Geo Knight & Company makes a popular line of clamshell presses for the direct printer market. image courtesy of Geo Knight

This clamshell from HIX Corporation is a popular machine for volume garment decorators because it is a fast machine. image courtesy of HIx

Printa’s tunnel press is very safe to operate because the platen slides straight out from the heating element. image courtesy of Printa

Imprintables Warehouse says your heat press should consider the type of heat applications, the primary operator and physical space restrictions. image courtesy of Imprintables Warehouse

Stahls’ point out that one of the most important things to look for in a heat press is one that provides even heat across the platen. image courtesy of stahls’

Anyone would be hard pressed to find three forces that haveinfluenced more change than time, pressure and heat.From the formation of the earth to the collapse of stars light years away, no other trio in the universe can compare to the creations and catastrophes these three catalyze. They are the holy trinity of nature’s force.

The heat press is like a science experiment demonstrating the stark changes these three can combine to make. If repetition and familiarity have robbed you of the excitement of this process, all you need do is show the process to a young child and watch their eyes widen with wonder as a heat press transforms a blank and bland product, be it a T-shirt or piece of tile, into a canvas for an artist’s imagination.

Heat presses have always been capable of these impressive personalizations, but they are just as subject to change as the substrates they decorate. Updated with technology advances over time under the heat and pressure of a competitive marketplace, today’s heat presses are an era of evolution ahead of their predecessors. Let’s take a look at how these changes can impact your company’s profitability and workflow.

STYLE PROS & CONS

The style of your heat press shouldn’t be a trendy thing, says Bob Robinson of Imprintables Warehouse in Masontown, Pennsylvania. It should take into consideration the type of heat applications you will be doing, who will be the primary operator(s) and also physical space restrictions if any. There are three major styles of heat presses, each has its own beneficial attributes.

Clamshell

Robinson says the most commonly used heat press is the clam-style press. “This one opens and closes like an alligator’s mouth (or a George Foreman Grill) where it is hinged in the back. The clam press takes up the least amount of space, is typically the most portable and requires the least number of operator motions to use. Some people are concerned with burning their knuckles on this one, but I say you will only do it once.”

The clam-style heat press also features a wide opening for easy layout. “It is a popular option because it takes the least amount of space as the top rises on a vertical angle. The automatic clam style enables multi-tasking by opening automatically at the end of each cycle,” says Cara Cherry of Stahls’ in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.

James Ortolani of HIX Corporation in Pittsburgh, Kansas, tells us that the clamshell is a favorite style machine for the volume garment decorator because it is faster than a swing-away type machine. “With an automatic clamshell heat press, the garment decorator can lock the press down, and it will automatically open, allowing a hands-free operation to immediately peel the transfer paper backing and load the next garment.”

For a while, it seemed as though the clamshell press would be largely replaced by the swing-away press, at least for business use. However, according to Aaron Knight of Geo Knight & Company in Brockton Massachusetts, the direct-to-garment industry has changed this.

“We make a popular line of clamshell presses for the direct printer market. We make the auto-release, pop-up clamshell presses. I would say clamshells are equal to swing-aways right now, just because of all of the direct printer activity. They’re really just curing these fabrics. When people are using direct printers, they want the pop-up features, so they can walk away. You really can’t get that feature with a swing-away unless you get an air-operated press, which is prohibitive for a lot of people,” says Knight.

Swing-Away

For a business that transfers a wider variety of substrates, the swing-away is probably a better option than the clamshell.

“You have to use a swing-away to get completely even pressure across the substrate’s entire surface, as well as to adjust the height of the press to accommodate really thick materials,” says Knight.

Mo Goss of Printa Systems in Kirkland, Washington, adds that the swing-away is also safer to use, as the operator is not exposed to the heat of the element. “The downside of a swing-away, however, is the space required to operate.”

Robinson agrees, but adds that if you are looking to have full access to your shirt and design, then you should consider the swing-away heat press. “This one pivots the heating element totally away from the work area, allowing for placement of individual letters or rhinestones, etc. The pneumatic or ‘air’ version of the swinger is my personal favorite press as it offers so many versatile benefits.”

Ortolani points out other considerations, “With a swing-away press, you must take the extra time to manually swing away the heat platen and then peel the transfer paper from the transferred garment. Even though the swing-away style press is only a couple of seconds slower that the clam-style press, take that time saved and multiply it by thousands of garments, and you will see the production savings is big! On the other hand, the awards and engraving customers favor a swing-away press primarily because they are transferring onto 3D substrates like wood plaques, photo boards and signage. And with a swing-away style heat press, the heat platen comes down direct onto the transfer and substrate in a parallel motion, whereas with a clamshell press it tends to pinch in the back of the substrate first while closing the press, and this action can cause a sublimation transfer to shift causing a ghost image on the transferred print.”

A clamshell press will work for heat transferring sublimation transfers onto plaques and ceramic tiles, says Ortolani, but you must get a clamshell press that features a “floating lower” which allows the upper heat casting to self align with the rigid substrate and lower platen when you close the machine. This “floating” action keeps the transfer paper from slipping when the heat press is locked down on the substrate.

Draw Press

The draw press rounds out the heat press offering. Robinson says the draw press, much like the swinger, allows for full access to the design area. But, instead of swinging the heat away, it draws the lower platen toward you like a drawer.

“If you are placing individual rhinestones, this might not be the best choice as you are now moving the garment and all, but for normal heat transfers and heat applied films, it’s a nice alternative,” says Robinson.

Cherry adds, “A draw press has a stationary upper platen; however, it requires more aisle space as the drawer comes out—similar to a cash register. Both offer heat-free workspaces, which provide a safe and convenient way to apply transfers, numbers and letters.”

Goss says that Printa’s tunnel press is very safe to operate because the platen slides straight out from the heating element. “In addition, because it slides straight out, operating space is reduced. It is extremely compact and lightweight, 60 lbs., making it ideal for any shop or to transport to events.”

FINDING THE BEST FIT

How should a shop go about finding the best heat press for their operation? Are certain models better suited for a shop with more volume? Is the footprint a consideration?

Now that you know about the different types of heat presses, how do you choose the one best for your company’s needs?

Knight says, “The first questions we ask are, ‘What are you pressing, and how big of an area do you need to press? How big of an image do you plan on transferring? Are you a T-shirt printer, or are you doing other stuff?’”

Knight adds that just by getting the answers to these questions, customers’ options are narrowed down from 20 to three or four. “At that point, they can look at the models and determine what will suit their space requirements, what’s portable, etc. From there, we can narrow it down to one or two models, and it’s up to them to choose.”

Goss says a shop should determine how they are going to use the press. Is it for sublimation, heat transfer, vinyl or a combination of all these processes? What kind of volume do they anticipate?

“For general purpose, a single-station digital flat press is fine for most shops. If they are going to be doing more high volume, they might consider a dual-platen shuttle press such as the Idek or the digital twin shuttle with auto release Embossa for heavy use,” says Goss.

“To me it’s simple,” says Ortolani. “If I am a high-volume garment decorator, I want an air-operated clamshell. If I am an award shop, I want a swing-away press. If I am on a budget, I would go for an economy-priced manual press, but I would absolutely stick with a US-made press over a cheap imported press. As for the footprint, keep in mind a swing-away press will take up almost twice the space as a clamshell because of the swing away action of the press.”

The footprint is an important consideration, says Robinson, because size matters. “There are typically three standard sizes of heat presses (aside from special application presses), 16”x20”,16”x16” (or 15”x15”) and 11”x15”. If you are looking to purchase your first press, I recommend a 16”x20”. The reason is that while a large portion of the designs that you want to press will fit on a 16”x16”, you don’t want to short-change yourself and be limited to a certain size image. For the price difference, you will never regret going larger to start.”

The other benefit of the larger heat press, Robinson adds, is that it is easier to align designs properly when you see more of the shirt on the press and use the longer side lines of the lower platen as a reference. Many heat-transfer machines have interchangeable lower platens that can help when you have long runs of smaller garments or odd-shaped items to heat press.

“Selecting the right heat press for a business requires a little bit of thought and research. One of the first things to consider is the volume of your business. Someone who is starting a home-based business may require a smaller, less expensive press while a large commercial shop may wish to consider an air press for higher volumes and increased production time,” says Cherry.

She adds, “Heat presses come in manual and semi-automatic. A manual press requires the operator to use physical force to open and close the press. A semi-automatic is easier to close and opens on its own once the time is up. It can cause less fatigue than a manual because it is air operated or incorporates electronic magnetic technology. For a business or shop that only uses a press occasionally, a manual press is just fine.”

QUALITY: DETERMINING FACTORS

Once you make a decision on the type of heat press you want, it’s important to make sure you buy a press of the quality you require.

“There are two major factors that determine the quality of a heat press. First of all, everyone has lifetime warrantees for the heat platen because none of them really have issues. The major quality difference in machines these days is the construction of the framework, and you can tell a lot just by feeling the weight of the press. When you compare two presses of the same platen size, and one weighs 200 pounds and another weighs 140 pounds, that is a major indicator of quality. What materials have been put into the press? If nothing is there, it’s going to be difficult for that press to hold up under a lot of clamping and abuse. This is especially important to look at with imports,” says Knight.

He continues, noting that the second quality factor to look at is the reputation for support. “Which companies can get their customers instantly up and running and running properly? Which presses are easily maintained on site and do not need to be returned? A press without support is effectively a disposable press, because once it breaks down, you can’t do anything with it.”

Cherry says that one of the most important things to look for in a heat press is one that provides even heat across the platen. “Each heat press that we sell features a heating element in the upper platen that ensures that there are no cold spots. If there are cold spots then the transfer or design may not adhere to the garment correctly.”

Many things determine the quality of a heat press, according to Goss. “Our presses are all manufactured with high-quality cast parts. We spend a great deal on tooling so that each press is consistent and reliable. Most presses use elements that distribute heat evenly. Some are better than others but overall they are all pretty good. All of our presses also have digital timers; not all manufacturers provide this.”

Ortolani says another area to consider is the amount of force or pressure that the machine can exert. “Some of the most stylish presses on the market look good, but won’t deliver enough downward force to apply hot-split and puff-type transfers. It’s always a good idea to do your homework and stick with the major brand heat press machines. The imported heat presses, from China as an example, are not having a good success rate in our country. They are half the price of US-made presses, but they do not last like American-made machines. Trying to get a good warranty or spare parts for imported machines can be a nightmare!”

Robinson agrees and says it pays to buy from a reputable company who will service you well and from a manufacturer who offers a product with a solid warranty, easy-to-use equipment and good service after the sale. “If you have never heard of them, there’s a good chance that you might want to avoid them.”

Knight adds that the biggest problem in buying heat presses today is shopping just on price. He says that buying a cheap press can end up being really expensive in the long run. “People will go online, shop around and find the least expensive press they can, which is probably a great machine for sporadic hobbyist use, but they can’t hold up to daily business use, which often ends in a business buying another press.”

NOTABLE CHANGES AND ADVANCES

Over the years, heat presses have become easier to use with newer options and more features, says Cherry. Digital time, temperature and pressure displays are critical for perfectly printed apparel as it eliminates guesswork to ensure a perfect application every time.

“In addition, many heat presses now feature the Twin Timerâ„¢. This feature allows the user to program two different time settings—one for garment pre-heating and the second for the application of the design or lettering,” she adds.

Let’s break down the advancements into the three relevant categories: temperature (heat), time and pressure.

Temperature

“There really is no need to stick with a very inaccurate thermostat that sloshes back and forth and varies wildly. If you’re running a business, you need digital controls. Get controls with the time and temperature on the same screen,” says Knight.

Robinson concurs and strongly recommends going digital. “Today’s adhesives on heat-applied films and heat transfers are more sophisticated and more application specific than ever before. Every heat-applied transfer has its own ‘recipe,’ and the margin for error is much narrower than in the days where 350 degrees and ‘mashing them on’ for 10 seconds was a one-setting-fits-all situation. You want to make sure that you achieve melting point to liquefy and activate the adhesive without over-applying heat. Too much heat can liquefy the adhesive to the point that it can actually absorb entirely into the fabric and not adhere to the transfer. Without a digital temperature read-out on your heat press, your temperature can vary 10 to 15 degrees.”

Time

Robinson adds that the length of time, or “dwell time,” that the press is engaged on the transfer is critical as well. “While time is time and you could use an egg timer or count in your head, having a digital timer incorporated in your heat press is an overlooked convenience.”

He adds that it would be even better to have a press that not only counts down and beeps, but actually opens automatically when the timer hits zero. That’s not just a lazy man’s feature, but a production tool that allows you to multi-task and not be chained to your heat press waiting for the beep.

“I would venture to say that there have been a lot less damaged garments since this innovation has been available,” says Robinson.

Pressure

The last component to be measured is pressure, says Robinson. “Having a digital means of measuring the actual applied pressure takes away all guesswork. To date, pressure has been very subjective as ‘medium pressure’ is a lot different to a 250-pound man in comparison to an 80-pound woman. Having a live digital pressure read-out on your heat press can be a big plus.”

Knight explains that everyone wanted to have some sort of idea how much pressure they were applying without bothering with an engineering degree to figure out the psi.

“We came up with a way of converting pressure into a useful number that tells the user if they have light, medium or a lot of pressure. That has always been a hang-up with presses, and now we have a way to deal with that. That’s a great feature to look for,” says Knight.

A LITTLE HOMEWORK

Don’t let the heat or pressure of necessity take away from the time you take to shop. As you consider the best press for your business, conduct some simple research. First, answer all of the questions mentioned earlier. Know the products you will press, how many of them and how much space you’ll have to work with. Figure out how much you are willing to spend. When you know these, consult with a few different companies to make sure every aspect has been considered—not just the manufacturers, but distributors and other shops as well. Attend trade shows where you can touch, feel and use the equipment. Also, it is always a good idea to speak with people that have no vested interest in which piece of equipment you choose. Talk to shops that already have the equipment you’re looking at. Ask them how well it works. I doubt they’ll be shy to share their opinions.