Granite Base

Features

AXEON™ Granite Base™ 1811 produces unique textured surfaces.

AXEON™ Granite Base™ 1811 prints through thick stencils and can be used as a stand-alone product or in combination with other Non-PVC inks to create a variety of new textures and looks.

Can produce extremely sharp edges.

Printing Techniques

This product will spot dry, with a very low after flash tack. Dwell time is dependent on the spot dryer used. In some cases, you may have to lower the heat of the spot cure unit because too much heat may actually make the ink tacky. When you spot dry, you are only partially fusing or gelling the surface of the ink. The ink should be just dry to the touch, with no lift off, but not totally fused. Totally fusing the underprint may cause inter-coat adhesion problems with the inks printed on top. Final fusing or curing will occur in the dryer. Failure to fuse ink properly may cause cracking, poor adhesion and poor wash fastness.

Foil Application

Set up the screens as with any print, making sure there is plenty of free mesh around the design. Choose the proper squeegee length and stroke distance for the design dimensions. Select a squeegee of 70-80 durometer. More control can be achieved using double and triple-ply blades. Angle the squeegee to increase deposit. The floodbar should be adjusted to provide maximum stencil loading. When the screen is flooded properly, it will take less effort for the squeegee to transfer the ink.

Use an off-contact or peel setting to release ink from the stencil. Off-contact is a critical adjustment. If it is not high enough, the ink will not release from the screen. Set the print and flood speed to the slowest setting; then increase the speed, as the design permits. Apply minimal squeegee pressure; only enough to transfer the ink. Too much pressure will push the ink into the fabric. The idea is to lay the ink on the surface. For maximum height, flash the print and stack on another layer. Depending on the thickness of the first print, additional prints may require increase in off-contact. By layering the print, image results are better controlled.

Check out our How-to Video on our ICTV YouTube channel.

Important Information

Ink-deposit thickness will be determined by thread size and stencil thickness. Follow manufacturer’s recommended tension for mesh used.

Stencil films purchased at required thickness levels allow for better control of ink deposit. Exposure times should be calculated for best results.

Test dryer temperatures and wash test printed product before and during a production run.

This ink and those in the AXEON™ product line are not formulated with PVC resins or phthalate plasticizers, nor are they intentionally added.

Care should be taken to not cross-contaminate the AXEON™ products with PVC or phthalate containing products.

Do not use standard plastisol curable reducers with this or any of the AXEON™ products.