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Help and Education
Heat Printing Equipment Maintenance Tips

Proper maintenance can extend the life of your heat transfer printing equipment and ensure consistent production of quality products. The following tips will help you keep your heat press and vinyl cutter producing high-quality merchandise.

  • Periodically test the pressure of your heat press machine. Calibration may be needed to remedy pressure inaccuracies. To test the pressure, place a piece of paper at each corner of the lower platen. Lock the lower platen into place, then try to remove the sheets of paper. If any sheets slide out easily, you have uneven pressure. Contact Hotronix for assistance.

  • If you are having trouble with materials not adhering to the garment or only adhering in certain areas, make sure your machine is maintaining heat and is heating evenly throughout the upper platen. Use a heat press test kit to check the accuracy of the temperature.

  • It's good practice to wipe down the upper platen of your heat press machine after each heat printing project. Excess ink, adhesives, and other residue can build up and transfer to your next job. Wiping the platen while hot with a clean, dry cloth usually is sufficient.

  • Keep your work area and equipment clean before and after every job. Lint, hair, and other debris easily can be transferred to the substrate when heat pressing any adhesive-based material.

  • Use a Teflon® Pad Protector on the lower platen. Not only will this enable you to slip garments on and off of the platen more quickly, but it will also extend the life of the silicone rubber pad on the lower platen.

  • Don't max out your electricity or blow fuses. We recommend a dedicated 20 amp outlet for all heat press machines.

  • Perform test cuts to determine if your vinyl cutter or print/cut system blade needs to be replaced. If the proper settings are used and material is not being cut through or has jagged edges after being cut, your blade needs replacement. On average, blades should be replaced every 3 months or more often when cutting thicker materials like twill, vinyl, or reflective on a regular basis.

  • The cutting strips on your vinyl cutter should be replaced once per year or more often if you cut in higher volumes.

     
  • Periodically test the pressure of your heat press machine. Calibration may be needed to remedy pressure inaccuracies. To test the pressure, place a piece of paper at each corner of the lower platen. Lock the lower platen into place, then try to remove the sheets of paper. If any sheets slide out easily, you have uneven pressure. Contact Hotronix for assistance.

  • If you are having trouble with materials not adhering to the garment or only adhering in certain areas, make sure your machine is maintaining heat and is heating evenly throughout the upper platen. Use a heat press test kit to check the accuracy of the temperature.

  • It's good practice to wipe down the upper platen of your heat press machine after each heat printing project. Excess ink, adhesives, and other residue can build up and transfer to your next job. Wiping the platen while hot with a clean, dry cloth usually is sufficient.

  • Keep your work area and equipment clean before and after every job. Lint, hair, and other debris easily can be transferred to the substrate when heat pressing any adhesive-based material.

  • Use a Quick Slip Lower Platen Protector on the lower platen. Not only will this enable you to slip garments on and off of the platen more quickly, but it will also extend the life of the silicone rubber pad on the lower platen.

  • Don't max out your electricity or blow fuses. We recommend a dedicated 20 amp outlet for all heat press machines.

  • Perform test cuts to determine if your vinyl cutter or print/cut system blade needs to be replaced. If the proper settings are used and material is not being cut through or has jagged edges after being cut, your blade needs replacement. On average, blades should be replaced every 3 months or more often when cutting thicker materials like twill, vinyl, or reflective on a regular basis.

  • The cutting strips on your vinyl cutter should be replaced once per year or more often if you cut in higher volumes.