WPS Panther 700L incredibly versatile suitable for Plastisol, Waterbased and DTG printers
FAQ’s WPS Panther Tunnel Dryer
What is the lead time?
Some smaller dryers are made to stock, so a quick turnaround is possible. Larger dryers are made to order, we do quote a typical lead time on order. We do our best to build machines as quickly as we can.
Can I choose the colour?
The smaller dryers we tend to build to stock, but for bigger dryers and if the timing works we can get the machine powder coating to your requirements – please note a surcharge may apply.
Do you export the dryers?
Yes we regularly export Tunnel Dryers to Europe, Middle East and Africa. If you are outside of that geography then please contact us. Please note that in circumstances there will be a crating charge in addition to shipping charges.
What kind of warranty comes with the dryer?
The dryers come with 12 months onsite, (excludes consumables such as motor brushes etc.). You can optionally purchase a service contract for peace of mind.
Which dryer is best for me?
Please click here to see link which helps you choose the right dryer. If in doubt please contact us for advice.
Small Home Screen Printers – WPS Essential Tunnel Dryer / WPS Premium Tunnel Dryer or WPS Panther 600 Tunnel Dryer
Manual Screen Printers – Plastisol Ink – WPS Panther 700 Tunnel Dryer perfect for Plastisol printers, 700W for printers wanting to cure larger garments (comes with 90cm belt). WPS Panther 700L range perfect for printers with multiple carousels with 700LW and 700LWX often used by printers with small automatic screen printing carousels
Manual Screen Printers – Waterbased inks – WPS Panther 700L range and 8000 series dryers are perfect for waterbased ink printers including discharge. Hot air recirculation available. The 800L Aquacure is designed primarily for Waterbased Ink printers – its comes with two hot air circulation modules making it an ideal solution for curing all waterbased inks especially High Solid inks like Permaset Super Cover, MagnaPrint Aquaflex and WPS Superflex range of inks.
Automatic Screen Printers – WPS Panther 8000 series machines, the 8230 (90cm belt) and 8240 (120cm belt) being the most popular. You can also use the 700L range for small automatics – with 700LW (90cm belt) and 700 LWX (120cm belt) being the best choice
DTF printers – The WPS Premium, 600, 700 series can all be used for supporting DTF operations – melting the adhesive powder
DTG printers – WPS Panther 700L series and 8000 series are suitable for DTG printers. Hot air re-circulation available if required. All of our dryers can be used for drying pre-treat. The WPS 800L Aquacure is designed primarily to cure water based inks – ideal for DTG printers.
I am using DTG machines (Anajet, Epson, Brother, TexJet, Ricoh, Resolute Rjet etc) , which dryers can be used with DTG inks?
You can use the WPS 700L compact, 700L, 700LW, 800L Aquacure and the 8000 series dryers for curing DTG inks. if you are using Kornet DTG machine then we recommend the SISS AKORN range.
I am using DTG machines and want to use a tunnel dryer to dry pre-treated garments?
You can use all of our dryers from Model 600 onwards, you can use the WPS Essential and WPS Premium Tunnel Dryer however you would be best of with a minimum of a Model 600 which has an extractor fan.
How do I know the ink has cured? (Plastisol / Waterbased / DTG)
You can’t beat wash tests – it is the only sure way to check that the ink has cured correctly. There is a simple test for Plastisol inks, you can do this test by simply stretching the fabric. Print a complete film of ink and dry it. Hold the printed fabric up to a strong light and stretch it. If the fabric will stretch about 60-80% without cracking the ink then the cure is OK. For Water based inks and DTG inks try scratching the print with your finger nail, if the ink starts to break off you know it is not cured.
Can I cure both Plastisol and Water based Inks?
Smaller dryers such as the Mini and 700 series machines are great for curing Plastisol inks with a single pass. If you are using water based inks you will need to put the garment through at least twice. Some water based ink ranges like Magna Colour and WPS SuperFlex WB inks have crosslinkers or curing additives which you can use to cure garments with a single pass.
The 700L, 700LW and 8000 series will all cure water based inks with a single pass through the dryer.
Can I use the dryer to dry solvent based inks?
Yes you can use our dryers to speed up the curing process of solvent inks such as Nylobag / Vinyl inks etc please be aware that solvent based inks have a low flash point. Always ensure that the extractor fan is working correctly and avoid print on large surface area e.g. A2 sized prints.
Do I need air re-circulation?
Generally speaking no, however air re-circulation is optional on the 700L, Aquacure 800L (as standard) and 8000 series dryers and can increase curing productivity and efficiency when using water based inks. In practice the vast majority of dryers are shipped without rec-circulation and are used the cure water based inks both screen printed and digital without issue.
The SISS AKORN units comes with jet air recirculation.
I am using UV inks, what machine do I need to cure the ink?
To cure UV ink please take a look at the SISS UV dryer range – click here for more information.
I have automatic carousels should I choose Electric or Gas?
There is a common misconception that if you are a large screen printer that you have to use a Gas dryer. This is not the case as Infra Red dryers are very efficient and when to temperature run typically between 30 – 40% utilisation. The initial purchase price of an infra red dryer is significantly lower and the ongoing maintenance costs are a lot cheaper, and of course to use gas your studio or factory needs to be connected to the main gas supply where all locations have access to electricity. Electricity can come from many sources e.g. Wind / Solar / Nuclear / Gas / Coal / Bio fuels etc.
To find out the cost of running a tunnel dryer, find out how much you are paying per Kwh e.g. 0.10p per KwH so to run a 700L (approx 10KW) you would be looking at around £1.00 per hour. Please note that in practice you would be running the dryer around 40% utilisation but gives a view on potential costs.
The larger 8000 series dryers are ideal for larger screen printers, they are easy to maintain and cost effective.
We do offer the SISS 6m Hurricane Dryer which uses Natural or LPG Gas.
Will you install the dryer?
We will deliver to your machine if agreed as part of the order. We also prefer to make sure the machine is working correctly before we leave. Please note that legally the customer is responsible for the electrical connection to the dryer.
What power do I need?
Our smaller range of dryers can use Single or Three Phase power. The larger 8000 series are three phase only. Please consult an electrician to ensure you have ample power capacity prior to purchasing a dryer. If you have Three Phase power coming into your premises we also recommend that you choose a Three Phase Dryer. This will save you money in the long term.
Do you make custom sized machines?
Yes we can make custom specified machines, which could be something relatively simple ranging from larger intake or out take to building a complete custom machine for an industry specific application. This can be for a number of industries including food (requiring food grade belts and fabrication), manufacturing and medical. Please note that any bespoke tunnel dryers take extra time – typical lead times are 30 – 50 working days.
Do I need air extraction / fume extraction?
Yes you do, all of our dryers have extractor fans and we highly recommend that you vent the fan externally. You can purchase cost effective fume from i-sells.co.uk product code is GALSRFG1-80 (80mm for Smaller Dryers).
Can I use a 13amp plug?
We can manufacture the WPS Essential and Premium dryer to 13amp specifications, however we highly recommend that you install 16amp or more as the more power the quicker the dryer will cure the ink. A more powerful dryer will save you money in the short term.
What kind of Power Socket do I need to get installed?
Do you sell dryer spares?
Yes we sell most parts online if you are looking for parts not listed please contact us and we will do our best to assist you.
How do I replace the brushes on the motor?
Please click here to see guide for replacing brushes. We suggest replacing the brushes every 18 months.
What kind of maintenance is required?
Not a great deal, here is our suggested maintenance scheme
- Replace the Dryer Motor brushes every 18 months
- Clean out the extractor and control box fans regularly
- Clean out lint from inside the dryer
- Keep the dryer clean
Do you sell second hand machines?
Yes we do, we normally put them on the second hand section of the Wicked Printing Stuff website – note they don’t stay around for long
Do you convert dryers from three phase to single phase and vice versa?
Yes we can convert the smaller mini and 700 series dryers.
Do you re-condition old machines?
Yes we do from time to time, if you have an old machine and you want it re-conditioned please contact us for a quotation
Can I upgrade my old machine?
In most instances the answer is yes, upgrading your old machine with a new temperature controller, relay and installing new MCBs can make your existing machine more efficient and safer. We do offer a ‘re conditioning’ service and often upgrade Panthers dryer over 20 years old to modern standards.