iPad cases from Subliblanks - absolute pain!

[CometPrint]

Hi again,

Despite asking around finding solutions to my problems I'm still finding issues with the current printing processes I'm using to complete - well - partially complete products that end up looking rubbish.

What am I doing wrong?

I have a Ricoh Aficio SG3110DN - prints fine no nozzles clogs.

I use Sublijet R - Sawgrass Inks (CYMK) sublimation inks.

I use TextPrint A4 Sublimation paper for my transfers...

and...last but not least a Lovecut Sublimation Heat Press - which don't get me wrong - has been fine since day 1.

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On Photoshop I've set the colour profiles correctly to match the Ricoh and sublimation inks. It prints out in a weird fainty orangey colour but that's how I've always printed out transfers and they've come out beautifully on mugs etc.

But on an iPad Mini case from Subliblanks - that changed...

So I stuck on the transfer and flipped it round...pressed it on with heavy pressure for about 50 seconds under 180-190 degrees. The press beeped, I opened and unwrapped the transfer...

The result was awful. It was far too bright, too orange and blurry...

So I went back to change it again this time with a little less pressure and a little less heat. 160 degrees at 40 seconds under medium to heavy pressure. Still no luck, even worse. The print came out faint - the transfer never applied to it properly.

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This is getting really frustrating. Surely sublimation isn't this hard? I've spent on 4 iPad Mini cases...wasted all of them except for one which I had to ship out anyway.

Any ideas?

Thanks...

[Justin]

The only possible weak link I can see there would be the press but it sounds like it's worked fine for you so far.

Most users prefer Truepix paper.

[Paul]

...and pressure. when printing aluminium use VERY light pressure for 70 sec. More pressure will blur your images. very noticeable on sharp elements like fonts.

[Andrew]

You need to be making small adjustments when trying to do these things. 190c for 50secs to 160c for 40s is way to big. A 5 to 10c drop would have been better alone and see if the result looked any better. Changing times, temp and pressure you are not going to know which is helping. This understanding would help you in the long run. Sublimation is not so complicated once you take time to understand why things happen. Obviously you don't want to waste expensive blanks so try and get waste or cheap blanks to play with.

If the iPad Mini is the metal insert version then you should be printing with the transfer paper at bottom when placing under the press (metal side up toward heat plate). 50 seconds should be fine but can lower to 45 if needed. Perhaps 170 as a starting point but we don't use Ricoh printers so not much experience of the best starting point. Texprint is a good paper but does transfer a lot of ink. What you also need to remember that different substrates will give different results. Metal would look brighter than mugs most of the time. Unisub coasters are the most vivid of all we find. Pressure tends to be firm on metal to stop any flaming effects which is the way we find best.

[socialgiraffe]

I would also recommend trying a different supplier.

You need to remove as many variables as possible. It may be that you are just not cut out for Ipad cases from Subliblanks and that some from elsewhere will work perfectly.

Try another supplier and see what you get.