webtrekker;133074 wrote:My guess is your press isn't reading the correct temperature for a start. I press Sublimetals 0.5mm white gloss sheets at 190 degrees C for 50 secs with very light pressure. I use CIE inks and paper. Results are fine and I'm selling items printed this way with no negative feedback.
My press has the standard thick silicone rubber pad on the bottom platen. I place a pice of ordinary copy paper on this. Then the aluminium sheet is place onto the copy paper (with the sub print already attached to the aluminium), upside down, and another sheet of copy paper is placed on top. Nothing special.
When you say the heat tape leaves a mark on the plate, I'm assuming you mean on the BACK of the aluminium as this is the only part that should be in contact with the tape? My tape leaves no such marks.
Thanks for the detailed reply.
Panic over now - I did get a decent result after I discovered a spurioUs layer in the artwork which just looked white on the screen but wasn't! DOH!
Oddly though the sheet printed fine at 185 degrees for 85 seconds on lighter than usual pressure but not extra light if that makes any sense. The other factors, upside down ally and copier paper, etc the same as yourself.
Never had any problems before but luck ran out on this one. Pleased with the paper though as it does run through the printer better, the other one I was using has recently started curling as it printed, causing it to jam before exit. Possibly not helped by the abnormally hot weather.
