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Printing Tips & Troubleshooting

Dye Sublimation Printing Problems & Solutions Guide

by liumia 13 Jan 2026 0 comments

Dye Sublimation Printing: Common Issues & Fixes

Q: What should I do if the image shows ghosting, blurring, or unclear edges?

Common Causes

  • Material shifting during transfer: During flatbed pressing or calender transfer, if the transfer paper or fabric moves or slips, ghosting will occur.
  • Surface contamination: Dust, fibers, or adhesive residue on the transfer paper, fabric, or heat platen can interfere with proper adhesion.
  • Excessive material stretch or rebound: Elastic materials may stretch or rebound during pressing, causing image displacement.
  • Excessive pressure: Too much pressure can cause the material to “grab” or shift on the platen.
  • Press closing too fast: Especially on flat heat presses, a rapid closing action may momentarily lift the transfer paper, causing secondary contact before full bonding.

Solutions

  • Secure all four corners of the transfer paper with high-temperature heat tape to prevent movement.
  • Check and clean the heat platen, fabric, and transfer paper surface before pressing.
  • Reduce pressing pressure to avoid excessive compression.
  • Perform test prints on elastic materials and fine-tune parameters before production.
  • Slow down the press closing speed if possible, or insert a protective sheet between fabric and platen.

Q: Sublimation is incomplete — colors look pale, grayish, or some areas fail to transfer. Why?

Common Causes

  • Insufficient temperature or time: Heat energy is not enough for full dye sublimation.
  • Uneven heat distribution: Long-term use may cause temperature variation across the heat platen.
  • Material incompatibility: The coating or fabric composition may not be suitable for sublimation.

Solutions

  • Regularly check and calibrate heat platen temperature.
  • Ensure the material has a proper sublimation coating or adequate polyester content.

Q: Colors darken, shift, or water marks appear after heat pressing. Why?

Common Causes

  • Moisture interference: Transfer paper, fabric, or padding absorbs moisture, which vaporizes during heating and disrupts color transfer.
  • Overused padding: Old padding absorbs moisture repeatedly, increasing the risk of water marks.
  • High ambient humidity: Common in rainy seasons or high-humidity regions.

Solutions

  • Pre-heat fabrics to remove moisture before transfer.
  • Store printed paper and materials in a dry environment.
  • In high-humidity conditions, increase pre-heating time or replace moisture-absorbing padding.

Q: Some fabrics bubble, blister, or develop raised spots after heat pressing. Why?

Common Causes

  • Special coating layers on fabric: Non-breathable coatings trap moisture or gas during heating.
  • Excessive temperature or pressing time: Adhesive layers become over-activated.

Solutions

  • Use segmented or patterned printing instead of full-coverage pressing.
  • Lower the temperature and extend pressing time instead.
  • Insert protective or isolation paper between fabric layers if necessary.

Q: Colors are correct, but print quality is unstable or inconsistent. What’s wrong?

Common Causes

  • Aged or deformed padding: Uneven pressure leads to inconsistent transfer.
  • Poor transfer paper quality: Unstable dye release affects color consistency.
  • Inconsistent equipment pressure: Long-term use without calibration causes uneven results.

Solutions

  • Regularly inspect and replace press padding.
  • Use stable, high-quality transfer paper.
  • Re-calibrate pressure settings to ensure uniform contact.

Get Supplies & Support

If you need to purchase dye-sublimation consumables or printing accessories, please feel free to contact us. We are dedicated to providing you with the most professional service.

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