Tintas Serigrafi

cas Technical Information
DF06
Performance Pigments and Colors

Organic Colours for Low Temperature Decals
In this technical information leaflet Ferro presents Xpression, a series of organic colours for the screen printing of low temperature decals. Until now, the use of organic colours was limited to interior applications. Ferro has succeeded in developing a totally new colour series thatis designed especially also for exterior use. Low temperature decals can be applied on almost all substrates. The choice of the protective coating allows the curing on heat resistant substrates at 160 °C to 200 °C as well as curing on temperature sensitive substrates at room temperature. Even objects that could not be thermally cured, like plastics, can be decorated with Xpression decals withoutany problem. Suitable substrates are wood, plastics, porcelain, glass, ceramics, stainless steel, coated aluminium and varnished surfaces. As application examples decorated helmets, motorcycles, skateboards, ski, bicycles, surfboards and other sports equipment, furniture, bottles, vases, lampshades and small household appliances, displays and industrial labels could be named. There is no limit tothe imagination. Decals printed with Xpression colours can be perfectly matched to the image: free areas within the illustration really stay free. Only the protective coating is printed 0.4 millimetre bigger than the image. This enables high-grade decoration. In contrast to this, labels or adhesives can only be printed completely, the background is then entirely covered. Content General informationProcessing instructions for the Xpression colours Processing instructions for the Xpression decals The Xpression colours Xpression colour samples Colour management system Overview on the properties Application examples 1 2

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Fig. 1: Application example: Decorated motorcycle helmet

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1. Processing Instructions for the Xpression Colours 1.1. Printing PaperThe well-known types of paper for producing ceramic decals are also used for producing Xpression decals. On top of a barrier layer, this kind of decal paper is coated with a watersoluble mixture. In practice, we recommend only the standard dextrin paper Trucal Plus by Tullis Russell.

If necessary, the viscosity can be lowered with up to 10 % 80 890. Printing is carried out with fine screensdue to the high colour intensity of the pastes. We recommend polyester screens PET 120-34 to PET 165-31 or similar stainless steel screens.

1.3. Protective Coatings After the colour decals have been produced and thoroughly dried, they are overprinted with protective coating 80 4540 or 80 4542. The protective coatings produce a uniform gloss on the decal surface, but also ensure that strippablecoating 80 2039 can be removed. In contrast to 80 4540 for thermal curing, 80 4542 needs the addition of the hardener 80 4543, which provides the necessary chemical and mechanical surface resistance even at room temperature. When using the two-component system 80 4542 and 80 4543, thermal curing is obsolete, which is particularly interesting for the decoration of thermally sensitive objects. Fordetailed information, please refer to the technical data sheets. The range of protective coatings is completed by 80 4541, a satination. The overprinting does not influence the strippability of the strippable or transfer coating 80 2039. The grade of satination can be adjusted by addition of the clear protective coating 80 4540. To print the protective coatings we recommend polyester screens PET120-31. Fig. 2 clarifies the layer composition of a complete Xpression decal.

1.2. Printing Pastes The range of printing pastes comprises 12 basic colour pastes incl. white, additionally we offer the four process colours, see table 2 and fig. 4. The suitable auxiliaries and media are listed in table 1. Other effect colours like metallic or pearlescent colours can be found in our information...