Methods, apparatus and system for decorating plastic articles having an uneven surface or hollow structure are disclosed. An assembly comprising a transfer pad and a flexible heat transfer die comprising a thermal interface material (TIM) replace the hard rubber die in a hot-stamping process to fuse indicia into the surface. The assembly modifies ordinary pad printing into a hot-stamping process that transfers indicia onto uneven surfaces. A pad printing machine or other robotics is used to move the assembly from a position of heating to a position of compressing the ink transfer to the surface of the article.

Methods, apparatus and system for decorating plastic articles having an uneven surface or hollow structure are disclosed. An assembly comprising a transfer pad and a flexible heat transfer die comprising a thermal interface material (TIM) replace the hard rubber die in a hot-stamping process to fuse indicia into the surface. The assembly modifies ordinary pad printing into a hot-stamping process that transfers indicia onto uneven surfaces. A pad printing machine or other robotics is used to move the assembly from a position of heating to a position of compressing the ink transfer to the surface of the article.

Methods, apparatus and system for decorating plastic articles having an uneven surface or hollow structure are disclosed. An assembly comprising a transfer pad and a flexible heat transfer die comprising a thermal interface material (TIM) replace the hard rubber die in a hot-stamping process to fuse indicia into the surface. The assembly modifies ordinary pad printing into a hot-stamping process that transfers indicia onto uneven surfaces. A pad printing machine or other robotics is used to move the assembly from a position of heating to a position of compressing the ink transfer to the surface of the article.

Retransfer printing methods and systems are described where a variable stripping process is utilized while stripping all or a portion of the retransfer film (also known as intermediate transfer media) from the surface of a substrate. The variable stripping process includes stripping the retransfer film from different sections of the substrate surface while applying different tensions to the retransfer film and/or at different transport speeds of the retransfer film and the substrate.

A method for texturing a plastic substrate, while forming a dye sublimation image in the plastic substrate is provided. A first side of a dye carrier sheet having an image formed thereon of a dye sublimation ink is placed on a second side of the plastic substrate to form a stack. A first side of a textured cover is placed on a side of the stack. A clamping pressure is provided on the textured cover and the stack, wherein the stack and textured cover are clamped together. The stack is heated to at least a sublimation temperature of the stack, which causes the dye sublimation ink to sublimate and penetrate through the second side of the plastic substrate, creating a dye sublimation image in the plastic substrate and wherein texture from the textured cover is transferred to a side of the plastic substrate.

A sublimation transfer sheet including a backing layer positionable between overlapping end portions of the sublimation transfer sheet, method of using the same, and object decorated with method of using the same. Preferably, the backing layer is an absorbent layer. Also preferably, the backing layer is secured to a side of a release layer facing away from a side of the release layer having dyes or inks thereon.

A sublimated polymer composition with improved weatherability having a coating applied to a substrate by a sublimation process. The substrate includes about 60-90% by weight of polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyester, polyether and combinations thereof; UV adsorber; UV inhibitor; pigment, and antioxidant.

Aspects are directed to printing a garment and include a method having steps of providing a fabric panel containing polyester, applying an ink layer to a first area of the fabric panel, curing the ink layer, and applying a sublimation dye to the first area and a different second area of the fabric panel. Application of the sublimation dye causes the first area and the second area to have different color saturations. Other aspects include a garment with a fabric panel containing polyester that has a first surface with a first area and a different second area. The garment also includes an ink layer on the first surface and located at the first area and a sublimation dye absorbed by a portion of the fabric panel at the second area and on a surface of the ink layer at the first area.

A method for texturing a plastic substrate, while forming a dye sublimation image in the plastic substrate is provided. A first side of a dye carrier sheet having an image formed thereon of a dye sublimation ink is placed on a second side of the plastic substrate to form a stack. A first side of a textured cover is placed on a side of the stack. A clamping pressure is provided on the textured cover and the stack, wherein the stack and textured cover are clamped together. The stack is heated to at least a sublimation temperature of the stack, which causes the dye sublimation ink to sublimate and penetrate through the second side of the plastic substrate, creating a dye sublimation image in the plastic substrate and wherein texture from the textured cover is transferred to a side of the plastic substrate.

Provided is a decorative building material and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly to a decorative building material which is manufactured by a simple process and has a print layer excellent in sharpness, realism, and stereoscopic effect as well as having a functional layer such as an impact absorbing property and a manufacturing method thereof. The method of manufacturing a decorative material includes the steps of: (S1) preparing a transfer film on which a pattern is printed; (S2) preparing a substrate comprising polyvinyl chloride resin, a white film comprising polyvinyl chloride resin, and a transparent film comprising polyvinyl chloride resin; (S3) laminating the white film, the transparent film, and the transfer film on the substrate in order and at the same time performing a heat treatment under pressure; and (S4) peeling off the transfer film.