This might sound weird but have you ever thought of this unique idea of launching plates that are custom designed for your customers. There are thousands of businesses dealing in sublimation products but very little focus on sublimation plates. Sublimating plates for decoration or a dinner set is not a tough process, you will need some Plate blanks and a Heat press and thus you are good to go, so are sublimation plates food safe?
Let’s have a look at all the important information that you will require to start this venture.
Materials You Need:
plates Sublimation printing is more or less the same as Mugs sublimation, you just need some basic equipment to start.
● Sublimation Printer:
The printer is a must when it comes to Dye-sublimation printing. To ensure the prints on the plates are of superior quality, you must purchase a sublimation printer that produces high-resolution prints. Check for printers that have high efficiency as it will help you save a lot on prints and yield great results.
● Sublimation Inks And Papers:
For sublimating plates, you must use inks that are compatible with your sublimation printer and paper. Also, make sure that the ink is of high quality if you are using it to make dinner sets as low or bad quality inks may sometimes get dissolved into the food and cause problems.
● Plates Blanks:
Before purchasing the plate blanks, always check if you have the required silicon plate mat size. You can get the plates in a variety of sizes and with some designs on their edges. But make sure they do not have any print on the center or on the position where you want to sublimate.
● Heat Press Machine:
And lastly, for the heat press machines, get the ones that are specially made for plates. Also, purchase one that has a high range of silicon plate mat sizes, and even if you do not have the right size, get the one that is manufactured by the heat-press machine’s brand.
Plate Printing Process:
Print on plates with a sublimation machine is also the same as the normal sublimation printing process but it requires a lot more care. These are the steps you should follow to execute plate printing perfectly:
● Step 1:
Get a plate blank that has not undergone any sublimation process before. There can be designs on the edges of the plate but make sure it is plain white at the center.
● Step 2:
Get your designs printed on sublimation paper that is of the size of the print area using a sublimation printer and allow it some moment to settle down.
● Step 3:
Now print your design and place it carefully at the center of the plate on the heat press and gently start the heat press.
● Step 4:
Once the heat press process has started, monitor the heat and pressure carefully and make sure that it does not exceed the breaking limit of the plate. After allowing about a minute of heat-press, remove the sublimation plate and allow it to cool down.
After the plate is cooled down to room temperature, remove the paper and you will have the sublimation plate with the custom design in it.
Best 5 Places To Buy Plate Blanks:
You can check out these sites to get the best plate blanks.
1. Amazon:
If you want to get plate blanks for dye-sub in a variety of sizes and quality, then you must visit Amazon. Amazon is the biggest marketplace in the world today and with thousands of sellers selling products on Amazon, you get products of high quality at a much cheaper rate.
2. Coastal business:
Coastal Business is also another highly recommended printing e-commerce platform. This is a great site to get all your sublimation needs to be sorted. They also offer a same-day shipping facility with an easy return & exchange facility making the delivery fast and reliable. Also, they offer pickups for their customers from the warehouse giving their customers a hand-picking experience while ordering online.
3. HeatPressNation:
HeatPressNation is another great site for purchasing sublimation products and accessories. This site offers you the lowest price guaranteed as they import products in bulk quantity from wholesale. Also, this site gives you a full refund in case you find any product with the same quality at a much cheaper price from any other store. This makes the site a suitable place to search for your plate blanks.
4. Etsy:
This site is yet another amazing site for purchasing sublimation products. You will find amazing blanks with vintage designs. Also, this site holds open craft fairs where many people list their products for a much lower price making it an ideal site to visit for plate blanks.
5. eBay:
eBay is perhaps one of the oldest sites for purchasing products online. This site has got products listed from sellers around the world making it a perfect place to get your designed plates. You must check this site before making any sublimation products purchase as sometimes you get products at a very cheaper rate here.
Tips For Perfect Sublimation Process On Plates:
- Before Sublimate plates, you need to understand the area of the print. You must print the design according to the area in the center of the plate.
- Secondly, know the heat and pressure settings for the plates. It is important as more pressure on the plate may result in breaking of the plate and less pressure might result in low-quality print.
- Lastly, always sublimate on plates that are light in color as it will give you vibrant results.
FAQs: Sublimation Plates:
1. are sublimation plates food safe?
Generally, you don’t eat on a sublimated plate but if you want to eat on a sublimation plate then make sure that the sublimation ink and the materials used in the printing are harmless.
2. Can you sublimate on Dollar Tree plates?
Generally, the dollar tree plates are not good for the sublimation process but if you want to sublimate then make sure they are coated.
3. Is sublimation ink safe?
While you sublimate, you use a very small amount of ink and the sublimation ink used today is completely safe and harmless for the worker’s environment.
4. Are sublimation fumes harmful?
The sublimation fumes produce during the sublimation do not contain any harmful or toxic gas, however, there are certain substrates like neoprene that may give a strong odor.
5. How long do you heat press a plate?
For obtaining a perfect print, you must heat press a plate at about 385 degrees Fahrenheit for at least about 25 to 30 seconds. But after the print, if you peek and are not satisfied with the quality, you can give it a few more seconds too.
Final Words
Using sublimation plates as the home decor has been prevalent in the western household for ages. It is a perfect gifting option for your loved ones and if you are a person with a good business mindset then you know that you just need plate blanks and a heat press for ceramic plates with your custom designs to be successful.
