Common Mistakes While Printing With A Heat Press Machine
The sign printing business is a lucrative and competitive field. This is why anybody who is in the business should be very careful to produce the best output always. This is because, clients who are satisfied with your result will continue to bring more jobs to you.
However, it is not everybody that has mastered the use of the heat press machine and as such, there are bound to be some pitfalls with the usage.
That is why in this article, we are going to help you to avoid such pitfalls by teaching presenting the common mistakes which you may like experience while using the Heat Press Machine. They are as follows;
1. The use of the inappropriate transfer paper
When printing your designs onto a t-shirt or any other item with the heat press machine, always bear in mind that the end result of your design lies with the quality of the transfer paper that you used.
That is why; you should carefully inspect the transfer paper you are using to make sure that the quality is the best kind.
Again, you should make sure that the type of transfer paper you are using will be the appropriate one that will suit the item you want to print. If not, you are going to face low-quality design and printing on your materials.
2. Not using the right paper in the proper way
There are other factors involved in the quality of your output. When you get the right transfer paper, you should consider the sides of the paper. You should also remember to mirror image your artwork before it is transferred to the paper.
Mirror imaging your design will ensure that the printout will come the way you want it. Also, check the heat setting of the heat press machine before you proceed with the printing of the image. Do not forget to do a trial test run to make sure that your designs will come out perfectly as you want it.
In case you are afraid of wasting your expensive transfer paper for the test run, you can always a standard paper to do the mirror image.
3. The improper use of the transferring machine
After successfully going through with the above processes, you should inspect the heat press machine carefully to make sure that it is ready to do the transferring job. Look out for any dust residues which can prevent the transfer, also check how the paper is positioned on the machine.
Make sure that the heat press machine has reached the maximum temperature which will effectively transfer the image before you press down. If you do not allow the machine to thoroughly heat up before transferring, you are bound to create an unsuitable design.
4. Getting a crooked design
This is amongst the common mistakes that usually occur with heat transfer machine. It usually occurs when the material is not properly loaded into the heat transfer machine.
Therefore if you want to divert this particular mistake, when loading materials onto the heat press machine, make sure that they are well-lined up. It helps to load the garments straight while the tag side faces the backbone of the heat press machine.
You can also fold the materials into two from one sleeve to the other sleeve and then press it at the center. This will immediately create a signal line where you can place your designs. You can even get hold of the transparent plastic alignment with lines that will make sure that the design is properly positioned.
If you are printing for a large commission, you may need to get the services of much more sophisticated systems that use a laser projector to show lines on the garment. You may even decide to keep the positioning simpler by making use of the ordinary ruler or a homemade template to do the task.
5. Disappeared designs
This mistake usually occurs when you are transferring a design on a material that is yet to be completed.
Therefore, make sure that the t-shirt or the garment you are printing on has been completed. Don't be surprised when your design is nowhere to be found or when finally seen, it appear upside down.
Making use of the industrial software program which alerts the printer to the appropriate position for the transfer will help correct this mistake.
6. An improper combination of colors
If you want a successful transfer where your designs will appear correctly, you should know how to use the appropriate colors. It is advisable to use contrasting colors for both the material and the printing ink.
If the material printed on is white, you should use a black or other dark colored ink to print and vice versa. If you did not follow this procedure, don't be surprised to search for your design after printing and wouldn't see it.
7. Melted or Burnt material
This common mistake usually happens when the material you are using for the heat transfer is not suitable to the temperature level of the heat press machine.
If the material you are using for the transfer is made of polypropylene or the nonwoven bags, you should use a heat press machine with low temperature or the one that is designed with adjustable temperature. This will enable you to select the appropriate temperature that will be suitable for that material.
8. Not heating the garments properly
You may be surprised to see your newly designed material peeling off already. This is because the garments were not heated properly before carrying out the transfer. When you preheat the material before transferring, it helps to alleviate any residual moisture and wrinkles that are still on the materials.
These factors can hinder the transfer from adhering properly. Again apply the right amount of pressure while transferring the design should also be helpful.
For you to get the necessary pressure, you can put pads or pillows under the press areas. Do not forget to follow the adequate specifications meant for the temperature and the timing if you do not want to get a peeled off design.
If you follow the above instructions and guidelines, you will not make these common mistakes while transferring with the heat press machine. Instead, you will reap the proceeds from producing quality designs.