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Curing · 1 of 8 · 1 min read

Time and temperature

Start here: The cure temperature and time on your ink’s tech data sheet (TDS), measured in the ink film, then a wash test.

Ink cures when the entire ink film reaches the ink’s cure temperature and stays there long enough. Hold the whole ink film at cure temperature for the time on your ink’s TDS (ScreenPrinting.com gives at least 20 seconds for water-based); thicker deposits need longer.

Wilflex says a 60-second oven dwell is typically adequate for plastisol and recommends against dwells under 30 seconds. Avient’s dryer-mapping guide uses 60 seconds for plastisol and 90 seconds or more for water-based and reflective inks as typical. Dwell means time inside the heated tunnel only, not cool-down or time on the belt outside it.

CURE TEMPper your ink’s TDSTIME AT TEMPERATUREINK FILM TEMPERATURE THROUGH THE DRYER
  • Curve ink film temperature through the dryer
  • Cure temp line set it from your ink’s tech data sheet (TDS)
  • Time at temperature how long the whole ink film stays at or above that line
How ink film temperature rises, holds and falls through a conveyor dryer (our own drawing, not to scale). The film has to reach the cure temperature on your ink’s tech data sheet and hold it. Sources: Wilflex; Avient.
Sources for this guide (18)
  1. Wilflex (Avient), Ink curing tips (2020, PDF)
  2. Avient, Mapping your conveyor dryer (PDF)
  3. Davis International, FAQs
  4. Davis International, Common issues
  5. ScreenPrinting.com Help, How do you cure water-based ink?
  6. Lawson Screen & Digital, Curing plastisol inks
  7. ScreenPrinting.com Help, What is cure temp?
  8. ScreenPrinting.com Help, How do you cure plastisol with a flash dryer?
  9. ScreenPrinting.com Help, Why does ink crack in a stretch test?
  10. ScreenPrinting.com, 4 curing methods
  11. International Coatings, Curing ink with a heat gun
  12. International Coatings, How do I test to make sure my inks are properly cured?
  13. Screen Printing Magazine, Figuring out flash-curing parameters
  14. Screen Printing Magazine, Curing comes clean through wash testing
  15. ScreenPrinting.com Help, What do I need to start a shop?
  16. Lancer Group, STI direct print silicone ink system (PDF)
  17. Northwest Graphic, Silextreme silicone ink
  18. PIA/SPTF, Textile plastisol curing troubleshooting (PDF)

Ranges are starting points from these sources. When a source and your ink’s tech data sheet disagree, follow the tech data sheet.