Hello glgberat,
Here is the summary of some tips for successful mug-pressing:
Coatings:
Sublimation coatings differ from laser coatings.
Toner Transfers prefer a slightly softer coating or rougher surface so the toner can bond better.
Some sublimation coatings are really hard and can even be repellent to toner.
In regards of scratch-fastness, especially matt finish / satin finish mugs are outstanding.
As different mugs have different coatings and properties, the 140 °C value is best to be understood as a rough guidance.
Matt & frosted mugs work better in the lower spectrum (120 °C to 140 °C) and glossy mugs work better in the higher temp-spectrum (140 °C to 160 °C).
Heat accuracy:
Many mug presses used nowadays are cheap china presses. The temperature can be off by a bit or not even all the way through.
Some of our dealers sell a little silicone pad (available from FOREVER, item-code 9000000096) that helps to distribute the heat to the mug a bit more evenly.
Pressing time:
You can generally differentiate in between one-stage & two-stage mug presses.
One-stage mug presses simply count down the time, as soon as you insert the mug.
Two-stage mug presses consider the temperature loss that happens when you insert a cold mug and only start counting the 180 seconds, as soon the mug reaches the targeted temperature again.
In case you client is using a 1-stage mug press, simply add 60 seconds to your timer to account for the initial temperature loss.
Pressure:
While sublimation basically requires contact and heat, toner transfer requires more pressure. If your client has issues with the transfer, turning up the pressure a notch can help (or just inserting above mentioned silicone pad, which does the same).
Videos:
For Multi-Trans metallic, the process is very similar to the one with regular Multi-Trans.
Major difference is the temperature, which is slightly higher for the metallic version.
This here is from one of our Asian dealers:
He is also using laser coated mugs, but at the higher end of the temp spectrum (160 C°) and additionally backing it in the oven.
An alternative to backing it in the oven can be re-pressing it carefully in the mug press (use parchment paper to protect the print).
Note that curing in the oven can help, but is not mandatory when the client is happy with the scratch fastness already.
Washing:
Certain coatings provide support for the washing process. If a printed mug is dishwasher-safe or not, depends on the coating of the mug.
If in doubt, always recommend hand wash only.
To get further information about the products, it would probably be best to talk with a local dealer.
Hope this helped!
BR
FOREVER Support Team
