Mug quality question xpres - just a bad box? (lots of wonky wobbly mugs)

[gazfocus]

Hi gazfocus

In my experience that's lack of closeness of the paper to the mug (the "gap" helping the ink to spray out), I'd "guess" that the wrap is loose or rather the wrap on that mug was loose.

I remember back in the old days when I used a mug press some mugs would be tighter/looser in the press than others as circumference varies. Maybe that particular mug with that particular wrap was too loose (that wrap on a different mug might work and/or that mug with a tighter wrap might work). I know it's expensive (and so probably not a long term solution) but do you get any such problems if you were to shrink wrap?

Regards
Gary

Hey Gary.

We’ve got two different types of wraps at the moment. We have the cheap green ones and we have the red ones. The red wraps are much tighter overall (and can be adjusted) but even those are giving the same results.

We have noticed there’s always a very slight dip in the mug where the blurring occurs but some of the mugs that print fine also have slight dips.

Xpres have suggested that it’s using ovens that’s the issue and that using presses would be more consistent. The only problem is that presses are far too restricting in what they can print.

[gazfocus]

gazfocus

Another thought.....how "tall is your paper" i.e. what dimensions?

Gary

We are currently pre cutting the paper to 238mm x 98mm and then printing using an SG500.

[garysub]

We are currently pre cutting the paper to 238mm x 98mm and then printing using an SG500.

Does the 98mm stretch from bottom to top then? It's just wondering if you "come in a bit" at the top to avoid the paper getting "stretched" between any high points on the mug (i.e. if it curves in a bit). I cut mine down to 90mm high and it sits some 5mm from the top of the mug. My two pence!

[garysub]

Hey Gary.

We’ve got two different types of wraps at the moment. We have the cheap green ones and we have the red ones. The red wraps are much tighter overall (and can be adjusted) but even those are giving the same results.

We have noticed there’s always a very slight dip in the mug where the blurring occurs but some of the mugs that print fine also have slight dips.

Xpres have suggested that it’s using ovens that’s the issue and that using presses would be more consistent. The only problem is that presses are far too restricting in what they can print.

Then it isn't that then! If only it were easy eh?

[gazfocus]

Does the 98mm stretch from bottom to top then? It's just wondering if you "come in a bit" at the top to avoid the paper getting "stretched" between any high points on the mug (i.e. if it curves in a bit). I cut mine down to 90mm high and it sits some 5mm from the top of the mug. My two pence!

This is how the paper looks on the mugs. I’m contemplating ordering a few boxes of the 10oz orca from Neil to try but not 100% convinced the mugs are the issue just yet.

[garysub]

This is how the paper looks on the mugs. I’m contemplating ordering a few boxes of the 10oz orca from Neil to try but not 100% convinced the mugs are the issue just yet.

I would definitely reduce the height of the paper so it doesn't extend above the top of the mug to see if that helps (can't be any worse right!). If the mug "rim" sticks out then I would guess that the wrap will pull the paper tight to the rim and away from any area that sits lower?

[gazfocus]

I would definitely reduce the height of the paper so it doesn't extend above the top of the mug to see if that helps (can't be any worse right!). If the mug "rim" sticks out then I would guess that the wrap will pull the paper tight to the rim and away from any area that sits lower?

Just did a batch with the paper cut to just below the ring of the mug. Not one mug was blurred at the top, but 4 out of 16 mugs were blurred at the bottom which hadn't been happening when they blurred at the top

[garysub]

Just did a batch with the paper cut to just below the ring of the mug. Not one mug was blurred at the top, but 4 out of 16 mugs were blurred at the bottom which hadn't been happening when they blurred at the top

Okay, so I'm as equally as confused as you.

[gazfocus]

Just an update on what we’ve tried. I wasn’t in today but the guys have tried trimming the paper to 92mm so just below the rim of the mug, resized all the designs to miss the areas that are blurring, and increased the cooking time. None of that has helped.

I can’t see it myself but the guys are wondering if they are being overcooked and that’s why they are blurring? They tried doing 160 degrees for 21 mins and then at 19 mins and it was slightly better at 19 mins but still about 50 bad mugs today out of about 400.

[JMugs]

Long shot. The MDP 11oz mugs are quite thick. In the past I have had similar issues in presses with thinner mugs. I don't clamp tight hence the similarity to wraps. A slight thinning of the walls on a thin mug has more impact and creates a hot spot, the thicker mug doesn't create so much of a hot spot. The hot spot was causing the blow out.
Note this was my theory at the time, and I could be completely wrong! This would fit in with the overcooking idea though.
Janners