Hi Guys,
Just wanted to drop off some info on our new series . If you have any questions please ask !
ELT-S Series
Extreme Low Temperature Plastisol Ink
Product Description
ELT-S is a new option for those printers who want the benefits of our low
temperature inks in an even softer, more stretchy formula. Like the ELT Series
inks, ELT-S White speeds up production with quicker flash times and lowers
energy cost with lower cure temperatures. The lower flash and cure temperature
also lead to a number of other benefits not realized by other inks:
• No fabric shrinking.
• Stop ghosting.
• Prevent dye migration.
• Hot stacking is safe.
• Cool down stations are unnecessary.
• Significantly lower energy cost.
• Longer lasting platen adhesive.
In addition to preventing the problems listed above, ELT-S White and ELT Series
colors have many benefits not commonly found in plastisol inks:
• Excellent replacement for silicone ink.
• Universal ink for printing all fabrics (cotton, polyester, nylon, polypropylene).
• Stretches with Lycra® and spandex blends.
• Very smooth texture for fantastic resolution and easy multi-color printing.
• Ultra-soft feel.
• Very light ink viscosity.
Printing Tips For Success
Depending on the type of fabric you are screen printing, the ELT Series may
require different printing instructions to be 100% successful. Each fabric type
is listed below with instructions to lead you to better prints. See the following
section for important printing instructions regarding the use of the ELT Digital
Black Underbase.
Cotton & Poly/Cotton: ELT-S White will have a super-soft feel on cotton and
poly/cotton blends. The higher viscosity when compared to ELT White will lay
the fibers of the shirt down, making ELT-S White a better option for these fabrics.
Dye migration is not an issue when screen printing 100% cotton. However,
cotton is likely to scorch at higher temperatures. Ghosting can also exist with
lighter colors, pigment-dyed, and fluorescent cotton. Curing the ink film to
270ºF or 280ºF will prevent scorching and ghosting on 100% cotton. These
temperatures will also prevent dye migration with poly/cotton.
100% Polyester: ELT-S White can be printed on 100% polyester. However, it
is less bleed resistant than the original ELT White. When printing polyester
moisture management materials, keeping the temperature lower will help
prevent common problems such as shrinking, ghosting, and dye migration. We
recommend curing the ink film to 270ºF to 280ºF. Nylon catalyst will be required
for screen printing waterproof polyester jackets and bags. Add 1 part nylon
catalyst to 9 parts ink. For the most difficult dye migration fabrics, print with
ELT Digital Black Underbase.
Digital Camo & Sublimated Polyester: ELT-S White is not recommended for
digital camo shirts and other sublimated polyester uniforms. The best option
is still our ELT Digital Black Underbase with the original ELT White printed over
top. Our premium polyester inks and universal inks will also work well.
100% Nylon: Due to the possibility of damaging the nylon fabric, we recommend
curing the ink film for most items to 270ºF to 280ºF. However, if you are screen
printing 210 denier nylon drawstring bag or a similar heat sensitive material,
it will be best to cure the ink as low as 250ºF or 260ºF. Nylon catalyst may be
added to ELT Series inks for screen printing waterproof jackets and bags. Mix
1 part nylon catalyst to 9 parts ink.
Polypropylene: Inexpensive polypropylene will melt at temperatures above
275ºF. For this reason, it is best to keep the curing temperature between 250ºF
and 270ºF.
Spandex & Lycra® Blends: Stretch fabrics will require a thicker ink deposit to be
successful. Consider 86 or 110 monofilament screen mesh with a print-flashprint
technique. ELT-S White is most stretchable when cured between 270ºF
and 280ºF. For stretch fabric blends with polyester, consider screen printing
one layer of ELT Digital Black Underbase with two layers of ELT-S White on top.
This will provide a great, stretchy feel with excellent resistance to dye migration
problems.
Important Notes
This tech sheet includes much more specific information than most of our
plastisol inks. This is due to our desire to fully educate our customers leading
to better prints and higher sales. With most fabrics, the ELT Series is best when
cured between 270ºF and 280ºF. When printing ELT Digital Black Underbase and
many layers are necessary, heat the ink 300ºF to ensure everything gets fully
cured. When pushing the limits of ELT Series to a 250ºF cure temperature, always
test your dryer. Utilize our Thermolabels to test at these very low temperatures.
Most screen printers will have significant ink stock on their shelves when they
first make the switch to ELT Series. For fabrics such as cotton, poly/cotton,
and most nylon, ELT Series inks can be printed with our other ink series. Simply
cure the prints at 320ºF to be sure all of the inks involved are fully cured. 100%
polyester will be best using only the ELT Series inks as the low temperature is
very important to the success of these prints.
