Discuss the different types of equipment needed for screen printing. Topics include manual screen printing presses, automatic presses, dryers, folding machines, starter kits and high end machines.
I flash at 6 seconds, cure at 30 seconds at a distance of 4" and temp ranging from 900 to 1000 depending on shirt color and ink thickness. Of course I don't have any way to check the temp on my unit but that is what is on the dial.
I'm new at this, so bare with me. "Flashing" is the 6sec burst to dry when doing multi color on dark shirt, and "curing" is after all colors are applied?
I'm new at this, so bare with me. "Flashing" is the 6sec burst to dry when doing multi color on dark shirt, and "curing" is after all colors are applied?
yes. I dont have a temp controller on mine..but use height to do the job,usually about 6- seconds to flash and 20 seconds to cure from about 4 inches.. I made a platen to cure the shirts on.
If you're going to be flashing and curing with your flash unit you NEED a laser temperature sensor. Flashing and curing is dependent primarily on temperature. If YOU flash cure your shirt for six seconds at a height of, say, 2 inches, you may actually be heating your ink almost to the point of curing. The next guy may flash the same time and height but may not be as hot, possibly undercuring. Unless you're consistently checking your temperature with a probe you're just guessing.
My shop flash cures. I've read articles and posts saying that this can't be done on a commercial scale. It can be done. It's just mind-numbingly slow. However, in five years we have never had a shirt returned for cracking, peeling, fading or any other washout issues. Everybody in the shop knows how to flash and cure and they know the temps. Even without a conveyor dryer we can do 90 shirts an hour. Not bad for a small shop.
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Using a 6C Manual, 30" cutter/plotter and my trusty heat press to pay my bills. I don't need Uncle Sam to bail me out! It's called common sense!
It's about 320-360, what's best is always test your print first before going into production by stretching the print and washing the print.
Thanks for replying but I'm still not sure I fully understand... after doing more research I have come to this conclusion....
-Before placing the garment under the flash dryer to cure, the dryer should be very hot. Even above 320F to start and remain at a high temperature during the whole cure.
-The ink on the garment should reach a temperature of 320-360F (not to exceed 400F) at approx 40-60 seconds of curing.
Im not sure you would want to go up to 400. To cure it youll be doing some testing first and prob wreck a couple of shirts. I usually see a little smoke as it cures, Take it off the (platten?) and let it cool. You should be able to stretch it pretty good w/o cracking..
I cure about 20 secs. with the heatplate about 4" above. Try a few times to tweek it up to suite your own way.
Once you think you have it..throw it in the wash and see how it stands up.
It is tricky at first..then its all good.
You also want to pay particular attention to the ink manufacturer's instructions for flashing and curing. Follow their instructions. If they say the ink is cured when it reaches 320, believe them. If your ink directions say its cured at 300, that's your mark.
The thickness of your ink deposit on the garment also matters. A single color black print on a white shirt may cure nicely at 300. A black shirt with a thick underbase and a top color may needs to cure until the entire ink deposit reaches 320 (or higher).
When I'm flashing I watch for a quick burst of smoke from the shirt as the curing themp is hit. When I use my temp probe to get a reading when I see the smoke, the temp is right on.
If you're consistently running shirts at a constant speed you can count how long it takes your ink to reach curing temp, then once your temp probe confirms that, say, 15 seconds takes you to full cure, you're pretty safe to cure each shirt that long without a problem.
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Using a 6C Manual, 30" cutter/plotter and my trusty heat press to pay my bills. I don't need Uncle Sam to bail me out! It's called common sense!
The full depth of the ink layer has to reach 320 or whatever. Some inks cure at 300, but the full depth must be cured to get a permenant cure. Those with a conveyor dryer use a probe which goes through the dryer on the inside of the shirt. The only more accurate test is the wash test. Wash the shirt at least 6 times. Some big outfits actually do this periodically. I depend on the not so accurate stretch test. Pull the garment horizonally across the print. Just a small space. If the ink cracks, it's not cured. If it doesn't you are probably safe. While this is not recommended by the experts, I have never had a problem with a shirt that passed the stretch test.
Flash cure 
