Discover the ultimate definitions for essential (TheMagicTouch) personalization terms in our curated glossary. Quickly grasp key concepts and streamline your understanding and best practices and simplify your learning journey with our comprehensive glossary.
Auto open is a function, where the heat press automatically opens after the set time has passed. Some heat presses come equipped with this feature, like the DTF Station Prisma Auto Heat Press.
This can be practical, so you don’t have to be standing next to the heat press to open it manually. Technically there are 3 ways of achieving this:
Clamshell presses
This mechanism is achieved by means of an electromagnet that keeps the press closed during operation. When the set time is passed, the magnet releases and the press opens.
Pneumatic heat presses
Automatically opens when the air is released from the cylinder after the set time is passed.
Automatic heat presses
An electric motor rather than compressed air. These type of heat presses also open automatically after the set pressing time is passed.
The backside print helps you to identify the following:
The only exception is TheMagicTouch ORD 8.1. This transfer paper does not have a back print because the paper backside remains visible on the end product so to give a clean finish there is no backside print visible.
When your image has consecutive stripes in it, this is referred to as banding. On an inkjet type printer, like for instance a sublimation printer, this is most commonly caused by clogged nozzles in the printhead. These stripes are always in the same direction, the same as the back and forth motion of the print head and opposite the direction the sublimation paper travels through the printer. Most sublimation printers offer several utilities to quickly resolve this problem if any banding should occur. To prevent the nozzles of the printhead from drying, Sawgrass sublimation printers offer a special cleaning procedure which is automatically triggered every now and then. To utilize this, the printer must be left on at all times, which is not a problem as it switches to sleep mode not using any unnecessary energy, but still being able to automatically clean the nozzles.
Situation where color pigments from polyester fabric slowly react with an HTV design on that garment by penetrating the HTV color layer. This reaction is triggered by the heat of the heat press process and is not affected or caused by washing. Using an HTV that can be applied at a low temperature helps to prevent this unwanted phenomenon in most cases. On thicker garments like softshell, the risks of bleeding are higher, simply because there is more color pigment in the thicker fabric.
In these situations the usage of an HTV with a so called sublistop or blockout layer like MagiCut 123Premium Sublibloc White is advisory.
A phenomenon that can occur after sublimating a product with a design which should have a clear sharp border, like a logo or graphic. Instead of the design having a sharp clearly defined edge, the color seems to have been blown outside the intended borders of the image, resulting in a smudged, unsharp effect. That is why this effect is called a blow-out.
This phenomenon can be caused by an uneven temperature, overheating or excessive pressure during the transferring process on the heat press.
Also using the correct sublimation paper can help to prevent such mishaps, as it plays an important part on absorbing the ink in such a way, the color dye can transfer optimally into the polyester when it tuns into a gaseous state during the transfer process.
Also often referred to as a Teflon sheet. An essential application tool for sublimation as you need to underlie and cover your blank product during pressing. This ensures the pigments do not enter the lower platen or stick to the heat platen of your heat press from where they could contaminate the next product you are pressing.
This is especially important as sublimation pigments are transferring as a gas, which can easily penetrate the rubber mat on your heat press or reach the upper platen of your heat press. Underlaying the product and transfer with a Teflon sheet and a Teflon sheet on top of the transfer prevents this from happening.
Also often referred to as the Liner or backing. This is the paper or the film that holds the media layer or film so you can print and/or cut your design. After pressing, this is what you remove and throw away. It appears as a clear shiny sheet or a silicon coated paper where the actual media is adhered to. A good example of a typical media with a carrier is Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV)
With Heat Transfer Vinyl the carrier-side should be placed facing down while cutting, and after weeding can be placed facing up on the garment during transferring on the heat press. There are two different kinds of carrier sheets: Pressure sensitive carrier sheets and static carrier sheets. The difference between the two is that pressure sensitive carrier sheets have a sticky backing and static carrier sheets have a smooth, non-adhesive backing.
If the actual measured temperature of a heat press does not correspond with the indicated temperature on the heat press, the controller needs to be adjusted accordingly. This process is called calibration.
To do this correctly you need to accurately measure the temperature of the heat press.
In many cases infrared (IR) temperature gauges are used for this purpose. These are notorious for inaccuracies as they must be corrected for the emissivity of the surface. This is the relative power of the surface to emit heat by radiation.
Therefore you should never calibrate any press with an IR thermometer as it will run hot unless you have the emissivity data to correct for the heat plate surface.
If you need to test the temperature of your press, always use special TheMagicTouch Temperature Test Strips. These provide a much more exact measurement of the heat platen allowing you to properly calibrate your heat press.
Most heat presses provide a service mode to adjust the set temperature indicated by the controller. Check the manual on how to do this for your heat press.
To make a transfer print on a cap of hat requires the same parameters as on a T-shirt or other garment. The challenge is that it is hard to get the right amount of pressure on the odd shape of a cap or hat. That’s why there are special Cap presses, with a specially designed upper and lower platen, to provide the right amount of pressure and heat on the printable surface of a cap or hat.
Most Cap presses come equipped with a special mechanism to tighten the cap around the lower platen so it does not move or fold when pressed. On some Cap presses the lower platen can be interchanged with different sizes for different sized caps which can be very useful to get the best results.
Heat presses can have different constructions to open and close. The term Clamshell refers to a heat press that opens and closes like a clamshell. This means it is hinged from the back with a platen that opens upwards. The benefit is that it has a smaller footprint and is easier to manufacture.
The downside of this construction is that it is hard to construct it in such a way a high pressure is achieved. Also, you often encounter uneven pressure with more pressure at the back than at the front on most clamshell heat presses. When the clamshell press is not in use, it is opened wider than a swing away heat press. This results in the heat platen cooling down unevenly which can lead to uneven results.
A good example of a Clamshell heat press is the TheMagicTouch HTP123 Pro which has been specially developed to create a clamshell press which can deliver a relatively high pressure for a clamshell press and it also has good temperature control to overcome the mentioned downsides.
Clogging means blocking. With inkjet printers this will usually refer to the print heads or ink tubes being blocked by dried out pigments. This can cause the printhead to miss certain or all nozzles resulting in non-optimal prints on your sublimation paper with dropouts or missing colors all together.
If an inkjet printer misses a complete color while printing, this does not have te be due to clogging. Also the ink tubes could have air in them preventing the ink to reach the print head.
To transfer an image onto a product with sublimation paper and a sublimation printer, you need that product to have a polyester coating, or to be made from polyester. A coating spray is a polyester coating to spray on uncoated products. As interesting as this may sound, it is not a durable and professional solution and you rarely get a good result. You are better of with dedicated products which have a perfect polyester coating already on them.
This is basically a set of rules that have to be followed by a software program when a print file is created. The color profile provides the correct “recipe” for the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and black colors in the printer. Or Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and White colors if you have a white toner printer.
This “recipe” for the color mix ensures the output from the printer matches the image on the screen as closely as possible.
However, if you want to transfer the image with Transfer media, the output has to be as close to the original as possible once it is transferred onto the product, not when it comes out of the printer, as there can be a slight shifting of color during the heat-press process. This requires special color profiles to take that shift into account when using transfer paper. This is where special software like TheMagicTouch Software Pro for OKI white toner printers comes in. One of the important roles of this Raster Image Processor (RIP) software is to provide these color profiles for each transfer application TheMagicTouch can offer.
In a transfer process, the carrier must be removed from the product after pressing in most cases. The carrier can also be referred to as Liner or Backing. This removal of the carrier is called “Peel”.
When it is required not to do this until it is completely cooled down after pressing, this is called a cold peel. An example of a product with Cold Peel properties is MagiCut 123Premium Heat Transfer Vinyl.
The carrier must be cold before it is removed after the heat press is opened.
With cold peel, it is quicker to take the product from the heat press after pressing and allow it to cool down completely before peeling. While it is cooling down the heat press is free to press the next item. With cold peel it is no problem to press all the items of a job first, and peel later when they are all cooled down to keep production speed up.
A configuration page is a document that provides information about the settings and configuration of the printer. The configuration page typically includes information about the device’s IP address, network settings, firmware version, and other key details. The purpose of a configuration page is to allow the user or a technician to easily access and review the device’s settings, which can be useful for troubleshooting and ensuring that the device is properly configured. Also, the configuration page often offers information on the status of the consumables of the printer.
In the configuration page you’ll also find the serial number you need if you want to acquire a license for TheMagicTouch Software Pro.
Configuration pages can typically be printed directly from the device or accessed through the device’s web interface.
A controller is the electronic brain of a Heat Press machine and provides the user the buttons to select and set your time, temperature and on some models more functions like a counter. In most cases the physical buttons are combined with the other electronic components on one electronic circuit board. This circuit board is referred to as the controller.
The electronic components of the controller are responsible for regulating and maintaining the precise temperature and time settings during the heat transfer process.
On some heat press models the controller is build into a unit which can be easily replaced by the user. In those cases usually the entire replaceable unit containing the control board is referred to as the controller.
Stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and BlacK. These are the four primary colors used in most printing processes. Black is indicated by “K” instead of “B”, which might seem a bit odd. Often this is explained by the story that the “K” is chosen to prevent mix up with Blue. This is not correct however. This usage of the “K” instead of the “B” for Black comes from traditional printing where the black color printing plate was referred to as the “Key plate” or “Key color”. Hence the “K”.
The CMYK printing process already gives a huge array of possibilities for transfer printing as for example with this Laserprinter CMYK starter package.
Stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and White. In printers with these colors instead of the more usual CMYK, The black (K) is removed and replaced with White (W). This enables the printer to print white, which gives unique possibilities, for instance with the OKI Pro8432WT and TheMagicTouch transfer papers. The printer can still print black, because it can create black by using cyan, magenta and yellow. When these 3 colors are put together, they also show as a black. As the black is composed out of the three colors this type of black is also often called “Composite black”.
Adding white in the printing process allows for much more applications when transferring the images, as it allows the user to transfer images onto colored products and surfaces thanks to the ability to create a white layer underneath the actual image. This you cannot do with a more traditional CMYK set up.
A curing oven is used in the Direct To Film (DTF) printing process. It is a specialized heating oven, used to melt and bond the adhesive powder onto the printed transfer film.
To create textile transfers with the Direct To Film (DTF) printing process, the ink is printed onto a PET film. On this printed image, a layer of adhesive powder is applied. The curing oven then heats the film to a specific temperature for a set amount of time, causing the powder to melt and fuse with the ink and the film. This process is crucial for ensuring that the transfer will adhere properly to the final substrate when it’s heat-pressed.
This a relatively new and innovative technique used for garment decoration. In DTF printing, a transfer is created by a special inkjet printer that prints the image directly onto a film. Hence the name Direct To Film. After printing, a powder adhesive is applied which only sticks to the still wet ink and not to the surrounding area. To get a good opacity, and en even layer of adhesive powder, the printer adds a white layer on top of the printed color image. This powder is then fused with the ink by heating it with a curing oven, resulting in a transfer that can be used on any color of fabric and easily can be applied with a heat press.
The benefit of this process is the image has no background and can be applied on many types of garment regardless of the color of the garment.
Dithering is a technique used in printing to simulate a wider range of colors or shades than what a printing process can physically reproduce mixing the inks. It’s essentially a trick the eye plays on the brain.
Most printing processes have limitations on the number of colors or shades they can produce. Dithering involves creating patterns of dots, varying in size and distribution, to mimic different shades. The human eye blends these dots together, perceiving them as intermediate colors or shades. Many printers can use this technique to enhance the printing quality.
Transfer Media where the printed transfer layer can be released from the carrier by soaking the printed transfer into water. The ultra-thin transfer layer with the print on it, releases itself and can be transferred onto many different products, as long as they are non-porous, and smooth. Best known waterslide transfers are the varieties of the TheMagicTouch DCT 4.5 transfer papers:
The imaging drum is the heart of a color LED printer. It’s a cylindrical component responsible for transferring the image created by the printer onto the paper. This process works by means of static electricity. The drum’s surface is initially given a uniform electrical charge.
An array of tiny LED lights emits light to selectively discharge specific areas of the drum, creating the image pattern. The toner particles, which are electrically charged, are attracted to the charged areas of the drum, forming the image. Next, the image composed of toner is transferred from the drum to the paper. This is repeated for each color and the toner is melted and bonded to the paper by heat and pressure.
To make this process work, each color (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) has its own imaging drum.
The imaging drums have a limited lifespan and need to be replaced periodically depending on the number of prints they have made and the environmental conditions.
The drum’s surface is sensitive to light and dust, so it’s important to handle it carefully.
In essence, the imaging drum is the crucial component that transforms digital data into a physical print.
DTF stands for: Direct To Film. This a relatively new and innovative technique used for garment decoration. In DTF printing, a transfer is created by a special inkjet printer that prints the image onto a film. Hence the name Direct To Film. The printer covers the image with a white layer of ink. After printing, a powder adhesive is applied which only sticks to the still wet ink and not to the surrounding area. This powder is fused with the ink by heating it with a curing oven, resulting in a transfer that can be used on any color of fabric and easily can be applied with a heat press.
The benefit of this process is the image has no background and can be applied on many types of garment regardless of the color of the garment.
A specialized type of film, made from PET plastic used in the Direct To Film (DTF) printing process. The plastic is coated with a special layer that allows the ink to remain wet for a period of time, without running from the surface of the film. This allows the image to be coated with a powdered adhesive that sticks to the wet ink. Once powder and ink are cured together on the PET film, you have a transfer that can be transferred onto garment. DTF film is the foundation of the DTF printing process, providing the necessary surface for creating high-quality transfers.
A DTF printer is a special type of inkjet printer, capable of using special inks to be used for the Direct To Film (DTF) printing process. This printing technique is used for garment decoration. The DTF printer prints the image directly onto a special film. Hence the name Direct To Film. During the process the printer covers each part of the image with a white layer of ink. After applying special powder adhesive, which is fused to the ink the end result is a transfer that can be used on any color of fabric and easily can be applied with a heat press.
The benefit of this process is the image has no background and can be applied on many types of garment regardless of the color of the garment.
DTF stands for Direct To Film. The powder used in this process is an adhesive designed to bond to garments when heated and pressed with a heat press.
In the DTF process, after the ink is printed onto the DTF film, a layer of DTF powder is applied onto the printed area. The DTF powder is specially formulated to adhere to the wet ink, and when heated melts to form a bond with the ink. When the film is pressed onto the garment with a heat press, the heat causes the DTF powder to melt again and also bond with the fabric, creating a permanent, durable design.
a substance used to impart color to a fabric. In the context of garment printing, it’s the primary component of the ink or colorant applied to the fabric to create a design.
There are several types of dyes used in garment printing.
Reactive dyes: Commonly used for cellulose fibers like cotton, they form a permanent bond with the fabric, resulting in vibrant colors.
Disperse dyes: Primarily used for polyester, they penetrate the fiber and disperse within it.
Pigment dyes: These are finely ground color particles suspended in a binder. They sit on the surface of the fabric, offering bright colors but may not be as colorfast as other types.
Acid dyes: Used for wool, silk, and nylon, they require an acidic environment to bind to the fiber.
The type of dye used may influence the choice of printing method when printing garments. To prevent bleeding of Dispersive dyes for instance, you can choose an Heat Transfer Vinyl like MagiCut 123Premium Sublibloc, that prevents the pigments rising from the garment into the print.
These are the temperature and humidity values in the room where you work and/or store your Transfer Paper. It is important to keep an eye on this, as a high humidity or very high or very low temperature can have a serious negative effect on the performance of your media. Roughly the relative humidity must be between 20 to 60% and the temperature between 15 to 32°C/60 to 90°F.
Ghosting is a term often used in sublimation printing referring to a blurred or double image that appears on the final product. It’s a common issue that can significantly impact the quality of the print.
The following issues can cause ghosting:
Movement of the transfer paper: Even a slight shift during the sublimation process can result in ghosting. The use of Heat Resistant Tape can prevent this from happening.
Air bubbles under the transfer paper can cause uneven pressure and lead to ghosting.
This can be prevented by using the correct pressure when pressing.
Excess moisture: Humidity or moisture in the substrate can interfere with the sublimation process and cause ghosting. Pre-pressing can prevent this.
Incorrect heat press settings: Improper temperature, pressure, or time settings can contribute to ghosting. Always make sure you use the correct settings as advised from the supplier of the article you are trying to print.
Refers to which side of the media, for instance Transfer Paper, has to be up and which side down in a printer or during the transfer process. The printed side is what is called “the face”. So “Face Up” means the transfer (printed) layer facing up. Obviously, this is the opposite of Face Down.
Refers to which side of the media, for instance Transfer Paper, has to be up and which side down in a printer or during the transfer process. The printed side is what is called “the face”. So “Face Down” means the transfer (printed) layer facing down and the backside of the media facing upwards. This is the opposite of Face Up.
Free form is a term used to describe an image that is not a rectangular and does not have a background. Free Form Transfer Papers, also known as Free Style or No Cut transfers, are transfer papers especially designed to transfer just the image, no unwanted borders, background or edges.
The trick of these specialist Transfer Papers is that they only transfer where there is image (toner). This process saves a lot of time it would normally cost to weed the design when using a cutter plotter to cut out a traditional transfer.
You need a White toner printer to have the full functionality of the free form application.
TheMagicTouch had developed several Transfer Papers that have these special properties.
A color laser or color LED printer works with toner instead of ink. The toner, which are tiny solid particles, are brought to the paper to form the image by static electric charges. Once on the paper, the toner particles need to be bonded with the paper. This is what the Fuser unit does.
The fuser uses a combination of high heat and pressure to melt the toner particles onto the paper’s surface. In color laser and LED printers, the fuser plays a crucial role in ensuring that the different colored toner particles fuse together correctly, creating accurate and vibrant images.
A heat press is a specialized machine used in the transfer printing process. It applies heat and pressure to a transfer on a substrate, to permanently bond a printed design onto the material. This is typically used for garment printing, but can also be used for many other applications where an image is being transferred onto a material by means of a transfer, heat and pressure. A heat press is an essential tool in the transfer printing process. There are different variations of heat presses for special applications like for instance a cap-press or a mug-press.
All heat presses have the ability to adjust the pressure setting. On most heat presses however, it is not possible to set the heat press according to a scale. So it is not possible to set a heat press to a certain amount of pressure, say in Bar or Psi because there is no gauge where you can read the set pressure. To overcome this the required pressure setting for a transfer application is divided in either Low, Medium or High pressure.
High pressure on most heat presses means a setting where the pressure is set at the highest point, but still at an operatable level and a level that does not damages the heat press.
It should be about 5-6 bar / 72-87 Psi, but the actual pressure that is applied on the product can differ greatly however, depending on the type of heat press being used, so some testing may be acquired.
Refers to a type of adhesive that is used in a solid, often layered state and melts when heated. It’s crucial in several garment production processes like Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV).
Hotmelt adhesive is applied as a thin layer on the vinyl for bonding on the garment. When the transfer paper is heat pressed onto the garment, the hotmelt melts and bonds the cut design to the fabric.
Benefits: This method offers good color vibrancy, durability, and wash resistance.
Hotmelt can also be referred to as a special product on itself: MagiCut Hotmelt HTV is a special type of HTV where you cut out the text or logo from a hotmelt layer. When this is applied and pressed onto the garment the hotmelt surface on the garment can be used to adhere hot stamp foil with the heat press.
Small grinded particles of polyester adhesive that melt and can be used for adhering a printed design onto garment with the DTF (Direct To Film) process. A DTF printer prints onto a special Film and adds a white layer of ink on top of the entire design. The powder is then added to the print and sticks to the still wet ink. When fused with heat, this forms a hotmelt layer that turns the print into a transfer applicable with a heat press.
A special type of vinyl that has a heat-activated adhesive on its back and is mounted on a clear PET film (the liner or also often called Carrier) so a cutting plotter can cut a design into the vinyl layer. The plotter is adjusted just so it cuts through the vinyl, but not through the liner. This allows the user to weed the access HTV from the liner. What is left can be pressed onto fabric items like t-shirts, bags, and other garments when heat and pressure are applied. The result is a durable, professional design. HTV comes in a variety of colors, textures, and finishes, allowing for endless customization possibilities.
MagiCut is one of the biggest HTV brands in the business and is available in various standard flex foils. There are also 3D flex foils such as holographic, metallic and soft metallic and various glitter and patterned flex foils.
In a transfer process, the carrier must be removed from the product after pressing in most cases. The carrier can also be referred to as Liner or Backing. This removal of the carrier is called “Peel”.
When it is possible to do this almost directly after pressing, with only a minimum of cooling down so the transfer is still hot, this is called a hot peel.
An example of an HTV with hot peel properties is MagiCut 123premium Ultra.
A hot peel transfer does not necessarily have to be peeled while still hot, it is ok if it cools down and is peeled. In some cases this can give a bit more tension when removing, but generally this is not a problem.
HTV is the abbreviation of Heat Transfer Vinyl. This is a special type of vinyl that has a heat-activated adhesive (a so called hot melt) on its back and is mounted on a clear PET film. This film is called the liner or Carrier.
A cutting plotter can cut a design into the vinyl layer. The plotter is adjusted just so it cuts through the vinyl, but not through the liner. This allows the user to weed the access HTV from the liner. What is left can be pressed onto fabric items like t-shirts, bags, and other garments when heat and pressure are applied. The result is a durable, professional design. HTV comes in a variety of colors, textures, and finishes, allowing for endless customization possibilities.
MagiCut is one of the biggest HTV brands in the business and is available in various standard flex foils. There are also 3D flex foils such as holographic, metallic and soft metallic and various glitter and patterned flex foils.
A laser printer creates the image with static electricity and colored powders called toner.
The toner is being applied to the paper in exactly the right amount and on the correct place by means of static electricity. The exact location of the electric charge that is required for this process is meticulously being applied by a laser beam, so that the toner will adhere onto the image drum exactly where needed to create the image that is then being applied from the drum onto the paper when the paper runs through the printer. The benefits of this process are the high printing speeds that are possible, the sharpness of the image and last but not least, when using a suitable color laser printer, the possibility to use transfer paper to transfer the image onto other products.
The pressure can be adjusted on all heat presses. However, it is not possible to set the heat press according to a scale on most heat presses. That makes it hard to set a heat press to a certain amount of pressure in Bar or Psi on most heat presses, as there is no gauge where you can read the actual pressure being set. To overcome this, the required pressure setting for a transfer application is usually divided in either Low, Medium or High pressure.
Low pressure on most heat presses means a setting where the pressure is set at a point where there is still some resistance to overcome when closing the heat press, but minimally.
It should be about 2-3 bar / 29-44 Psi, but the actual pressure that is applied on the product can differ greatly however, depending on the type of heat press being used, so some testing may be acquired.
On a heat press, this is the platen where you put your product on. As opposed to the heated platen, that usually comes down from the top which is often referred to as the upper platen. In most cases the lower platen is covered with a rubber foam pad that helps to stabilize your product during pressing. This flexible rubber mat is also important to get an evenly spread pressure as much as possible, even when the product is not the exact same thickness everywhere, for instance due to sowing seams in the garment.
You can adjust the pressure on all heat presses. However, on most of them, it is not possible to set the heat press according to a scale. As there is no gauge where you can read the actual pressure being set, it can be difficult to set a heat press to a certain amount of pressure in Bar or Psi.
To overcome this difficulty, the required pressure setting for a transfer application is usually divided in simply Low, Medium or High pressure.
Medium pressure on most heat presses obviously means a setting where the pressure is set at a point halfway between High Pressure and Low pressure.
With High pressure you use a setting where the pressure is set at the highest point, but still at an operatable level and a level that does not damages the heat press.
With Low pressure, there is still some resistance to overcome when closing the heat press, but minimally.
Medium Pressure is right in the middle of these two.
It should be about 4-5 bar / 58-73 Psi, but the actual pressure that is applied on the product can differ greatly however, depending on the type of heat press being used, so some testing may be acquired.
A digital printing process that utilizes tiny ink droplets to create images on paper or other media. An inkjet printer operates by ejecting tiny microscopic ink particles onto a surface, building up the image one dot at a time. Most small desktop Inkjet printers are most suitable for home use as they are very inexpensive to buy, but have a relatively high cost per print. The ink used in these printers is unsuitable for transfer printing as the ink is very water soluble. The inkjet process is also used in sublimation printers, where special sublimation paper is being printed with ink containing color pigments that can transfer into polyester using the heat and pressure from a heat press. Larger inkjet printers are used professionally for signing purposes and EcoSolvent inkjet printers can also be used for printing garments in high quality with special Eco Solvent printable Heat Transfer Vinyl.
This the paper or film that holds the transfer layer or heat transfer vinyl so you can print and/or cut your design. After pressing this is what you remove and throw away. It is also often referred to as liner.
Most Heat transfer Vinyl for example use a carrier made out of PET plastic. While the intermediate carrier is essential for handling and applying HTV or other transfers, it’s ultimately removed, leaving only the design adhered to the garment.
For some transfer jobs it is very practical to be able to switch the lower platen of the heat press for a smaller one. For instance, for baby clothing or when you want to print on the pocket of a Polo T-shirt. When your heat press is equipped with an interchangeable platen you can replace your lower platen easily with a different sized one. This can be very practical to decorate breast pockets, sleeves, bags, shoes and other odd, shaped products. An example of a heat presses equipped with an interchangeable platen is TheMagicTouch HTP123 Pro.
This term is used for heat presses that must be closed manually by the operator. This is as opposed to a heat press that can closed by air pressure or by electric power. With a manual heat press you must manually close it to start the pressing process and generate pressure.
Manual heat presses can be divided in swing away or Clam shell heat presses which defines the way the press opens. As the name suggests a swing away heat press can be swinged open once the heat platen moved upwards in a straight motion. A Clam shell opens like a clam shell or a book. Generally, clam shell manual heat presses are more compact and easier to manufacture. Swing away heat presses have the advantage that the pressure is generally more even and the structure allows to build a heat press with a higher pressure.
This is a term used in the printing industry to describe the unwanted movement or bleeding of dye from a fabric into the ink or transfer applied to it. That’s why this is also often referred to as “bleeding”. Migration typically occurs during or after heat transfer printing, where relatively high temperatures are used to bond the transfer to the garment.
This can occur especially in polyester fabrics, where dye is often sublimated into the fibers for colorizing the garment, meaning it’s embedded within the material. When exposed to high heat during the transfer process, this dye can migrate to the surface and mix with the transfer ink.
Color migration usually causes a light colored print, for instance with white Heat transfer Vinyl (HTV) to shift where the printed colors may appear different than intended, often becoming duller or tinted with the fabric color. Also often the fabric dye may bleed into the printed design, causing fuzzy edges or discoloration. In some cases, the fabric’s pattern or design can be partially transferred to the printed area.
Preventing Color Migration
To minimize color migration, several techniques can be employed. Lowering heat temperature: Using a transfer method that can be transferred at a lower heat setting can reduce the risk of dye migration greatly because of the lower temperature. MagiCut offers several (printable) HTV’s that can be transferred at lower temperatures.
Using a (printable) HTV with a special pigment barrier on top of the low temperature transfer process can further help to prevent dye from migrating. MagiCut offers several Sublibloc (printable) HTV products that offer this extra protection barrier against migration.
Extra tray to feed paper into a printer, specially designed for media that’s thicker or different in composition from normal plain printing paper. As these media are often fed per sheet, the Multi purpose tray is also often referred to as the Manual feed. The Multi-Purpose tray is situated on the printer in such a way that the paper path is as easy as possible to make feeding specialty media possible. The most common media used from the multi-Purpose Tray are:
• TheMagicTouch transfer paper
• TheMagicTouch CL*Media Sticker paper
• Cardboard
• Labels
Nylon was once the go-to material for rain repellent garments due to its strength and durability. As a synthetic fiber, it offered good resistance to water and wear. However, nylon has a tendency to absorb moisture, which can affect its performance over time when a water repellent coating is wearing off.
In recent years, polyester has largely replaced nylon as the preferred fabric for rainwear and other products requiring water repellency. Polyester is also a synthetic fiber, but it has several advantages over nylon in this context. It is inherently hydrophobic, meaning it repels water rather than absorbing it. This makes polyester garments quicker to dry and more resistant to water penetration. Additionally, polyester is often more wrinkle-resistant and easier to care for than nylon.
Because water repellent products are usually treated with a water repellent coating or impregnation, it can be difficult to adhere a transfer print to these products. TheMagicTouch provides several products for printing on these garments that can overcome this problem due to a low transfer temperatures like several MagiCut Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) products and transfer paper products like TheMagicTouch WTT.
A microscopical small little tube in the print head of printers that work with the inkjet principle like for instance a sublimation, Direct To Film, Direct To Garment or Eco Solvent printer. A print head of an inkjet printer consists of hundreds of these tiny tubes. The ink is been shot from these tubes onto the media that needs to be printed. Clogged nozzles can cause ink to spray unevenly, leading to poor print quality. Regular nozzle checks and cleaning are therefore essential with this printing process.
A diagnostic function found in various inkjet printers, including sublimation, Direct To Film, and Eco-solvent models. It’s a vital tool for maintaining print quality and identifying potential issues. A nozzle check essentially prints a test pattern to evaluate the condition of the printhead nozzles. These tiny nozzles are responsible for dispensing ink droplets onto the printing surface. The exact steps on how to perform a nozzle check vary depending on the printer model, but generally involve accessing the printer’s maintenance menu and initiating the nozzle check. The printer will then print a test pattern that you can analyze for any irregularities. In conclusion, a nozzle check is a simple yet effective way to maintain the health of your printer and ensure optimal print quality. By incorporating it into your regular maintenance routine, you can prolong the life of your printer and achieve consistently excellent results.
This is the route the paper travels through a printer from input to printed output. For transfer papers that have a special composition, it is important to have a paper path with as little sharp bends and corners as possible. This is often referred to as a “Straight paper path”. One of the many reasons why OKI color LED printers are so popular for transfer printing is that these printers can provide a straight Paper Path.
Peeling in the context of transfer printing refers to the removal of the transfer paper carrier or film from the substrate (the product you print on) after the heat and pressure application process. This step is crucial as it reveals the transferred design. The timing of this peeling process is very dependent on the type of transfer that is being used. In some cases it is required to immediately remove the carrier while it still hot. This is then referred to as a “Hot peel” process. For other applications it is better to let the carrier cool down completely. This is obviously cold a “Cold peel”. An example of a Cold peel process is MagiCut 123Premium Heat Transfer Vinyl.
Sometimes it is better to let the carrier cool down a little bit, but remove with still some warmth in the transfer. This is called “Warm peel”.
Is a Tiny little color particle that is insoluble in the medium in which it is being used, like for instance in paint. When it comes to printing, Color Laser Printers and Color LED printers use toner, which is basically a type of pigment to create the image on the transfer paper. The toner is then transferred onto the garment using heat and pressure, and it doesn’t directly become part of the fabric fibers. The pigment remains on the surface of the fibers of the fabric.
A pneumatic heat press, such as the Insta HTP728, is a specialized piece of equipment widely used in the transfer printing industry. This machine utilizes compressed air to deliver a consistent and even pressure, enabling the precise transfer of images or designs onto a variety of substrates. The compressed air has to come from an Air compressor, which is basically an air pump that can store the compressed air in a tank, ready for use by the heat press.
A great plus of a pneumatic heat press is that the pressure can be accurately adjusted thanks to the pressure gauge, whereas with a manual heat press you have to guess the correct pressure by feeling the resistance when closing the press.
The reliable technology of these pneumatic heat presses allows for efficient and faster production, at the same time providing a better working environment by relieving the operator of having to open and close a heat press manually, which can get quite heavy if you have to do a lot of garment decorating. This makes a pneumatic Heat press a great tool for businesses that transfer larger quantities of products such as custom apparel, promotional products, and other applications requiring personalized imprinting.
Polyester is a synthetic material often used as a textile widely used in fashion, sports and promotional clothing. It is strong and durable, wrinkle resistant, quick drying and can also be made as a high insulating yet lightweight fabric such as Softshell.
Polyester is required to make the sublimation garment printing process work. This is because polyester fibers have a specific molecular structure that allows the special ink that is on the sublimation paper to bond with them on a molecular level when the dye turns into a gas during the transfer process on the heat press. This creates a permanent, high-quality image that won’t fade or crack.
Also, polyester can withstand the high temperatures required for the sublimation process without melting or distorting. Ideally for sublimation printing a 100% content of polyester is ideal, and the less polyester content there is in a mixed fabric, the lower the quality of the sublimation transfer. Generally, a mixture of 65% polyester and 35% cotton is considered to be adequate for good sublimation results and the limit of cotton content in a garment that has to be sublimated.
Prepressing can be beneficial for the transfer process to remove moist from cotton garments as the moist can frustrate the adhesion of a transfer during transferring.
With polyester this is not necessarily, as it does not absorb moist as much as cotton. Also a reason not to prepress polyester, is to prevent migration of the dye in the fabric (often called Bleeding) which is caused by heat.
In some transfer processes like with TheMagicTouch WTT transfer paper, it makes the transferring process easier if the lower platen of the heat press is well heated to act as a hot plate. This gives the operator more time to peel the transfer in a hot peel situation.
Process colors refer to the color model used in most printers. This method involves combining tiny dots of four primary ink colors: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. These are often referred to as CMYK, with the “K” standing for Black. This is because in traditional printing, the black was referred to as “The Key color”, or in short: “Key”. Hence the “K” for Black. By varying the size and density of these dots, printers can create a vast spectrum of colors.
Often referred to as four-color process or CMYK, this technique is ideal for reproducing complex images with subtle gradations, such as photographs and detailed illustrations. While it offers a wide color gamut, it’s important to note that the exact color reproduction can vary slightly depending on factors like paper type and printing press.
Print & Cut is a term that is used when you first make a print on special media and then contour cut it with a cutting plotter.
Print & Cut is mostly used if the printer cannot print white. You use the white that is present in the transfer or printable HTV. To prevent white showing around the design, the print can be contour-cut by the plotter. Typical media that can be used with the Print & Cut process are:
TheMagicTouch CL*Media stickers
TheMagicTouch OBM 5.4
TheMagicTouch DCT 4.5
TheMagicTouch Tattoo 2.1
TheMagicTouch TTC 3.1
Process with equipment capable to both Print and Cut special media within the same machine.
For example the Roland VersaCam BY-20A and MagiCut 2Print White printable Heat Transfer Vinyl.
The difference with Print&Cut is that the media does not leave the printer and the same machine can also cut. The printer first prints then contour cuts. Where with Print&Cut you would need two devices. With Print + Cut there is no need to print the registration markers with Print&Cut you do.
The print head is the part of the printer that actually creates the image while printing. It consists of hundreds of microscopical small little tubes that eject tiny droplets of ink onto the media. This way of printing is used in printers that works with the inkjet principle like for instance Sublimation, Direct To Film, Direct To Garment or Eco Solvent printers. A weak spot of this way of printing is the risk of getting clogged nozzles which causes the ink to spray unevenly, leading to poor print quality. Regular nozzle checks and cleaning are therefore essential with this printing process.
This is a software for the sublimation process, that optimizes the print on the sublimation paper so that the final result once transferred onto the final product, has the best result. It does so by adding the right correct color profile for your sublimation paper and blank product. As the colors change during the transfer process, It is an important part of sublimation printing to get the perfect colors on the printed end product. This software is also often referred to as PrintMate or Print Utility.
Each printer needs a printer driver to be able to work. The printer driver is actually a small piece of software that has to be installed on your computer.
The Printer driver software provides the conversion from the print job made by the software program from which you click on print, to a data package the printer understands in order to print out the print job on paper or other media.
It can also provide extra information in the form of printer settings like for instance information on what kind of media the print has to be made. This can be very important to print on transfer paper.
The user can set these in the printer driver by clicking on “the properties” of the printer to set things like media type and media weight, the need to not print double sided or in color or black and white. Any printer comes with a printer driver in some form or another.
This is a non-reactive adhesive that forms a bond with a substrate upon the application of pressure without requiring solvents, water, or heat activation. As the name suggests it delivers immediate adhesion upon contact and pressure. This also enables a PSA to offer the versatility of reversibility, allowing for the bond to be broken and the material repositioned or removed with relative ease. Additionally, a PSA can have a relatively high initial tackiness which makes bonding possible without any additional activation methods such as heat or pressure. In transfer printing PSA is widely used on the carrier film of Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV), where the adhesion is influenced by the pressure during the heat press process to make removing the carrier easier after pressing the transfer onto the garment.
In the context of transfer heat presses, recovery time refers to the duration required for the heating element of the heat press (the upper platen) to return to its optimal operating temperature after a transfer process is completed. This period is essential for ensuring consistent and effective heat transfer results in subsequent applications.
During the transfer process, the heat press is set to a specific high temperature to facilitate the bonding of the transfer material to the substrate. During the transfer process the product (for instance a T-shirt that is printed on) absorbs heat from the heat platen. This causes the heat platen to cool down, even more so as soon as the process is finished and the pressure is released.
The recovery time is the time elapsed until the heat press has regained sufficient temperature to reliably execute another transfer without compromising the quality of the output.
Factors such as the heat press’s power, insulation, and the size of the heating element can influence the recovery time. Efficient recovery is crucial for maintaining productivity in high-volume transfer printing operations.
On a good quality heat press, the recovery time is very short enabling the operator to continuously transfer products without having to bother about dropping temperature.
Repressing is an additional step in the transfer printing process, often used with Transfer paper, Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) and Direct-to-Film (DTF) transfers among others. It involves applying heat and pressure to the already transferred design, for a second time. This extra step serves several purposes. First, it improves the adhesion of the transfer to the fabric, making it more durable and resistant to washing. Second, it helps to reduce the shine often left behind by the initial transfer, resulting in a more matte and finished appearance. Thirdly it bonds the transfer more with the vibers of the fabric, giving the impression of a thinner transfer and enhancing the softness of the print. In short, repressing enhances the overall quality and look of the transfer. To even further enhance the repressing process, TheMagicTouch has developed a special repressing paper called TheMagicTouch T.Seal to cover the transferred print during the repress. A soft silicone coating on the T.seal sheet even further enhances the bonding with the fibers, adding to the beneficial effects of the repress.
The name of a smart mechanical system on a heat press, that locks the Interchangeable lower platen in place. As the name already suggests, it allows the operator to quickly change the standard lower platen for a small one, or vice-versa. Several of the heat presses offered by TheMagicTouch have a quick change system for the lower heat platen.
Quick dry refers to an important characteristic of the coating on a sublimation transfer paper. On a quality sublimation paper, the coating has to be designed in such a way the liquid of a sublimation ink is allowed to dry rapidly after the ink is applied by the printer. This accelerated drying time helps to reduce the overall production time as the next print can be layered on top of the first in the printer output tray without the risk of smearing. This allows for a more efficient workflow. The paper is specifically coated to facilitate quick ink absorption and evaporation, without compromising the quality of the printed image.
A shaker is a machine used in the DTF (Direct to Film) transfer printing process to evenly apply adhesive powder onto the freshly printed ink on a special film. After the powder is applied, it has to bonded to the ink by fusing the powder with heat.
The powder is essential as it binds to the ink on the film to create the transfer that can adhere onto the desired garment (like a t-shirt).
Shakers can be manual or automatic, with the manual shakers applying the layer of powder and the automatic also fusing the powder with heat to the film. When a manual shaker is used, the bonding has to be done in a separate oven, where the oven is integrated in an automatic shaker. The goal is always the same: to create a consistent, even layer of powder for optimal transfer results.
Single step refers to a type of transfer paper that requires only one heat press application to transfer the printed image onto the desired material. So directly from printer to product in one step. A good example of a Single step transfer is TheMagicTouch TTC 3.1.
This is in contrast to two-step transfer papers that need an initial pressing to bond the toner to an additional white adhesive layer before applying it to the final substrate.
The advantage of a single step transfer paper is that this is currently the fastest way to print a T-shirt!
The term stretch is used in relation to Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV), where this characteristic is crucial for materials that undergo frequent movement or stretching, such as swimwear, children’s clothing or specific types of sportswear such as yoga pants or cycling gear. And all clothing with a lycra content to make it more stretchy. These type of garments require a more elastic HTV layer, specifically made for swimming-gear and garment with lycra. MagiCut offers a special HTV with extreme stretchability, especially for these type of garments.
the defining characteristic of a swing away heat press is that the upper platen (the heated part that presses down on the garment) swings away from the lower platen on a hinge on the back side of the heat press. This as opposed of a clamshell press, that opens upwards hinging from the back, like a clamshell.
The swing away design offers several advantages:
It allows for easy placement and removal of garments, making the process more efficient.
Also the open space created when the upper platen is swung away provides better access to the transfer material, allowing for precise positioning and easier removal of the carrier.
Also this type of construction allows to make a heat press that delivers high pressure values, not possible with a clamshell press.
The construction also greatly reduces the risk of burns as compared to clamshell heat presses, where the heat platen is directly above the operators hands when placing or removing products and transfers.
Sublistop, or also often called a called BlockOut or subliblokker, is an extra layer in (printable) Heat Transfer Vinyl that prevents the dye of the polyester fabric from penetrating through the transfer. This process is often referred to as “Bleeding”. Polyester is most of the time colored with special dye that bonds with the fabric and penetrates the vibers because it transfers into a gas when heated. This process is called sublimation. Bleeding occurs when these same dyes become active again because they are heated again during the transfer process. The active dye elements penetrate the transfer and this causes an unwanted discoloration. The darker the garment as opposed to the transfer color, the bigger the risk.
You can prevent this discoloration by using a special sublistop HTV, also known as Sublilbloc. This type of HTV is also capable of being transferred at a lower temperature, which further reduces the chance on bleeding.
The term Sublimation comes from physics, where it is used to describe the direct phase transition of a substance from the solid phase to a gaseous phase, like ice on a winters day when the sun is shining, transitioning the ice into damp, without first melting into liquid state (water).
In printing, sublimation is a specific type of transfer printing where solid ink particles printed onto a sublimation paper, are transformed directly into a gas without passing through a liquid state by adding heat. This is combined with the fact that polyester has the property to open the pours when heated allowing the sublimation dye-gases to penetrate the polyester when pressed together in a heat press. This creates a printed image into a white polyester surface or into a white polyester garment. The results are vibrant, durable, and high-quality prints. In the brilliance of the process lies also it’s biggest limitation: In order to create these vibrant colors, you can only print on white polyester surfaces or garments. The process does not work on any other type of material or garment like cotton for instance.
Sublimation paper is a specialized type of paper coated with a special layer that allows for the optimal printing result by a sublimation printer. To enable a good transfer of the image during the transfer process, the color dye used in the sublimation inks has to absorbed in such a way the print dries, yet has the dye ready for transferring on the surface of the paper when it is being heated during the transfer process. So it is important for a good quality transfer paper to have a good so called quick dry coating, This I s the important so the prints won’t smear coming from the printer. At the same time, the paper cannot absorb the dye in such a way it cannot be released anymore once being heated. Off course the paper has to able to withstand the relatively high temperatures during the transfer process without warping of melting.
A sublimation printer is a printer with inkjet technology that is especially been designed for sublimation. Because of the special properties of these sublimation inks, which are quite different from normal inkjet ink, the printer has to be optimized for use with these inks to provide reliability and good quality prints on sublimation paper. Also a solution for color profiling has to be offered with the printer as the colors on the sublimation paper will change during the transfer process. This means that the print on the sublimation paper has to compiled in such a way the colors are correct on the end product, after transferring instead of on the paper as with an ordinary printer. For good end results it is important to have good color correction software.
Transfer Media that allows you to make temporary tattoo. TheMagicTouch offers a unique tattoo transfer paper that does just that: TheMagicTouch Tattoo 2.1 is a two-step process to create your personalized temporary tattoo. You can print your tattoo design on the transfer paper using a suitable color laser or color LED printer. Then apply the included gluesheet on the paper, cut the design out and then apply to the skin. Once the design is applied on to the skin, the carrier paper can be removed by simply soaking it with a wet towel. Once removed, transfer liner stays on the skin. The durability will depend on the individual skin type.
Where ink is the component that creates the image in ink-jet printers, toner is the image creating component for the electro-statical printers; Laser and LED printers.
Toner consists of tiny pigment particles of a polymer structure with several added components that determine the color, and make sure the toner particles are capable of being charged with static electricity without clogging together unwantedly.
A laser- or LED printer creates the image with static electricity. The exact location of the electric charge that is required for this process is meticulously being applied by a laser beam or an array of tiny LED lights, so that the toner will adhere onto the image drum exactly where needed to create the image.
With the term toner transfer is referred to a special type of Transfer Media for color laser- and LED printers where, as the name suggests, the transfer paper only transfers the toner image. This as opposed to many transfers that also transfer a layer or coating onto the product together with the toner image. The properties of the toner are used to make it bond to the surface of the product. In order to do this, the product needs to fit under, or in a heat press and resist heat and pressure. To get the best results on as many products as possible TheMagicTouch has developed clever Application Tools like the application sponge.
TheMagicTouch offers two kind of toner transfers: TheMagicTouch RST 9.1 for wood and similar materials (e.g. cork) and TheMagicTouch CPM 6.2 for all other materials that can fit under a heat press and have smooth enough surface to bond the toner to. For instance glass, acrylics, magnet foil, PU leather and many more.
This is a Transfer Media, especially designed to create a design on garments and fabrics usually printed by a printer or in a screen printing process. Once the transfer media has been printed, the design is transferred onto the fabric by means of heat and pressure with a heat press.
The textile transfer media is made in such a way, that it provides an special layer that ensures a good bonding of the image with the garment. This layer can be transparent or white, depending on the color of the garment and transfer system being used.
There are many different types of printers being used for this, all having their own type of specific textile transfer media.
TheMagicTouch Software is a special printing software for printing transfer paper and utilizing a suitable printer for this purpose. It is a so called RIP software. This stands for “Raster Image Processor”.
This basically means that this software helps you to print your designs with exactly the correct settings for a specific purpose, in this case printing on TheMagicTouch transfer paper.
Because transfer paper is entirely different from normal plain paper, you need special settings for the best result in color, fixation (how well the toner sticks to the paper) and, if your printer can print white, the right amount of white toner on the right spot of the image. TheMagicTouch software is designed in such a way that it helps you with all these settings in a very user friendly way. It is available for in a version for selected printers in the traditional Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and
This is a brand name for a special type of plastic known for its exceptional non-stick properties. Its molecular structure gives it unique qualities like heat resistance, chemical stability, and low coefficient of friction. These properties make Teflon an ideal material for use in conjunction with a heat press. Most heat press platens are coated with Teflon, to prevent anything from sticking to it. It is also used with sublimation, as a Teflon sheet. This is used for containing color dye within the transfer process, preventing it from contaminating parts of the press during the transfer process.
Also often referred to as a Blowout sheet. An essential application tool for sublimation as you need to underlie and cover your blank product during pressing. This ensures the pigments do not enter the lower platen or stick to the heat platen of your heat press from where they could contaminate the next product you are pressing.
This is especially important as sublimation dyes are transferring as a gas, which can easily penetrate the rubber mat on your heat press or reach the upper platen of your heat press. Underlaying the product and transfer with a Teflon sheet and a Teflon sheet on top of the transfer prevents this from happening.
The transfer belt has two main functions. To transport the paper into and through the printer, and to transfer the toner from the image drums onto the paper to create the image.
It does so by means of static charge which serves to make the paper stick to the transfer belt so it can be transported, and the static charge also ensures the toner is being pulled onto the paper from the image drums to form the actual image that is printed. After having received the toner image, the paper is transported into the fuser unit to make sure the toner on the paper is melted (fused) into the paper. The way the Transfer belt works in OKI printers, is one of the reasons why these printers are so compatible with transfer media.
“Media” refers to the physical material onto which a printer creates an image. Off course this includes paper but can also be envelopes, labels, transparency films and off course: Transfer paper.
The term media is also used for materials that can be cut by a cutting plotter. This typically includes self-adhesive vinyl for lettering and Heat Transfer Vinyl for T-shirt printing, but can also be paper or even fabric in specialist cutting plotters.
So the term Transfer media is used for all media sorts that can be used to transfer the printed or cut image from the media onto a different product or material.
Is a different name for Heat press. This is a specialized machine used for transfer printing.
It applies heat and pressure to a transfer on a substrate, with the purpose of printing the design on the transfer permanently to the product or material. Garment printing is the best known application for a heat press, but there are many other applications where an image is being transferred onto a material by means of a transfer, heat and pressure. A heat press plays obviously an important in the transfer printing process. There are different variations of heat presses for special applications like for instance a cap-press or a mug-press.
A two-step transfer paper needs two applications on a heat press to print an image onto a product, usually colored garments. The first step is required to add an white layer onto the image which also acts as an adhesive to create a proper bonding between the image and the garment. During the first step this white layer is applied by pressing the two sheets are pressed together. After pressing the two are separated and the image has a white layer attached to it as the white which was on one of the sheets only sticks onto the image, not on the surrounding areas.
The second step bonds the image to the garment thanks to the added white adhesive on the image. This creates a free formed design with as much white behind the color as possible for optimal opacity of the final image on the garment. In most cases this is done with transfer paper for white toner printers, like for instance TheMagicTouch WTT.
In the ink-jet printing process, some ink is used for cleaning and priming of the print head. This requires for a small amount of ink to be send though the print head. This ink is funneled into a waste bottle, which over time can be replaced or emptied depending on the specific type of printer. Similarly in a laser or LED printer, the printing process can generate a little excess toner which is being led in to a waste bottle. In a printer with toner this is often referred to as a Waste Toner container. This waste toner container is sometimes incorporated in another consumable like for instance the imaging belt, or in some bigger printers this is a separate consumable.
In a transfer process, the carrier must be removed from the product after pressing in most cases. The carrier can also be referred to as Liner or Backing. This removal of the carrier is called “Peel”.
When it is possible to do this after just cooling down from hot to warm, this is called a warm peel. An example of an HTV with warm peel properties is MagiCut 123Flex.
With warm peel, it is no problem to let the transfer cool down to cold an then peel.
This also allows the operator to take the product from the heat press after pressing and allow it to cool down completely before peeling. While it is cooling down the heat press is free to press the next item.
So the operator can choose to cool down the transfer just a bit to warm and then peel the carrier, or take it of the press to press all the items of a job first, and peel later when they are all cooled down.
When using a cutting plotter, for instance for cutting Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV), it can be useful to incorporate a square around your actual design to be cut along with the design itself. This allows you to have a better overview of your designs and the areas that need to be weeded after cutting. When removing the access material around your design (weeding), it gives a good starting point and better sight of what needs to be removed (weeded) and what has to stay on the carrier (the actual design)
Especially if the design is cut multiple times, a weed border around each design allows you to quickly weed all the access material around each border, giving a good overview of what needs to be weeded next.
Most cutting plotter software provide a function to automatically cut a weed border around your design. If this function is not provided, it is easy to create a border yourself with the rectangle drawing tool which each cutting software has.
When using a cutting plotter, for instance for cutting a design from Heat transfer Vinyl (HTV) the access material around the design has to be removed before the design can be transferred onto the garment. This process is called “Weeding”. There are handy tools, that make the weeding process a lot easier. Sometimes a tweezer like tool is used, but most commonly used are weeding tools with needle like tips, that can easily pick out the access materials. The tips can be straight, or hooked, depending on the users preference. A weeding tool with an incorporated little LED light into the tool makes weeding even easier and faster as sometimes the cutting lines are very hard to see.
After pressing transfer paper onto a product, the carrier, also sometimes referred to as Liner or Backing, must be removed. On some transfer papers, the paper carrier has to be wetted with water to dissolve the layer where the image is printed on. An example of Transfer Paper using this process is TheMagicTouch RST 9.1.
Once dissolved, the carrier can be easily removed and the image remains on the product. This process is often referred to as “Wet peel”.
The great benefit of this process is that it is no problem when the transfer layer itself bonds to the product, as it dissolves after pressing. Leaving just the print on the product.
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and black toners are used in the printing process to create images. Traditionally, toner has always been developed for printing on white paper. When a print is used with transfer paper to transfer the image onto a product, and the surface of that product is not white, one is confronted with the fact that the color of the surface blends with the color of the design. This is because the colored toners (Cyaan, Magenta and Yellow) are transparent.
To overcome this problem, a white background behind the image is required to keep the colors of the image as intended when printing or transferring on a colored or black surface.
This is why white toner has been developed. OKI, the forerunner of white toner printers, has the OKI Pro8432WT which comes with white toner printing capabilities. Together with a clever software program, TheMagicTouch Software Pro, this enables to use transfer paper for free standing designs on textile and full color designs on many products and materials, regardless of the color of the product.
Transfer Paper
Heat Transfer Vinyl
Stickers
Direct To Film
Blank Products
Printers
Heat Presses
Sublimation
Hot Stamp Foil
Application Tape
Accessories