Cure log
First Article
A quick floor note on approving the first cured sample before the run gathers speed.
The first approved sample tells you whether the rest of the run will hold together. If the platen height, dwell or heat spread is off, the problem only grows with volume. First Article is our note for teams checking cure and presentation before full production starts.
First Article is not admin for the file. It is the moment the crew checks whether the first cured print has the right hand, colour hold, and surface finish before volume starts climbing. If you need to compare notes with your line, use the contact form and describe the check you ran.
First cured sample checkpoints
- Garment type and ink system noted
- Photo shows first cured print and platen position
- Heater type named from the catalogue page
- Press operator, shift, and site recorded
Read First Article beside the dryer pages that match your print line. A ScreenMaster-style flash cell, a ceramic IR head, and a quartz bank do not build or spread heat in quite the same way. The journal note sets the inspection habit, while the catalogue helps you match that habit to the unit on press.
How First Article starts on garment print lines
First Article is about checking the first cured sample before the run gains pace. Approving one good sample early gives the crew a reference point for heat, dwell, and print feel during the rest of the job.
Begin with the actual job on the carousel or line, not a generic setting from an older run. Plastisol, water-based systems, garment weight, and flash distance all shape what the first approved sample should look and feel like. In Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, and smaller production sites, heat stability can also shift with dust, humidity, and power interruptions during the shift.
Keep one image and one written reading from the first acceptable sample. Note the dwell, head height, belt or platen speed, and any change made after the first strike-off. That record gives the next operator a usable starting point when the same design returns.
Reference standard for the run
A proper First Article check leaves the team with one approved sample and a short set of settings tied to that result. The point is to stop drift early, whether the issue is under-cure, too much surface gloss, fabric scorching, or uneven flash across the print area. One sound benchmark on press is more useful than a loose stack of test prints.
Link First Article to the matching Cure log entry before the order moves into full output. Add the heater arrangement, print width, and the change that produced the approved sample so the note can be repeated on the next run. Dryer sizing depends on belt width, ink type and the pieces you run per hour, so list those in your message.
- Approved sample matched to live production
- Initial cure result captured before speed increases
- Named record for the production file
Checks under South African conditions
First Article matters more when the line has to cope with shifting site conditions. A job in Gauteng may need reflector cleaning sooner because of dust, while a coastal plant may watch moisture response and storage conditions more closely. If power drops during warm-up or between strike-offs, the first accepted sample after restart needs its own note rather than being treated as identical to the one before.
Ceramic IR and quartz banks react differently when the room, garments, or substrate stock start the shift at a different temperature. Crews should look for edge cure, ink tack, and print feel, not only for a surface appearance that looks right from a distance. On packaging lines, board or film response under heat should be checked before speed is lifted.
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What to record on press
A quick floor note on approving the first cured sample before the run gathers speed.
Write down the print job name, ink type, substrate, heater position, dwell time, and the cue that marked the sample as acceptable. Include any adjustment to platen height or head spacing that corrected the first result. That gives production and maintenance a shared note when the same work returns or the cure starts drifting later in the run.