I'm printing using a clear plastisol, printing some block patterns with a heavy deposit of ink on ribbed fabric.
In the clear ink I have so many bubbles.
I'm using metal platens, loading, then pressing with some heat to make sure the fabric is nice and flat, then printing, then drying. (using a rotating auto press)
The problem is I'm actually seeing these bubbles before using the dryer to cure the ink, but it still could be a heat issue caused by hot platens or the heat pressing before the print.
So my thoughts are the bubbles may be caused by one of the following:
1. The platens being too hot from the start (because the platens rotate through the dryer), or the platen is too hot between both the printer and the heat pressing.
2. Having an incorrect pull/push method when printing which causes air to get into the ink (no flooding, but pulling, pushing, pulling and then pushing before lifting the screen and rotating to the dryer).
3. Not having enough off contact gap between the screen and platen. Right now I have no gap, but know I should reconfigure the set-up and have at least a 2mm gap.
Any advice on where I could be going wrong? Anybody have experience printing with clear plastisol?
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
In the clear ink I have so many bubbles.
I'm using metal platens, loading, then pressing with some heat to make sure the fabric is nice and flat, then printing, then drying. (using a rotating auto press)
The problem is I'm actually seeing these bubbles before using the dryer to cure the ink, but it still could be a heat issue caused by hot platens or the heat pressing before the print.
So my thoughts are the bubbles may be caused by one of the following:
1. The platens being too hot from the start (because the platens rotate through the dryer), or the platen is too hot between both the printer and the heat pressing.
2. Having an incorrect pull/push method when printing which causes air to get into the ink (no flooding, but pulling, pushing, pulling and then pushing before lifting the screen and rotating to the dryer).
3. Not having enough off contact gap between the screen and platen. Right now I have no gap, but know I should reconfigure the set-up and have at least a 2mm gap.
Any advice on where I could be going wrong? Anybody have experience printing with clear plastisol?
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
