Detailed printing of thermal transfer technology on metal

With the increasing popularity of fashionable handicrafts, a variety of transfer technologies for handicrafts have also been developed, attracting entrepreneurs and fashion owners. Among them, the most known transfer technology is the two kinds of water transfer and thermal transfer. What is thermal transfer technology? What are its characteristics and uses? How about the transfer operation and market demand? Below we continue to explore.

First, thermal transfer technology

Transfer refers to a printing method in which the graphic image on the intermediate carrier film is transferred to the substrate with a corresponding pressure. According to different pressures, the transfer can be divided into water transfer printing, thermal transfer printing, and air transfer printing. Screen transfer, low temperature transfer, etc. Among them, thermal transfer is the use of thermal transfer inks (ie, sublimation inks) for printing arbitrary images such as portraits and landscapes on a color inkjet paper (or a sublimation special inkjet paper), or the ordinary ink is printed on the film heat. The transfer paper is then heated by a thermal transfer heating device to a certain temperature within a few minutes, and the pattern colors on the paper are transferred to a special type of material such as porcelain, glass, metal, plastic, and cotton fabrics. Process.

It can be seen that using thermal transfer technology, even for patterns of multiple colors, since the thermal transfer process is only a process, customers can shorten the work of printing patterns and reduce the loss of materials (finished products) due to printing errors. In other words, a multicolor pattern can be patterned at a time using thermal transfer film printing. No color registration is required, and even a simple device can be used to print a realistic pattern. This greatly increases the scope of application and realizes the transfer. Operation.

Second, production tools and implementation process

The use of thermal transfer technology can be widely applied to objects such as porcelain, glass, metal, plastics, and cotton textiles, but thermal transfer is limited by the heated area and the shape of the article, so it is often required for articles with different areas and shapes. The use of specific production tools, of which the current common heat transfer production tools are mainly flat-panel machines (hot stamping machine), baking pan machine, baking cup machine and so on, but after all, their production methods are based on the principle of thermal transfer, So its production steps and processes are similar, but the application of thermal transfer tools is different. The following uses the tablet transfer image to clothes as an example to illustrate the steps and flow of thermal transfer printing.

The first step: print the image through a color inkjet printer.

Step 2: The printed pattern is placed on the side first, and the transfer begins about 15 to 20 minutes later. During transfer, when the printed image is placed on the garment, the pattern should be face down, then adjust the time (usually 20 seconds) according to the requirements of the thermal transfer equipment transfer, and close the device heating plate ( Note: Before the transfer of pure cotton T-shirts should be sprayed with a little deepening agent at the printing site, and must be dry before the thermal transfer, its role is to change the ink color by hot pressure, improve the effect of the ink on the clothing ).

Step 3: In order to prevent the clothes from yellowing due to too high temperature, an interlining cloth may be put on the clothes before thermal transfer. After the time of the thermal transfer equipment is alarmed, lift the heater plate, quickly open the pattern paper, remove the clothes, and turn off the power of the device.

Step 4: At the end of the day, the temperature of the clothes is cooled, and the bag is folded to complete the entire heat transfer process and become a finished product.

Third, thermal transfer market demand analysis

Compared with current fashion and mainstream water transfer printing, what are the advantages and disadvantages of thermal transfer technology? Specifically, the production of water transfer printing is flexible and convenient. It is not limited by the area and shape of the object. Usually, no special tools and equipment are required (as long as one water transfer paper is enough), so the scope of application is even greater. Extensive, production costs are lower than thermal transfer, making it ideal for home users, small workshops, and fashion jewelry stores.

Thermal transfer due to the image of the heat, the image color after the finished product will be more solid than the water transfer, will not easily fade, it has corrosion resistance, impact resistance, aging resistance, wear resistance, high temperature, fire , can maintain ten to several decades without the characteristics of discoloration, so the thermal transfer technology is particularly applicable to the image retention of electrical appliances, daily necessities, building materials, decorative and other objects on top. For example, trademarks, barcodes, labels, etc. may be printed on goods using thermal transfer technology. Because of the advantages and disadvantages of thermal transfer technology, this technology is usually favored and used by jewelry stores, printing companies, and building materials departments.

In terms of market demand, with the continuous development of the commodity economy, the requirements of the trademarks, labels, and packaging beauty of various manufacturers' departments have become higher and higher. For the printing industry, the concept of printing has long been out of the impression of people. Traditional paper printing. From our daily life supplies to office equipment, to electronic products, decoration, crafts, and other products of all walks of life, we need more and better and more practical external packaging, and most of these packaging must rely on the transfer to achieve Therefore, the transfer industry has a very wide and deep market space.

Although the water transfer printing is characterized by its convenient and flexible manufacturing and low cost, it will have a great advantage in the transfer industry, especially the compact and stylish products, but the likes of electrical appliances and metal aluminum materials have high temperature and image retention time. On the higher-demanding products, the thermal transfer can not achieve the same effect as the water transfer, so the thermal transfer technology will win the corresponding advantages of its low production cost, strong imaging and long storage time. The market share, so its market prospects are still very wide, and do not even lose to the water transfer. Of course, water transfer and thermal transfer have their own advantages. They may even be complementary enough. Therefore, a friend who works in the transfer industry may wish to consider both.