EN06 -‐ How To Sublimate Fiber-‐Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Products In A Standard Flat Heat Press 400°F / 204°C 1 MINUTE 3 – MEDIUM (40 psi) VIDEO: http://youtu.be/AaJIft4Pxbw Substrate Examples Coasters, placemats, serving trays, photo panels, photo frames, clocks, interior signs. Before You Start This is a guide only, based on production with Sawgrass Sublimation Inks -‐ times, pressures and temperatures will vary and you will need to experiment to find the optimum combination for your production system. Remember that sublimation requires high temperatures so take appropriate care when handling substrates and equipment. Key Points: • • Always read the manufacturer’s instructions for the press and the substrate -‐ settings may vary between brands. Many products have a plastic coating over the printing area -‐ this must be removed before production. A simple method is to hold one edge of the print surface against the upper platen of the heat press for approximately 3 seconds -‐ this will cause the plastic to soften so it can easily be removed. Minimum Equipment Required • • • • • • • • • Sawgrass Supported Printing System Sawgrass Sublimation Inks High Quality Sublimation Transfer Paper Flat Heat Press Quality Sublimation Blanks (‘the substrate’) Protective Teflon Sheet or Absorbent Paper Scissors Heat Resistant Adhesive Tape Heat Protective Glove EN06 -‐ How To Sublimate Fiber-‐Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Products In A Standard Flat Heat Press ©Copyright 2000-‐2013 Sawgrass Technologies Instructions 1 2 Create your image using a standard graphics program in RGB mode. The ideal design and print resolution is 300dpi. If available, use graphics templates provided by substrate manufacturers for exact print sizes. If no template is available ensure the image is created 0.25” / 6mm larger than the substrate. Print the image in reverse (mirrored) on to sublimation transfer paper and trim to size if necessary. 3 If the printable surface has a plastic covering, remove it. 4 Attach the transfer print (image side against the substrate) with heat resistant tape. Allow the image to overlap the substrate slightly to ensure a professional finish. 5 Preheat the press to 400°F / 204°C. 6 Set the time to 1 minute. EN06 -‐ How To Sublimate Fiber-‐Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Products In A Standard Flat Heat Press ©Copyright 2000-‐2013 Sawgrass Technologies 7 Set the pressure to medium (40 psi). 8 Place a clean sheet of absorbent paper on lower platen of the heat press to prevent the excess ink from coming in contact with the press. 9 Place the substrate (with the transfer paper on top) onto the press. 10 Cover with a Teflon sheet or absorbent paper to protect the press. 11 Press at 400°F / 204°C for 1 minute at medium pressure. EN06 -‐ How To Sublimate Fiber-‐Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Products In A Standard Flat Heat Press ©Copyright 2000-‐2013 Sawgrass Technologies 12 Remove the transfer quickly and smoothly to stop the sublimation process. Beware the substrate will be very hot! 13 Cool the substrate in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions. Recommendations 1 Make a Test Piece. Test your settings for color, temperature, pressure and time. 2 Create a Production Reference Log. Make a log of the optimum settings for each substrate for future reference. Include substrate and manufacturer, temperature, pressure and time settings. Substrate Manufacturer Temp Time Mins : Secs Pressure Low -‐ High Notes 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 EN06 -‐ How To Sublimate Fiber-‐Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Products In A Standard Flat Heat Press ©Copyright 2000-‐2013 Sawgrass Technologies