Differences

Difference between Decal and Sublimation, Pad Printing, Screen Printing

From emails and phone calls we receive, customers tell us that, unlike ours, they receive offers with sublimation, screen printing, or pad printing, and they can't understand the real difference. That's why we recommend reading the article below: The difference between Decal printing and Sublimation, Pad Printing, Screen Printing.

Sublimation Printing

It is only done on straight-walled, round mugs. Before applying the print, the wall is treated with a polyester spray; then with a simple inkjet photo printer (which you can have at home), the image is printed on an adhesive film and applied to the mug wall.

That's why you find these sublimation mugs in any photo development shop in your local mall. Then, the mug is placed in the heat press clamp for 1 minute and the color catalyzes at only 160°C.

After 50-60 dishwasher washes, the polyester begins to lose its adhesive effectiveness, both due to the washing temperature and the chemical aggression of the detergent, and the print begins to peel off gradually. You can test this by using a sublimation-printed mug daily. Or scratch the print with a knife, you'll notice it comes off. So if your customer does this test, you've made a bad impression!

Here is a heat press similar to those used by sublimation printing companies. You can buy one online for 160-250 euros and make mugs at home yourself.

In this example you can see how a sublimation-printed mug washed in the dishwasher loses color due to the soda contained in detergents.

Pad Printing

It is only done on a very small print area because pad printing doesn't allow the mug to rotate, as it's a stamp-based print. Pad printing dries at room temperature, and if you start scratching with your fingernail, you'll see it comes off gradually. Take a knife and scratch the print, you'll notice it comes off here too. So if your customer does this test, you've made a terrible impression.

Here is a printing machine similar to those used by pad printing companies.

Screen Printing

It is only done on a very small print area because screen printing doesn't allow the mug to rotate, and each pass uses fabric frame color. Since non-ceramic colors are used (t-shirt printing colors), between each pass the logo must go through a heat grid to dry, otherwise the second pass smudges the previous one.

With screen printing, the operator catalyzes the color printed on the mug wall in a t-shirt heat press for 1-2 minutes at 100 degrees. Take a knife and scratch the print, you'll notice it comes off here too. So if your customer does this test, you've made a terrible impression.

Here is a printing machine similar to those used by screen printing companies.

Photo Ceramics

Recently we've been noticing the phenomenon of photo ceramics, which consists of printing the logo on paper using laser printers with ceramic toners. This technology is fine for tombstones as the amount of color in microliters is very small compared to decal. You can notice this by comparing our prints with cemetery prints.

Professional Printing Is Done with DECAL

In the colors used for preparing decals, only synthesized ceramic pigments are used, properly mixed with highly fusible frits. The ceramic color is fundamental!

The logo is printed on a release film (Transfer technique) or directly on the mug (Direct technique) with these "ceramic colors". Then collodion is applied: this gives greater elasticity to the film and is necessary to make the decal conform and adhere to spherical surfaces. (try to make a piece of paper adhere to a sphere if you can)

With the transfer technique, optional parts can be created where to apply your logo, such as inner printing, outer bottom (ideal for advertising agencies to promote your name), personal name printing, handle printing, Gold and Silver printing, lines on saucers and many other options.

The mug is then placed in the kiln. Our company has 2 industrial tunnel kilns with max curvature of 1300°C, each 20 meters long, purchased new in 2007, and a latest-generation tunnel kiln with max curvature of 1300°C, 30 meters long, purchased in November 2013.

Normally the curvatures must be calibrated for each mug and this comes from daily experience. The logo firing takes place at temperatures between 800°C and 840°C for about 8 hours. When the maximum temperature is reached, the mug glaze becomes soft and the ceramic logo color attacks the underlying glaze. Since the print color is ceramic like the glaze, they fuse together and become one body. During the cooling phase, the print colors and glaze vitrify.

That's why the logo is resistant to dishwasher washes and scratches: think about the bar where you drink your morning coffee and that washes the cup hundreds of times per hour.

Kiln Firing

The firing temperatures are:

Glass: 520/600°C – 968/1112° Fahrenheit

Porcelain: 750/850°C – 1382/1562° Fahrenheit

Ceramics: 820/860°C – 1508/1580° Fahrenheit

Below is just an example of the firing curve for one of our mugs, for your information:

20\u00b0 \u2013 100\u00b0 → 30 minutes

100\u00b0 \u2013 250\u00b0 → 1 hour

250\u00b0 \u2013 400\u00b0 → 3 hours

400\u00b0 \u2013 750\u00b0 → 2 hours 30 minutes

750\u00b0 \u2013 850\u00b0 → 30 minutes

850\u00b0 \u2013 855\u00b0 → 5 minutes then start of soak

This is one of our kilns:

The question arises naturally...

Do you think the big coffee producers who promote their brand through cups in bars, restaurants and hotels can afford to see their corporate logo deteriorate over time? Certainly NOT!!!

That's why their cups are printed using DECAL technique, and if you ask them why they don't order mugs printed with sublimation, pad printing or screen printing, you'll notice their answers.

Furthermore, we issue an analysis certificate for every order.

How to Verify and Test?

Take a mug and a knife and scratch the print. If the print comes off, it is NOT decal and then you understand that you need to contact us for professional production.

Watch the Production Cycle of Making a Decal Mug

This video was filmed inside our factory and shows all the production phases, from receiving the logo file to the finished product. See how many people are employed, the cycle and time to create a decal mug! Our mugs cost a bit more than sublimation, screen printing, or pad printing, but with this video you can see the professionalism and quality.

Entrust us with your logos or graphics to print and receive a high-quality product, your customer will appreciate it!

That's why we are different !!!