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cleoni
20-06-2011, 08:31 AM
Hi everybody, hope you can advise, Having just started out with sublimation mug printing I am noticing that irrespective of how much pressure is places on the mugs I get a clear outline of where the heating element is within the wrap. This is more noticeable when doing full colour photographs or printing images with lots of dark areas. I have printed at 170 degrees for 180 seconds.

Andrew
20-06-2011, 09:53 AM
Probably not enough heat. Try raising the temp to 185c. The lines you are seeing are probably due to under heating of the image where it is not directly under the element wires. Heat disperses through the surface of the pad but at 170 it is probably not high enough to get a decent temp beyond the area of the heating wires itself.

John G
20-06-2011, 12:10 PM
What paper, printer, inks, mugs and press - all this info would be needed to answer your question. I press at 160 degrees at 170 seconds without problem, this is from a Ricoh printer and budget Corelgraph press.

boristrump
20-06-2011, 12:33 PM
what's the real temp of your mug Press? i mean 160 degrees is kinda low so im guessing that your mug press is not really baking at 160 degree in real time so to speak causd i once bought an mug press and was instructed do mugs at 160 degree for 170 sec, so i fetch out my multimeter with the thermometer attached and found the temp was in fact at 190 degree right on the spot. im just pointing out the fact that all mug presses aren't right on the target displaying the correct Temp
What paper, printer, inks, mugs and press - all this info would be needed to answer your question. I press at 160 degrees at 170 seconds without problem, this is from a Ricoh printer and budget Corelgraph press.

John G
20-06-2011, 12:50 PM
I agree - I did start out at 180 / 180 with perfect results but over the years i've fiddled with times/temps to save time on long runs and found out that there was very little difference in the end result between my times and the manufacturers times. I know 10 seconds and 20 degrees doesn't seem much but if your cooking mugs all day long, for a few days, the 10 seconds soon add up.

You may be surprised to find out what you'll get away with - not all times are set in stone. Doubt you could get away with this with inks that go through an Epson - but Ricoh (sawgrass gel) inks you need less time as if you overcook the blacks go off. Try testing your temp/times - leave the temp alone but come down 5 seconds on each press and you'll find out your optimum time or try the same with the temp.

Be interesting to find out your results