Hydro Dipping FAQ
Common questions about hydro dipping ! Hope you can get the answers from the following FAQs.
Hydro Dipping FAQ GUIDE
Water transfer printing uses a specially processed water-soluble film as the medium.
After printing the desired color pattern on the film, place the water-soluble film with the pattern on the water surface. Using the water pressure function, the ink of the color pattern is evenly transferred and adhered to the surface of the product, and the based film is dissolved in water, and disappears in the water.
Then washing and drying the printed object, spray a layer of transparent protective topcoat.
At this time the product is like wearing a beautiful coat! Gives a very different beautiful and beautiful visual effect.
The water transfer printing process for ABS speed shape are very simple, please check every steps correct as below:
- Prepare a container with clear water in the temperature range of 25 °C – 30°C. No dirt in the water.
- Put the hydrographic film on the water. Generally, the printed layer is facing up.
- Wait for 90-120 seconds. This step is to dissolve the hydro dipping film. The thicker the ink layer is, the activator can be sprayed in advance before the film is completely dissolved, so that the activation time of the ink can be prolonged.
- Spray activator on the hydro dip film evenly. Activator spraying needs to be operated with a 0.8mm*4 hole spray gun and agitation pressure. The spraying distance is about 30cm, and the air pressure is properly adjusted to prevent the pattern from falling off and no water splashes.
- Wait for 5-15 seconds. After the film becomes a mirror surface and spreads flat, you can go to the next step.
- Dip the object into water through the dipped film at 30-45 degree angle.
- Shake the dipped object in water for 3-5 seconds. the step is to cut off the undipped part of the water transfer film at the edge and increase the time for the texture to close the processed object better.
- Wash the film dirty on the dipped speedshape.Â
- Natural dry out the speedshape
- Apply gloss paint to the object. This step is to protect the design, and enhance the service time of the dipped speed shape.
All ABS material hydro dipping can follow these steps. But for a better final effect, you’d best paint the ABS material item first, so that you can change the based color to match the film design better.
The hydro dipping process of ABS material speedshape is the simplest water transfer printing process. Therefore, the sppedshape is the best way to display your design for your business. For other un ABS material objects, their hydrographic printing process needs more steps. Hydrodipprint will show you how to hydro dip other material here. Take hydro dipping bottle process as an example:
- Apply based oil-based primer to the bottle. The color of the based painting needs to match the water transfer film design, such as wood grain design generally use the brown, coffee, khaki, etc based painting, and white for stone grains.
- Dry out the bottle. (Better way: Natural dry out the bottle, then dry out by oven )
- Prepare a container with clear water in the temperature range of 25 °C – 30°C. No dirt in the water.
- Put the hydro dip film on the water. Generally, the printed layer is facing up.
- Wait for 90-120 seconds for the hydrographic film’s dissolution. The thicker the ink layer is, the activator can be sprayed in advance before the film is completely dissolved, so that the activation time of the ink can be prolonged.
- Spray activator evenly. Activator spraying needs to be operated with a 0.8mm*4 hole spray gun and agitation pressure. The spraying distance is about 30cm, and the air pressure is properly adjusted to prevent the pattern from falling off and no water splashes.
- Wait for 5-15 seconds. After the film becomes a mirror surface and spreads flat, you can go to the next step.
- Dip the painted bottle into water through the dipped film at 30-45 degree angle.
- Shake the dipped object in water for 3-5 seconds. the step is to cut off the undipped part of the water transfer film at the edge and increase the time for the texture to close the processed object better.
- Wash the film dirty on the dipped item.Â
- Natural dry out the bottle.
- Apply gloss paint to the bottle. This step is to protect the design, and enhance the service time of the dipped bottle.
If you want to dip other material not glass, you also can follow these steps. What you only need to change is to replace the based primer according to the different materials.
Simple Hydro Dip Kit:
- Speedshape (Or your object)
- Hydrographic Film
- Activator
- Spray Gun
- Primer(oil paint )
- Gloss Paint
Commercial Hydro Dipping Facilities:
Basic hardware facilities:
(1)Water transfer film with pattern printed.
(2)Patented activator
(3)Primer and Varnish
(4)Spray gun, air purification system
(5)Hydrographic film flowing machine, washing machine, drying line, oven, rinse tank
(6)Industrial fans, ventilation pipes, long-term tap water supply, drainage systems
(7)Professional tools for fixing water transfer objects
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Plastic / Glass / Metal / Ceramic / Wood / Fabrics / Leather / Marble / Materials that can be applied oil based painting/ …
Almost all materials can be hydro dipping, the best material for hydro dipping is ABS plastic material.
The hydro dipping process can be done on the almost any material, apply designs to the iterms within mintues. Therefore, the hydro dipping has wide application in our daily necessaries even car parts. Such as :
- Hydro dipping shoes
- Hydro dipping guns
- Hydro dip tumbler
- Hydro dipping rims
- Hydro dip cups
- Hydro dipped wheels
- Hydro dip motorcycle
- Hydro dip helmet
- Hydro dip cam
- Hydro dip skateboard
- Hydro dipping sneakers
- Hydro dipped guitar
- Hydro dipping bottles
- Hydro dipping bow
- Hydro dipping cosmetics packing
- Hydro dipped phone case
- Shotgun camo dipping
- Hydro dipping toys
- Hydro dipping kitchen tools
- Hydro dipping furniture
- Hydro dipping curtain parts
- Hydro dipping crafts
- Hydro dip valve cover
- Hydro dipping cleats
- Hydro dipped football helmets
- Hydro dip outdoors
- Hydro dip goggles
- Hydro dip bow
- Hydro dipping auto parts
- DIY hydro dipping
- …
The steps of hydro dipping stainless steel material are the same as another hydro dipping bottle. But there are two points you need to pay attention as below:
For example:Â hydro dipping metal rim
- Dry out the hydro dip rim after based painting.
- Dry out the hydro-dipped rim after dipping.
- Dry out the dipped rim after gloss painting.
Reason: it’s hard to naturally dry out the metal rims to arrive at the standard of hydro dipping metal rims. Then  if drying steps is not good, it is hard to dip the metal rim successfully, and easy to make hydro dipping failure.
Solution: Hydro dipping drying line or hydro dipping drying oven.
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Yes, you can.
Hydro dipping is a creative printing technology that allows you to do water transfer printing process with simple tools at home.Â
For the DIY hydro dipping at home, you’d best choose ABS plastic material object, and small size items like phone case, speedshape, small fan, etc.
Hydro dipping can apply the design on the household, or daily necessities, then the dipped household items can be enhanced their value on the market. That’s the profit model of the hydro dipping business.
If you want to start the hydro dipping business, Hydrodipprint suggests you reprepare the dipped speed shape to show your design to your customer.
And also starting the business from easy to difficult, dipping the object from a small volume item to a big volume, ABS plastic material to metal material.Â
Due to the water transfer printing can be used on almost any material, it has wide applications as below.
- Automobile supplies: instrument panel, control panel, tissue tray, tea cup holder, tape holder, rear view mirror frame, operating handle, car lock, rim, dashboard, car door, etc.;
- Electronic products: telephone, pager, video recorder, stereo, remote control, mouse, clock, keyboard, camera, hair dryer, etc.;
- Household supplies: sofas, coffee tables, cabinets, chandeliers, ashtrays, vases, containers for decoration, etc.
- Daily products: luggage decorations, tableware handles, glasses cases, pens, pen holders, desk calendars, art frames, rackets, hair accessories, cosmetic pens, cosmetic boxes, etc.
- Indoor building materials: doors and windows, floors, wall panels, etc.
Hydro dipping is not always successful, especially for hydro dipping starters. Hydrodipprint shows some common hydro dipping failure cases and solutions here, hope they are helpful to you.Â
Hydro dipping film’s dissolution time problem
1. There are fine wrinkles in the pattern.
Reason: Â The dissolution time of the hydrographic film is not enough.
Solution: You need to prolong the dissolution time of aquaprint hydro printing film.Â
2. The pattern is blurry.
Reason: The dissolution time of liquid print transfer film exceeds.
Solution: You need to shorten the dissolution time of the water transfer film.
Activator ProblemÂ
1. The pattern will flow
Reason: The activator is sprayed too much
Solution: To reduce the amount of activator spray
2. The pattern part is not attached
Reason: It can be caused by three situations
1> The activator is unevenly coated
2> The air temperature and water temperature are too high
3> The activator evaporates quickly
Solution:
1> Spray the activator evenly
2> Lower the air temperature and water temperature
3> Sprat activator evenly by djusting the spray gun etc.Â
3 There are blisters on the surface of the product
Reason:
1> The dose of the activator is too small
2> The angle of transfer into the water is not correct
Solution:
1> Adjust the dose of activator
2> Change the direction and angle
Based Painting Problem
1. Poor pattern adhesion after transfer
Reason:
1> There are greasy dirt on the surface of the material
2> The based painting on the object does not dry out after baking
Solution:
1>Â Ensure to clean the surface of the material before hydro dipping
2> To confirm the material and primer (the primer need to be oil basement paint), and reduce the temperature or time of oven.
2. After the topcoat is applied, the dipped object is blistered or cracked
Reason: The material has low solvent resistance, then the primer of the article is insufficiently hardened
Solution:
1> Change the topcoat solvent
2> Change the topcoat
3> Prolong the drying time of the primer
3. Poor adhesion of the topcoat
Reason:
1> The primer does not match the topcoat
2> The topcoat does not match the material
Solution: Change the paint.
4. The topcoat turns yellow after drying
Reason:
1> The drying time of coated object is too long
2> The drying temperature of coated object is too high
Solution:Â
1> Lower the drying temperatureÂ
2> Shorten the drying time
If the above method cannot be changed, replace the paint that does not make it yellow after drying.
5. When the topcoat is applied, the corners of the product are too thick and uneven
Reason: The main agent in the topcoat is too much or the spraying amount of the coating layer is too large
Solution:Reduce the spraying amount of the topcoat.