# Mug smudges? Any idea what is causing it?



## VR46 (Feb 3, 2016)

Hello everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help. I print quite a few mugs per day but I'm relatively new to the mug printing side of my business.

We seem to have an issue where a black smoke mark is sublimating onto the mug, mostly blacks and sometimes reds. Tried a few things and can't seem to get it right. 

I'll try and post a photo..

We are using the Epson F6200, Xpres Mug Presses, Xpres Mugs.

Temperature is 180/180 or 170/170, we have been trying both.

The mugs are dunked in warm water after pressing, with the paper still on. (Not sure if this could be a cause?).

Any help would be great, I have a pile of defective mugs building up.


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## Amw (Jul 2, 2012)

VR46 said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I'm hoping someone can help. I print quite a few mugs per day but I'm relatively new to the mug printing side of my business.
> 
> ...


Well we haven't had this issue in any of the of mugs we have printed over the years. But i can tell you if i did i would:

1) Remove the transfer RIGHT after coming out of the press. See if that smudge is still there.

2)If there is no mark after #1 then dunk in the water and check for smudges.

Let me know what you find and we can go from there.


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## VR46 (Feb 3, 2016)

Thanks for reply AMW 

Xpres have been in touch and we have changed to 185 degrees for 150 seconds.. both mugs came out very well.

We will have to see what happens on Monday when we do a larger batch.

Hopefully this will help anyone else who gets this ghosting/smudge effect one day.


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## SublimatorToo (Jan 15, 2009)

From my experience, after several years, mugs are generally a big P.I.T.A.

If you are getting something on the mug that's because it's being transferred to the mug surface. It's coming from somewhere.

Could be as simple as debris on your transfer sheet that you may not see.

Could be coming off the mug wrap in the machine.

If you've been pressing a bunch of mugs without a cover sheet between the transfer and the wrap, you'll get an ink build up on the wrap. Ultimately, this will re-transfer onto your next mugs.

Think about it. You put a clean sheet on top of transfer paper in a flat press to prevent contamination of the platten with ink blown through the transfer. You know that this ink will find its way onto your next pressing. So you eliminate that possibility by using the cover sheet. 

You can fiddle all you want with temperature, dunking in water, peeling after wet and whatever else you like after the pressing. It won't help. It's too late. What you need to do is eliminate the source of the contaminant or prevent it from reaching your mug.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

+1 Igor, if it's not on the print paper its on an exposed area of the press, VR46,, are you placing a single small print on the mug for pressing or are you using a full mug wrap? if you're using a single cut out image and no protective paper between the mug and the press, your heater wrap is contaminated. Always use a piece of copy paper between. Then you may need to extend your time by 20ish seconds too.


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## Birdseye3 (Nov 20, 2017)

I realize this is an older post but thought I would add my 2 cents. 

I am having a similar problem, though it is mostly a black smudge and maybe a line as well (at the paper edge). By reducing the image size a little, and backing away from the paper edges, I have reduced the frequency. Maybe the ink gasses when too close to an edge? 
Also, I know I need to be careful loading the press and that the paper needs to be completely under the pad, and the silicone sheet. (duh) 
One thing I noticed today caught me by surprise. I lifted the tape and tried to reposition the image a little straighter, before loading, and saw some ink had already begun to transfer! Would this be because the ink was too fresh?? I guess I need to dry it a little longer.
I do not quench the mugs and have not seen a problem. I did ping a few when I first started, even using hot hot water so I quit that. Can some one tell me a reason for quenching?
So, does anyone have ideas for moving all the slightly smudged seconds? I got plenty!


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

Hi Birdseye,
You don't say what printer you are using, the Ricoh 3110 doesn't print edge to edge, so if there's ink on the edge there must be a problem internally.
The ink is never wet as it exits the printer, so are you using recommended ink for the printer?


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