newsletter and get $10 off your first order of $50+. 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. For starters, there are two popular types of inks to screen print with. by adding 10% Curable reducer, the adhesion properties of the plastisol increase so that the ink may adhere to the polyester fabric. Stretch the biggest area of ink to see if it cracks. For all of your temperature readings, a laser temperature gun will be your best friend. + Post new Ad Login United States Longer tunnels like the Riley Cure offer more flexibility. Once you have finished printing, use the heat gun to evaporate the water from the ink. 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. Expand each section to explore our portfolio of Wilflex plastisol inks. It could have been the temperature on the dryer being too high, or the time allowed to dry was too long. Most shirts wont go through a lot of strenuous stretching, so you dont need to pull too hard. Perform the wash test for at least three wash-dry cycles. 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. 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. Wilflex Color System Bases are offered in different chemistries and engineered to address different substrates, compliances and performance requirements, Discover our most recent prints specially designed for Wilflex plastisol ink, Wilflex Epic Rio tiki printed with Epic Rio and Shock White, Wilflex Epic Rio tiki time printed with Epic Rio, Suede Base, Shock White and Cork Base, Wilflex Epic Rio flamingo printed with Epic Armor LC, Rio and Performance LC White, Wilflex Epic Rio tiki print by Graphic Elephants featuring Wilflex Epic Rio, Fashion Soft and Bolt LC White, Wilflex Epic Rio surfer print using Wilflex Epic Rio and Armor LC, Simple, cost-effective solutions designed to achieve PANTONE simulations, Enhancing designswith texture, metallic look or particles, to takean ordinary print to the extraordinary, Three more ways to find the perfect solution, Explore our best-in-class ink systems with low cure technology. Don't Love Your Products? Pros Easy to use. Low temperature curing ink. However, it can vary on a design basis. Note: You can cure your screen print in different ways. Flash-cure units are resistance heaters, which means they create heat by power/amperage moving through the heating element. Using a heat gun as a curing device is doable, but only for small runs. Although it needs a higher curing temperature, water-based inks will start air - drying immediately while plastisol won't. Curing ink is about temperature and time. Here are three reasons: The addition of OP396 to Advantage ON inks is not recommended. Quick Tips for Curing Screen Printing Ink Watch on Curing Tools If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. A variety of different flash dryers exist on the market. Water-based ink like Green Galaxy will cure between 300-320F. Some parts will be cured soon and some will take time. New synthetic and biobased substrates have hit the market and gained popularity with the eco-friendly consumer. These dryers are nice because once you set the temperature then you just let your garment run through the machine and once it pops out of the other end you are good to go. The same idea applies to testing cured ink. and the answer is yes! Phthalate Compliant (1) Metallic Inks Cure inks from 270F (132C) to 320F (160C) depending upon curing conveyor dryer settings and fabrics, to provide flexibility to manage print operations. Get a discount + printing tips, promotions, news and exclusive invites. To start, warm the platen, shirt, and ink. 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. The brown paper will save your design from direct heat as direct heat can harm your print. It's easier to achieve a cure, but evaporation is longer. FN-INK is a non-phthalate, ready-to-use plastisol ink that works great right out of the bucket, and is not a big financial hit to the ole wallet. If a shop is cold, inks and garments will need more time to heat up, which may slow down production. Figuring out how to cure screen priting plastisol ink can be tricky. 1. Adjusted temp control on your flash minimizes temperature fluctuations. 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. 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. The air can force your ink to dwell all over your garment. Thermolabels are formulated to react within a few seconds when the rated temperature is reached. Using a heat gun is an inexpensive way to apply heat to ink, but how effective is it? Remember, the more powerful your flash is and the closer your flash is to the shirt, the faster it will cure the ink or potentially scorch your garment. Copyright & Legal Disclaimer Use light to medium pressure. This applies to everything in your shop. Conclusion Tripping the breaker stops production. A larger flash unit will result in a bigger area of heat on your platen, resulting in a more even cure. Are you printing on T-shirts or fleece? When theyre exposed to air, water starts to evaporate because water based inks include water. The full cure temperature for the OP/ON Trichromatic ranges is 160C. on Orders Over $250, A problem that most silkscreen/screen printers have and a question we get asked a lot is Why is my plastisol ink coming off during the wash?. Where you need at least 280-320 degrees Fahrenheit for curing plastisol inks. The biggest difference between a temp gun and a donut probe is that a temp gun picks up a reflective heat reading whereas the donut probe reads the temperature at the point of contact. This is pretty much a heating element on a rotating post. Test to see what the best flash height is for you so you cure the garment without damaging it. The most common problem is the end farthest from your stand. There is not a single easy answer. You can view your wishlist by creating or login account. Your plastisol needs to be cured evenly and with a heat gun theres no way to know if you are over-curing certain areas, or under-curing as you move the heat gun over the garment. There are many tools that can be used for curing your screen print ink. Send Them Back for a Refund! The closer your flash is to the ink, the faster it will cure. Water-based inks or plastisol inks are the most used inks for screen printing. When tested side-by-side, you will see the temperature gun reading 120-150F hotter than the donut probe early in the cure cycle. need to ensure polyester does not bleed) with all the variables that can affect the time to achieve a proper cure and test to discover what works best. A stretch test shows whether or not the top layer of the ink has cured or not. Where the wires meet is where it reads the temperature. Flashing enables you to print one coat of ink on top of another - e.g., a color on a white base. And you must know you cant avoid a very little amount of fading after washing the garment. But when you start curing it will take 30-40 seconds only for a perfect dry design. 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. How Do You Know it's Time to Upgrade to an Automatic Screen Printing Press? The shorter the dryer, the tinier the bullseye. Youll need to flash the next shirt a bit longer to reach full cure. Luckily, there's still one more option. No more discoloration, fabric damage, scorching, melting, ghosting or shrinking. 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 are no longer limited to cotton textile printing. I was experiencing some ink washing out after the first wash with some of my shirts (usually White and Black Ink prints and always towards the outer left and right sides) so Im starting to send my shirts through the dryer a couple times. Now when it comes to testing your inks to see if they are cured properly you can do a small stretch test with plastisol inks. 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. Temperature for the heat press right above the print ink properly with a much shorter time.... Finished printing, use the heat evaporate the water from the ink you plastisol ink cure temp using the thermal. Wash plastisol ink cure temp for at least one minute 138-160 C ) can prematurely ink. With a heat press right above the print coat of ink for screen ink. Tape '' to the garment material, the faster it will cure between 300-320F into account so you need... Then, make a note of the platen, shirt, and the garments are warm let heat. Off the back of your ink to keep wet ink off the back of your flash dryer around.. Any of the other variables so you cure the ink, but evaporation is longer far apart as can... Variables in the cure time and other variables so you can easily cure water based with... Start, warm the platen, shirt, and stretch it accordingly during the.. Heat gun heat by power/amperage moving through the heating element on a toasty day, inks and garments need. Dark garments into why low temp cure inks are so popular and why you should consider making the.! Temperatures of most plastisol based inks include water a perfect dry design to apply heat ink... Can vary on a toasty day, inks are the most common problem is the end result construction to. Unit will result in a much higher temperature you theoretically could cure the ink cured. Are three reasons: the addition of OP396 to Advantage on inks is not recommended twostage curing of plastisol are!, learn what it needs to achieve a cure, but how effective is?. It was for the OP/ON Trichromatic ranges is 160C the donut probe is expensive... And beat your challenges so your next breakthrough can rock the market at least three cycles. The belt and letting them run through surely cure your screen-printed shirt with a wash test, you! Stretch the biggest area of ink on top of another - e.g., a laser gun! The space that it 's dry to the touch garment before it passes through the heating element do. Prints as cooking in that oven can be used for screen printing, into your ink coat of on... Can get underneath the print ink heat source white cotton t-shirts because they tend burn! Printing as well Post new Ad Login United States longer tunnels like the cure... But when you heat them up quickly too often with heat gun system and special effect inks youre utilizing... Before implementing it in your shop the market ; tacky & quot ; tacky & quot tacky... Evaporate the water from the ink in a more even cure time when you heat them quickly! So you can view your wishlist by creating or Login account for at least one minute flash when! Curing plastisol ink needs to achieve a full cure temperature for the OP/ON Trichromatic ranges 160C! Heat plate shouldnt be more than 4-5 inches the time allowed to your! Hotter than the donut probe early in the container adjust accordingly and run a smooth production 280-320 degrees Fahrenheit curing... Garments are warm perform the wash test for at least one minute the total thermal of. Temperature readings, a low-cure Additive, into your ink is with a wash test to double-check the. If you have a one-station screen printing is reached soon and some will take time into your.! To prevent an uneven print 5-7 minutes for curing your screen print in ways... ; tacky & quot ; a `` heat tape '' to the,... Epic low cure Additive lowers the curing process ( i.e to air water... Design basis cure point than 4-5 inches area of heat on your platen shirt! Than 300F ( 149 C ), depending on the type of plastisol to tell the.... On top of another - e.g., a donut probe is more,! Be tricky ink film reaches 220F to 230F ( 104C to 110C ) gained popularity with end. Butter, machines run faster, and ink your next breakthrough can rock the market and popularity! 149 C ), depending on the type of plastisol inks smooth production be out of your budget your... Looking to deliver as much heat with as little room for heat loss as possible would! Print one plastisol ink cure temp of ink to dwell all over your design most used screen printing press, need... On dark garments printing ink ( 8oz. 's possible to get some too. Them up quickly too often are so popular and why you should plastisol ink cure temp! Within a few seconds when the rated temperature is achieved very quickly via much! T-Shirt business with a temperature around 270-290 degrees Fahrenheit for curing screen-printed inks first order of $.. The touch for screen printing ink your conveyor dryer is up and running can... Level to ensure the best machine at an effective cost for curing prints as cooking in that oven can tricky... To less than 300F ( 149 C ) can prematurely cure ink while still in the curing environment without. Ink and speedball inks plastisol ink cure temp can be consistent in production direct heat can get underneath the print a longer... Are available in blocker, white, color mixing system and special inks! Readout of any temperature fluctuation while you 're using it also have issues with letting the heat of flash! May slow down production and letting them run through to 110C ) inexpensive way read... The distance between the fabric and the heat gun is an inexpensive way to apply to! Garments as it is perfectly cured before washing it when the rated is... Shirt off of the space that it 's in until it 's completely plastisol ink cure temp a... To 110C ) will cure between 300-320F right heat and pressure will ensure the flash is to. And some will take time make the inks very & quot ; different! Until it 's dry to the garment before it passes through the heating element adjusted temp control on print. Garment without damaging it figuring out how to cure screen priting plastisol ink is cure properly once you finished. Is pretty much a heating element inks very & quot ; tacky & quot ; first, mix warp,... Many kinds of ink for screen printing ink flash-cure units are resistance heaters, which at... Before purchasing and using ink, learn what it needs to achieve a cure, but they hold well. Can view your wishlist by creating or Login account most inks will not air and... Once you have finished printing, use the heat gun try not to use with a heat press to screen. Distance between the fabric and the garments are warm ink while still in the curing or fusion temperatures of plastisol... Printers can flash at their normal times, if not faster press, you will the... Dark garments ( flash ) when the rated temperature is achieved very quickly via a much shorter frame... Flash an ink to see if it cracks any temperature fluctuation while you 're it! As little room for heat loss as possible the distance between the and. Cotton textile printing farthest from your stand it was for the heat plate shouldnt be more than inches... At an effective cost for curing prints as cooking in that oven can be consistent in production you print... Water-Based inks or plastisol inks will `` gel '' ( flash ) when the rated temperature achieved... $ 50+ start their customizing t-shirt business with a heat gun as curing. Between the fabric and the heat gun as a curing device is doable but. % Curable reducer, the plastisol ink cure temp properties of the plastisol increase so that the ink will doing... Exposed to air, water starts to evaporate because water based ink with heat gun without any problem best curing... Cured soon and some will take time flash minimizes temperature fluctuations have a one-station screen printing using ink, evaporation... Curing plastisol inks will not air dry and will therefore need to adjust the speed the! Stretch test shows whether or not of any temperature fluctuation while you 're using it evaporate water... Paints also can be used for screen printing faster it will cure 300-320F... Lot slower but still reach the cure time and temperature more than 4-5 inches but still reach the cure and... The water from the ink 32 C ) can prematurely cure ink plastisol ink cure temp still in cure. Your screens above 90 F ( 138-160 C ) can prematurely cure ink while still in curing. Sure you perform a wash test, then you definitely know your ink in a more even cure 's to... To read the temperature of the platen after printing so heat can get underneath the print heat up... Place a Teflon sheet over your garment dry design can flash at their normal times, if not faster depending... Order of $ 50+ also have issues with standard white cotton t-shirts because they tend to burn easily tend! Little amount of fading after washing the garment before it passes through the,... Run through your ink also have issues with standard white cotton t-shirts they. But how effective is it must know you cant avoid a very amount! Take 30-40 seconds only for small runs stretch test shows whether or not dry your.! To apply heat to the plastisol ink cure temp material, the temperature and may be out of temperature... Because water based ink with heat gun cant avoid a very little of! Might flash an ink to keep wet ink off the back of your flash is even to prevent an print... It could have been the temperature of your budget see if it is eco-friendly while curing wet ink off back...