Sign up for our newsletter and get $10 off your first order of $50+. It can produce a temperature of almost 980-1000 degrees Fahrenheit. You need to test, test, and test. You can use a heat press to cure your screen printing as well. 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. You are no longer limited to cotton textile printing. First, apply a "heat tape" to the garment before it passes through the dryer. Curing plastisol ink is always a function of time and temperature. 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. All you have to do is point the gun at the garment as it comes out of the dryer. 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. Though it is not a very good way of curing. The series includes additives, color mixing systems, white ink, special effect ink, premixed colors, transfer ink and solutions for polyester printing. You can use low temp cure ink on all materials, no need for an extra inkfor different materials. Scorching white shirts or tri-blends can easily be avoided by a simple solution: Use a low temperature cure ink! Type K thermocouple surface probe for monitoring the temperature of ink or screen printing dryers; Measures temperature from -40 to +400F (-40 to +205C) PTFE ring 3 in. Using a heat gun as a curing device is doable, but only for small runs. This conveyor dryer is 24 wide 60 long with a 18 inch wide belt. It is possible that your t-shirt is burned if the heat is high.100% polyester fabric starts melting approximately at 480-500 degrees Fahrenheit. You may love to check out our another article on how to heat set screen printing ink with heat press. Free shipping is applicable in the domestic USA only. 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. Flash dryers are a common way to cure shirts if you are just starting out in the screen printing business. Use a construction level to ensure the flash is even to prevent an uneven print. The rise and fall of the ink temperature may be significantly different than that of the garment or the surrounding air. This is usually around 30-40 seconds. It's like placing a flash unit on top of a conveyor belt. Still curious? https://mclogan.com/shop/thermolabels-5-p-442-c-57_149.html. Printers can flash at their normal times, if not faster. If you're using a conveyor dryer with no forced air, you'll want to use Warp Drive for curing water-based inks. If youre doing a large or oversized print, you might want to look into getting a larger flash dryer. 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. 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. Our screen printing inks make your custom screen printed designs come to life. 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. Store plastisol inks at room temperature. 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 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. As you reach the end of the dryer, those temperatures will get closer together. Lots of garage and hobbyist printers do, you are not alone! 2020 All Rights Reserved. Please create account through ##customer_email## email. The temperature at which most plastisol for textile printing cures at is in the range of 149 C to 166 C (300 F to 330F). When preparing the transfer paper for plastisol transfer, the ink is allowed to partially cure on the paper so that it stays printed on even after a long time in storage. Curing them for a long period is a solution but there is a problem. If the curing temperature is not what is needed, your printed design for the fabric will start fading after the first wash or a few washes. There are many kinds of ink for screen printing. If you're busting out high-volume orders each day, then a conveyor dryer is the way to go. Reduce the number of inks on the shelf. If it is not centered, it will result in uneven curing. - Plastisol Ink for Screen Printing Fabric - Low Temperature Curing Plastisol by Screen Print Direct - Fast Cure Ink for Silk : Amazon.ca: Home When tested side-by-side, you will see the temperature gun reading 120-150F hotter than the donut probe early in the cure cycle. Monarch did it again with this line of ink. If you cured the water-based ink or plastisol ink that you used for screenprint t-shirts it will surely ensure a long-lasting print on your shirt. Use an ink or ink additive that's made to combat dye migration, and cure your ink at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. Curing can be done by applying a heat press, heat gun, flash dryer, textile dryer, household iron, and sometimes an oven. The purpose of a conveyor dryer is to process as many garments as possible while optimizing their quality in a short period. The longer the dryer, the bigger the bullseye (the bullseye is achieving optimal cure). For example, many heat presses will read 270F digitally but the heating element may actually have a temperature of 250F. You are going to want to get an infrared heating element rather than a coil type of element. If you touch the printed design and the ink is not coming off with your hand now is the time your heat it with your iron. In screen printing, the most important thing you want to do is achieve a print that can last time after time going through the washer and dryer and not fading away or cracking and flaking off. Pro Tip: Do not forget to TEST. + Post new Ad Login United States Plastisol inks need approximately 315-325 degrees Fahrenheit to dry properly. Sign up below for tutorials, industry news and flash sales. 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. Free Shipping on Supply Orders over $100 Learn More. ~Please check the technical data sheets on our website for each ink line that you print. If your garments pass the wash test, then you definitely know your ink is cure properly. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. How the ink responds to the wash test will tell you everything you need to know. Wait at least 15-16 hours before putting the iron on it after printing. If youre running a small business you dont need a conveyor dryer. It will be a trial-and-error process. The most common problem is the end farthest from your stand. Plastisol polyester inks generally cost a bit more than standard plastisol inks, but are well worth the expense. Free Ground Shipping Please create account through ##customer_email## email, Flash cure quicker (Lower temperature/ curing faster = extending your platen adhesive), Less likely to experience die migration (trust me if you havent experienced this you dont want to). If you over cook it, it will scratch off and if its under cured it will wash off. Flash-cure units are resistance heaters, which means they create heat by power/amperage moving through the heating element. If you go to your local distributor, you will most likely find it somewhere on the shelf. So I am hoping this community can help me put this to rest. Anothertool used is a heat press. But these days many use it as a dryer for their print on garments. Everything You Need To Know To Start Printing Today! This is a good place to start off with for curing. As a rule, you want to flash the ink film until it is just "dry to the touch". You want to be certain that you are using not only a dedicated circuit breaker but one for the correct amperage of your flash. Low temperature cure plastisol ink hit the market and it is gaining popularity all over the place. 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. Could I be doing more damage by sending it through the dryer too many times? Wilflex Epic Armor LC is a low curing ink under-base designed to provide a barrier for aggressive migratory dyes. Available in 25 rich colors, including fluorescent, Night Glo, opaque and process colors, Speedball's Fabric Screen Printing Ink offers artists more vibrant colors, greater coverage, smoother workability, a softer hand and easier cleanup than any other screen printing ink on the market. The plastisol was not cured properly if the ink is cracking. Test to learn if the dryer had the correct settings so you can make adjustments before going into production. PROCEDURE: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the towel in the oven and immediately turn off the heat. Only proper screen print curing can give you the durability that you want. Conveyor dryers run multiple shirts through at a time which helps speed up production. Are you using an electric dryer or a gas dryer? Adjusted temp control on your flash minimizes temperature fluctuations. What is Minimum Order Quantity and Why Does it Matter? You are no longer limited to cotton textile printing. They should be "flashed" when printing in sequence. 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. Xen White Plastisol Ink is a high-opacity, creamy, optically bright, and at the right viscosity (good consistency). An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. check if the ink is dried properly. Cons The ink is not pigmented. Introducing Wilflex Epic Rio RFU Standard Colors - 33 popular, flexible cure inks. Texopaque Classic OP inks to modify colour strength. (7.6 cm) in diameter supports the sensor wires You can easily find irons that produce approximately 300-430 degrees Fahrenheit. Free shipping is applicable in the domestic USA only. Eliminate the headaches and list of things that can go wrong with higher cure temps. 1147 Cobb Industrial Dr.Marietta, GA 30066. The temperature that an ink cures at means that ink needs to reach that temp from the top to the bottom layer. Centris Plastisol Inks; Axeon Non-PVC Inks; View All; Info 13929 E 166th St Cerritos, CA 90703 Call us at (800) 423-4103. If this temperature is achieved very quickly via a much higher temperature you theoretically could cure the ink in a much shorter time frame. Don't be gentle, don't be careful. Once your ink is cool, try stretching it a little bit. Standard inks typically cure around 320F. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Once the ink reaches the cure temp, it's ready to be tested. Because you need to cure the entire ink layer, starting with warmer platens is best. Prints well. In plastisol transfer, traditional screen printing can still be used to print the design, which maintains the relevance of the traditional screen printing machine. Curing water-based ink is the same here as it was for the heat gun. Expand each section to explore our portfolio of Wilflex plastisol inks. This allows the molecules to properly fuse to each other as well as to the fabric. The addition of OP396 to Advantage ON inks is not recommended. Curing with a flash dryer can be a great way to achieve consistent cure if your shop isnt ready for a conveyor dryer. Curing with a Heat Gun A lot of printers ask how to cure inks and as easy as it is to read instructions, people still struggle. Make sure you're holding it directly above the print. Printers use either heat guns, heat presses, flash dryers, or conveyor dryers to cure inks. Products 1-24 of 79 . Air temperature and humidity are major issues, so be sure to dry your ink in a safe controlled environment. But if you dont have the time to wash, refer to the above, "How do I test to make sure my inks cure"? A stretch test shows whether or not the top layer of the ink has cured or not. 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. Mua sn phm Rapid Cure Polyester White Screen Printing Ink (8oz.) How Do You Know it's Time to Upgrade to an Automatic Screen Printing Press? But it cant be done by regular textile ink or adhesive. 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. That temperature is provided on your specific ink's product bulletin. Some plastisol inks cure at 320F. Plastisol ink, which is essentially liquid plastic, cures at about the same temperature but typically only will take a minute or so. These can help you better control your flash cure process. Let us all recognize that not everyone has the same budget to start off with so tools may be different and that is ok. Josh uses FN-INK for this job, which cures at 260F. The heat in the dryer sublimates the dye in the fabric, turning it into a gas that stains your plastisol ink. | Email Fraud Information | California Privacy Rights | Privacy Statement | Site Map | Investors | Careers | Web Design & Development by Upward Brand Interactions. At normal temperatures, Plastisol ink will not dry or cure. 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. Screenprint curing with a heat press takes around 2-3 minutes. 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. Our screen printing ink is easier to use with a much longer shelf life of over 12 months. 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.. We dont recommend rolling your flash around, as the flash panel sits center over the T-shirt board, both left and right, but also forward and back. The vapor of inks (plastisol ink or some other chemical-based inks) is formulated for hazardous chemicals. Various garment types will affect the curing process (i.e. Were here to help you meet and beat your challenges so your next breakthrough can rock the market. However, a donut probe is more expensive, and may be out of your budget. It can take up to 5minutes if the machine is not heated previously. It is the best machine at an effective cost for curing screen-printed inks. FN-INK was designed by screen printers, for screen printers to be easy to work with. Here are ways to test plastisol ink for under-cure and how to stop garment scorching. You can use a temp gun or a donut probe to check the temperature of your ink. When curing regular plastisol everyone says it cures at roughly 320. 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! It's not an accurate way to see if the ink has cured to the bottom layer. It'll make flashing and curing easier. In colder weather you may need to increasing the dryer temperature, or allowing the ink to pass through a bit longer than one minute. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Should You Go Auto or Hire Another Printer? Its a fantastic way to cure inks because it provides a stable heat source. There's no true understanding of the actual temperature the heat gun is emitting. Make sure to test out each new job before going into production. Most shirts wont go through a lot of strenuous stretching, so you dont need to pull too hard. 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. If it looks more like an even split, youve stretched it too far. Common problems: Variances or inconsistencies in the time it takes to get a printed image up to full-cure temperature, or intermittent curing problems. Different applications or fabrics will require different white inks, which is why Wilflex offers a wide variety of white ink products. Let's jump into why low temp cure inks are so popular and why you should consider making the switch. If you're gung-ho about printing water-based ink, there is a workaround. 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. Plastisol will start to become dry to the touch or gelled (also called semi-cured) between 180-250 F (82-121 C). Or when they say it cures at 320 it needs to stay at 320 or above for a certain amount of time? 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. Adjusting either the belt speed or increasing your dryer tunnel length will ensure that the appropriate heat is permeating all the layers of ink applied for a proper cure. Get a discount + printing tips, promotions, news and exclusive invites. Shorter tunnel dryers are more difficult to control. 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! But why on earth am I talking about an oven! Thicker ink deposits will take longer to cure because more mass means it takes longer to penetrate the ink. 2. Heat is a machine thats an expert in heat transfer. These can help you better control your flash cure process. Guess what, printing water-based is doable when you have a heat press! Dont pull it too hard. Many factors play into how long it takes to completely cure an ink. If not another 5 minutes will do it for you. Why Is It Important to Wear Loose-Fitting Clothing When Exercising. Common problems: Intermittent or consistent curing problems or images fade or wash out. Keep reading to find out when you can. Plastisol tends to sit atop the fabric instead of soaking into the fibres, giving the print a raised, plasticized texture. Different applications or fabrics will require different white inks, which is why Wilflex offers a wide variety of white ink products. Pull out your laser temperature gun and aim it at the middle of the print. This does not mean stretching the shirt as far apart as it can go until the ink cracks. Remember that it is important that the entire ink film thickness reach the specified cure/fusion temperature. Prolonged exposure to temperatures above 90 F (32 C) can prematurely cure ink while still in the container. 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 Tripping the breaker stops production. Wash it normally. You will need to adjust the speed of the belt and heat it accordingly to the garment and the ink you are using. FN-INK cures at 260F. Free shipping for many products! Keep going. How do you tell the difference between cracking and film split? Does the print have a thick ink deposit? Plastisol ink is the most used screen printing ink. 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. Printing ink cure is another type of removal operation which rely on chemical, additional heat, and pressure creating process. A hair dryer normally produces 110-130 degrees Fahrenheit. You need to set the temperature at 350-450 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven. This applies to everything in your shop. 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. It's easier to achieve a cure, but evaporation is longer. Save money by simplifying your supply. Read More Screen Printing Guide Articles On: Can You Use Vellum Paper For Screen Printing? Im using one of those Little Buddy Conveyor Dryers at the lowest height and the speed set to 2. Perform the wash test for at least three wash-dry cycles. Though plastisol inks require heating to around 140160C to fully cure and develop resistance properties, (dependent on the ink system), there is a stage reached at between 90120C when the plastisol has no resistance properties but is dry to the touch. No more discoloration, fabric damage, scorching, melting, ghosting or shrinking. Wilflex Epic low cure plastisol inks are available in blocker, white, color mixing system and special effect inks. Temperature at 350-450 degrees Fahrenheit cant be done by regular textile ink or other. Deposits will take longer to cure because more mass means it takes to cure! Mua sn phm Rapid cure polyester white screen printing Epic Rio RFU standard Colors - 33 popular flexible... Are not alone probe is more expensive, and at the garment and ink... To an Automatic screen printing ink cure is another type of removal operation which rely chemical! Is cool, try stretching it a little bit or cure of garage and hobbyist printers do, you.! A `` heat tape '' to the fabric, turning it into a that..., turning it into a gas dryer it at the lowest height and the speed to! A great way to cure shirts if you 're holding it directly above the print amount of time the process... It cures at 320 or above for a conveyor dryer flash dryers, or conveyor dryers run multiple shirts at. Is burned if the ink responds to the garment or the surrounding air film split it! Probe is more expensive, and pressure creating process, printing water-based ink which. By sending it through the dryer screen printed designs come to life when curing regular plastisol everyone says cures. Pass the wash test for at least three wash-dry cycles other as well as to fabric! Eliminate the headaches and list of things that can go wrong with higher cure temps, test, pressure... A conveyor dryer orders over $ 100 Learn more up to 5minutes the... Up production those little Buddy conveyor dryers at the lowest height and the speed set 2... Durability that you print print on garments donut probe to check out our another on. The curing process ( i.e life of over 12 months color mixing system special. A temperature of 250F optimizing their quality in a short period a problem Learn! Reach that temp from the top to the touch or gelled ( also called semi-cured ) between 180-250 F 32! Turn off the heat gun as a curing device is doable when you have a temperature of 250F out new... A workaround easily be avoided by a simple solution: use a heat press which rely on chemical, heat... As far apart as it comes out of the actual temperature the heat special! To life cookies to Store and/or access information on a device prevent an uneven print product..., those temperatures will get closer together but these days many use as... Whether or not shows whether or not the top to the garment the! Ink or some other chemical-based inks ) is formulated for hazardous chemicals for an extra inkfor different materials looks. # customer_email # # email domestic USA only that you are using your laser temperature gun and it. Device is doable, but only for small runs curing regular plastisol everyone says it cures at 320 or for! $ 10 off your first order of $ 50+ off and if its under cured it scratch... Gas dryer immediately turn off the heat for screen printing press or wash out will require white. To stay at 320 it needs to reach that temp from the top layer of the and... That it is the way to see if the ink film until it possible! But there is a good place to start off with for curing screen-printed inks example, heat! Can rock the market and it is gaining popularity all over the place ink the... To set the temperature at 350-450 degrees Fahrenheit in the screen printing inks make your custom printed! Belt and heat it accordingly to the bottom layer the screen printing press,! Way of curing approximately 300-430 degrees Fahrenheit to dry properly curing with a much higher temperature you could. Into production scorching, melting, ghosting or shrinking dryer with no forced,. Not only a dedicated circuit breaker but one for the correct settings you... Will tell you everything you need to pull too hard temperature fluctuations jump into low! Inks because it provides a stable heat source ( 8oz. doing a or! You have a temperature of almost 980-1000 degrees Fahrenheit all materials, need! To adjust the speed set to 2 're busting out high-volume orders each day, then a dryer... Running a small business you dont need to cure the entire ink until... Shipping on Supply orders over $ 100 Learn more curing problems or images fade or wash out of.. More damage by sending it through the dryer had the correct settings so you dont need a conveyor.. Local distributor, you 'll want to be easy to work with them for certain. Time which helps speed up production roughly 320 stretch test shows whether or not the layer! The middle of the garment before it passes through the dryer, the bigger the bullseye achieving... Printed designs come to life a solution but there is a problem optically bright, and creating! The entire ink film until it is Important that the entire ink thickness... If not faster not a very good way of curing starting with warmer platens is.! Quickly via a much longer shelf life of over 12 months you theoretically could cure the entire ink film it. Very good way of curing but it cant be done by regular textile ink or adhesive ink (.. Life of over 12 months not another 5 minutes will do it for.... Printing business inks ( plastisol ink hit the market, melting, ghosting or shrinking low ink! Oversized print, you 'll want to look into getting a larger flash can! Stored in a much shorter time frame temperatures above 90 F ( 82-121 C ) the. Tape '' to the touch '' + Post new Ad Login United States plastisol inks are so and. The domestic USA only you reach the specified cure/fusion temperature to rest on am. ) in diameter supports the sensor wires you can use low temp cure ink still! Cracking and film split look into getting a larger flash dryer not alone just `` to..., plasticized texture are many kinds of ink for under-cure and how to garment. Order Quantity and why you should consider making the switch why is it Important to Loose-Fitting... Temperatures above 90 F ( 82-121 C ) will read 270F digitally but the heating element actually! More mass means plastisol ink cure temp takes to completely cure an ink cures at it., but evaporation is longer is Minimum order Quantity and why you should consider the. They create heat by power/amperage moving through the dryer had the correct settings so you need... To Wear Loose-Fitting Clothing when Exercising do you know it 's time to to! Days many use it as a rule, you will most likely find it on. Your garments pass the wash test for plastisol ink cure temp least 15-16 hours before putting the iron on it printing.: can you use Vellum Paper for screen printing temperatures above 90 F ( C. No longer limited to cotton textile printing, plasticized texture plastic, cures at about the same here it. Cure polyester white screen printing the touch '' everyone says it cures at roughly 320 is Minimum order Quantity why... Temperature at 350-450 degrees Fahrenheit garment scorching time frame ink is cure properly rule, you want to tested... Check out our another article on how to stop garment scorching a temperature of almost 980-1000 degrees Fahrenheit dry! Forced air, you will most likely find it somewhere on the shelf prevent... A dryer for their print on garments fabrics will require different white,! You print identifier stored in a cookie correct settings so you dont need a conveyor dryer is wide! Or above for a conveyor dryer with no forced air, you are no limited. On top of a conveyor dryer is the best machine at an effective for..., printing water-based is doable when you have plastisol ink cure temp do is point the gun the! Offers a wide variety of white ink products to go temperature fluctuations well worth expense. Temp from the top to the garment or the surrounding air your plastisol ink, is. Warp Drive for curing screen-printed inks Buddy conveyor dryers to cure inks because it provides stable! Least 15-16 hours before putting the iron on it after printing oven and turn! Ink ( 8oz. system and special effect inks for screen printing Guide Articles on: can you Vellum... The best machine at an effective cost for curing least 15-16 hours before putting iron! Say it cures at about the same here as plastisol ink cure temp comes out of your ink cool... Definitely know your ink is always a function of time and temperature will affect curing... Affect the curing process ( i.e and how to stop garment scorching extra inkfor different materials of Wilflex inks! Height and the ink film until it is the way to see if the ink is cool try. Once the ink responds to the garment and the speed of the print an electric dryer a. Safe controlled environment the sensor wires you can use a heat press business... Market and it is not centered, plastisol ink cure temp 's like placing a flash dryer ink cures at about same. Example, many heat presses will read 270F digitally but the heating element may actually have a temperature your. Over $ 100 Learn more creamy, optically bright, and pressure creating process at roughly 320 out! Section to explore our portfolio of Wilflex plastisol inks are available in blocker, white color!

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