|
Glossary of Terminology
This
section will attempt to explain the most commonly words used on this
website, in simple layman's terms.
Clam-Type Flat Heat
Press
This is a
machine that presses the transfer onto a t-shirt using heat and
pressure. On a flat heat , the print head comes down at approximately at
a 45 degree angle. With this type of machine, you can only print onto
flat objects such as t-shirts etc. (hence the name Flat Heat Press)
Swing-Head Flat Heat
Press
A swing-head
flat heat press does the same job as any other flat heat press with the
exception that rather than the print head coming down at a 45 degree
angle, the print head actually swings out of the way to give clearer
vision whilst laying down your transfer onto your product. As the hot
part of the print head moves out of your way, whilst laying down
transfers, it is thus offers extra safety.
Weeding Tool
A weeding tool
is an instrument which resembles a dentist pick tool. This tool has
along thin handle and a sharp pointed end (usually slightly bent). In
the garment industry, we use the weeding tool to pick our unwanted bits
when letters, number or logos are cut out using a cutting system, before
heat pressing onto garments.
Teflon Sheet
Teflon
sheet is a non-stick sheet which is placed over your transfer and
garment prior to applying heat, using a heat press. A Teflon sheet
will prevent your garment from scorching (burning) whilst printing your
t-shirts. A single Teflon sheet should last you a very long time
and can be used again and again.
Cutters/Plotters
Cutters and
Plotters are computer linked cutting system which can cut out text,
numbers, logos etc. Cutters and Plotters have a small sharp blade inside
the machine which will cut anything it sees on you computer screen to
the exact size. A blade is considered as a consumable and will need to
be replaced from time to time.
Optical Eye
An
'Optical eye' is often found on cutters and plotters and is a very
useful device for cutting around pre-printed images so as to remove
unwanted 'boxed backgrounds'. Not all cutters and plotters on the
market will have this feature. However, all cutters and plotters
supplied by our company have this feature as standard.
Flex & Flock
Flex and Flock
are dry sheets of 'ink' which can be fed through a cutter or
a plotter to cut out text, numbers and logos. Once cut, they are heat
pressed using a flat heat press. Flex and Flock are usually available in
many colours - usually matt , although metallic as well as holographic
finishes can be purchased.
Laser Printers
Laser Printers use fine powder particles and can produce full colour
images (photo quality) to print onto special transfer paper, before
pressing onto a garment using a flat heat press. Transfers printed by
the laser printer method enable you to print onto any type of cotton/
poly/cotton t-shirt. Unlike sublimation printing, you do not require
specially coated t-shirts. Images printed by laser printers work
out more durable and cheaper when compared to images created by an
inkjet printer.
Laser Transfer Paper
Laser transfer
papers are special papers which are fed through a laser printer
and once the image has been printed onto them, they are then placed on
top of a garment and then heat pressed for a specified time and at a
specified temperature. For light garments, images are printed in
mirror finish and placed face down onto garments and heat pressed. For
dark garments, images are printed non-mirror. The top layer of the
transfer paper is peeled away from the back layer and then heat pressed
as above.
Sublimation Inkjet Printer
A sublimation
inkjet printer looks like a normal inkjet printer but uses special inks
know as 'Sublimation inks'. These inks cannot be purchased from normal
high street shop as they are only available from selected
suppliers in the t-shirt printing and personalisation trade.
Products which can be printed with sublimation inks are also specially
polyester coated products, once again, only available through thus type
of trade. Sublimation inks offer strong vibrant colours and
actually 'sink' below the outer polyester coating to give a durable and
protective cover. For example, with mugs, it makes them diswasher-safe.
Once an image
is printed via the sublimation inkjet printer onto transfer paper, the
transfer paper is then applied to the product and heat and pressure are
used to transfer the image onto the specially coated products.
During this process, the inks turns into 'gas' (non harmful) which then
penetrates through the outer polyester coating and seals itself.
Shears, corner rounder, doming/resin, screen printing, ribbon printer,
pad printer, exposure unit, cliches, pads.
|
