Impressions - February 2016 - 46

Top
An "L"-shaped
setup can make it
easier to go back
and forth between
setting up artwork
and heat pressing
products. All photos
courtesy of Sawgrass
Technologies.
Bottom
Because of fumes
and odors from
sublimation, you may
want to install an
exhaust system at or
near your heat press.

P.46

minute). If it took one minute to
print images, another minute to
prep the substrate and another
to press it, your production
cost would be $1.50. Those are
all reasonable times if things
are laid out properly and in
close proximity.
But each minute of extra production time adds another 50 cents
of cost. If, for example, your
printer was in a different location, you would easily spend
one to two minutes going back
and forth, which adds more cost
to the job. If you can't easily
find tools and supplies, you lose
even more money as you waste time
looking for them. Thus, your setup
should ensure time spent on each
job is minimal.
A good operational layout looks
like an assembly line. You create an image, print it, prep the
substrate to receive it, place
the substrate and transfer on
the heat press, then move it to
a finishing location. In a simple shop, a series of tables or
a counter should be adequate.
However, your fixture must be
strong enough to support a heat
I M P R E S S I O N S M A G . C O M FEBRUARY 2016

press, which can be heavy. Thus, a
folding table from a local office
supply store won't suffice. As
an alternative, many suppliers
offer heat press stands.
Depending on equipment size,
you may only need an 8-foot table
or counter, with everything being
arranged in a single line, especially if your heat press is on
a separate stand. Just remember
you also need a 3-foot-wide area
to prep your substrates.
One solution is "stacking."
Place your computer and heat press
on top of your work space and your
printer on a shelf below it. Paper
and other tools also would go on
the lower shelf or shelves.
Another option is to use an "L"shaped setup, with your computer
or printer on the short part of
the "L" and the prepping area on
the longer portion. This can make
it easier to go back and forth
between setting up artwork and
heat pressing products.
Parallel work tables also are
popular and efficient. One table
is dedicated to prepping, pressing
and finishing, and the other is for
artwork and printing. This layout
keeps everything within an arm's
reach, as you can stand between
the tables and rotate as needed.
Finally, have a large trash
can in the vicinity of the heat
press. Sublimation generates a
large amount of paper waste so you
need a large can nearby that won't
need emptying every 15 minutes.
A good sublimation production
layout isn't difficult to put
together, provided you review all
the variables and lay out the space
based on your resources. Consider
creating a mockup so you can test
different layouts in order to find
the most efficient for you. Then
you can fine tune your plan and
implement a configuration that
will generate high-quality output
with minimal effort. 
Award-winning author and international speaker
Jimmy Lamb has more than 20 years of apparel
decoration experience. He currently is manager of
communications for Sawgrass Technologies, Charleston. S.C. For more information or to comment on this
article, email Jimmy at jlamb@sawgrassink.com.
Hear Jimmy speak on sublimation topics at the 2016
Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS). Individual seminars are only $25 if you pre-register: issshows.com.

http://www.issshows.com http://www.IMPRESSIONSMAG.COM

Impressions - February 2016

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