How do you know when plastisol ink is cured?

There are a few ways to test if plastisol ink is properly cured correctly. First is the stretch test. If you stretch your printed garment and the ink cracks, then the ink is not fully dried. However, if the shirt begins to scorch or burn, that means the screen printing ink is over cured.

What is the curing temperature for plastisol ink?

around 320° F
You have your Plastisol Inks that traditionally cure at around 320° F for a minute and your Water-Based Inks will cure at the same temperature but require around 3 minutes to cure. The popular plastisol inks these days are curing at around 260° – 270°. So first there are 4 tools you can use to cure your ink.

How long should you cure plastisol ink with a heat press?

For plastisol ink, read the label to discover the cure temp and set the heat press to be 20-30 degrees above that cure temperature. Use light to medium pressure. Place a teflon sheet on the print. Press for 20-30 seconds.

How long should I flash cure?

Keep the platen under the flash dryer until your ink layer is fully cured. This is usually around 30-40 seconds. Remember, the more powerful your flash is and the closer your flash is to the shirt, the faster it will cure the ink or potentially scorch your garment.

How do you dry plastisol ink at home?

Plastisol ink typically cures at a temperature around 290 – 330 degrees Fahrenheit while water-based inks cure at above 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Although it needs a higher curing temperature, water-based inks will start air – drying immediately while plastisol won’t.

How do you treat plastisol ink with a flash dryer?

Can you iron plastisol ink?

Since Plastisol is a thermoplastic, it will remelt if it comes in contact with anything hot enough. For that reason, plastisol prints cannot be ironed. If an iron touches a print, it will smear the ink.

Can you cure plastisol ink in the dryer?

Keep testing until you’re satisfied with the end result. Then, make a note of the cure time and other variables so you can be consistent in production. Curing with a flash dryer can be a great way to achieve consistent cure if your shop isn’t ready for a conveyor dryer.