What is the working principle of infrared heating lamps for printing machines?
Heat transfer and drying process
After the surface of the printed material absorbs infrared radiation, the temperature rises, and the heat is transferred from the surface of the material to the inside by conduction. For thicker printed fabrics, this heat transfer can also allow the printed layer inside the fabric to obtain sufficient heat.
As the temperature rises, the solvent in the printing material (such as the diluent in the ink, the residual water after the fabric is printed, etc.) begins to evaporate. This is because the increase in temperature increases the kinetic energy of the solvent molecules, making it easier for them to change from liquid to gas. Taking water-based ink printing as an example, under the action of infrared heating lamps, the water in the ink evaporates quickly, so that the ink is quickly dried and solidified, improving the efficiency of printing.
For thermosetting inks, infrared heating directly provides heat for the ink to undergo cross-linking reaction. The resin and other components in the ink react chemically at high temperatures to form a three-dimensional mesh structure, so that the printed pattern is more firmly attached to the printed material such as the fabric.
