Method of manufacturing a substrate with a cut thermal film comprises obtaining an input digital image of a design to be transferred to the substrate; storing the input image in memory; rendering design elements of the design as a single output image; based upon a bleed size value, a maximum number of negative areas, a maximum number of positive areas, and attribute values: resizing the image to include a border for bleed; filling transparent areas of the image with the substrate attribute values; creating a cutting path; creating a mask image; inverting the mask image; modifying the mask image to adjust fill areas around details, to limit negative areas to be less than the maximum number of negative areas, and to limit positive areas to be less than the maximum number of positive areas; creating cutting path data in memory as a vector path outlining the mask image.

A heat transfer sheet assembly and method is disclosed for improving the process of removing the carrier layer from a facestock layer. The heat transfer sheet assembly may include a heat transfer facestock layer and a carrier layer. The facestock layer may be attached to the carrier layer and include an indicia receptive surface along a side opposite the carrier layer. The carrier layer may include at least one peel line that extends from opposite edges of the assembly wherein the peel line assist to remove the carrier layer from the heat transfer facestock layer once indicia is printed on the facestock layer.

Display assemblies as disclosed herein are configured for attachment with a vulcanized rubber article and are provided in the form of different material layers. Display assemblies generally comprise one or more display layers of elastomeric material configured to provide a desired display indicia, an intermediate layer formed from an elastomeric material different from that of the one or more display layers, and an adhesive layer wherein the intermediate layer is interposed between the adhesive layer and the one or more display layers. The one more display layers may be configured to act together or separately to provide a desired display indicia to provide a desired visual display or feature on the surface of the vulcanized rubber article, which may be a sidewall surface of a tire.

The present disclosure provides a method for transferring an image to a substrate that includes providing a transfer medium having at least one registration mark; printing an image on the transfer medium; covering the image with a backing layer, the backing layer not covering the registration mark; covering the backing layer with an adhesive layer; penetrating the adhesive layer and the backing layer with a cutting device at locations around the image, the penetrating of the adhesive layer and backing layer not penetrating the transfer medium; removing portions of the adhesive layer and backing layer from the locations around the image; and transferring the image to the substrate.

Systems and methods for forming and applying decorations onto substrates are disclosed. According to some aspects, a decoration may be formed on a carrier web at a decoration forming station positioned along a web path. The decorations may be transported along the web path to an application station at which the decorations are applied to substrates from the carrier web.

Apparatus and methods for transferring a pigment-based decorative design onto a surface without using a plastic film or adhesive.

A method for producing a multilayer film, with the steps: a) providing a base body with a carrier ply and a transfer ply, which comprises at least one layer; b) applying an in particular UV-curable adhesive to at least one partial area of the transfer ply of the base body; c) applying a stamping foil which comprises a carrier ply and a transfer ply, with the result that the transfer ply of the stamping foil comes into contact with the transfer ply of the base body coated with adhesive; d) curing the adhesive by UV irradiation; e) removing the carrier ply of the stamping foil.

A safe, integrated dye sublimation printer apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus is configured to print one or more images onto a selected product using one or more heating platens to sublimate the image. The heating platen is configured to sublimate one or more opposing sides of a product substantially simultaneously in a single thermal cycle. In some embodiments, the apparatus may be incorporated into a fully-enclosed vending machine to provide on-demand personalized sublimated products and accessories for a consumer.

The present disclosure relates to segmented transfer tapes useful in the transfer of only a portion of the segments of the transfer tapes and methods of making thereof. The segmented transfer tapes include a removable template layer having a structured surface; a transfer layer comprising a backfill layer, wherein the backfill layer has a structured first major surface, and an adhesive layer; at least one transferable segment formed in the transfer layer; at least one non-transferable segment formed in the transfer layer, the at least one non-transferable segment includes an adhesive surface, wherein a passivating layer is disposed on at least a portion of the adhesive surface of the at least one non-transferrable segment; and at least one kerf extending from the first major surface of the adhesive layer and into at least a portion of the removable template layer. The present disclosure also provides micro-optical assemblies and methods of making micro-optical assemblies from the segmented transfer tapes.

The invention relates to a method allowing the heat transfer of a multilayer complex (1) onto the front face of a textile material (13), said multilayer complex comprising a layer (5) containing polyurethane and a superimposed expansible layer (6) containing a gelled vinyl polychloride plastisol and a non-expanded heat-expansion agent. To this end: the multilayer complex is placed on the visible front face of the textile material, the polyurethane-containing layer being the furthest away from the textile material so as to form, after the transfer, a visible decorative layer on the front face of the textile material; and temperature and pressure conditions are applied so as to cause the adhesion of the multilayer complex to the visible front face of the textile material and the simultaneous expansion of the expansible layer. A three-dimensional edge effect can be obtained using different colour layers.