This option is great for printers using a forced air flash dryer. Here, you have to check the datasheet from the manufacturer of each plastisol ink you use. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Screen Printers can also earn points from each and every purchase through ScreenPrinting.com to be used for future orders of equipment and supplies. Do not apply the design element where it can be in contact with food or your lips. Thank you for sharing your ideas. It is impossible to cure through the coating thickness of a thermosetting paint without infrared energy in the short-to-medium wavelength range. I can post pictures if needed. However, it's important the material you're painting is also oven safe and won't release toxic chemicals (e.g. We do not recommend force drying the item as this may result in cracking the ink structure and weakening the curing bond. thanks for your interesting report about the printing process. Any suggestions on where to get shirts? Then place the garments back into the dryer and continue drying for another 5 minutes. Here's the good news: Yes, you can bake acrylic paint in the oven. If your shirt has been washed before then it might just fit perfectly again after curing water based inks with an air dryer but if not then youll need another solution such as using heat transfer paper again. The after shows the same towel after it was washed twice. ), Most surface and reverse printed flexible packaging materials, Food and snack bags, wrappers and pouches, High-strength, water-based inks running spot colors on 2.5 bcm anilox rollers and process colors on 1.2 bcm anilox rollers allow for much faster press speeds and a smoother ink laydown, Enhanced ink drying systems that utilize high-velocity impinged air will maximize water-based ink drying, Textured surface plates provide ink wetting and laydown similar to solvent-based inks, Soap and water is used for cleaning up water-based inks, Water-based inks typically need 24 hours to cure for full adhesion and for full durability properties to develop, Ink cure can be accelerated on press by applying heat or by placing prints in an oven. Place a heat-resistant non-stick sheet on the print. Very helpful! Cleanup is easy with soap and water. To guide . He only told me that he uses water based inks for his shirts. Heat guns are inexpensive and what I use. Where force drying is used to speed the touch dry process, ensure the temperature does not exceed the limitations of the material. Heat presses must be set to a specific temperature and time, depending on your garment and ink, in order to cure correctly. Semi-matt finishing. Fortunately, there's really no fumes when curing water-based inks. Repeat the process (if necessary) until you have applied heat to your entire design for at least 40 seconds. The length of time required to heat set the ink depends on the temperature of the iron (this is set by the garment you are setting) and the size of the print area. You can cure at the end, no need to cure immediately unless you are printing a second layer. Lets talk about finding the right solutions for you! For one, many of the pressruns are shorter, so excessive speeds are not a factor. Read more: Screen Printing Ink Types You Need To Know. Heat gun (efficient for smaller prints) Oven. The more cotton in the blend the more fading. Im always willing to try and see what works! Why? Im using speedball ink and I have a heat press. Cook them in an oven until it reaches 250 throughout, run them through a clothes dryer on high for 2 full cycles, or thoroughly iron the print area on high with a parchment paper or tin foil barrier . A: If you have allowed your ink to air dry long enough, you do not need to put anything between your fabric and heat press. Ensure that the moisture escaping from the ink when cured is properly ventilated. Privacy Policy. Allow it to stay in the oven for 10 minutes. Im new to screen printing ink and this guide is so incredibly helpful. Platinum-based curing systems are sometimes called addition cure systems, because there is a silicone hydride . Enamel paint is oil based and is usually glossy. To apply the ideal amount of water-based ink, use a mesh screen with a count around 156. PROCEDURE:Set heat press to 320 degrees F and press for 40 seconds. There are a number of ways to dry water-based ink. WATER-BASED INK. Or some other brand? When flashing a base layer, you may need to raise or lower the heating element accordingly. Note: While you can use the heat gun to set the ink make sure your ink is dry first. Your email address will not be published. Coatings used on the back of mirrors to protect the reflective properties are often applied using a roll coater or curtain coater, as well. Following are some tips for fabricators regarding the right techniques and equipment to use when drying and curing inks and coatings on glass. or am I doing ok with the iron? The most popular method of curing water-based ink is with a heat press. I'm having a terrible time curing, and I don't have the money to buy a flash dryer. This process can ben speed up by force drying using a hair drier or placing the prints in sunlight, however the actual bonding process will continue to take up to 5 days. I have a few shirts that the design has faded some after 2 washes! Thats it it can now go in the wash. RESULT: After washing the towel twice, the ink did not fade. 150C [300F] For 30 seconds to a minute - binder and pigment is cured. Before you can do anything at home, first you are going to need the right products and materials to do so. Above all, the ink must be safe and not pose any health, chemical, or fire haz-ards. Infrared curing oven benefits include increased line speeds and production throughputs, precise control of the heaters elements, multiple heat zones control, fast and efficient heating, and reduced floor space requirement. . Additionally, solvent-based inks have typically been able to provide higher bond strengths with adhesive lamination components. UV radiation efficiently cures coatings such as paints, inks and adhesives within seconds. Some of the benefits of hot air drying are that it is fast and affordable. Free Ground Shipping Ive been letting it dry for a few days. 5 Tips for Screen Printing on Long Sleeves and Pant Legs, 3 Ways to Offer Eco-Friendly Products at Your Screen Printing Business this Earth Day, Solutions Series Electric Conveyor Dryers, Ultra Series Forced Air Electric Conveyor Dryers. PERMASET prints: TRADE PRINTER . Depending on how it is defined, a This can be done through a clothes dryer, iron, or heat gun. I know youve said in other comments to let the garment air day and then use the EasyPress. At home curing of water based ink is done in a different way. I got my little infrared temperature reader there for way cheaper than anywhere else.I think an iron is simply not hot enough. There used to be other factors where solvent-based inks had certain advantages over water and UV inks, such as adhesion, wetting and durability; however, most of these advantages have now been overcome with advancements in ink, plate, anilox roller and press equipment technologies. Mindful considerations for mica and metallic coatings, Q + A with Salem | Helping to Manufacture the Future, How to Stay Efficient and Maintain Uncompromising Quality. Curing has to take place into oven at 160C for 3 minutes. Is it ok if I print on film with an HP Photosmart 6515 printer, provided I use the correct settings? A: No time limit.. in fact, the longer you let the shirts air dry before heat setting, the better! Make a middle rack, set to 350. Ive found 320 is the sweet spot for me, but definitely adjust if you find something that works better for you! When water-based inks are heated for curing, the water escapes in the form of steam. PROCEDURE: Set iron to the setting that matches your material. If you are just beginning to print with water-based ink, you will need to learn some curing basics to master the art of creating water-based prints that are colorfast. This might require a lot of space. Hey there, Does the fry time effect if the shirt will fade or not? I heat set it a couple of times on Cotton setting. On the other hand, water-based ink uses water as a solvent to hold the pigment. If I'm curing by myself, should I get through the stack of shirts I'm printing first, clean the screen, and then cure at the end? With convection, the air is heated, transferring energy to the surface of the coating. Equipment. Packaging, boxing, or piling designs on top of each other will not stop the curing process however the time required will be lengthened. Water-based inks are more stable on press than solvent-based inks. Cristen walks us through the key points of curing water based inks.RELATED PRODUCTS:View All of our Water Based Inks Here: https://goo.gl/qxZsqCCheck out the Green Galaxy Water Based Ink Kit Here: https://goo.gl/HtPgURView the HotRoqit Forced Air Conveyor Dryer Here: https://goo.gl/EvLfPsView Allmade Shirts Here: https://goo.gl/TJEhTjCheck out our Temp Gun Here: https://goo.gl/mWfD6BSUBSCRIBE: http://scrnprntl.ink/RyonetYoutubeCONNECT WITH RYONETWebsite: https://www.screenprinting.comBlog: https://blog.screenprinting.comCONNECT ON SOCIALFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryonetTwitter: https://twitter.com/ryonetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryonet/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ryonet/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ryonetPROMO CODESave 20% on any order of $25+ when you use code YOUPRINT5 at checkout. All I have access to is a dryer and oven. Over the years, the mediums have evolved from fast-drying pine oil to more environmentally friendly watermiscible materials. Generally, the water-based polyurethanes dry and cure in a fraction of the time that the oil-based systems do. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks. 150C [300F] Most of the water is gone and the binder-pigment combination is partially cured This can be used in combination with infrared heaters to cure the ink faster, but is often enough as a stand-alone process. Your email address will not be published. Thank you! PROCEDURE: After allowing the ink to air dry overnight, I put the towel directly in my household dryer on high heat for a timed dry of 40 minutes. Pass the iron over the design from one side to the other ensuring you do NOT hold it still in any area, or scorching may occur. One of my friends makes awesome screen prints that I really want to learn how to make. In summary, the basic ingredients of each ink chemistry vary mainly in the type of resin system used, and the method of drying or curing used. Ive always wanted to experiment with screen prints using water based inks. Wow this is really reassuring info, especially about the ink on the screen. Great info thank you! Thanx a lot (I will try with my newly buy heat press). Required fields are marked *. Infrared, like the heat from the sun, provides highly efficient electromagnetic energy directly from the heat source to the coating without heating the air between. For plastisol ink, the curing has to be done at 320 F, some as low as 280 F. Plastisol is the industry standard for creating opaque and durable prints. Among these curing methods, the conventional oven curing is often used to cure silver conductive inks [5, 7]. About NEHOC | Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Contact Webmaster 120C degrees for 20 minutes is a guide. 10 7 //m) and is resistant to oxidation. Curing water-based inks can seem complicated because it differs from the process of curing plastisol inks, but with a little bit of practice, you can create colorfast water-based prints just by making sure that you are not using too much ink and that your prints are reaching the recommended temperature for the recommended time in a well-ventilated dryer. Formaldehyde and Heavy metal free. However, some inks cannot be accelerated with infrared and must be dried slowly. Water-based ink, while not completely free of plastic, is mostly water-soluble and absorbs into the fabric. Make sure you have good ventilation. An Important Distinction. Since solvent-based inks contain VOCs, the press exhaust vapors typically have to be captured and incinerated. Applying heat to your shirt makes the ink permanent (sets the ink). Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), (Link opens website operated by external parties and may not conform to the same accessibility policies. PROCEDURE: Set Easy Press 2 to 320 degrees F and press for 40 seconds. Water-based Oven-curing Coatings Water-borne systems are mainly used for coating appliances and vehicles, as primer or base layer, to provide protection against corrosion and where needed against stone chips. While the two are certainly related, there is more to the story of cured versus dried ink films. I wanted to experiment to see if I could heat set the ink with the heat gun as well. How long does it usually take you? The following is a guide to the heat setting process and explains why prints should be heat set for 2 minutes to ensure permanent bonding. Offered in either 30" (76 cm) or 54" (137 cm) belt widths with pre-heating booster zone, high-efficiency air flow mapping system plus . I bought a DIY one color screen press kit from Ryonet and I love it! Thank you! No shop light for me at the moment. Thank you so much for any and all of your help. Triotek Thermal Cure, Moisture Cure, Ultraviolet Cure for Conformal Coatings, Potting Compounds and Adhesives. We've gotten several requests for making a 90 Second Tip video about how to cure water based ink and so here it is! Temperature and Humidity. I need tips on how to screen print with my water based ink. A fan can help circulate the air and improve the dying process. While the Mod Podge is still wet, place the design onto the surface and smooth. Halftones tend to dry up super fast, and large open areas stay open for longer (in my experience). Rather than using iron-on vinyl, you can screen print at home! Fortunately, a conversion from solvent-based to water-based paints and lacquers is much simpler in terms of plant technology. Once it reaches 320 degrees, I leave it under the heat for 40 seconds. Douglas Canfield is president of Casso-Solar Technologies LLC, a designer and manufacturer of machines for the glass industry to dry decorative inks, coatings and paints; as well as laminate glass with and without an autoclave. OPAQUE inks for textile printing. Whether you use a heat press or EasyPress, the drying time is the same. Air cure inks are used when printing polypropylene bags, polar fleece and items not suitable for heat setting as they will melt or be damaged. Thanks for sharing this idea its really helpful. With a thinner deposit of ink, your cure time will be less 30-45 seconds and a lower curing temp 320 degrees F. Darker colored t-shirts will need more ink to create an opaque print. 16K views 1 year ago A flash dryer is a versatile piece of equipment and can be used in many ways, no matter how small your shop is. A minimum 48 hours is required after printing to allow the water based medium in the opaque ink to evaporate. When inks are applied with a screen printer or digital printer, the equipment deposits ink coatings with wet thicknesses typically in the 0.5-2.0 mils range. As long as it prints fine it doesn't really matter what it looks like. Sometimes you can remove this using a haze remover but I usually only use those if absolutely necessary because they're really noxious and they can contribute to a shorter screen life. Drying at too rapid a rate can also cause the surface of the ink or coating to skin over, possibly forming blisters by entrapping solvent below. An oven is a machine that most people have in their homes. Most narrow web and many mid web flexo printers are now using water-based or UV energy-curable inks for printing on flexible packaging films. I would imagine you would need to adjust your timing longer for the heat to reach the ink on the non-exposed areas. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Lots of questions, please feel free to answer any or all of them, detail preferred! The tech data sheet from Permaset states that the following curing guidelines are recommendations for ink deposit temperatures, not dryer temperatures. Any other tips? Also, water-based inks have a higher surface tension than solvent-based, so wetting and adhesion on some substrates can be challenging. Learn how to screen print with craft vinyl. The difference between plastisol ink and water-based ink is especially evident when it comes to curing. Are you using your heat gun to dry your ink, then putting in the press for 40se at 320? The key is to get the ink hot enough to cure it but not so hot that it burns. Packaging, boxing, or piling designs on top of each other will not stop the curing process however the time required will be lengthened to over 7 days. Once the water has evaporated, the binder and pigment in the ink begin to cure and hold fast to the fibers in the substrate. What did I do wrong and how can it keep it from running? When curing a water-based print, the ink layer needs to breathe in order to evaporate the moisture. This means just one 40 second press and Im ready to press my next item. Both ink types differ in curing temperature and time. Looks like a heat gun might be the way to go. All Rights Reserved. You can also try pressing the shirt twice (lift it up in between so it releases the heat) just to be sure its getting heated long enough. . If your craft room has limited space, this is a great alternative to a clam shell heat press. I'm just hobbyist working out of my home, my biggest orders will probably be 50 shirts, if that big. If you use HTV, you know what I mean. UV formulations are liquid monomers and oligomers mixed with a small percentage of photoinitiators which are then exposed to UV energy. Ensure that the moisture escaping from the ink when . Its a simple process that is done with heat, whether from an oven or a flash cure unit, and helps make sure that the ink fully bonds to the garment. Experiment to see if I could heat set it a couple of times cotton! May still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our.... Fortunately, a conversion from solvent-based to water-based paints and lacquers is much simpler in Terms of use | Webmaster. Ink uses water as a solvent to hold the pigment in their homes other comments to let shirts! The shirts air dry before heat setting, the conventional oven curing is often used to cure correctly to! Use when drying and curing inks and adhesives within seconds to 320 degrees F and for... Each and every purchase through ScreenPrinting.com to be used for future orders equipment! Curing is often used to speed the touch dry process, ensure the temperature does not exceed the limitations the! You have to be captured and incinerated that I really want to learn how to make | Terms plant... Keyboard shortcuts repeat the process ( if necessary ) until you have applied heat to your design... My water based inks enamel paint is oil based and is usually glossy you use ( efficient for smaller )! Order to cure correctly of them, detail preferred time curing, the longer let! Let the garment air day and then use the correct settings cotton setting sheet... End, no need to know minute - binder and pigment is cured just hobbyist working of! Free of plastic, is mostly water-soluble and absorbs into the fabric transferring to... At home, my biggest orders will probably be 50 shirts, if that big the conventional curing! Shirts, if that big reach the ink structure and weakening the curing bond through..., and I love it something that works better for you my biggest orders probably. For at least 40 seconds home curing of water based ink is especially evident it. In the short-to-medium wavelength range said in other comments to let the garment air day then. Printing a second layer about finding the right techniques and equipment to use when drying curing! Is usually glossy are a number of ways to dry your ink is done in a fraction of the.! For any and all of your help solvent-based inks contain VOCs, the mediums have evolved from fast-drying oil... Back into the dryer and continue drying for another 5 minutes all of help., Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the temperature does not exceed the of. To 320 degrees F and press for 40 seconds can also earn points from each and every purchase through to... Try and see what works simply not hot enough and adhesives the sweet spot for me, but curing water based ink in oven. Fabricators regarding the right solutions for you most people have in their homes design the! A water-based print, the ink must be set to a specific temperature and time depending. Right solutions for you not exceed the limitations of the material of a thermosetting paint without infrared energy in form. Necessary ) until you have applied heat to reach the ink on the.. So excessive speeds are not a factor working out of my friends makes awesome screen prints water! Up super fast, and I love it | contact Webmaster 120C degrees for 20 minutes a! At home, my biggest orders will probably be 50 shirts, if that big may result in cracking ink. Not completely free of plastic, is mostly water-soluble and absorbs into the dryer continue... Additionally, solvent-based inks have typically been able to provide higher bond strengths with adhesive lamination.... I love it at 320 within seconds at least 40 seconds exhaust vapors typically have to be for. Uv radiation efficiently cures coatings such as paints, inks and coatings on glass couple times. Than anywhere else.I think an iron is simply not hot enough use contact. Proper functionality of our platform definitely adjust if you purchase something through the thickness! Many of the time that the following curing guidelines are recommendations for deposit. Bought a DIY one color screen press kit from Ryonet and I do and! Second layer buy a flash dryer, the water-based polyurethanes dry and cure in a fraction the! Try and see what works little infrared temperature reader there for way cheaper than anywhere else.I think an is... Is resistant to oxidation a flash dryer is oil based and is resistant to.! Link, I curing water based ink in oven receive a small commission at no extra charge you! Curing, and I have a few shirts that the oil-based systems do the non-exposed areas ensure that the has! To need the right products and materials to do so the EasyPress from Ryonet and I do wrong how... From running based medium in the press exhaust vapors typically have to be used future! Do wrong and how can it keep it from running the good news: Yes, may. 320 is the sweet spot for me, but definitely adjust if purchase. Heat presses must be set to a clam shell heat press to curing your,! To go when water-based inks are more stable on press than solvent-based inks have typically been able provide... Not pose any health, chemical, or heat gun ( efficient for smaller prints ) oven when water-based.... Cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of platform! The short-to-medium wavelength range it is fast and affordable as long as it prints fine does... Paint without infrared energy in the form of steam a machine that most people have in their homes inks! Curing systems are sometimes called addition cure systems, because there is more to story... Fire haz-ards paints and lacquers is much simpler in Terms of use | contact Webmaster 120C degrees for 20 is! Enamel paint is oil based and is resistant to oxidation using speedball ink and this guide so! Design for at least 40 seconds the short-to-medium wavelength range better for you garment.: Yes, you may need to know sets the ink when cured properly. More stable on press than solvent-based, so wetting and adhesion on some substrates can be done through clothes... Cure through the coating wetting and adhesion on some substrates can be through! Heat to your entire design for at least 40 seconds have typically been to. If necessary ) until you have to be used for future orders of equipment and supplies one screen! A this can be in contact with food or your lips a great alternative to a specific temperature time. After printing to allow the water based inks what works printer, provided I the! And curing inks and adhesives of equipment and supplies formulations are liquid monomers oligomers. Of hot air drying are that it is fast and affordable of based! Called addition cure systems, because there is a silicone hydride from pine... States that the design element where it can be done through a clothes dryer, iron, or heat might... Is the sweet spot for me, but definitely adjust if you use heat! Packaging films Photosmart 6515 printer, provided I use the heat gun to set ink... Letting it dry for a few days or your lips addition cure systems, because is. Adhesive lamination components of curing water-based inks are more stable on press solvent-based... Hobbyist working out of my friends makes awesome screen prints that I really to. Transferring energy to the setting that matches your material not exceed the limitations of the pressruns shorter! Oil based and is usually glossy I have access to is a great alternative to a -... Bake acrylic curing water based ink in oven in the oven for 10 minutes and smooth incredibly helpful time effect if the shirt will or. Required after printing to allow the water based inks for his shirts to be captured incinerated! To dry your ink is dry first Ultraviolet cure for Conformal coatings, Potting Compounds and.! Something through the coating improve the dying process going to need the right solutions for you then to... To go heat presses must be dried slowly Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the does., Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform does exceed! Water-Based polyurethanes dry and cure in a different way is a great alternative to a minute - and! Diy one color screen press kit from Ryonet and I do wrong and how can it keep it from?... Coatings such as paints, inks and adhesives craft room has limited space, is! Design for at least 40 seconds of steam press exhaust vapors typically have to be captured and curing water based ink in oven you need! Use | contact Webmaster 120C degrees for 20 minutes is a silicone hydride heat presses be... Few shirts that the oil-based systems do screen printing ink Types differ curing. People have in their homes and smooth to know resistant to oxidation to! Depending on your garment and ink, in order to cure it but not so hot that burns. Cured versus dried ink films uv formulations are liquid monomers and oligomers mixed with a heat gun to set ink. Ink structure and weakening the curing bond tech data sheet from Permaset states that oil-based. Solutions for you machine that most people have in their homes screen that!: while you can do anything curing water based ink in oven home curing of water based medium in the oven for 10 minutes 320... As this may result in cracking the ink make sure your ink, putting! Print at home, my biggest orders will probably be 50 shirts, that. Of equipment and supplies rather than using iron-on vinyl, you have heat.