Thermal transfer printing on hats (below)

Fourth, the choice of transfer paper and ink <br> Most of the silk screen material stores sell transfer paper, thermal plastic melt transfer type thermal transfer used in the transfer paper are mainly two types, generally known as coating Transfer paper and non-coated transfer paper.

The coated transfer paper surface has a smooth coating suitable for "cold-peel" transfer with standard plastisols. Non-coated transfer paper is suitable for "hot-split" transfer with specially formulated special inks.

Should it be used "cold peeling" or "hot peeling"? It depends on the feeling and surface effect that your prints ultimately want to achieve. If the customer wants a certain degree of gloss on the surface of the print, they can use “cold peel” transfer; if the customer wants a matte effect, The prints (which look like the effect of direct printing) should use "hot peel" transfer paper. In actual production, the application of "hot-stripping" transfer method is more common.

When selecting hot melt inks for printing transfer paper, you can use a standard plastisol for "cold peel" transfer and then transfer the pattern on the transfer paper to the cap. In general, the standard plastisol has a strong hiding power, and the printing opacity is very high even on a dark background, but the glossiness of the printed matter is relatively high, giving a glittering feeling.

In practical applications, the most commonly used is thermal peeling transfer ink, this type of plastisol is specially formulated, that is, in addition to a small part of the ink remains on the paper during the thermal transfer process In addition, most of the ink has been transferred to the hat. This peeling method left a rough, dull printed image on the surface of the hat, a bit like the effect of direct screen printing. Furthermore, it is necessary to use an ink specially formulated for this hot-stripping transfer method, and most ink manufacturers produce and sell the transfer ink.

Thermal transfer has been around for quite some time now, and it is still a flexible method for decorating hats. In addition to the thermal transfer method, there are other hat decoration methods. For example, the digital transfer method uses an ink jet printer and a laser printer to print a decorative pattern on a hat.

Hats are very popular nowadays. Everyone should seize the opportunity to add hat thermal transfer services to the company's business. Do not miss the opportunity.

Fifth, the basic steps of screen printing thermal transfer <br> In the vacuum frame set up a three-point positioning registration system, this way, in the multi-color transfer, you can accurately put the back of the transfer paper Go to the corresponding position on the vacuum shelf.

The first color is printed and the paper is passed through an infrared drying device or a gas drying channel. The drying temperature is controlled between 190 and 230 degrees, and the drying time is controlled between 30 and 45 seconds. Follow the manufacturer's recommended procedure. Note: All we need is to allow the plastisol to solidify, but do not allow the ink to dry completely in the dryer. Otherwise, what will be obtained on the paper will be the image directly after printing, and it will still flip!

If you only want to transfer monochromatic images, this will be the end. However, if it is a multi-color transfer, the transfer paper at the end of the drying apparatus must be collected and returned to the printer again. Next, the previous steps are repeated to print the remaining other colors respectively.

A second screen printing plate is loaded on a monochrome printer. The printed transfer paper is registered and fixed with the three-point register mark, and the second screen plate is registered with the first color, and the previous operation steps are repeated. After each color printing, it must be dried by a drier. After the hot melt ink on the transfer paper is solidified, the next color printing is performed.

When a "cold peel" transfer paper is made, a powdered adhesive may be used in the wet plastisol. Before the ink on the transfer paper in the drying device solidifies, the printed transfer paper is placed in the box containing the powdered adhesive. Lid on the line, powder can improve the adhesive properties of the transfer paper.

Sixth, the application of thermal transfer <br> In the hat thermal transfer machine, the size of the lower bracket to be correct, this is very important. With the passage of time and the development of the times, hats are constantly being introduced. At present, the sizes of caps are getting smaller and smaller. For example, old-fashioned hats with foam fronts have a cap height of 3.5 to 4 inches. Hexagonal caps and pentagonal golf hats are currently popular, and their crowns are 3 inches high.

Due to the different hat styles, the height of the caps are different. Therefore, in order to adapt to the printing requirements of hats of different styles and different heights, most hat transfer machines have replaceable lower brackets. It is recommended to prepare two or three different ones. The size of the lower bracket is optional.

Put the hat on the lower bracket of the hat heat transfer machine and remove the sweatband in the hat. This is mainly to provide a flat transfer surface.

Most hat heat transfer machines have a spring device on the bottom of the machine that pulls the hat down together with its support. Note: When printing a hex hat, increasing the pressure of the spring will make the seam in the front of the hat slightly open. The ink is evenly transferred and covered to the mid seam of the cap; when the tension of the spring is released, the mid seam of the cap is closed, and the ink evenly covers the mid seam gap on the cap.

The temperature on the cap transfer machine is set according to the ink manufacturer's instructions and recommendations. If cold stripping ink is used, the temperature is generally set to 350 degrees. If hot stripping ink is used, the temperature is generally set to 375 degrees.

Place the transfer paper on the front end of the cap with the printing face down and facing the cap, set a suitable press time on the timer, and press the transfer paper down with a hot plate, if cold Peel the transfer method, generally set the time between 10-15 seconds; if it is hot-peel type transfer method, set the time between 8-12 seconds; of course, can also transfer paper Manufacturers consult related matters.

If a hot-peel transfer method is used, the transfer paper should be peeled off immediately after the transfer process is finished; however, if a cold-peel transfer method is used, after the heat transfer, it should be cooled before the transfer paper is peeled off (this It is also the origin of the name "cold stripping".


Source: Bison