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20 1 4 M ay Printwear | 85 Ink overview Plastisol Printing tiPs Curing • One advantage to plastisols not previously mentioned is that they can be easily cured in either infrared or gas fired dryers. as opposed to driving the water/moisture content out of the ink film as with water-based inks, we simply need to ensure that the entire ink film thickness reaches 320 degrees F. • although heat tapes, non-con- tact pyrometers, and donut probes are good quality-control tools, you should wash-test to ensure that the ink film reached the proper cure point. SCreenS • The quality of your finished product is directly proportional to the quality of the screen. Us- ing higher-tensioned screens allows for: o Lower off contact o Lighter squeegee pressure o Faster printing speeds o Thinner ink films o Faster flashing o Lower ink consumption o Softer hand o Uniformity o Higher definition in printing as well as screen resolution Printing When printing plastisols, you generally want to employ a high- er durometer squeegee which will allow for users to maintain higher resolution and to deposit a thinner ink film uniformly. a water-based discharge print. Plastisols have allowed for photographic reproductions previously not achievable with traditional water-based inks. 8 4 | Printwear M ay 20 1 4 PW_MAY14.indd 84 4/17/14 11:16 AM