glass printing

[socialgiraffe]

Hi Andrew

Do you know anywhere that sells good quality waterslide decals for a digital process?

[Andrew]

Don't know a great deal about this really but have been in a local factory many times who produce a lot of glassware for breweries etc. They use various methods but never paid much notice at the time as I was involved more in ceramics. Digitalceramictransfers I know is a big supplier to trade and I can't see why they are not compatible...... or atleast know what ot takes. It is only very recently I have been looking into the higher temp printing.

[socialgiraffe]

Not had a good look but from Andrew's search string lead me to these.... http://www.printceramic.com/

Looks interesting.

[Andrew]

Digitalceramics.com was the company I was thinking of. Had samples in the past and pricing etc and all seems okay. Just don't have the temp capability right now. Looked at various high volume ovens but then it is 3 phase and ducting etc. Put that on the back burner for now.

[Ask_Alan]

Waterslide decals like the DCT 4.5 from TheMagicTouch will adhere to glass and if tempered in a domestic oven at 180 for 10 mins - please make sure the glass will take it!! - will become semi-permanent and can be hand washed. The colour is provided by Laser toner which is plastic based and will burn and char at high temps (200+).

For industrial use with glasswashers you need enamel fired onto the surface of the glass. Enamel is ground glass effectively and at 500 -700 degrees melts onto the glass becoming part of the surface. You can buy ceramic decals suitable for glass use from several suppliers. A Kiln will be needed. Small single phase are available. Larger ones need three phase. Gas kilns which usually have a reducing atmosphere probably are not suitable for enameling.
Me I'm off to light the gas kiln in the garden, got some pots to fire

[socialgiraffe]

Hi Alan

I have seen on various websites laser printers that are designed for ceramic decals and they also produce a laminate that can be cold laminated to the decal for protection. Would these be more durable than TMT or is it the same?

[Ask_Alan]

You can get sets of CMYK ceramic toner for some laser printers, its expensive and will normally wreak the laser with one or two sets of carts - depends on the model. You print to a type of decal paper which is then put on the Glass/ ceramic (its how photographic plaques are done) this is then fired - its enameling under a different name - to fix to the surface at 600+ deg C in a kiln.

More often offered as a service due to the costs. You need a Kiln, check out the electric hobby pottery kilns http://www.kilns.co.uk/product-category.aspx?id=10, some run on a 13Amp socket. May take 6-10 hours to fire to 600degrees and cool down. the misses Gas kiln takes 20 hours to reach 1300degC and then a long time to cool! and firing costs are significent apart from the danger of blowing the roof off the shed
alan