Steve's Seven Suggestions for Successful Sublimation

1. Look after your printer

If your printer is not in perfect working order your print quality will be affected. Ensure you store and operate your printer, inks and paper within the recommended environment. Leave the printer powered on when not in use and perform any recommended maintenance as required.

2. Get to grips with your graphics application

Knowing how to manipulate an image within your graphics application, whether to resize or to enhance overall quality is the key producing premium products. There are many courses and training resources out there including GJS’ very own Introduction to Graphics Software for Printing course which will teach you the basics of the most popular graphics applications and much more.

3. Use impressive images

We’ve all heard of the expression, "garbage in; garbage out," well this rule applies for printing too. The printer can only reproduce your artwork, if it is poor quality it will still be poor quality when printed. Using high-resolution images that have great clarity and vibrant colours will deliver you the best possible results.

4. Know your TTP's! Time, temperature and pressure settings

Make sure you know the correct time, temperature and pressure settings for your heat press and substrates. Every brand of substrate will require specific settings and it may vary from press to press. It would be a good idea check the temperature of your heat press from time-to-time to ensure it is still correctly calibrated.

5. Select suitable printer settings

Using the correct colour management software will help streamline the printing process. However, there are still a couple of settings that need be selected to ensure things run smoothly, and these vary depending on the graphics application—so make sure you are familiar with yours. Utilise the GJS version of the Virtuoso Print Manager to its full potential by optimising the print for the appropriate substrate and image type.

6. Monitor your ink cartridges

All sublimation ink and cartridges have a shelf-life for a very good reason. Over time the chemical makeup of the ink can change, if this occurs, the colour output will be affected and it has the potential to damage the printer. The expiry date is written on the outer packaging and also on the cartridges, make a note of this and monitor your stock accordingly.

7. Plan our your work area

Sublimation systems vary in size from A4 to over 3m wide but planning your workspace carefully is critical especially if space is at a premium. Your printer should be a minimum of 1m away from a heat source (e.g. a heat press) and you should be operating in a room between 15°C and 25°C. You will need a preparation area to apply your printed transfers to the substrate and also a cooling area to allow your products to cool down after pressing. If you get this right it will allow you to optimise your production process.

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