presses work by pumping out the air and creating a vacuum, so that the silicone membrane creates the pressure, and the air within the 3D press is heated. The desktop 3D presses are basically like small desktop ovens with a vacuum platen inside them. This post from Patriot Print Supply gives some good info regarding heat press size. Threadable, What’s That? That being said, we have attempted to make this guide as unbiased as possible, and we have included information on presses which we do not supply.

Hotronix® MAXX, Auto-Open and Fusion IQ Heat Presses are high-quality heat presses which are proudly made in the USA, and are widely regarded as the industry’s most accurate, innovative and technologically advanced heat presses available anywhere in the world. Hotronix heat presses continuously outperform rivals in comparison tests and outlast the competition in all aspects. The temperature, pressure and time are all specific to the particular heat transfer that you are applying – All of the vinyls and custom transfers we supply are shipped with instructions to guide you on this. How do I clean my heat press if I get something on the upper platen? A lot of retail customers tend to turn their heat press on at the beginning of the day to ensure that it’s ready to use when required, as it would usually take 10-15 minutes to reach the normal operating temperature. The heat press will not use the full power to maintain temperature, but this should be factored in to your operating costs. As an additional point, a heat press would usually take 30-40 minutes to cool down. Can I cover up the rubber mat on the lower platen to prevent it wearing? Don’t worry, we don’t have any pushy sales people, in fact we don’t have any sales people… but we do have people who know about heat presses and will be happy to chat to you about them.

Generally speaking the longest warranty is usually on the platen and element, the digital controls and the mechanics of the press will usually be a shorter warranty. Timer Function: A timer with an audible alarm is useful for accurate heat application and preventing overexposure. In addition to a opting for a recognised brand of press to ensure that it offers consistent, reliable performance, the following features are also worth considering to ensure that the process is as easy as possible. We recommend leaving the heat press in the “open” position to ensure that the silicone rubber on the lower platen isn’t perished by the heat which remains in the upper platen when powered or immediately after being switched off. In addition, for heat presses which have springs, rather than dampers, leaving it open also ensures that they aren’t weakened by prolonged periods at full extension. Do most people leave their heat presses on all day?

The problem sometimes when people are looking at pressing & printing equipment is that some people just don’t fully understand the compromise they may be making when trusting a very cheap non-branded piece of industrial equipment, as a crucial part of their production process. Auto open presses open automatically at the end of the heating cycle, which is a very handy feature for several reasons. Stahls Hotronix offer a range of auto open heat presses, and the Geo Knight DK16& DK20 are both available with an auto pop-up attachment. Stahls Hotronix Sprint Auto Open Heat Presses As discussed earlier, “cheap” and “high-pressure” don’t go well together when it comes to heat presses. If you’re going to be regularly pressing at high pressures, you would be best advised to invest in a press which is build to withstand heavier pressure.

The lasers can be used with any size heat platen, including specialised platens (e.g. sleeve platen) That brings us to the end of the heat press guide. I know, just as you were getting into it! We’re planning releasing a sequel – but then again they said that about Avatar so don’t hold your breath! Cheap heat presses are made cheap by using cheap components, so even if you’re buying a press which appears to be able to deliver enough pressure for your process, this doesn’t mean that one of the components isn’t going to give in under the strain.

Again if you’re handling a lot of volume, this feature will help in terms of less operator fatigue – unclamping a clamshell press a few times per day is nothing, but a few hundred times per day and you’re likely to feel the difference between using an auto open press or a standard clamshell. Not all presses have the same capabilities when it comes to heavier pressure, it depends on how well built the heat press is, and the quality of all of the components used. If you have stand alone machines rather than a multi purpose machine, and one of your presses develops a fault, your production is only effected for that particular product. If your cap press has an issue, it doesn’t affect your production of garments, mouse mats, plates, mugs, key rings, iPhone cases etc., However if you have a 5 in 1 press and it develops a fault ALL of your production is put on hold until the press is repaired. The three main requirements to successfully apply a transfer are an accurate temperature, time and pressure. A commercial heat press can be calibrated to these requirements and maximise your efficiency, whereas you will not be able to perform anything accurately with a hobby press, such as a Cricut EasyPress, or a domestic iron. If we sell a Geo Knight, Stahls or Transmatic press, in the vast majority of cases we’ll never have any work to do in terms of support or servicing, and if there is – the manufacturer takes care of most of it for us if there are any issues, which is rare.The MAXX press is not only a great value heat press, but offers all of the features you’d expect from a well-built heat press, including: Sublimation Printing: Heat presses are essential for sublimation printing, a process where designs are transferred onto polyester-based materials such as polyester shirts, mugs, and phone cases using heat-activated inks. The heat press helps in turning the ink into a gas, which then bonds with the material, resulting in vibrant, durable prints. There are two types of heat press machine available: swing away and clam. Swing away versions have a press that lifts up vertically before swinging horizontally to the right, whereas clam and clamshell presses simply lift upwards.