Anything that simplifies, diminishes, eliminates human effort and saves time is generally defined as a machine. We have made huge strides in technology and there are so many inventions and machine modifications that have made man’s day to day life more interesting.
When we talk of clothes, we are inundated with options like washing machines, dryers, irons, sewing machines. Similarly, there are so many options to make your clothes prettier and customized. And it is not just by fabric paint and home-made fashion. One can simply use heat presses or heat press machines. A heat press works by using heat and pressure to make the design/colored image appear on the cloth of your choice. Heat press machines are also used to brand hats, scarves, caps, jerseys even cups, mugs and plates with the selected design. Heat presses consist of platforms to keep the cloth on, cranks and levers to push the plate/swing the arm bearing design on ink transfer paper, vinyl, plastic or plastisol sheet, onto the cloth/item. There are options for time and pressure settings and digital displays. Although basic function and parts are common heat presses are of clam-shell, swing-the upper plate opens or swings away by an arm or draw style-the lower plate/platform goes in and out like a drawer in a cupboard.
Heat presses (HeatPressReview) can also be divided into automatic, semi-automatic and manual varieties.
Automated-They make use of air/hydraulic pressure with pre set time to imprint the design on the cloth/item. They are naturally more effective since they operate on precise pressure settings. Such heat pressed designs also last longer. Automated heat presses generally are designed in clam-shell or swing type. They may also include sensors which stop the machine once the process is done and warn the user by beeping.
Semi-automatic-They are a kind of a cross between manual and automated heat presses since they have features of both. Some operations have to be carried out manually while the rest can be automated. Generally available in the clam-shell type designs, such heat presses need the user to lower the upper plate onto the lower one with the cloth, close the press and start the machine. Once this achieved, time and temperature set, the machine stops automatically once the process is finished.
Manual-As the name signifies, all operations are carried out by the user. Manual control and monitoring is essential. The user must place the cloth/article on the lower platform, lower the upper plate with the design on the lower platform, then start the machine by setting the time and heat/temperature settings, monitor it and stop the machine and remove the cloth/article from the press.