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Sublimation Ink Cartridges

LaserDealer offers only top quality Sublimation Inks. The inks we offer, we use for our own projects and have had very good success with them.

Sublimation is the process of transferring an image to a special coated surface using heat and pressure. The image is first printed on high quality standard inkjet paper using special sublimation inks. These inks are available for a number of different Epson printers. Normally, when you print for sublimation, you use color correction software that adjusts the printed ink colors so as to provide the proper "sublimated" color for the particular item you are using (plastic, ceramic, cloth, metal, etc).

Items intended for sublimation images have a polyester coating applied. It is actually this coating that receives the image. So, when you purchase "sublimation" style mugs, plaques, metal, etc - they already have a thin coat of polyester. This is also why sublimation on pure cotton is difficult. Normally cloth should be at least 65% polyester in composition for successful dye sublimation.

After printing the image on paper, you then lay the image on the item to sublimate (or wrap it around, like a mug) and use a heat press to apply heat and pressure for a particular amount of time. This heat/pressure/time transfers the image from the paper to the item. Example typical settings for heat/pressure/time setting would be 400 degrees F, 40psi for 40 seconds. The actual settings used depends upon the items composition (ceramic, plastic, wood, cloth, etc).

When the heat/pressure/time is applied to the paper image, the inks transform from the solid printed state to a vapor (gaseous) state. The heat/pressure/time also affects the polyester coating of the image so that it will accept the vapor into its structure. When the heat/pressure/time is complete and removed, the item is allowed to cool, and the image is now embeded in the polyester coating. At this point, the image is very durable.

When performing the sublimation process it is important that the paper does not move relative to the item receiving the image, otherwise you can get "ghosting". Also, we find that removing the paper as soon as the heat/pressure/time is complete and allowing the item to cool without the paper also helps to prevent "ghosting" of the image. You need to be careful when removing the paper before the item has cooled as it will be extremely hot (400 deg F can burn)!

To perform sublimation, you need an Epson printer, sublimation inks, a good heat press, and polyester coated sublimation items (mugs, plaques, keychains, etc). We offer the sublimation inks.

Ink Features Include:

• Does not clog up your printer
• Long shelf life
• Bright Colors

Epson 800, 850, 1520

(Complete set volume of ink is 70 milliliters)

Epson 900, 980

(Complete set volume of ink is 110 milliliters)

Epson 3000, 5000

(Complete set volume of ink is 100ml per color x 4 colors = 400ml)

Epson 3000, 7000, 9000

(Complete set volume of ink is 200ml per color x 4 colors = 800ml)