One common problem can be when cutting fine detail logos. The majority of their design will weed successfully but corner pieces of text have not been cut cleanly. Firstly make sure you are using a film with a medium to high tack adeshive like easiMARK Cotton or Opaque.

An increase in your cutting pressure or blade adjustment can do the trick. Another option is to slow down the cut speed on your plotter. If these options do not work then you need to look at the quality of you cutting strip. These can build up score lines over time, caused by setting your plotter pressure and knife depth too strong for the media you are using. If the cutting strip is damaged the blade will push the media into the scorelines made by previous uses and the media will not cut correctly.

You also need to make sure you are using the correct blade. For the majority of garment films a 45-degree blade will work. However, if you are using reflective, flock, glitters etc you need to use a 60-degree blade. Always make sure you change your blade offset to suit the appropriate blade. You can speak to your plotter supplier for information on how to do this.

We often receive calls from customers who have experienced adhesive outlines around their transfer after pressing and removing the carrier sheet. This is caused by any of the following: pressing with too much pressure, your heat is too high or you have cured the transfer for too long.

Full colour printing must be one of the biggest headaches for garment printers, and the main problem is creating the correct colour for your customer. Understanding why we use ICC profiles is important, while limitations of CMYK printing, monitor calibrations and how inks and medias link to your ICC profiles are imperative.

Before buying a full colour media you need to make sure that you can be supplied with an ICC profile that matches your ink, printer and media. Without this, you will not be able to produce colours consistently and get the most from your media. The ICC profile is used to link the type of ink, printer and media you are using.

Due to the limitations of CMYK printing and the demands from customers, there is a way to produce the range of colours you can achieve from your set up. I would advise anyone undertaking full colour printing to produce their own colour charts. Using your preferred media, printer and inks, print out charts that you can show to your customers. Always make sure you save your printer settings on the driver settings or in your production RIP.

I will always suggest you get the following prior to undertaking any full colour printing:

• Ask your customer for a hard copy of their logo e.g. letter head, business card etc.
• Any pantone or colour references.

Of course, in order for you to be able to change colours to suit your client you need to make sure you are using a vectored graphic. Printing from JPEG's will not allow you any colour alterations. So additional time and cost have to be considered whilst quoting.

Victory Design Ltd supplies a wide range of equipment, software and materials to the garment personalisation market. Established in 1987, it is one of the largest suppliers in the UK, offering a wealth of experience and expertise.

Victory Design's brand easiMARK offers customers a comprehensive collection of films with a range of finishes and fabric applications, which it says will cover all angles for any garment decorator. In addition to its range of films, Victory Design offers customers an exclusive trade print service for full colour logo transfer production plus many more marketing and promotional products.

Should you have any further questions, following this article then please call Glynn, Dan or Katy at Victory Design on 01246 570570 or email sales@victorydesign.co.uk. Full details on the easiMARK range can be found at http://www.victorydesign.co.uk/

Future topics:

• Sportswear issues and solutions
• Frequently asked questions and difficulties with design software
• Understanding which garments should be tested prior to application
• Quoting to your customers effectively
• Marketing issues and support

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---