Introduction to Transfer Presses
Transfer presses are suitable for a wide range of applications; they are primarily used for transferring flock and flex films, as well as for sublimation applications. There is a wide range of different technologies and sizes to choose from.
What is a heat transfer press?
A transfer press transfers text, logos or images onto a wide variety of materials. The machine uses both pressure and heat, thereby producing particularly durable results. A transfer press resembles a large iron, which is used to apply high and even pressure to the material being processed in order to transfer a film or print.
Why do I need a heat transfer press?
The range of applications offered by a transfer press is as varied as the different transfer methods themselves. Transfer presses enable both professionals and keen hobbyists alike to bring their personal design ideas to life, such as:
- Creative mug designs
- Personalised mouse mats
- Customisation and personalisation of clothing such as T-shirts, jackets or jumpers, e.g. for clubs, bands, schools, nurseries, workwear or even designer collections
- Personalised and customised lettering on rucksacks, bags, gym bags, etc.
- Durable finishing of all textiles with designs using flock and flex films – ideal for sports clubs
- Creation of personalised baseball caps
- Designing your own towels, bathroom and home textiles
- Creative design of large-scale photo motifs on bathroom or kitchen tiles
- Production of your own bag collection
How do I use a heat transfer press?
Transfer presses are suitable for a whole range of different transfer processes.
- Textile finishing using flock and flex films
Designs or lettering cut from flock or flex film are transferred onto the fabric or material using a heat press. For example, this is how a football team’s shirts are personalised with names, numbers and the club logo. - Sublimation transfer
In this process, the heat press transfers graphics, photos and text – printed using a standard printer – onto polyester materials. All that is required for printing are special sublimation inks. When heated in the transfer press, the inks dye the polyester materials. As well as clothing, this process is also suitable, for example, for the customisation of mugs, jigsaw puzzles, mouse pads, crockery and much more. It should be noted that this process should only be used on light-coloured, preferably white, materials to ensure realistic colour reproduction. - Inkjet Flex
A design is plotted onto an Inkjet Flex film and then transferred onto any item of clothing using a heat press. What makes this special is that standard ink from a normal printer is made durable during the transfer process thanks to special lacquer beads in the Inkjet Flex film. This allows you to produce a durable, photo-quality textile finish using the simplest of methods. One possible application, for example, would be to design a football fan shirt featuring a national pennant. - Chromablast Transfer
In this patented process, the desired logos and designs are printed using a special combination of ink and media and then applied to untreated cotton textiles using a heat press. The Chromablast process is particularly well suited to small batches of T-shirts that are to be individually designed. It should be noted that this process should only be used on light-coloured, preferably white, textiles to ensure realistic colour reproduction.
Which heat press is right for my projects?
When choosing a suitable transfer press, the shape of the materials onto which the design is to be transferred, as well as the size of the objects to be transferred, are the key factors. To apply a personalised design to flat materials such as textiles or tiles, clamshell or swing-type presses are used. A reliable entry-level clamshell press for smaller designs is, for example, the Secabo TC 2 transfer press. For slightly larger designs, the Secabo TC 5 transfer press is a suitable option. To create a personalised collection of mugs, there are special mug presses that adapt perfectly to the shape of the mug, such as the Secabo TMUG transfer press.
