Traditional thermal transfer technology

Thermal transfer is a printing process that has been in the country for less than 20 years. It was introduced to China from abroad in the 1990s. Through the continuous efforts of industry peers to explore and research, development has become a mature and updated printing process. Because the process has great advantages in controlling production costs and improving product appearance, it is highly respected and continues to develop in the printing industry.

First, the introduction of thermal transfer technology

Thermal transfer technology is divided into two parts: thermal transfer film printing and thermal transfer processing.

1. Thermal transfer film printing:

Most of them use a precision gravure printing process, and the resolution of printing dots can reach 300 dpi. The pattern is pre-printed on the surface of the transfer film, and the printed heat transfer film pattern is rich in layers, the color is full and full, the color difference is small, and the pattern effect is better, which can meet the requirements of the pattern designer.

2. Thermal transfer technology processing:

Through the primary processing of the heat transfer machine (heating and pressing the thermal transfer film synchronously according to the working principle of the thermal transfer machine), the delicate pattern on the transfer film is transferred to the surface of the substrate (including the plane and the curved surface) After the molding, the pattern is integrated with the surface of the product, and the transfer film naturally falls off, that is, the process is completed.

Because the traditional thermal transfer printing process is green and environmentally friendly, it conforms to international standards, and the printed pattern is vivid and colorful, and the product is exquisite and beautiful after molding. The pattern has strong adhesion, long-wearing resistance, no fading, low production loss, low cost, etc. Advantages, it is widely used in the surface decoration and packaging decoration of large-volume, high-demand cosmetics, toys, electrical appliances, household building materials, stationery, gifts, jewelry, daily necessities and other products. Applicable materials include ABS, AS, PS, PVC, PP, PE and other plastic products and metal, glass, wood products.

Second, the advantages of traditional thermal transfer technology

The rise of in-mold labeling, in-mold transfer, vacuum transfer, sublimation, water transfer and other emerging transfer processes have had a greater impact on traditional thermal transfer technology, but the use of traditional thermal transfer processes remains It is a prosperous scene, and it is used in cosmetics, toys, electrical appliances, household building materials, stationery, gifts, jewelry, daily necessities, etc., especially in the shape of cylindrical, tapered, curved surfaces, such as lipstick shell. In the field of products such as refills, fingerboards, and cones, traditional thermal transfer has shown its irreplaceable side. Even if it is a flat object, there are many processes that can be printed, but traditional thermal transfer can still show advantages in many aspects.

The first point is high efficiency.

Take the Rubik's cube as an example. The Rubik's Cube has six planes. If other types of printing techniques are used, there must be a process waiting for drying or natural drying. In the process, some places are needed to store these process products. The thermal transfer is different, can be continuously printed, does not need to be dried, can be packaged after printing is completed, the production site is greatly reduced, and the production efficiency is greatly improved.

The second point is rich in color.

Take the Rubik's cube as an example. The traditional Rubik's cube pattern has only a single color block for each plane, and the colors and patterns are relatively monotonous. The traditional thermal transfer is different. Since the pattern is printed on the PET thermal transfer base film, the color of the pattern can be reproduced almost without restriction. The patterns of various flowers, trees, characters and the like can be transferred to the Rubik's Cube. Above, the aesthetic appearance of the Rubik's cube and the added value of the product are greatly enhanced.

The third point is environmental protection

Traditional thermal transfer film, whether it is base film or selected printing ink, release layer, adhesive, etc., can be tested by environmental testing at home and abroad (BV, SGS, etc.). In the production process, the thermal transfer noise pollution is also extremely low, and the pollution in sewage and exhaust gas is almost zero, which is one of the reasons why the traditional thermal transfer process is popular and different from other printing types. .

The fourth point is the combination of rich

The fourth point is also important. The traditional thermal transfer process is rich in combination. In addition to the ordinary thermal transfer with simple process, it can also refine the product process combination to form high-cut, UV-resistant, and retort-resistant. Anti-bending, ethanol resistant, high hardness, high wear resistance, matt, partial aluminum plating, partial laser, transparent laser, metal texture and other thermal transfer process combinations. Suitable for surface decoration of plastic, wood, leather and metal parts.

In addition, with the continuous optimization of the traditional thermal transfer technology, the process technology of the traditional thermal transfer machine has been developed by leaps and bounds, and many transfer printing workpieces with high transfer difficulty are realized, such as a conical surface. The surface of the workpiece with difficult surface such as curved surface, arc triangle, and S-shaped surface with small curvature can be transferred. Therefore, the arm heat transfer machine, taper heat transfer machine, and profile hot transfer transfer are generated. Machine, surface heat transfer machine and various tooling components and fixtures with different functions have produced many hot stamping functions to meet the needs of various types of workpiece transfer.