Please find out the best transfer temperature and time for your application and with your devices. Every substrate is different, and some heat presses keep more stable temperatures than others. A cold ceramic mug decreases the temperature of the mug press more than a preheated metal plate. Suggestions for transfer parameters for several substrates will be available on our website.

General instructions

• You need 165°C (ca 330F) as a minimum to sublimate the dyes
• The higher the temperature, the faster the process, the shorter you can transfer
• At high temperatures (204°C or higher), you run the risk of outgassing vapors too fast, which leads to fuzzy images. High temperatures in combination with long transfer times can lead to “burning dyes”, where deep black color turns brownish.
• The substrate must be resistant to the chosen temperature.
• Good heat conductive substrates like metal panels of aluminium bottles need far less transfer time.
• Poor or moderate conductive materials, like glass or ceramics, need more transfer time.
• There is an optimum in choice of temperature and time: too short transfer times lead to less bright images (‘transfer process hasn’t finished yet), too long transfer times can also lead to less bright images, due to deeper penetration, or “burning dyes”.
• Get rid of excess moisture: printed paper needs to be absolute dry for a sharp transfer. Preheating the printed paper by putting the printed paper for 15-20 seconds in the open press before closing it, gives best results. Same accounts for moisture containing substrates like MDF and wood. Preshrinking textiles give also better results.

Guidelines per substrate

*The difference in transfer time for mugs is huge for Coastal and NC. It shows that many variables influence which setting suits best. In this specific case we suspect that this result is caused by the different heating devices that have been used.