Impressions - August 2018 - 46

Repetition
When heat printing larger jobs, especially those with multiple presses per
garment, consider breaking the job up
so the same operator is pressing the same
logo in the same place repetitively. Once
that segment is complete, the garment
can then be passed to a second operator,
who repetitively applies the next design
on the same garment. Alternatively, the
item can wait for a single operator to
apply subsequent designs.
This decorating style has proven to
be most effective in that performing the

same task repeatedly increases production
speed and minimizes errors. It is the same
assembly-line concept that manufacturers
have successfully employed for years.
Simple But Effective
There are a number of time-saving
practices that, while simple, are worth
noting. Minimize the number of steps the
heat-press operator must take to complete
a job. Move the trash can closer, stage blank
garments on flat, wheeled carts and use
the same type of cart for finished goods so

they easily can be moved to the packing
and shipping area.The list goes on, but the
point is to streamline production efforts
so that efficiency is maximized.
With all of these ideas in mind, it's
time to evaluate and revise the way you
run your heat-press production. Adding
some time-saving tools or simply using
what you have in a more efficient way
will make your business more productive
and, ultimately, more profitable. 
Bob Robinson is sales and education specialist
at Stahls'. He has more than 20 years of experience in both the sales and production sides of the

A simple device that projects multiple
laser lines onto a garment that is loaded
onto a heat press easily can help with
image alignment and improve prodcution
efficiency.

apparel-decorating business and is a valuable resource for apparel decorators. For more information,
visit stahls.com.

Know Your He at Press
The two standard heat-element sizes
for heat presses are 15" x 15" and 16" x
20". If you're in doubt about which size
would be best, choose the larger one;
you always can press smaller designs
with a larger machine. For oversized
garment decoration, heat presses also
are available in 20" x 24", 30" x 40" sizes
and larger.
Swing-Away or Clam-Shell: Another
decision to make is whether to choose
a clam-shell heat press or a swing-away
model. A clam-shell design has hinges
at the back and opens like a clam's shell,
as the name suggests. These presses are
popular in retail stores since they take up
less counter space and can be faster in
production, as the heat element remains
stationary.
Athleticwear and team-uniform decorators usually prefer swing-away presses
because the heat platen can be moved in
order to lay out player names and numbers on a jersey before heat pressing.
Sublimation decorators also prefer this
model because the heat element locks
down horizontally, reducing the chance
of the transfer slipping when heat printing thick items such as wooden plaques
and ceramic tiles.
Air-Operated Automatic Presses: This
heat-press type is considered the topof-the-line. Air-operated heat presses offer superior downward pressure, minimal
operator fatigue and precise repetition
from garment to garment.

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i m p r e s s i o n s m a g . c o m AUGUST 2018

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Impressions - August 2018

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