ELT X TRANSFER

[Robert Clark]

Hey Everybody.

 I just wanted to share with everyone our newest creation ELT X Transfer system. Here is a Blog written by Robb Mears ( Director, Product Development) 

X Transfers are here to make your job easier.  Whether you are an accomplished transfer printer or a direct screen printer who has use for transfers, creating an X Transfer is an easy task.  X Transfers are a low temperature product, both when heating the ink to the paper and when heat pressing.  The low temperature needed to gel/cure the ink to the paper prevents curling and shrinking.  The low temperature required to heat press X Transfers prevents fabric discoloration and the glossy square often seen on 100% polyester.  The square in question will happen every time with a regular transfer.  It is not repairable.  It is very much ruined fabric.  This is an expensive problem as polyester tees and uniforms are not cheap.




X Transfers have many more benefits beyond its low temperature capabilities.  They are opaque, soft, stretchy, and bleed resistant.  Decorate any fabric as the transfers are universal.  We recommend testing always.  However, unless the fabric is something very unique or out of the norm, we know you will have excellent results as we have tested...a lot.  So much.  This had to be right.




Here is your X Transfer shopping list:

Any ELT, ELT-S, or ELT-X Series ink.  All of these inks work with the process.  ELT-X is the most opaque and bleed resistant option.  ELT-S is the most stretchy.  ELT is a happy middle ground.
X90 Transfer Paper from Arjowiggins.  This is not the only paper that works as an X Transfer.  However, you will need to test other hot peel papers if this is not available to you.  We will begin stocking X90 very shortly.
ELT Zip Fashion Powder.  This is a low temperature, flexible, soft powder.
86 to 158 screen mesh.  This recommendation is due to opacity, bleed resistance, and durability.  You can utilize other mesh counts but please test.
Masking Tape.  Check the Q&A for this use.

How to print a one-color design:
1.Be sure your image is exposed backwards as transfers are printed in mirror image.
2.Run the paper through the dryer before beginning to prevent the powder from sticking to the paper.

3.Flood the screen with ink and pull the squeegee as you normally would to print and clear the screen.
4.Apply ELT Zip Fashion Powder.

5.Measuring with a Thermolabel, cure the ink to a minimum of 250ºF.  We prefer a bare minimum of 30 seconds in the conveyor dryer.
6.Pre-press the fabric for 2 seconds to smooth it out and eliminate moisture.
7.Heat press the transfer at 285ºF for 5 seconds, medium pressure.
8.Peel hot.
Two-color (or more) printing process:
1.Be sure your image is exposed backwards as transfers are printed in mirror image.
2.The last color printed must be set up as a full underbase.

3.Run the paper through the dryer before beginning to eliminate moisture and to preshrink for accurate registration.
4.Flood the screen with ink and pull the squeegee as you normally would to print and clear the screen.
5.Send the first color through the dryer without powder.

6.Measuring with a Thermolabel, cure the ink to a minimum of 250ºF.  We prefer a bare minimum of 30 seconds in the dryer.
7.Line up the paper and print all of the second color (or third, etc.).  The last color which is the underbase needs to be powdered with ELT Zip Fashion Powder.

8.Send the transfer through the dryer again at the same time and temperature.

9.Pre-press the fabric for 2 seconds to s

Thanks for reading !

[zanegun08]

Good write up.

Is it possible to use the ELT bases with our Rutland Pigments and get the same results?

Looking for a good low temperature ink for transfers and regular printing, but don't want to add yet another ink system.

[ZooCity]

Ditto Zane's ? for Wilfex Epic PCs. 

[Robert Clark]

Yes the Base will work with almost all mixing systems.

 It is the base and the powder combined with the right paper, that makes this a game changer.

[zanegun08]

Do you also make a printable adhesive in ELT.  We kind of despise the powder, and are looking to get away from it as printing another color is about the same time as running a sheet through powder and blowing it off with air, and the printable adhesive I think makes a longer lasting transfer (more testing needed to confirm)

[Robert Clark]

Do you also make a printable adhesive in ELT.  We kind of despise the powder, and are looking to get away from it as printing another color is about the same time as running a sheet through powder and blowing it off with air, and the printable adhesive I think makes a longer lasting transfer (more testing needed to confirm)

Unfortunately powder is a necessity with this system due to the low temps involved with it. Printable adhesive would require more heat, which defats the purpose of ELT and the expensive garment you are trying to protect.

[ZooCity]

No low temp adhesives?  Makes sense I guess, I suppose they would gel up in the bucket too easily?

[zanegun08]

To me that isn't that big of a deal really.  We don't really deal with dye migration with transfers anyhow as most of our clientele isn't getting sublimated garments.

Since we print our colors inline, this could still benefit us as we could flash them quicker and with less wrinkling of the transfer medium, and then print the last down adhesive and cure it at a higher temperature.

It is the flashing where we could speed up the process, and mitigate the shrinking medium issues, which would achieve better registration, and then the printable adhesive would have better adhesion as well.

I'll have to get Michelle to get a quart of the base to test, are the inks available for sell now?

[Rocky Bihl]

Our printable adhesive actually has a specially designed adhesive powder within the ink itself that starts to bloom to the surface @ around 320 F when pressed onto a shirt.  This special powder is more responsible as to how our printable adhesive works rather than the ink vehicle itself. Common transfer inks and printable adhesives are slow curing inks which allow them to penetrate and lock onto a shirt when pressed.  Elt inks cure too fast to allow any penetration into the weave of a shirt when pressed without being powdered with our low temp adhesive powder.

[Robert Clark]

I'll have to get Michelle to get a quart of the base to test, are the inks available for sell now?

Yes, in stock and ready to go !