All of you know that sublimation is the process of balanced temperature, pressure and time. And the quality of the sublimation depends on how these three players played during the transfer of design and you can say that an ink. An ink used in the sublimation process is a special type of ink that is converted directly into gas after the application of heat.
So all of you in the dilemma of how heat will apply? How much time does it take? Which type of substrate should I use? I have gone through many projects and with 10+ years of experience, in this blog I’ll give you the exact roadmap and the information about the sublimation heat press. So with that let’s get started.
Why sublimation heat press settings, temperature and time heat is so important?
You have everything for the sublimation from substrate to print, ink, and all other products. You have a sublimation print which is so crisp. But after sublimation, you find that the final result is dull or somewhat ghosted. Why does it happen? In my starting days, I went through these problems and after every project, I found the reasons for many problems like that.
Every substrate (a cute word for the item on which the sublimation has to be done) has its own sublimation point. You will get an awesome result with that sublimation point only. Not before and not after. The list of the sublimation points for different types of substrate is as follows:
What happens when I underheat the heat press?
If you think you are doing any work with half potential it will give you the 100% result. Then you’re wrong. In sublimation printing also, when you underheat the heat press, the ink does not experience the heat as it is required and it will not blow on the substrate fully. As a result, the sublimation will be dull-looking and not vibrant and vivid.
What happens when I overheat the heat press?
I thought you were aware of the quote “Anything in excess will become a poison”. And the same is true for the sublimation also. When you want to overheat the heat press by thinking of a bright print then you are wrong. By overheating the print feels like a burning situation and the final result will be faded, blurred and somewhat ghosted.
How do I Determine the Best Sublimation Heat Press Settings?
The best sublimation heat press settings depend on various factors like sublimation substrate and many other factors. While determining the heat press settings for sublimation normally I follow the following steps:
1) Go with the manufacturer’s instructions:
It is the first and foremost step I follow. It will provide you with the heat press temp for sublimation. It will work 99.99%
2) Go for the test Print:
After going through the manufacturer’s instructions, if you feel doubt or want some more accuracy then it is best to go with a test print before going for the final printing. Just print a small design on the substrate while using the same range of temperature, time and pressure.
3) Adjust the Settings:
After the test print, inspect the substrate for the result. If you find the result good enough then go with it and if not adjust the sublimation heat settings accordingly.
You may also check: How to Make Sublimation Prints Brighter?
What are the Tips for Achieving the Best Sublimation Results?
- Use high-quality sublimation paper. As low-quality sublimation paper can degrade the work. I recommend and use the A-Sub 125 GSM.
- Try to use the best sublimation ink. The ink I use for my projects is A-Sub 600 ml Autofill premium.
- Think about the substrate and the fibre content in the substrate:
All of you know that the sublimation best works on 100% polyester material. But if you are not using the same then follow the other steps like using HTV or bleaching and others also.
- Follow the proper heat, pressure and time settings.
- Use heat-resistant tape to fix the design while sublimating. As it moves while sublimating it will ghost the design and not achieve the desired result.
- Follow the post sublimation heat guide properly. Like giving some time to the set to cool down, and set the design before handling and using the final product.
What will be the exact heat press and time setting for each sublimating substrate?
This is the most asked and very popular question that came to mind and almost every mail contains this line. It is not possible to remember everything exactly Right! So with my experience and practice, I will make a sheet for you. Which will help you to do the sublimation easily.
| Substrate Type | Heat-Press Time (in Sec) | Temperature | Pressure |
| Ceramic Mugs/ Other Ceramic Things | 60-80 Sec | 350-400° FOr1770C-2040C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Stainless Steel Tumblers/ mugs | 60–90 Sec | 365° For 1850 C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Fabric (100% Polyester) | 35-45 sec | 400 – 410°For 2040 – 2100 C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Polyester with Foam Backing (Koozie / Mousepad) | 45 seconds | 400°For 2040 C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Metal | 60 sec | 375°-400°For 1900 – 2040 C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Unisub (The products specifically designed for the sublimation) Products | 60 sec | 400°For 2040 C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Glass or Ceramic Tiles | 300-720 sec | 400°For 2040C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Fire Retardant Plastics | 40-75 sec | 3500 F-400°For 1770C-2040C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Hardboard | 60 sec | 400° For 2040C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Glass | 180-240 sec | 3600C-400°For 1820C-2040C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Aluminum Panel | 45-60 sec | 400°F-425°FOr2040C-2180C | pressure (35 psi) |
| Felt | 60 sec | 400°For 2040C | 30-40 psi (light/medium) |
| Marble | 120 sec | 390°For 1990C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Polyester Linen | 55-65 sec | 3850F-425°For 1960C-2180C | 40 psi (medium) |
| Wood | 60 sec | 400°For 2040C | 40 psi (medium) |
You may also check: What is Heat Press Machine?
Conclusion:
I hope you got your answers to all the questions regarding the heat press setting. Right! So go with this guiding blog, go with your heart and mind like me. And enjoy every step of sublimation. Everything of the sublimation and everything of your art and artist. And with that happy sublimation.