# Sublimation For Plastic??



## vescera (Jul 24, 2007)

Hello

I`m thinking of starting to print on plastic, is it posible with sublimation and temperature of 180C? Maybe PVC?


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## sid (Oct 6, 2007)

You can sub "FRP" fiberglass reinforced plastic from Unisub. Comes in one and 2 sided gloss and matte. You will need a table saw or one of those zip cutters (hand router). You have to sub @400 degrees so this is the only way to go.


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## milabix (Apr 18, 2008)

PVC doesnt work very well (the ink tends to migrate so you get images that are not very sharp) but it can work. Try 190F for 6 to 15 minutes. You can also transfer on acrylics, Acetate, PBT... You need to play with temperature, pressure and dwell time with each and except for acrylic usually the images are not very sharp. The surfboard people transfer to PBT at low temperatures with very long dwell times!

Hope this helps.


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## vescera (Jul 24, 2007)

sid said:


> You can sub "FRP" fiberglass reinforced plastic from Unisub. Comes in one and 2 sided gloss and matte. You will need a table saw or one of those zip cutters (hand router). You have to sub @400 degrees so this is the only way to go.


Great! I will see here that someone cut sheets of fiberglass. I was thinking to sub main on mouse pad but I dont know will it work for optical mouse?





milabix said:


> PVC doesnt work very well (the ink tends to migrate so you get images that are not very sharp) but it can work. Try 190F for 6 to 15 minutes. You can also transfer on acrylics, Acetate, PBT... You need to play with temperature, pressure and dwell time with each and except for acrylic usually the images are not very sharp. The surfboard people transfer to PBT at low temperatures with very long dwell times!
> 
> Hope this helps.


Yes thank you great information! Do you know what is melt temperature for Plexiglass? I can find easy sheets of Plexiglass for fiberglass will be hard...


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

I don't think 'off the shelf' fiberglass or pvc will work...remember that to get the sharp image, no hand associated with dye sub, the substrate must have a polymer coating or be a polyester garment. Basic premise of dye sub is the the heat turns the dye sub ink into a gas and the pressure forces it 'into' the substrate..

Conde systems has a great list of items that can be sublimated as does some of our vendors


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## PressForProfit (Jun 11, 2008)

vescera said:


> Do you know what is melt temperature for Plexiglass? I can find easy sheets of Plexiglass for fiberglass will be hard...


Dye Sub isn't so great on plexi. Warps real bad and the surface tends to soften and melt. Even is a problem on 1" thick acryllic. The dyes also lack the opacity/density for a good looking product. 

I have seen people do this with some heat transfer laser paper for hard goods, since it can be applied at a much lower temperature. Hope this helps.


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## vescera (Jul 24, 2007)

charles95405 said:


> I don't think 'off the shelf' fiberglass or pvc will work...remember that to get the sharp image, no hand associated with dye sub, the substrate must have a polymer coating or be a polyester garment. Basic premise of dye sub is the the heat turns the dye sub ink into a gas and the pressure forces it 'into' the substrate..
> 
> Conde systems has a great list of items that can be sublimated as does some of our vendors


Yes but if I have to do coat on plastic there is no point of printing on that material. I know that there is polysub plastic Mugs made of some polymer and can print great pic. with them. So there must be some plastic that can be printed.






PrintForProfit said:


> Dye Sub isn't so great on plexi. Warps real bad and the surface tends to soften and melt. Even is a problem on 1" thick acryllic. The dyes also lack the opacity/density for a good looking product.
> 
> I have seen people do this with some heat transfer laser paper for hard goods, since it can be applied at a much lower temperature. Hope this helps.


Yes thanx! I will not try this. 

Does someone print something on white fiberglass and will be cool to post some picture.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Quote from vescera (*Yes but if I have to do coat on plastic there is no point of printing on that material. I know that there is polysub plastic Mugs made of some polymer and can print great pic. with them. So there must be some plastic that can be printed*)

I have been doing dye sub for over 7 years and I have never been aware of doing dye sub on any plastic that is not coated and prepared for the heat. To get the sharp image, you need med pressure for 30-40 sec(for dye sub plastic from conde) and temp of at least 400 F, The plastic mugs have a polymer coating just like the name badges etc..or so I have been told

There is a conde rep that is on the forum frequently....maybe they can chime in


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## vescera (Jul 24, 2007)

charles95405 said:


> Quote from
> 
> I have been doing dye sub for over 7 years and I have never been aware of doing dye sub on any plastic that is not coated and prepared for the heat. To get the sharp image, you need med pressure for 30-40 sec(for dye sub plastic from conde) and temp of at least 400 F, The plastic mugs have a polymer coating just like the name badges etc..or so I have been told
> 
> There is a conde rep that is on the forum frequently....maybe they can chime in


Yes I know UNISUB have FRP with coat for sub but for plastic mugs I think that they are not coated.


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## PressForProfit (Jun 11, 2008)

charles95405 said:


> ...I have never been aware of doing dye sub on any plastic that is not coated and prepared for the heat.... The plastic mugs have a polymer coating just like the name badges etc..or so I have been told


From the Polysub website...
The bright white finish provides more brilliant color transfer with high contrast possible in sublimation reproduction. The sublimation dye penetrates the surface of the polymer. _There is no coating_. This protects the image from scratching and chipping even after years of dishwasher and microwave use. PolySub is also a better insulator than glass, ceramic, or stainless steel and offers greater temperature stability.


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## vescera (Jul 24, 2007)

PrintForProfit said:


> From the Polysub website...
> The bright white finish provides more brilliant color transfer with high contrast possible in sublimation reproduction. The sublimation dye penetrates the surface of the polymer. _There is no coating_. This protects the image from scratching and chipping even after years of dishwasher and microwave use. PolySub is also a better insulator than glass, ceramic, or stainless steel and offers greater temperature stability.


I wonder are this Polysub mugs same as Thermoplastic Mugs?


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