Vinyl Cutter Quick Start Guide – Mimaki CG60-ST

19 06 2009

I found this info on my computer and thought it may be helpful to some who have this cutter or will buy it used.  This unit is no longer being sold on the market as new, but there are quite a few out there in operation.  The manual is not the best in the world, so if you ever happen upon a Mimaki CG60-st cutter and need a quick start up guide – here you go.  For those who are subscribed, this post probably won’t help you, but had to get the info out there so I can delete it off my PC:)

How To Start with the Mimaki CG60-ST Vinyl Cutter.  Also known as the Piranha Cutter or Samurai. 

  • Take your cutter out of the box.
  • Attach the feet to the bottom of the cutter.
  • Attach the roll holder onto the back of the unit.
  • Place unit on a steady well supported table
  • Connect the power cord
  • Connect the interface cables using either a parallel cable or the provided serial cable.
  • Turn the unit on.
  • Once the unit is on
    • Make sure that your Sheet Set Lever is in the upward position (this lever is located on the right side of the cutting unit & raises/lowers your pinch rollers)
    • Now that your lever is in the upward position, load your Spectra roll onto the roll bar. 
    • After loading your roll, pull the material through under your pinch rollers so it advances past the cutting strip about ½
      • Make sure the material is aligned properly and straight from back to front.  You can use the lines and grid work on the cutting units construction to accomplish this.
    • After pulling your material through adjust the pinch rollers by hand to the width of the material.
      • When adjusting the pinch rollers it is important to keep in mind that they must be within the white boxes for the material to track accurately.  The pinch roller on the right hand side must be within the first white area (also the longest white area).
      • The pinch rollers, when locked down, should meet your material at a position of at least 5mm from the sheet edge.  This will provide accurate tracking.  Now lock down your pinch rollers using your sheet set lever.
    • After this is accomplished the cutters digital display should read

Roll Leaf.

 Hit the END KEY at this time.  The cutters carriage should travel from side to side measuring the pinch roller distance that you have already set.

  •  
    • Now the cutters digital display is in the local mode.  The display should reference CUT1  20  040  0.30   As indicated above the display the first number references your speed.  The second number your pressure.  The third number your offset.
    • Now you will learn how to change your settings according the material you are using.  The settings in this example are for our Spectracut II materials. 
      • First press the TOOL button.  Your speed setting should flash.  At this point use the up & down arrow key to adjust your speed.  For our materials most customers use a speed of (30).
      • After setting this speed use the right arrow key to move your selection to the pressure setting.  Once again using the up and down arrow keys, set your pressure to (30).
      • After setting the pressure use the right arrow key once more to select the offset.  The offset should be set at 0.30.
      • Once the offset is set press the ENTER key.  At this point the carriage will move and you are ready to the set the blade.
    • Setting the blade
      • First turn the silver knob on the tool holder counter clockwise to loosen it. 
      • Remove the pen adapter from the tool holder, you will not need this piece for the cutting process.
      • At this point grab the cutter holder and we will adjust your blade.
        • Turn the bronze part of the holder counter clockwise just enough to loosen it.  This bronze piece should be loosened any time you make adjustments to the blade.  Also it should be tightened when adjustments are complete.
        • Now, turn the silver piece of the holder clockwise until the tip of the blade is barely exposed.  Now tighten the bronze part of the holder.
        • After these steps are completed, the tip of the blade should stick out from the holder by about a half of a credit cards thickness. 
        • Now load your cutter holder into the tool holder on your carriage.  Make sure that the cutter holder is completely inserted into the tool holder.
        • Tighten the silver piece on your tool holder until it is snug.
    • Doing a test cut
      • Now that you have set the blade we need to do a test cut to make sure that the depth of the blade is correct.
      • Hit the FUNCTION button on your cutter until the digital display reads Sample Cut.  At this point press the ENTER key.  The carriage should perform various movements and the blade will not make its cut.
      • After movement is stopped, hit the REMOTE key in order to control the cutter manually.  Now use the down arrow key to scroll your material out until you see what you have cut.
      • Take your weeder tool and peel up the first layer of the box that was cut. 
      • After peeling up this layer, simply take the weeder tool and lift up one of the letters showing.  After lifting one of the letters you must examine the clear mylar backing to make sure you have an accurate cut.  An accurate cut will be demonstrated by the fact that everything peeled up easily to this point and no blade/score marks are present on the mylar backing where your letter was peeled from. 
        • Upon weeding, if everything peels up and the word CUT is not left on the backing then your blade is not deep enough.  Go back and repeat the blade setting process.  Make sure your blade is adjusted to cut SLIGHTLY deeper.
        • Upon weeding, if you notice blade/score marks you will need to repeat the blade setting process.  Make sure your blade is retracted SLIGHTLY.
        • Upon weeding, if the mylar backing is completely cut through in any areas go back and repeat the blade setting process.  Retract the blade.
      • If none of the symptoms above are present: your blade is set properly.  If any of the above symptoms are present: continue to repeat the blade setting process and sample cut process until you get accurate results.
    • Scrolling the material.
      • When in Local mode (see page 9 in user manual) use the up and down arrow keys to scroll the material through the cutter.  Use the left and right arrow keys to move the carriage across the material.
      • After loading a new material youll always want to scroll the material forward some and then back to its original location to ensure accurate tracking.  Upon doing this: Keep an eye on the areas where the pinch rollers meet the material.  Make sure that the material is not going side to side or off track.  If the material is going off track revert back to the step where you realign your material.  Repeat this process until you see that the material is tracking accurately.
    • Setting the Point of Origin
      • The Point of Origin refers to the area of the material at which the blade will begin to cut.  Specifying this area is extremely important to the cutting process.
      • To set your point of origin use the aforementioned arrow keys to find a place on the material where you desire to cut.  When using a new roll of material, this area is usually in one of the bottom corners of the roll.  If cuts are already present on the material, the point of origin is ranges depending upon the clean material space available. 
      • Once you get the blade to the desired area press the ENTER button.  You will hear the cutter quiet down significantly and the origin is set.  If you are not happy with the origin set, simply use the arrow keys and repeat the process.
      • SUMMARY:  To set the POINT OF ORIGIN you must position the blade using the arrow keys then press ENTER.
    • Now that you have set your Point of Origin the cutter is ready to go.  Now press the REMOTE key to put the cutter into REMOTE/Online Mode.  It is now ready to receive the data from your computer.
    • SEND A JOB.  At this point if you are familiar with your software program feel free to send a file to your cutter. 
    • AFTER CUT IS COMPLETE READ ON

Now that youve sent a job and the cutter has completed cutting it, lets show you the rest.

       First you must take the cutter out of remote mode to control it manually.  To do this simply hit the REMOTE key.

       Now you cutter should be in the Local mode.  Use the appropriate arrow key to scroll the material towards you until you can see your entire cut. 

       Use a pair of scissors or use the cut slot and razor blade to remove your completed design from the loaded material.

       Now using a weeding tool, remove the excess material from your design, so only the image that you want on the garment is left over.  Now, flip your image over onto your t-shirt and follow the application instructions for your material.


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School’s Out: Teenagers at Work – Summer Job Idea

8 06 2009

I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal that said teen unemployment will rise to a new high this summer.  Here is a link to the article if you want to read it:  Teens Turn to Summer Start-ups

With school already out or fast approaching it’s time for many parents to find new ways to put their teens to work - So how do you do that?  Sending them into a job market that isn’t exactly ripe right now may not be the best use of their time or even gas money.  Why not trying something different this summer – encourage your teen to start making money with a start up? 

I have some ideas of great jobs in the apparel market that they can pursue and express individual creativity for minimal start up costs.  All they need is a heat press and an idea and they are in business.  Maybe even a vinyl cutter if Mom and Dad are extra generous.  Better yet, hopefully Mom or Dad have some of the equipment already and they can use it on the side for their new project. 

Consider these applications as a starting point to the conversation with your teen:

  • Customizing T-shirts with Funny Sayings
  • Logos on Hats
  • Putting Rhinestones on Purses
  • Putting glow in the dark material on pillow cases for kids
  • Coming up with their own line of t-shirts and starting a website to sell them
  • Photo Tees for Family Reunions
  • Bridal Party t-shirts or customized cloth napkins as favors for Summer Weddings
  • On-Demand name printing for fan shirts with Mom or Dad at the local tournament
  • Company branded t-shirts to sell to lawn care professionals – find their ads in the paper
  • Selling window decals along with a car wash service

There are many more and your teen will probably come up with the most creative idea – so dig into that entrepreneurial spirit and watch them develop a whole new sense of accomplishment!  If your teen comes up with an idea and needs help putting together a plan or the equipment needed have them email me at josh@imprintables.com or call 800-347-0068 x.236 – I’d be honored to coach them into a young entrepreneur!!!


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Creating 2 Color Names in CorelDRAW for cutting heat press vinyl

8 06 2009

Just a quick post/video in response to a request I recently received.  Below is a 5 minute tutorial stepping you through the process of creating a 2 color name for output to your vinyl cutter.  More tips coming soon on how to apply two color designs with a heat press.  You may want to hit the little icon at the lower right of the player below in order to view this in full screen mode.

 

Thanks for reading and watching!

Josh


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Webinars, New Blogs, Pimpashirt.com & More – Heat Press News

25 05 2009

Just wanted to take a moment to update everyone on some of the exciting things happening….

First things first – one of my co-workers Mike Koval and I have collaborated on the launch of a new project Pimpashirt.com. This site has been live for 7 weeks and we have released 7 different customized t-shirt with how to videos within that time. Check out the website and be sure to sign up for updates via email so you get the latest creation launched each Monday. Click here to visit Pimpashirt.com

Next – I’ve recently updated my youtube page using there latest beta version.  Contained there are 40 videos with nearly 400,000 views showcasing all sorts of things related to heat applied graphics.  If you haven’t visited the page – this is your invitation to check it out by clicking the link:  http://www.youtube.com/joshellsworth

Next – as part of our commitment to be an education based supplier a few of my co-workers at Imprintables Warehouse have joined the action and launched blogs of their own.  Check them out by clicking any of the following links:

Adam Yukish’s blog at http://www.adamyukish.com (he has some very helpful tools available for download, like how to calculate how much material you need for a job: Check that post out by clicking here. 

Bob Robinson’s blog at http://www.thetruthaboutgarmentdecoration.com (Bob’s blog is fairly new but he has some great pillar articles that teach about how to buy a heat press and how to set up your shop for maximum production – Bob has a ton of experience in the industry so his blog should be a good one to follow)

Fellow Pimpashirt.com emcee, Mike Koval’s blog at http://www.mikekovalsales.com – Mike has a unique take on things since he has experience as a web developer, Versacamm technician and now sales and shirt pimping:)!

The last update for now is to draw your attention to the webinars being hosted at http://www.greatgarmentgraphics.com - and to invite you personally to the two webinars that I am presenting during the month of June.  My webinars are as follow:

June 4th @ 2:00pm EST – Calculating costs and selling prices for heat transfer vinyl.  Click here to register.

June 10th @ 2:00 EST – 10 Ways to increase your sales (focus on internet/social media methods).  Click here to register.

To view the complete schedule click here.

Thanks for reading the updates and feel free to post a comment below!


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Heat Applied Fashion Flock Material for T-Shirts – Differentiate

20 04 2009

Cutting flock material with a vinyl cutter is easy – just something to differentiate yourself from standard heat applied vinyl flex material.

If you own a vinyl cutter listen up.  There is a material out there called flock that you can benefit from and that can possibly differentiate you from competitors on certain types of jobs. 

Let’s start with the basics on how to get your cutter ready to cut flock - whether you own a Roland GX-24, a Mimaki CG60, a US Cutter, a Summa or a Graphtec you should be familiar with at least 2 different angles of blades – a lower degree and a higher degree.  With the Roland GX-24 – the cutter I’m most familiar with and sell, you have the 45 degree and a 60 degree.  With the Mimaki a 37 degree or a 54 degree and likewise for the remaining brands.

Odds are you’ve always just used the lower degree blade – in my case the 45 degree for cutting anything and everything.  Glitter vinyl, reflective vinyl, foil vinyl, standard vinyl, flock and twill – just load it and cut it – right???

Well – maybe not…..

There are two angles of blades for a reason – and flock is one of those reasons.

So to start, when cutting flock, switch your blade out to a higher angle blade.  If you are using the GX-24 use the 60 degree blade.

When you make this switch there are a couple other changes….

  1. When the blade angle changes, so should the offset.  Check with your cutter manufacturer or dealer regarding the proper offset for each blade – for the 60 degree on the Roland – change the offset to .40 (for reference, the default for the 45 degree is .25 offset).  Changing the offset should be fairly simple, just like speed and downforce – consult your cutter manual for details.
  2. Now the last of the technical details is to increase the downforce.  Make test cuts to find your exact downforce needed to get through the flock material.

Now for the fun stuff – how can you use flock, how can it benefit your business, isn’t it expensive?

Using Flock Heat Press Material:  Flock is used just like any other heat applied vinyl, you just load the material, adhesive side up – cut it in a mirror image, weed away the excess and flip it over and heat press it.  That’s it. 

Now – How can Heat Applied Flock benefit your business?  Flock can benefit you much in the same ways as vinyl – except at a higher perceived value.  Flock, like any other cut product, is ideal for low to mid volume runs and personalization.  Lots of people are using flock and here’s how: 

  • Indoor sports lettering – doesn’t grip the floor when diving, sliding etc.
  • Customized T-Shirts – just a cool look on a shirt
  • Customized fleece – whether a hooded sweatshirt or even a pair of warm up sweatpants, flock is an unrivaled look on fleece – a nice price point between applique and vinyl
  • Polo Shirts – flock is a nice left chest embroidery alternative – offers a lower price point to your customer that doesn’t want to afford embroidery in todays economy
  • As a way to add impact, applied as lettering over direct to garment prints or screen printing

So now that you have some ideas on how to use flock – Isn’t it expensive? 

Well not really, it is more expensive than standard heat transfer vinyl, but not that much more.  The flock material that I sell is called Fashion Flock and goes for $50 for a 5 yard x 15″ wide roll.

When you consider putting a 3 x 13″ name on the front of a t-shirt or hoodie, your cost breaks down to about $0.85 including material and waste - that’s cost of materials.  Add in the 5 minutes of labor at $20 per/hour (estimate) and your overhead percentage at 20% (estimate) and you get a final cost of about $2.75 + your garment.  Not too bad for a customized design that can bridge the gap for your customer between more expensive decorating options and less expensive heat transfer processes.

Fashion Flock Close Up & Swatch Colors

Fashion Flock Close Up & Swatch Colors

Hopefully this serves as Flock 101 for you.  To get started with Flock 102, you have to buy a roll. 

Oh – did I mention I sell Flock material:) 

Here are the colors available:

White, Black, Gray, Dark Gray, Beige, Cutrus Yellow, Orange, Light Red, Dark Red, Magenta, Pink, Lavender, Burgundy, Brilliant Blue, Royal Blue, Navy, Purple, Liquid Green, Turquoise, Light Green, Green, Army Green, Brown, Light Blue

We also have a limited number of color swatches available – pictured in the photo above.  Be sure to request one with your order to help you sell and show off this material to your customer.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment below and remember to subscribe by email for updates.

Also – to order a roll of flock email me at josh@imprintables.com or call 1-800-347-0068 x.236.


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Heat Press Beginners Guide – Common Questions

15 04 2009

Heat press guide for the beginner.  Buying your first heat press or just starting with heat transfer technology – read this for some general knowledge that you may be afraid to ask for.

How much power do I need for a heat press – can I just plug it in at my house?

Most heat presses pull anywhere from 8.5-14.5 amps and use a standard 120v US outlet (unless you special order the press for 220v).  Be sure to dedicate a 15 -20 amp circuit to the heat press – yes you can plug in something like a small vinyl cutter and laptop with the heat press, but it is a good rule of thumb not to plug anything else on this circuit.

 

When I’m not using my heat press should I leave it opened or closed?

Good question – the answer will vary depending on who you ask, but I recommend leaving the press in the open position to prevent any scenario where it may be bumped and want to pop up and cause injury.  Of course, you must leave it open during heat up, cool down and anytime it is on -other than when you are completing an application of course.

 

Do most people leave their heat presses on all day?

This depends on who you ask – a lot of retail shops that do on demand printing will leave the press on the entire day.  Smaller home based businesses or those who schedule out their daily work will just heat it up when needed.  On average a heat press take about 15-20 minutes to heat up and about twice this amount of time to cool down.  Be prepared to pay a higher electric bill if you leave your press on all day – ultimately this should be factored into your overhead costs.

 

What accessories do I need for my heat press?

This depends a lot upon the types of applications you will want to complete, but a good starting point is a set of print perfect pads for accomodating items with uneven pressing areas (seams, zippers etc.).  I’d also recommend a pad protector for the bottom of the press – this makes it easier to slide garments on and off of the press and saves you from replacing an expensive bottom pad 5 years from now.  Another good thing to have is some form of alignment tool – I’ve always used a perfect transfer tool.  And lastly, you’ll have to have some form of cover sheet – teflon sheets, kraft paper and silicone sheets are a few options.  Each cover sheet will leave a slightly different finish on your garment.  Oh – and I recommend one more thing – get a lint roller to keep by your press – this will help to keep unwanted fuzz, lint etc, from getting underneath your transfer.

 

How do I clean my heat press if I get something on the heater?

The best way to clean a press is with a non abrasive industrial hand cleaner (ie. Gojo) and an old t-shirt or clean cloth.  Wipe the press down will cool and hot for best results – be careful not to burn your hand when wiping hot.

 

How do I make sure that my heat press is heating accurately?

Pick up some temperature strips and lock the press down on them to make sure the readout you are getting matches the temperature on the heater.  It is critical to have a heat press that heats accurately and evenly in all areas.  This is often dependent on the way the heating element is wound throughout the top platen – too much distance between each element and you can begin to see issues with even temperature.

 

How do I know what to set the temperature and time for on my heat press?

Simply put – the heat press is your oven.  The transfer is your frozen pizza.  Read the directions on the frozen pizza so you know what to set your oven for.  Certain transfers will offer ranges to be adjusted with the accomodation of more heat sensitive fabrics.

 

What about pressure?

Pressure the most overlooked and confused piece of the pie when speaking of heat applied graphics.  To achieve repeatable accuracy on any type of transfer you needs to have accurate time, temperature and pressure.  Most heat presses change pressure by turning a knob on the press or by adjusting the maount of air pressure coming in for air presses.  Be sure that your pressure is adjusted to deliver the recommended pressure that the transfer requires.  Changing from a t-shirt to a hoodie effects pressure – so set the pressure with your item loaded in the press.  Pressure is a guessing game on a lot of heat presses – it is adjusted and measured strictly on how it feels to the operator.  For the best accuracy, consider a press that measures pressure digitally, eliminating potential mistakes – watch a video on a press that does this for you.

 

What else can I do with my heat press?

This list can become exhaustive, but if your heat press is collecting dust – shame on you.  There are many applications that can be completed.  Read this blog post for an overview:  A Guide to Heat Press Processes

 

Heat Press Yourself: by Josh Ellsworth is a blog that brings a grass roots approach to heat applied graphics.  To subscribe for email updates when we post new content - CLICK HERE.

Thanks for reading -

Josh


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Imprintables Warehouse – Heat Applied Graphics Catalog

10 04 2009

Looking for a supplier of heat press vinyl, transfer paper, print and cut media for apparel?  Or maybe you are just getting started and want to invest in a heat press system, vinyl cutter or versacamm.

We have just released our latest product catalog from Imprintables Warehouse which includes many of these items. 

To purchase or receive a sample of any of our products in the catalog, just email me at josh@imprintables.com or call 1-800-347-0068 x.236

To download the PDF click the link below:

Imprintables 2009 Catalog

Thanks for reading.


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Customized Apparel Hub – Introducing Pimpashirt.com

6 04 2009

If you’ve been following me on Twitter then you know I’ve been working on a new project called pimpashirt.

The idea stemmed from my love for t-shirts and the different styles that I’ve found online from my favorite brands such as beandip, rocksmith and arch rival to name a few.

Well the problem is that I’ve searched loads and loads of tees and can never find the one that is just right for me. I usually like to go online at karmaloop.com or 80spurple.com since they have a pretty wide variety and offer most of the brands I like – plus they always text message me discount codes (I guess that form of marketing works on me). So anyways, I order this shirt last year when the celtics and the lakers were getting set to play in the NBA finals. The t-shirt had a photo on it of Kevin Garnett going up to block Kobe Bryant’s attempt at a slam dunk – here is a link to a photo. The shirt kind of leaves you hanging – not knowing if Garnett blocks the shot or Kobe dunks on him. I guess it’s up to you to create your own story. Well thats what I wanted to do. I wanted to create my own story with the shirt and show what I felt happened – Garnett said get that out of here!!! I wanted to show my love by heat applying 2008 Champions – Celtic Pride over top of the screen printed shirt with a green flock heat applied vinyl material. Now this makes my shirt a one of a kind. No one else has this on their shirt – I’m sure of it.

So than I started thinking, why don’t more t-shirt brands and screen printers give you the option to customize their preprint lines or offer customization of blank shirt in general?

I think its a good question. So I kept thinking how do I sell this….

I threw the idea out there to a few companies at trade shows that were launching customization businesses in mall kiosks. I thought maybe they could network with brands like Abercrombie, Hollister, or the staple stores of any mall and begin offering customization of their shirts. Think about it – no shirt inventory – just rolls of vinyl ready to pimp out the shirts.

Side note – (please don’t take offense to the word pimp – my generation, Generation Y – thinks of the word pimp as a synonym for customize or sometimes even as an adjective used when something is cool.)

Anyways – that started it – the pimpashirt idea was born.

Now – months and months later, I’m ready to do something with it.

So now I announce – pimpashirt.com

Pimpashirt.com will kick off with a webinar this Thursday giving you a sneak peak at new customization techniques for apparel. After the webinar, actually on Monday the 13th – pimpashirt.com will release our very first pimpashirt. And this is just the start of it. Each week we will release a new, one of a kind shirt through a blog post and occasionally show a video on how it was created.

There are a lot more specifics, such as each week the shirt will be given away to one of our subscribers and the artwork will also be available for download for you to use. A few apparel manufacturers have already jumped on board and will be donating their latest lines to showcase during the upcoming weeks and we expect to co-op with many cutting edge companies to bring you the latest in apparel, artwork and shirt pimping techniques.

Now to get on board with this, receive email updates and be entered to win the shirt and another BIG giveaway – visit Pimpashirt.com and click the weekly updates and giveaways at the top of the right column to get on our list. Or if this all sounds good – I will give you a shortcut link and you can sign up now by clicking here.

Mike Koval – a fellow rep at Imprintables Warehouse (who also has his own blog) has collaborated with me on this website and we have been shooting videos the last couple weeks. Trust me there is some great stuff that you won’t want to miss – so be sure to sign up.

As always thanks for reading and joining me on this new endeavor!!!

Please feel free to post your comments.

Josh


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NEW Heat Press STAHLS MAXX – Sneak Preview

10 03 2009

Today is an exciting day – at least for me it is.

You may remember when I wrote that you may consider starting a decorated apparel business in a recession.  Well I am here to tell you that we are taking steps to make it easier and less expensive to get started.

Today we announce the release of a new lower priced, USA made heat press for start up businesses.  The STAHLS MAXX has arrived! 

Keep reading for details on the press or skip ahead to the bottom of this post for our sneak preview video.

Debuting in Atlantic City this weekend is our version of an economy press.

First - our economy press has digital controls.  This is something we won’t compromise – so digital time and temperature are standards on the MAXX line of presses.  Also, we know how important an accurate, even pressure is – so guess what, this press has over the center adjustable pressure, a floating platen, a medium density thermal pad and over the center lock down to ensure even pressue on varying thicknesses of garments.  Let’s say, you load your item on the press and there are some seams, buttons, zippers or buckles in the way…GUESS WHAT – the STAHLS MAXX has interchangeable bottom platens to accomodate for these types of issues.  Simply change out the bottom platen and let those items that interfere with pressure overhang the edge of the bottom platen.

NEXT - this press still has a teflon coated heater.  This makes it easily cleanable for those of you who accidentally will lock it down without a cover sheet on a transfer – TRUST ME this is important.

NEXT - The MAXX has a laser cut steel framework with minimal welds.  So years after you purchase and use the press it is still as reliable as it was the first day you received it.  I estimate this press will last you 5-10 years.

NEXT - The MAXX has cast in heating element spaced evenly throughout the top platen – guaranteeing that you receive even distribution of heat on your transfer, regardless of where it is positioned – no more cold spots that compromise the durability of a heat transfer.

NEXT - if you haven’t locked down a press before you may not appreciate this, but trust me it matters.  The MAXX is easy to lock down, see my video – it is also very easy to open.  Simply touch it open with your fingertips and the shock opening will guide it into the open position – easy to close and open presses make for happy operators (less fatigue).

LAST- The MAXX is available in 3 sizes:  11×15, 15 x15 and 16×20 at lower prices than competitive US manufacturers with less features.

16 x 20:  $995.00

15 x 15:  $795.00

11 x 15:  $595.00

The MAXX also comes in a cap press for $595.00

I am seriously jumping in my car and going to Atlantic City in one hour.  I have the specials running at the show through March 15th.  Call my cell phone if you are interested in purchasing a press and receiving the free platens:  724-833-6098.

Here is the link to the sneak preview video that I just completed in our demo room:

As always thanks for reading!!!


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Printing For Team Business – Screen Print versus Heat Press

19 02 2009

Printing for Team Business – Analysis

Introduction – The technical fabrics that make up today’s team marketplace are complex in their performance and no surprise are complex to print. When printing or entering the business of decoration for the team market, various technologies must be considered and it is my opinion that ultimately a combination of technology will provide the most complete solution to embellishing all types of fabrics for team wear.

To start we need to consider the fabric types that a business catering to ‘team business’ will want to decorate.

Here is a list of common applications as well as constructions:

· Team Warm Ups: Tricot Polyester, Cotton/Polyester Fleece, Polyester Spandex, Micro-Polyester, Nylon

· Jackets: Tricot Polyester, Micro Polyester Windbreaker, Nylon, Microfiber Polyester,

· Polos: Polyester Performance, Cotton/Polyester, Cotton

· T-shirts, Sweatshirts: Cotton, Cotton/Polyester, Polyester Performance

· Uniforms: Cotton/Polyester, Polyester, Polyester Mesh, Nylon, Nylon Mesh, Spandex, Nylon Spandex, Nylon Dazzle, Polyester Dazzle

· Performance Apparel: Polyester Loose Fit, Nylon/Spandex Compression, Polyester/Spandex Compression

· Bags: Denier Polyester, Canvas, Polypropylene, Nylon

· Headwear: Polyester, Cotton, Cotton/Lycra, Plastic

Here is a list of the viable decorating methods to apply logos, lettering and numbering to the said items;

· Screen printing (w/a number machine for certain applications)

· Heat Transfer via Cad-Print Technology

· Heat Transfer via Cad-Cut / Die Cut Technology

While I believe Heat Transfer via Cad-Print Technology is the future in this market, screen printing and heat transfer via Cad-Cut / Die Cut technology are the more traditional methods.

So let’s first take a look at Screen Printing for team uniforms….

Team uniforms pose a variety of challenges for screen printing. The most effective way to number team uniforms is with a numbering machine. There are many varieties of numbering machines in the marketplace – all of which operate under similar principles. A number screen must be burned and housed for every unique font in every size. Consider if your company wanted to offer 10 font choices. You would need to have a screen (roughly 20” x 6’) for 4”, 6”, 8”, 10” & 12” numbers in each font – this equals 50 screens just for one color work. If you wanted to offer two color numbering in each size expect to double this number of screens giving you 100 screens to invest in and store. As a last consideration, think about the different recommended mesh counts for varying fabrics, and you’ll find yourself having a significant inventory of screens. One last inventory concern is the stocking of ink colors. Inks come in a variety of colors for a variety of applications. Ink cost is very minimal when on the garment, but you must consider the inventory dollars tied up in various formulas for specific uses across your offered color range – the money in ink can begin to add up.

Once you receive a job you will need to print it. Printing athletic types of fabrics involves special inks designed for each application. The general process for a two color, two digit number involves:

Loading your numbering screen of choice and printing your foreground color for each digit (two steps). After all of your foreground numbers are printed you will want to flash them. Now change out your screens and print the background color over top of the foreground. In screen printing, two color numbers are typically produced using a technique called trapping to allow for proper registration. This means that your second application will slightly overlap your base color. You will need to use a non-migrating ink as your base color if the foreground color is a lighter shade. After the second color is printed you will need to flash cure again. Another consideration when printing uniforms that can pose a challenge is printing mesh jerseys. When printing mesh, you must be careful that ink that when the ink pushes through the mesh holes that it does not stay on the platen and potentially damage the jersey as its unloaded or as the next one is loaded. To avoid this, screen printers often add in an extra step of replacing a protective cardboard square on the platen after each jersey. This can add to production times and incrementally to costs. One last consideration for the team uniform market is the issue of dye migration. Ink manufacturers today have low bleed inks specifically for polyester based jerseys that pose migration issues. Low bleed inks will help to limit migration but do cost more which must be considered when lettering uniforms. Also, currently with this process there is not an ink on the market that has a no bleed claim, leaving the possibility of slight migrating after the garment is laundered.

 

Now let’s look at Cad-Print for uniforms….

Cad-Print in general is a fairly simple process for team uniform logos, lettering and numbering and is the most viable digital decorating process for this market. The highest volume shops that do uniform fulfillment use the 54” printer. The printer is loaded with a roll of printable white film that is backed with a clear plastic or paper. The artwork is designed in a graphics program and digitally output to the printer. The printer uses a combination of CMYK ink and depending on the model of printer sometimes light cyan and light magenta to print your art. Operators typically gang up print runs by team or batch and send all of the name/number combinations at once. After the unit is done printing the roll it retracts the material back into the printer to begin a cutting process. A blade cut around each name, number or logo preparing the material to have the excess white film removed. Below are photos of the various steps in the process:

Weed away the excess material after your design has been printed and cut.

weeding.jpg

Apply a masking material to lift your design – for higher volume shops this process can be automated through the use of a cold laminator.

masking.jpg

Pick up your design by lifting the mask – then take your pre-spaced art over to your heat press to apply to your garment of choice.

lifting.jpg

Heat apply your design and remove the masking material.

apply.jpg

From my point of view there are many advantages to this workflow.

1. You print the colors you want.

a. This eliminates the need for an inventory of ink

b. This gives you the opportunity of unlimited color offering without having to order another color.

c. You can color match.

d. Fills, gradients, repeated team logos, special effects and 3 or 4 colors numbers are all doable.

e. Full color team logos are easy

2. You print the sizing you want.

a. No need for a screen for every size number

3. Names are easy to do.

a. Just add the name to your number and print a combo that is pre-spaced and easy to apply.

4. You save money on inventory and space.

a. Different types of rolls with special adhesives are available for various fabrics, but you need only stock a few varieties

5. We have an answer for dye migration.

a. We have a no bleed material for polyester.

6. We have an answer for stretchable fabrics

a. We have a material that stretches and rebounds that is used by industry leaders.

7. More breathable on White Mesh

a. We have a special material that will clear the holes on white mesh of many fabric constructions

 

Those are the basic arguments for team uniforms – now onto the other team related apparel.

On other types of apparel, the answer is not as definitive. A lot of the decision comes down to the number of pieces that you will need to decorate with a logo. The rule of thumb is that if each piece is unique (meaning a different name or number) than the Cad-Print process will be the way to go. However, the ‘other’ size runs will need to utilize both technologies at various thresholds.

Let’s look at a few examples:

Example #1

This particular team logo consists of 5 colors and for this job I will need it in a 6 x 6” print size.

To complete this job whether 1 piece or 1000 pieces out of Cad-Print the cost is going to remain relatively close. This cost will vary slightly based upon the white printable film type that I need to use, but I can estimate the final cost to come in at 72 cents on the low end material and $1.44 on the absolute high end. So for demonstration purposes I will average the cost to $1.08 per piece. Labor will need added to this.

To screen print this same job I would need to evaluate based in # of colors and quantity produced – not necessarily size. Since we already know it is a 5 color piece of art, I know that I will need to burn 5 screens at about $20 per screen. This incorporates $100 into the cost to start. Depending on the type of ink needed based upon the fabric that I am applying it to; the ink cost will range from pennies to about a dime per design. I will use 5 cents as an average.

So let’s take a look at my cost in materials to produce this at various quantities:

1 Piece: Screen Print $100.05 Cad Print $1.08

10 Pieces: Screen Print $10.00 Cad Print $1.08

20 Pieces: Screen Print $5.00 Cad Print $1.08

50 Pieces: Screen Print $2.00 Cad Print $1.08

75 Pieces: Screen Print $1.33 Cad Print $1.08

100 Pieces: Screen Print $1.00 Cad Print $1.08

Now let’s take a look at how this same principle applies to a two color logo:

Example #2

This logo is 2 colors and we will want it in the same 6 x 6” size.

Screen Printing = $20 per screen x 2 colors = $40 + $0.05 in ink = $40.05

Cad Print = $1.08 average, based on the above example

1 Piece: Screen Print $40.05 Cad Print $1.08

10 Pieces: Screen Print $4.05 Cad Print $1.08

20 Pieces: Screen Print $2.03 Cad Print $1.08

40 Pieces: Screen Printing $1.01 Cad Print $1.08

50 Pieces: Screen Print $0.80 Cad Print $1.08

 

Based on the two examples above you can see how design size, number of colors in the design and number of pieces will affect whether or not to use screen printing or cad printing. This is one reason why I believe both are important.

Having set this as a general rule of thumb there are always instances where you will want to use one process over the other for specific performance reasons. Here are some instances.

· Many shops prefer Cad Print over Screen Printing for stretchable fabrics. This is primarily because of their ability not to crack when stretched and the ease of applying the logos onto this type of fabric via a heat press.

· Cad Print over Screen Printing on some garments that have definite dye migration issues.

· Screen Print over Cad Print for the absolute softest feel on a cotton fabric.

· Cad Print for bags and other odd shaped items that are tough to accommodate on a screen printing press

· Cad Print over Screen Print for nylon jackets due to eliminate the need for a catalyst when screen printing

· Cad Print over Four Color Process Screen Print when photos, color vibrancy and retention is needed

These are just a few examples that are based on my experience in customer’s shops of all sizes.

One other consideration when considering whether to implement Cad Printing technology is whether or not you will be able to utilize the printer used in the system for other applications.

Common applications that team oriented shops excel in include:

· Helmet Decals

· Banner Printing

· Poster Printing

· Repositionable Wall Graphics

· Locker Magnets

· Canvas Photo Prints

· Window Clings

· Bumper Stickers

To summarize, I think both Screen Printing and Cad Printing are necessary technologies for a business that wants to really excel in complete fulfillment into the team sports market. Since the Cad Print systems and materials is the technology that I specialize in, I will outline a scalable package recommendation for a high volume shop.

Cad Print System

Printer/Cutter: Roland XC540 54” Printer/Cutter w/optional blower dryer to increase production times OR (2) Roland Versacamm VP300 30” Printer/Cutters

Cutter: GX-500 to handle overflow of cutting in peak seasons OR GX400

Heat Presses: Multiple Hotronix Air Swinger Heat Presses (1 unit will accommodate 60 pieces per hour – # of units recommended will be based on daily volume, shifts and production staff)

Laser Alignment System for accurate placement of transfers (1 per heat press)

Inks: Eco-Solvent Max Inks 440mL (1 set per printer)

Material Inventory not included

Estimated Cost Range: $40,000 – 60,000 (can be as low as $20,000 for budgeted start up)


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