The following are suggestions on how to speed your production runs:

• 3-Hole punch (or drill) 1.4" diameter holes on the grain directions of the sheet
• Use 2 each 1/4" diameter stripper pins. Glue or tape them to the press bed. Locate the sheet by aligning and realigning the sheets over the pins
• Be sure that the pins are off copy. for long runs, use Mylar tape to protect the screen from puncture
• Pre-shrink stock. 260 degrees F. Then run immediately or cover with plastic
• Don't crowd HST. Thick films need room to breather. This will reduce blurring and improve image clarity
• Use photographic chokes and spreads (aka: Fatties and Skinnies). They make the print fit and simplify butt-resgister
• Shoot a film positive of an offset press masking sheet. Print the grid work onto a sheet of transfer paper. The paper will shrink much more in one direction that the other

For more information, download "AW Hot Split Technical Booklet"  

Spider-webbing is cause by:

• Improper ink flow
• Saw toothed edges
• Uneven ink deposit

To resolve the issue:

• Add #4 detackifier (3% to 5% by weight) to control flow
• Stir the ink before adding #4

For more information, download "AW Hot Split Technical Booklet"

Gelled HST should snap quickly. If this is not the case:

• The ink is over cured if is stretches well
• Uneven ink deposit

For more information, download "AW Hot Split Technical Booklet"

This is caused by:

• Paper not pre-shrunk (most common)
• Wrong or changed grain direction
• Varying Gel temperatures

For more information, download "AW Hot Split Technical Booklet"

Several reasons might be:

• Transfer press too small
• Image too close to edge
• Pressure is marginal/too low
• Ink too thick or no ink at all at edge
• Time and/or Temperature is too low

For more information, download "AW Hot Split Technical Booklet"

This can be cause by:

• The ink deposit is too thin
• Color not opaque
• Ink is over-gelled
• Too much time/temperature and/or pressure is being applied
• Fabric too thin
• Ink viscosity too thin

For more information, download "AW Hot Split Technical Booklet"

This can be caused by:

• Too low a pressure is being applied
• Too low time and/or temperature settings
• You may have a cool spot on your platen
• No ink flow
• Marginal or slight over-cure of the ink

For more information, download "AW Hot Split Technical Booklet"

The problem when printing is set-off in the freshly printed stacks (before being coated with Plastisol). This problem, if allowed to go unchecked, will result in many small specks in the final image on the substrate. To avoid this:

• Do not load up the sheet with too much ink
• Keep the stacks short coming off the litho press
• Do not ship the freshly printed stacks from one location to another for 24 hours after litho printing
• Use some dry set-off powder as the sheet comes off the press (up to 50% of the amount used on the job can be used without encountering problems)

For more information, download "AW Litho Tech Bulletin"

The Plastisol is over-cured. This is a common problem and leads to many problems later. To avoid this:

• Cure as little as possible
• Adjust the belt speed and leave the oven temperature constant
• Make sure your oven is completely enclosed
• Test for proper curing
  -Place two transfers back to back against one another. They should stick together quite a bit. If they fall away from each other, the Plastisol is probably over cured
  -Or take a transfer, peel off a strip of Plastisol with your fingernail. Stretch it and roll it into a ball. It should be be elastic and sticky. If it breaks apart easily and tends to crumble, then it is probably over cured
• If these tests still fail, then you may need to change to another brand of Plastisol
• Your Plastisol layer is too thin, allowing the substrate to show through
• Typical Plastisol layer should be 3-4mil thick, 2.5mil being the absolute minimum

For more information, download "AW Litho Tech Bulletin"

Some of the more common issues may be related to the following:

• Sheet loaded up with ink. This will cause smudging and smearing
• Improper blanket pressure. Too little pressure will cause the ink film to break apart, showing small specks in the solids. Too much pressure will "force" and "squash" the ink into the substrate thus reducing the clarity of the image
• The rule of thumb is to run the paper as any job, normal pressure and normal amounts of ink and fine tune from there
• If you are going to error on pressure, slightly too much is preferred
• Too little ink used. The ink will not be able to bond with the substrate and ultimately after a few washes cause the transfer to peel and crack.

For more information, download "AW Litho Tech Bulletin"