TIPS FOR CURING PLASTISOL INKS

Things to know and best practices for curing plastisol inks: White ink requires the longest cure time of any standard color. Light ink colors require longer curing periods than dark colors. Thick ink layers require longer curing periods than thin layers.

THINGS TO KNOW AND BEST PRACTICES FOR CURING PLASTISOL INKS:

1. White ink requires the longest cure time of any standard color. Light ink colors require longer curing periods than dark colors. Thick ink layers require longer curing periods than thin layers.
2. Glitter, shimmer, reflective, and metallic inks require longer curing periods because the pigments used in these inks tend to reflect infrared radiation (heat).
3. Prints (both on paper and garments) should be cured within a minute of printing. If you delay curing, the plasticizer in the ink may start to leach out of the ink into the substrate. This will look like an oily margin around the print.
4. Temperature tapes are not exact. They can vary as much as 10-20º F (5-10º C) and should be used only as a guide. The definitive test is how well the print launders.
5. Dryer temperatures can vary greatly with just minor changes in belt speed, garment loading, room temperature, air movement, or fluctuations in incoming voltage.
6. The definitive test to determine if plastisol inks are cured is a wash test, which is washing the garment in hot water with a strong detergent. Generally, it will take from 5-10 washings to fully test the cure, but if the ink is seriously under cured, the print will show deterioration after only 1-3 washings.
7. There are two other tests commonly used to check ink cure. The most popular test is to stretch the print about 2/3 of the total stretch of the T-shirt. If the print cracks badly and does not retract when the fabric is released, the ink is probably under-cured. The stretch test does not always work on thick deposits of ink, such as with on athletic jerseys, where the top layer of ink may stretch but the ink deep down in the fabric may be under-cured. Another test for curing can be done by placing a few drops of ethyl acetate onto the back of the ink on the inside of the garment. This spot of ink is then placed onto an area of unprinted garment and burnished or held tightly together for two minutes. If there is a transfer of ink to the unprinted area, the ink is not fully cured, and the garment should be run through the dryer again. Like the stretch test, this test is not always accurate. Plus, ethyl acetate is a fairly, hazardous chemical.
8. If the ink is under cured, you can run it through the dryer again and complete the cure.