HUMIDITY IS NOT GOOD
by Inkraz Store on April 06, 2021
Moisture in the sublimation process can produce undesirable effects. During sublimation, the transfer plate generally operates at 200ºC, and the accumulated moisture instantly transforms into steam causing the ink to shift. Moisture build-up problems can result in color shift (colors lose precision), color bleed in images, and spot color unevenness.
Under normal circumstances, the sublimation paper can accumulate some moisture, and this moisture generally dissipates into the customizable item during ironing. However, some rigid substrates, such as metal panels and ceramic products, do not allow moisture dissipation. For this reason, it is important to adopt certain preventive measures to minimize the presence of moisture in these processes.
Humidity problem in sublimation
Recommendations to avoid this problem:
Protect the sublimation paper against humidity. To do this, you must store it in a dry place, inside a container or a self-closing bag. If you think the paper has accumulated moisture, place it on the iron for a few seconds without closing the iron. The heat from the transfer plate will evaporate the moisture.
In T-shirt sublimation, it is recommended to pre-iron the T-shirt for 6-10 seconds to remove moisture.
If you are going to customize rigid items, such as photo panels, tiles, mugs, etc. that have been stored in cold places, it is advisable to pre-iron the item before customizing it. The ironing time will depend on the dimensions of the item, and can range from 30 to 60 seconds.
The optimal environmental conditions for sublimation is a temperature of 20-26ºC and a relative humidity of 35-65%.
