The printing production of thermal transfer printing film can only be regarded as a small flower in the printing industry. However, with the continuous development of the plastics industry, the surface decoration requirements for plastic products have rapidly increased. The commonly used forms of screen printing and pad printing have not met the new requirements for decoration. The new special printing form of thermal transfer, due to the transfer stamping process is simple, fast, non-polluting, good adhesion, so it has been widely recognized and accepted. Now the original small flowers, has become more and more beautiful and eye-catching, quickly forming a new consumables market.
Thermal transfer film features
The thermal transfer film refers to a graphic with an adhesive. Under the combined effect of heat and pressure, it can be released together with the protective layer to remove the carrier film and firmly transfer the special function printed film that follows the surface of the substrate.
Therefore, the actually used heat transfer film must have good detachability and thermal adhesion and graceful graphics. In the process of thermal transfer, it is necessary to reflect the graphic text very well and can be very “looseâ€. It can be “tight†to leave the carrier film and stick to the surface of the product. A "loose" and "tight" is a characteristic of a "perfect" thermal transfer film and is also a key technology. The beautiful patterns, especially those obtained by gravure printing, can perfectly reflect the delicate graphics and make the packaging more perfect.
This special function of the printing film, through the thermal transfer machine heat and pressure, will transfer the graphic on the surface of the substrate, so that the products being transferred greatly enhance the grade, increasing the added value of the goods.
This kind of special function printing film is more widely used in hot stamping on the surface of different solid type plastic products that are difficult to directly print, in particular, require a multi-color printing effect. A small pen with a diameter of less than one centimeter and a length of only ten centimeters is required to print colorful and graphic rich patterns. The best printing method is, of course, thermal transfer; a triangular shaped plastic cup. The text is printed on the surface of the week, and only thermal transfer stamping is used. Therefore, the surface printing of various shapes of plastic products, thermal transfer is the best method of decoration. At present, the thermal transfer method of decorative plastic products has been widely used in stationery, daily use, makeup, artificial leather, toys, electrical appliances, furniture and other plastic products industries. This kind of special function printing film has become the most widely used consumable in the decoration industry of plastic products, and the market prospect is unlimited.
Development of thermal transfer film technology in China
China's thermal transfer film production technology has gone from scratch, from all imports from abroad to the development process from domestic production to exports.
In the 1980s, the thermal transfer printing film with a pattern was introduced into China from abroad. Patterns and colors of flowers and patterns are all common and similar. Although it gives a good decorative effect, it lacks individuality and requires individuality. The graphic documents must also be imported, and they are expensive, and there are few products that can be used.
In the mid-1990s, the domestic production of heat transfer film was followed in the production method of anodized aluminum. Although it can obtain certain effects, it has not been able to solve the production technology better than it is in foreign countries. Quality.
After the company's efforts, we first created a new coating formula and new process in the country, especially combining the release layer and the protective layer into one layer, so that the one-time coating can replace the release layer and protect it. In this way, not only the process is reduced, the production process is shortened, the production efficiency is improved, the cost is reduced, but also the quality of the heat transfer film is improved, and the thermal fracture property, overlap property, scratch resistance, weather resistance, and printability of the heat transfer film are improved. Has been greatly improved to achieve the quality of similar foreign products. Because of its excellent quality and personalized logo service, it has been recognized and applied by many world brand manufacturers, and has been exported abroad by many brand manufacturers. It is generally exported to Japan, the United States, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, West Asia and other countries and regions.
New varieties of thermal transfer flower film
From the beginning of the 1990s to the present more than 10 years, especially in the past two or three years, the color variety of thermal transfer film in China has been continuously increasing. In addition to conventional ordinary thermal transfer printing film, localized aluminum thermal transfer film, matte thermal transfer film, thermal transfer film with anti-counterfeiting and temperature display functionality also came first. It became popular on the first day.
Localized aluminum thermal transfer flower film is a printed flower film with obvious metallic luster. Due to the strong metallic luster, higher temperature than the electrochemical aluminum, and the graphic and overprinting accuracy, it has been rapidly applied.
Matte thermal transfer film can be used as a carrier film (matt film) with a polyester film with a certain surface roughness. After the carrier film is peeled off to leave a protective layer, the surface of the protective layer is diffusely reflected on the light. Showing a matt effect. The emergence of matte thermal transfer film solves the problem that the matte surface of existing substrates needs to be obtained through post-processing. This kind of thermal transfer flower film is more suitable for the variety of substrates that requires the entire surface to have a dumb effect, thereby increasing the decorativeness and appreciation of the transferred products, and the new market for the transfer printing film consumables.
Thermal transfer film development trend
Today, China's thermal transfer film, not only from scratch, from a single species to more varieties, but more worth mentioning is that the production of independent intellectual property rights continue to emerge, and promoted the production of thermal transfer film to a deeper level and More difficult development, the scope of use is further broadened. Its features are:
First, the development of production technology to a deeper level. For example, the production method of the transfer printing film provided by the Chinese invention patent "a method for producing a transfer film and a product thereof" is a representative of the development of a conventional thermal transfer film based on a deeper level of development. Its appearance has introduced the market with better and higher quality thermal transfer film, and quickly occupied the high-end market of such consumables, such as the transfer film used in daily necessities Tupperware daily products, cosmetics Maybelline, Avon, etc. The transfer film used by the brand is produced using this patented technology.
Second, the level of decoration has grown to a higher level of difficulty. For example, a Chinese patent for a transfer film with a matte and shiny surface provides a different optical structure in different areas of the transfer surface of the substrate, so that the surface of the substrate is partially matte and partially bright. The transfer film is a representative of the development of the thermal transfer film market to a higher level of decoration.
Third, the development of the transfer of objects. The patent application of “Metal Products with Decorative Patterns on the Surface†and “A Transfer Printing Film and Method for Direct Transfer on the Surface of Glass Products†is a new trend in the application of thermal transfer film to the promotion and transfer of metal and glass products. . The latter is an energy-saving, environmentally-friendly, high-quality, direct, fast, and convenient method of glass surface decoration. It can directly transfer gravure printing graphics to glass products, and solves the fine printing of fine dots that are difficult to achieve by screen printing, achieving exquisite design. The graphic effect of the surface and the screen printed glass glazing is a big leap. Using this method, the baking temperature can be as low as 180°C, the time is only 10 to 15 minutes, it takes 2 hours longer than glass baking, and the energy consumption required for long-term high-temperature baking from 450 to 600°C is much greater. reduce. This new method of glass surface decoration will provide a new decoration method for the liquor industry, pharmaceutical industry and cosmetics industry in China. It will bring a big impact to China's glass manufacturing industry and effectively solve the glass manufacturing industry in China. Has been troubled for a long time.
As China's industrialization of thermal transfer printing film continues to grow, technology continues to improve and update, the use of the object of continuous development and transfer, I believe that China's thermal transfer film supplies market is bound to become larger and larger, and gradually formed in the printing industry A big flower that thrives.
Source: Shanghai Packaging