Digital Camo Polyester Issues

[travis.hoyme]

Can anyone tell me what's going on?

We printed grey blocker, flashed, and then printed red, blue, white, flashing between each color.  Then ran through the dryer.  Temp reading of 270. 

It looks like they're not curing!

These things are horrible to print on.



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[Frog]

Can anyone tell me what's going on?

We printed grey blocker, flashed, and then printed red, blue, white, flashing between each color.  Then ran through the dryer.  Temp reading of 270. 

It looks like they're not curing!

These things are horrible to print on.



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Isn't 270 a little low for conventional inks?

[cbjamel]

If not poly ink then to low for sure in my mind. What type ink?
Shane

[dirkdiggler]

Try Augusta digital camo, way better than Badger, they are made different for better decorating results.

[travis.hoyme]

My rep said 270 is the low end for curing the ink.  Said it should be fine.  I don't think Augusta has the Royal/Red/White digital camo.

He said that lower is better so that the dye in the jersey doesn't sublimate through the plastisol as well.


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[Frog]

My rep said 270 is the low end for curing the ink.  Said it should be fine.  I don't think Augusta has the Royal/Red/White digital camo.

He said that lower is better so that the dye in the jersey doesn't sublimate through the plastisol as well.


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What inks specifically, and how are you measuring the temp?

[Steve Harpold]

Can anyone tell me what's going on?

We printed grey blocker, flashed, and then printed red, blue, white, flashing between each color.  Then ran through the dryer.  Temp reading of 270. 

It looks like they're not curing!

These things are horrible to print on.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quick explanation that might help some....
1. standard inks from most companies are listed to cure at 320. (See ink data sheets)
However, many dryers are set at 340 - 400. This will make the ink come to temp faster and allow for the capacity desired. However considered the shot gun approach each garment type and ink type will come to different values based on the belt speed. Most likely all values higher than 320 allowing for decent results. As heat transfers to the colder object the higher the energy level in the dryer the greater chance of scorching, burning, over curing. In theory a company should set a dryer to 320-330 and take of the heat knob.  As we don't want anything to rise above 330. Problem is you would need much longer dryers to achieve this goal and still have any capacity at all.

2. Low cure inks, here lies the problem, they will fuse at 270 which is great. However the shot gun approach is a much bigger problem. Follow the above example in order to get decent results on ink that cures at 320 May dryers are set to 340 and above. When you want to cure at 270 you set the temp to 270 you will need a very long cure time for the full ink deposit to absorb enough energy and cure if you can only use 270 degrees.  If you simply raise the temp up many of advantages of the low cure ink are lost.

I hope this helps, many of these concerns and posts on this board have lead to the invention of the Fire Fly. 4/24/2015 - (The Fire Fly in full production hits the web)

[Big Daddy D]

I screen print alot of digital camo jerseys.  We cure them at 365 in our conveyor dryer.  We have to catch them as they come off the dryer and et them cool.  After they cool, we have no issues with the ink coming back off.  If they fall off the dryer and the paint touches itself, it tends to mess up the print.  I do not know why, but that was the easiest solution.  I hope this helps.

[Robert Clark]

We printed grey blocker, flashed, and then printed red, blue, white, flashing between each color.  Then ran through the dryer.  Temp reading of 270.

  Hi Travis,

    If this is not a low cure ink, then this is your problem. But if it is... Then check your dwell time. Running a low temp ink with four different colors will require a longer dwell time.. 1:15 dwell would be my guess. Not knowing your dryer it could be a bit longer. You need to bring them up SLOW N LOW.. Just like cooking BBQ : ).. now I am hungry.

     Our ELT series can help in this department. It will even fix Big Daddy's problem of shirts sticking to each other after they fall off the belt. No sticking and no ghosting with this series. Take a look at the pic below. If you have any other questions or need some help just give me a call.

This pic was sent from Rick @ Skeeter Kell

[Big Daddy D]

Robert,

Can you tell me more about your inks?

Derek

[Robert Clark]

Hi Derek,

   Take a look at the ELT webpage. This is an ink series that has all the bells and whistles built in.   

http://www.printelt.com/

[tonypep]

LCA additive from Excalibur

[Steve Harpold]

Hey,

Wouldn't this be great p/f/p only!

Top half washed (considered 20 washes) bottom half original

Woops, I wasn't after clean edges just testing bleeds. I will try again keeping in mind your suggestions for bleeds and smoothness. 

[mimosatexas]

Why are the edges of that print so fuzzy and the finish so rough?

[jvanick]

you could also do matsui waterbase: underbase black, followed by white-CL on top.. with the addition of fixer-N, you can cure these puppys at 230 degrees....

they look great, and wash great... however, don't dry them in a home dryer as they will dye migrate a bit.

guessing this is the same case with any of the plastisols too?