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A FULL PALETTE OF ORGANIC COLORS
Ferro Color and Glass Performance Materials' new SpecTruLite™ line of organic screen-printing inks and coatings provide glass decorators a full palette of heavy metal-free colors for brilliant decorations. Multiple color effects come to life with standard and custom colors including reds and yellows.
High-performance qualities make SpecTruLite screen-printing inks and coatings ideal for use on wine, liquor and other beverage bottles, cosmetic containers, food packaging, tumblers, advertising specialties and a myriad of other uses.
Ferro organic heavy metal-free SpecTruLite inks and coatings are available in three lines: High-Temperature thermoplastic spreen-printing inks (HTP), Room-Temperature screen-printing inks (RTP) and WaterBorne coatings.
THERMOPLASTIC INKS
SpecTruLite HTP thermoplastic screen-printing inks, designed for one-color and multi-color applications, must be melted and applied with a heated screen. SpecTruLite RTP screen-printing inks are provided in paste form and are designed for one-color applications or the final color of multi-color jobs and can be used to decorate round, oval and flat containers.
Both HTP and RTP screen-printing inks deliver a medium- to high-gloss with good hardness and chemical resistance for several applications. Opaque, transparent, and matte finishes can be achieved in most colors. It is also possible to achieve dramatic metallic effects.
APPLICATION
SpecTruLite HTP screen-printing inks require the use of electronically heated stainless steel screens for applications. WaterBorne coatings may be applied in a variety of methods from spraying to dipping, curtain coating, and brushing. Viscosity can be adjusted to achieve a wide range of coating thickness. HVLP guns are recommended but not necessary for spraying WaterBorne coatings.
SCREEN MESH AND TEMPERATURES
Recommended screen mesh size is between 160 and 325. Use 200, 230 or 250 mesh for initial evaluation. The equipment and the substrate can affect mesh size. Recommended screening temperatures for HTP inks are from 180º to 210ºF (82º to 99ºC). Temperatures exceeding 220ºF (140ºC) for prolonged periods of time can cause premature curing.
THINNING AGENTS & APPLICATION VISCOSITY
SpecTruLite RTP inks can be thinned using 1% to 5% of Ferro 368 Medium. HTP inks are provided at screen-ready-viscosity. Slight variations to the viscosity of HTP inks can be achieved by adjusting screen temperature.
SQUEEGEE DUROMETER AND PRESSURES
Recommended squeegee durometer hardness is 50 to 80. Optimum squeegee pressure and hardness tend to be lower for organic inks than for traditional ceramic inks. Reduced squeegee pressures tend to give better printing results. Recommended starting pressure is 22 lbs.
SCREEN OFFSET
Optimum screen offset from the ware is higher than is commonly used with ceramic inks; 3/16 inches off-contact is an acceptable starting point. Although resting the screen on the ware is not recommended, the amount of off-contact can be dictated by the screen itself and the ware.
FILM STATE
SpecTruLite HTP inks will exhibit a rough surface and should appear dry to the touch before curing. Slight tackiness may be evident. If the print tends to have tissue paper consistency due to the mesh being used, a portion of this will fill in during setting and curing. SpecTruLite RTP inks will be wet to the touch prior to curing.
CURING
Glass Temperatures of 370º to 400ºF (176º to 205ºC) are necessary for a complete cure. Recommended cure cycle is 400ºF (205ºC) for 20 minutes for small objects. It is best to bring the ware and decoration to the required temperature as soon as possible. An incomplete cure will result in prints with poor scratch and chemical resistance. After curing, additional heat will not improve the properties of the ink and may result in a darkening of colors.
SCREEN CLEAN UP
Clean screens using Ferro's 368 Medium or 1602 screen wash. Both will leave an oily residue that can be removed using an ethanol wipe or 1601 screen dry. For cold screens and tools, screen washes containing xylenes, ketones and acetates are effective. Mineral spirits are not recommended. All safety precautions suggested by the manufacturer of these products should be followed.
STORAGE
Store SpecTruLite inks at room temperature. Shelf life drops with increasing temperature. When stored properly, shelf life should exceed six months.
PREPARATION
HTP inks must be melted before screening. To melt the HTP materials, place containers in an oven at 180º to 200ºF (82º to 90ºC) for an hour. A double boiler method will also ensure fast, even, indirect heat. Never place HTP inks in direct contact with a burner or heating element. Prolonged heating this way, even at specified temperatures, can result in the material cross-linking, i.e. curing.
FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS
ADHESION
The Ferro line of SpecTruLite organic screen-printing inks and coatings pass the standard test for adhesion, DTM219, similar to ASTM D3359-87 Method B.
ALCOHOL/ACETONE
When applied and cured properly, SpecTruLite organic inks and coatings will pass a standard test for resistence to removal by alcohol, DTM 227. Under the same conditions, these materials will also pass the standard test for resistance to removal of acetone, DTM 228.
WATER
Properly applied and cured coatings and inks will exhibit excellent resistance to water under the following conditions: Boiling water for 1/2 hour, DTM 223. Room temperature water (21ºC), DTM 229.
HARDNESS
To assure a degree of scuff resistance, hardness of materials are checked using the pencil hardness test, DTM 273.
DTM TEST METHODS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. |