Printers Choice Discharge Base

Preparation:

Screens must be prepared with water-resist emulsion to prevent stencil breakdown on press. Post-hardening the stencil is recommended for long print runs. Stir in 3-6%, by weight, Discharge Activator and mix well. Different percentages of the Activator will affect the discharge results; increase or decrease in order to achieve desired results. Mix only enough for current production requirements. Activated Printers Choice Discharge Base should be used within 8 hours. If using, mix in pigment to base at the desired shade or level. 1-10% is normal for standard pigments and up to 20% for Fluorescent pigments. Printers Choice Discharge Base may be thinned with water, if a lower viscosity is required, up to 10% max.

Application:

The mesh/fabric count that is being used will determine how much squeegee pressure should be used. Typically heavy squeegee pressure is preferred. Print wet-on-wet without flash curing. Misting the on-press screens occasionally with water during long print runs is helpful. The printed fabric should be cured for a minimum of 90 seconds at 320 °F. Ideally the printed fabric should be cured for 2-3 minutes at 340-350°F. High volume forced air is recommend during curing. Do not allow the print to dry before curing in an oven; the more moisture available, the better discharge result. Proper curing is extremely important. Degree of discharging and color/wash fastness is dependent on proper curing. The activator will give off a strong odor, this is normal. Heat curing must be complete in order to assure the fabric does not retain the activator odor, re-curing may be required. Add Printgen/Retarder up to 5% to provide more open time of the wet ink to prevent drying in the screens.

Wash-up:

General wash-up, on ink that has not dried up, can be done with water. Press washes should be used for an on-press cleaner and screen opener.

Note:

Always pre-test for complete cure, durability, and other specific requirements. Not all fabrics are dyed with dischargeable dyes. Pigments must be stable with the discharge activator. Not all pigments will discharge. Certain chemical residues may remain on the printed fabrics. Fabric printed with Printers Choice Discharge Base should be either washed before packaging, or labeled accordingly to alert the buyer or customer that the garment should be washed prior to use.

Printers Choice Discharge Base Safety Data Sheet