Did You Know? Educational Resources Marketing Collateral Newsletter Press Releases Tradeshow Calendar Tradeshow Reports

Did You Know?

Ariel Nicolaci joined the STAHLS' International team in 2002 and in 2008 he became the International Sales Manager, focusing on the Americas and Africa. As an experienced garment decorator with broad knowledge of all types of heat printing methods, his tips and tricks are one of the most popular segments of our quarterly newsletter. The positive feedback from this “Did You Know” column has prompted us to add his submissions to our website and give it a permanent space so our readers have access to his tips and tricks at any time. We hope you enjoy these continuous features and welcome your feedback. Thank you for your interest and support.

2012 Volume 3 2nd Quarter Newsletter
Great Tips for Perfect CAD-COLOR® Mask Application When masking logos printed on CAD-COLOR® digital media, the right technique is fundamental in order to achieve the best results, and save time and money.
When printing a large image such as a number or a full front design without a lot of detail, the normal procedure is to print, cut, weed and then apply the mask on top of the printed area using a squeegee in order to remove possible air bubbles and small creases. This usually works well but can cause a problem—due to the thinness of the mask one needs to hold it with both hands. The digital media below sometimes “floats” towards the mask due to static and its inherent stickiness. Once the digital media gets stuck to the mask there is very little one can do to get it released again without ruining the job.
How To Prevent “Floating” The risk of creases, bubbles, curling... all can be significantly reduced simply by changing the order of how you do things. If you place the mask, sticky side up, on a flat surface and then position the printed and weeded design on top it will make it a lot easier.
“Reverse Weeding” - The Best Solution for Intricate Designs and Small Details “Reverse weeding” is a simple idea that can save you a lot of frustration and time. Here is the trick: Before weeding, apply the mask on top of the printed media. The size of the mask has to be smaller than the unprinted portion of the media and only large enough to barely cover the printed logo.
Once you have finished this step the mask can be easily separated from the media and will only stick on the printed part of the media that we want to heat apply later. The unprinted media will stay on its carrier.

2012 Volume 3 1st Quarter Newsletter

Making CAD-Material With an Expired Shelf-Life Work For You

Last Spring a dealer contacted me and told me that was having problems applying one of our products. When I asked for the exact product, Lot number and color I saw that he had purchased the product four years ago. Based on this information and his issues I knew exactly what caused it: he had left the rolls of CAD-CUT® Fashion FILM // Premium material in a warm area. In addition to that: four years is well past the shelf-life of CAD material. Since the color was Burgundy this was not a big seller for our customer and could not wait to deliver his job.

The Problem
After heat applying the logo, adhesive residue from the Mylar/Mask got stuck in the logo and on the fabric which in turn stuck to the garment ruining it.

The Solution
It was going to take a little extra time, but he would be able to fulfill his order. To solve the sticky problem, the dealer had to heat apply the logo onto the garment for 3 seconds at 160°C with a medium/light pressure. Remove the carrier off while still warm using extra caution doing so. By doing this the design and garment will still have some adhesive from the Mylar/Mask, but not that much and to remove it completely. To remove even more of the sticky residue he had to heat apply using a Teflon sheet for an additional 8 seconds second. The excess glue from the Mylar will stick to the Teflon that can later be wiped off. The advantage of a Teflon cover sheet is that it can be reused many many times.

2011 Volume 2 4th Quarter Newsletter

Custom Colors Now For Smaller Quantities
Now Only 300 Sq. Meters!

Did you know that 450 square meters used to be our minimum order for custom color heat transfer films? Thanks to our new, shorter run manufacturing technology, the minimum for a custom color order is now only 300 square meters. This is great news since it allows us to create special colors for your customer without having lots of inventory. In case you’re wondering, 300 sq. meters translates into only twelve 50 meter rolls.

As a result, we are now creating specific colors for soccer teams in different countries as well as making special colors for brands such as Movistar, Office Depot and others. In some cases a special color is needed only in one country and with these minimums we can help you keep your customers happy. We can also keep on top of the latest color trends and help you differentiate yourself from the competition. Now when you are visiting a large customer that demands a custom color, remember that we can always create that special color to ensure you get the job!

2011 Volume 2 3rd Quarter Newsletter

Save Production Time

If you do a lot of multi-color applications, try CAD-CUT® Premium Plus on your next job and watch your profitability increase with every shirt you print! Here’s why:

Competitor’s products require 10-15 seconds dwelling time per color. In order to create a two color design that means 10 seconds for the first color and 15 seconds for the second layer, giving you an accumulated application time ranging between 20 and 25 seconds.

Our CAD-CUT® Premium Plus cuts this time in half! Tacking the first color down it takes a dwelling time of 2-3 seconds. The second layer bonds and adheres to the textile and first layer perfectly after an additional 8 seconds. In just 10-11 seconds you get the same result, 50% faster. If you’re ready to speed up production and increase profitability, start using CAD-CUT® Premium Plus on all your multi-color designs. The light tack carrier makes it perfect for detailed artwork as well.

Another advantage of using CAD-CUT Premium Plus for multi-color designs is the adhesive. Unlike other films, CAD-CUT® Premium Plus is engineered to prevent oozing. The adhesive stays in place, distributed evenly straight downward, resulting in a very clean and crisp looking finished print. You won’t get that shiny shadow surrounding the second layer or textile that you often get when using competitors’ heat seal materials that ooze when the top layer is applied.


Adhesive Showing		No Adhesive Showing

2011 Volume 2 2nd Quarter Newsletter

How to Reuse and Recycle CAD-CUT® Heat Transfer Materials
If you are keeping an eye on costs — and who isn't — you are probably already doing everything possible to reduce waste when working with CAD-CUT® materials. But sometimes scraps can't be avoided. If you have leftover Mylar backing or CAD-CUT® material at the end of a job, here are some "recycling" ideas for you to try:

Reuse the Mylar Backing
The Mylar backing found on some CAD-CUT® materials can be used up to five times for transferring CAD-COLOR® Digtial Media designs onto garments. This is especially true with the Mylar used on CAD-CUT® Fashion-FILM™ and CAD-CUT® SportFilm Lite™.

More Recycling Ideas
Combine your leftover CAD-CUT scraps with other CAD-CUT heat transfer materials: If a design has open spaces/crevices, fill these with leftover scrap material. One material combination that has proven to work exceptionally well is CAD-CUT® MultiFlock and CAD-CUT® Fashion-REFLECT™. Combine CAD-CUT® with CAD-COLOR® digital media materials: Placing small pieces of CAD-CUT® materials under the crevices of a CAD-COLOR® design looks great and nobody will know that leftover scrap material was used. Use these as a great backing for your CAD-COLOR® digital media design to achieve great effects.

Mix and Match
Creating multi-media designs using scraps are a little more time-consuming but the results can be outstanding. It's usually only suited to low quantity orders, but it's a great way to increase value and add a unique touch to a simple CAD-COLOR® design. CAD-CUT® Fashion-FILM® Electric is one of my favorite CAD-CUT® material to use since the material itself possesses that "wow effect" already. Other materials that work well are CAD-CUT® Fashion-REFLECT™ under CAD-CUT® MultiFlock.


1) Use CAD-COLOR® Prime New printed & cut with CAD-CUT® Fashion-FILM™ Electric (prism) scrap material		2) Place scrap piece on to crevice of digital media		3) Heat apply both layers for a finished “wow” effect

2011 Volume 2 1st Quarter Newsletter

More CAD-COLOR® Media Production Tips and Tricks
Last month's topic was how to cut your CAD-COLOR® Media more efficiently to help you save time and money (if you did not read it click here). Today's topic continues with ways to improve your CAD-COLOR® production skills—How to print CAD-COLOR® Solvent-Flock and CAD-COLOR Solutions™ Vintage Puff™ to create the most vibrant color results!

The Secret to Better Color is Out
The secret is easy — all you have to do is use the Print2Times feature that is already available in your Roland VersaWorks® software. You'll find this option under Printer Control > Personalized adjustment > Print 2 times-Print & Cut.
Basically the machine will print two times and the final color will look more intense. While you will still lose some color after heat application, since there is more ink on the media, the loss will be compensated by the additional ink. When using a Kraft paper or Teflon® cover sheet, remember that some of the ink will stay on the cover sheet.

Another Color Saving Tip
Instead of using Kraft paper of Teflon®, try cutting a piece of 100% cotton fabric in the shape of your heat platen. An old white t-shirt works well for this. The excess ink will be absorbed and stabilized by the cotton that can be re-used without further problems.

Creating Vintage Looks
If you are using CAD-COLOR® Solutions™ Opaque and would like a vintage look, try using a piece of 100% black cotton or other textured cotton fabric as a cover sheet. Depending on the roughness of the fabric, some of the fibers will be left on the design, creating an older, weathered look. I recommend doing this when the design has lots of colors. Make a sample for your customer using this method and let them see the different effects you can create with different cover sheets.

Cut First with Some Media
Remember when printing CAD-COLOR® Solutions™ Vintage Puff™ and Solutions™ Opaque, it's better to cut first and then print. For more info on doing this, see the 2010 Volume 1 4th Quarter Newsletter.

The next issue of our newsletter will explain how to use leftovers of CAD-CUT® material and CAD-COLOR® products.

2010 Volume 1 4th Quarter Newsletter

Simple Production Process Changes That Don't Cost Anything and Can Save You Money!
Most of us know that cutting CAD-CUT® and CAD-COLOR® materials appear very easy, but cutting and printing them effectively takes skill and patience. Here are a few expert tips from Ariel that can help you get better results, save time and save money! How to Cut, Print And Save!

1. Use the Right Blade:
Increasing your productivity means using the optimal blade for the job. Ariel reports: "I always prefer to use a 60 degree blade to cut CAD-CUT® and CAD-COLOR® materials because these perform better when cutting smaller, more intricate designs compared to other angled blades. Once the blade starts wearing off, I save it to use for materials such as stickers or simple shaped designs."

2. Print & Cut Systems – "Reverse It":
Solutions™ Opaque and Solutions™ Vintage Puff™ are both amazing, unique materials and there is hardly any competition for these available in today's market. However, due to the thinness of these products and the layer of ink applied, the edges can curl up after printing and cutting. Furthermore, the blade can collect ink with every run across the roll and this built-up can make the blade lose its effectiveness or worse: ruin your design by smudging the image. This problem can be easily avoided by simply reversing the print and cut process: Cut the design first and then print the image. This prevents the possible issues described above. No ink can get stuck to the blade, smudge the designs or influence its cutting ability due to curled up edges.

Use these settings for the Roland VS-300 and the "VersaWorks" RIP software: find the command "Cut Control" and select the function mode "Only Cut". In addition, click on "Come back to the origin after cutting". After the material has been cut go back to "VersaWorks" find the command "Cut Control" and click on "Only Print".

These tips will increase the lifetime of your blade, won’t scratch your design and also will save weeding time. Combined this translates to a much higher productivity and great cost savings.