For businesses that have invested in a professional-grade heat press machine, there’s the option of purchasing accessories to improve the machine’s performance and expand its utility. To maximize the ROI on your machine investment, consider buying the following parts and accessories:
- Teflon covers: These cover the silicone pad on the lower platen and help extend its life. The Teflon cover also makes it easier to slide an item into place on the lower platen, increasing productivity and reducing fatigue for the machine operator.
- Silicone pad: It’s helpful to have a spare silicone pad available for the lower platen. These pads do show wear and tear after extended use. If there are tears or indentations on the lower platen, it can make it difficult for the adhesive on a transfer to fully engage with an item’s material. It’s better to have a spare silicone pad available rather than need it and not have it.
- Accessory platens: Many heat press machine manufacturers offer a variety of accessory platens to replace the stock lower platen that comes with the machine. They can be a smaller size to fit smaller items, such as children’s garments or tagless labels, or a different shape to fit a specific product, like shoes. By having these different platens available, your heat press machine can be used to print on a wider variety of items, expanding your product offering and improving the ROI on your machine purchase.
- Grease gun kit: The proper monthly maintenance of your heat press machine should include applying lubricant (i.e., grease) to all moving parts. Greasing will increase the life of the press and allow it to move and pivot easier for the operator.
- Teflon sheets: These can be placed over the silicone pad on the lower platen, if you do not want to use a Teflon cover, to extend the life of the pad. They can also be placed over the transfer when heat sealing to make sure the transfer does not adhere to the upper platen.
- Cart with wheels: Due to their size and weight, heat press machines can be difficult to move within a work area or take to remote locations for special events. To gain mobile flexibility, try placing your heat press on a heavy-duty cart with wheels and storage shelves. The machine can then be easily moved to different work locations, improving efficiency and reducing the odds of damaging the press when moving it.
By purchasing accessories for your heat press machine, you can expand the machine’s functionality, increase efficiency, and improve the ROI on your initial purchase. Consult with your machine’s manufacturer to get a better idea of the accessories they make available for your specific model.
—Insta Graphic Systems
