2HEX Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine Manufacturer
And 2HEX Longboard Heat Transfer Machine Manufacturer
The Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine Configurator
You are about to buy a machine that allows you to print on blank skateboard decks - turning your company into a skateboard manufacturer. This is a big step and an exciting time for most company owners.
The 2HEX 11SBHTP-21 skateboard heat transfer machine was originally constructed for 2HEX’ in-house skateboard deck mass-production in China. With an increasing demand for our customers to buy our machines to run their own productions in USA and Europe, we redesigned our machines from the ground up, to ensure that we meet US and EU machinery laws and regulations. Unlike China, where we can hire engineers within minutes at very low rates, US- and European Engineers quickly charge our customers hundreds to thousands of dollars for changes and fixes to machines. That in mind we had to reconstruct the machine to be plug and play ready, very stable to prevent regular fixes, and be super simple to fix even for unexperienced skateboard brand owners via a quick video call with our team.
You will likely be comparing prices, research your country’s machinery laws, as well as the ease of import, maintenance, getting replacement parts, and getting support whenever something needs fixing.
There are machinery manufacturers in USA, Europe and China offering heat transfer machines. Everyone has a different offer. Here is why we think that we at 2HEX have the best deal for you:
- • US and European machinery manufacturers: build their machines locally. according to local law and safety standards. This makes the machines safe and legal to be operated, but also very expensive.
- • Chinese machinery manufacturers: build their machines according to Chinese standards, making the machines cheap but illegal and unsafe to be operated in Europe and USA.
- • 2HEX: combines the best of both worlds. 2HEX manufactures its machines in China according to German machinery law and safety standards - combining the advantages of German machinery standards and Chinese production prices. 2HEX produces machines that are legal and safe to be operated in the US and EU at an affordable price.
We are aware of an increasing number of Chinese vendors nowadays copying the look of our machines. While their machine might have the same color, a similar shape, and a lower price tag - we are certain, that our machines will end up costing you a lot less - often directly from the day you receive the machine. Here is why:
Buy machines that are legal by your country’s machinery laws:
- • Legal import: Customs officers check machines and their documentation for compliance with local machinery law before allowing machines to enter the EU or USA. 2HEX machines are built according to German machinery law, they are allowed to be operated within Europe and USA, and have the right certificates and documentation needed for import. All Chinese machines we have seen so far, including those traded by European and US companies, do not have these certificates and documentation, and are not built to comply with EU and US machinery laws. Not every container is checked by the customs, but those machines that are checked and do not comply with local machinery law are regularly confiscated by the customs. All of our machines smoothly pass customs inspections.
- • Employee safety: Heat transfer machines are operated at bone crushing pressures and temperatures that could melt steel. Employee safety is paramount. If you operate a machine that does not meet national safety standards, it is seen as negligent of your company’s CEO to ask employees to operate it. In case of an injury, the insurance won’t help, neither will the protection of a limited liability company - the liability will go to the manager who decided to operate an unsafe machine. 2HEX machines are legal and safe to be operated within the EU and USA. Don’t accept the existential risk of having your employees work on illegal machines. Have peace of mind - use 2HEX’ machines.
- • Operating Right: Representatives of the city might visit your production facility to check for compliance. No other machines we have seen from China comply. Our machines comply. Don’t have your production shut down by the city. Run a safe and professional production with 2HEX’ machines.
Save money and time:
- • Plug and play ready. Our machines arrive plug and play ready, produced to match your local power grid and power connection. It is really as simple as plugging the machine in. Other machines in the market usually require an electrician to run wires from the machine to your power box, and sometimes even to your city’s high voltage power grid. Sometimes parts of the machine must be-wired, other times a custom power outlet must be built. In many cases we have seen Chinese machines not meet local electric requirements requiring skateboard companies to buy power converters often exceeding 2000 USD, not including the time and labour spent by local engineers. 2HEX works closely with you, to ensure the machine is built according to your city’s power grid, your building’s power outlet, and be as easy to connect as a new TV.
- • Training: Once you receive one of our machines, we call you via Video call and teach you how to run the machine correctly and make perfect deck prints. If anything is unclear later, you simply call us again. We will help you make sure that you produce beautiful decks.
- • Easy fixing: Heat transfer machines are like cars as in that better machines run longer before they need fixing. However, maintenance and fixing are part of running machines for many years. At 2HEX you call via phone or FaceTime and immediately reach the person that designed the machine. Chinese vendors hire sales staff based on their ability to write Emails in English - if your machine stops running and you don’t know why, you will have to try to describe your problem by email, the Chinese sales will then the next day try to translate this problem to the engineer who doesn’t really know what the sales staff means, give a quick answer, which the sales staff does not understand, but still translate and forward to you. Troubleshooting in this way, can take months. At 2HEX you get our FaceTime number and you can simply call and show us the problem. We will quickly guide you through the fixing process and in most cases you are up and running within minutes. And if any part requires replacing - we help you order and replace them with you over video call.
- • Stability: Our machines are built for easy maintenance and longevity often exceeding 10 years.
- • Little to no down-time: All of the above does not only prevent having to spend a lot on local engineers, but also significantly reduces down-time. Every month that your machine does not run, is a month of missed orders. This cost is often forgotten but easily exceeds thousands of dollars within just the first year or two. We are here for you after you bought our machine, and we help you shorten any down-times you might experience, often reducing downtimes from weeks to minutes.
Let us guide you to success:
Many, many years ago, before 2HEX was even an idea, our founder at the age of 19, took a bank loan to buy a heat transfer machine. The machine burned and broke down after only one month. The fear of not being able to run productions, not being able to repay the bank loan, and consequently being at risk of personal bankruptcy was immense. On top of that, neither the machine manufacturer in China, nor the German trader our founder bought the machine from, were able to help. 2HEX’ founder took the machine apart and rebuild the broken components and parts from hand over the course of months. This story was fundamental in 2HEX later becoming a leader in producing safe, high quality, skateboard manufacturing machines. We want to protect you from making a similar experience and guide your company towards success!
Some basic stats:
The size of the skateboard heat transfer machine is 87 x 77 x 182 cm, and it weighs 350 KG.
The 2HEX 11SBHTP-21 skateboard heat transfer machine must be operated by two workers.
Experienced production workers can print on 100 decks per hour using the 2HEX 11SBHTP-21 skateboard heat transfer machine.
Watch this video on how to print your first skateboard deck with 2HEX’s skateboard and longboard heat transfer machine:
How to use 2HEX skateboard and longboard heat transfer machines
- The machine must be operated by two people at all times, from the point of connecting it to electricity to the point the machine being cold and disconnected. Long hair must be safely tied back and covered by a hair net. No loose clothes or accessories may be worn that could get caught in the rotary, chain, axis or any other moving part of the machine.
- Turn on the machine. The switch is on the main control box (top left). The upper roller starts spinning. (The pre-set speed is perfect. If you need to change the speed you can do so using the rotary switch on the small grey control box)
- Switch on the heat and set it to 220’C on the main control box. After three minutes the heating elements will start glowing.
- Turn on the hydraulic pressure on the main control box.
- Let the machine run by itself for 30 minutes to have a stable heat and pressure.
- Place a heat transfer (white side down) on a skateboard deck. Place the center of the skateboard deck on the bottom roller with the heat transfer facing the upper roller. You hold the heat transfer in place from your side, your co-worker from the other side. Make sure that your or your co-worker’s hands are at no point of time between the two rollers.
- Press the down button (in front of the roller) to start the high-pressure transfer printing process. If the heat transfer must be flattened during the transfer printing process, make sure that your hands or the hands of your co-worker do never get close to (or between) the transfer rollers.
- Your co-worker receives the decks, turns it around and transfer prints the second half of the deck.
- The whole surface of the heat transfer should be pressed on the deck two to three times. Then you can pull of the heat transfer foil and smoothen the print edges with scissors, a knife or a razor blade.
The best skateboard heat transfer machine pre-setting to run your own production is:
• Roller Temperature: 200 ‘C
• Roller Speed: 35
• Roller Pressure: For both rollers to have a 1.5 cm wide contact patch.
Watch this video on how to connect 2HEX’s skateboard heat transfer machine:
How to connect the 2HEX Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine
After receiving the 2HEX 11SBHTP-21 skateboard heat transfer machine, the oil canister must be filled with 26liters of hydraulic oil 68# or 46#. These can be purchased online or in most construction shops.
After filling the oil, the machine must be connected to the electric grid by an electrician. Before buying the machine, make sure that the voltage and phases you select fit to your local electric grid. We highly suggest the 3-phase option for both a stronger skateboard heat transfer machine and a lower price.
Open the bottom of the machine, to see if the motor over the oil box turns clockwise. If it turns counter clockwise, + and - have been connected wrong and must be re-wired to make sure the current goes the correct direction.
Make sure to place the skateboard heat transfer machine in a small container to collect oil drops and prevent oil from touching the floor or contaminating the ground. A fitting container can be added in the heat transfer configurator.
Watch this video on how we made 2HEX’s skateboard heat transfer machines one of the safest in the world:
Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine Safety
Manufacturing machines always come with risks to the workers. Safety is the highest priority at 2HEX, when we develop our machines. We have therefor developed the safest skateboard heat transfer machine on the market. However, not all companies are willing to pay the additional costs for the safety measurements. Therefor all safety add-ons can be added or deducted using the skateboard heat transfer machine configurator.
1. First risk: Getting the hands caught between the transfer rollers.
One of the most common injuries of new skateboard production workers is getting their hands caught between the skateboard heat transfer machine’s upper and lower rollers when trying to correct a heat transfer after pressing the ‘down’-button. The upper roller has a temperature of over 220’C and presses down with a strength that can seriously injure the skin and leave lifelong scars if the worker’s hands are not immediately released. To prevent this injury, we developed a big red safety bar which is added at the height of a worker’s waist and is added to both sides of the machine. If a worker’s hands get caught in between the rollers and the worker can therefore not press the up button, the worker can now use his/her waist to press the safety bar which lifts the upper roller and frees the worker’s hands.
2. Second risk: Fire from roller rotation stopping.
A heat transfer machine uses heating elements to heat the upper roller. The heating elements have to put out a lot of heat in a very short time for the rotating roller to collect enough heat to transfer the heat transfer prints onto decks. The balance between the heat and rotation have to be optimal, in order for the silicone roller to be hot enough to transfer print but not burn. If the motor gets jammed or the production facility experiences a power shortage the balance is broken. The upper roller stops spinning at once, but the heating elements stay hot for another 30 minutes. This can lead to the upper roller catching fire and the machine burning. To prevent the machine from burning we added an adaptor to the outside of the machine, which enables workers to use a standard wrench to manually turn the upper roller until either the power returns or the machine has cooled down.
3. Third risk: Getting entangled in the roller, motor, rotary or chain.
The upper roller of the 11SBHTP-21 skateboard heat transfer machine may never stop spinning in order to prevent the machine from catching fire as described in the second risk mentioned above. This creates the risk of the machine not being stoppable, even if a worker gets his/her hair, necklaces, clothes or other accessories got in the rotary, chain, axis or any other rotating parts. This can result in serious injuries or death. The market of machine manufacturers has been undecided on how to solve this issue. Therefor half of all machines can be turned off risking a fire, and the other half cannot be turned off risking the workers to get injured. We believe, that the workers themselves can best calculate the risk for both options. We have therefor developed an emergency button that shuts off the heating and while held down block the roller’s rotation. This lets the workers stop the roller from rotating for as long as necessary to release any worker caught in the machine, but not any longer to strongly reduce the risk of fire.
Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine Air and Ocean Freight
The freight cost of the skateboard and longboard heat transfer machines are automatically calculated on the summary page after completing the machine configuration process.
• Ocean freight door to door takes 6 weeks.
• Airfreight door to door takes 10 days.
Cruiser, Longboard and Skateboard Heat Transfers
The perfect heat transfers for 2HEX decks and 2HEX Skateboard or Longboard Heat Transfer Machines can be ordered on https://www.2hex.com/transfers-configuratorOn this page you can select the size of the transfers, the number of colors and specials like matte prints.
Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine Replacement Parts
Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine Rollers and Heating Elements (Heating Bulbs) must be replaced in regular time frames. We suggest professional manufacturers to have at least ten backup heating elements and two backup rollers on stock at all times. To small companies we suggest half of this. Both the rollers and heating elements can be ordered on the 2HEX.com skateboard heat transfer machine configurator. We do not offer other spare machine components. The machine is made by standard components which are sourced and purchased locally by our customers.
Watch this video on how to replace the roller of a 2HEX skateboard heat transfer machine:
How to replace the roller of a 2HEX skateboard heat transfer machine
To replace the upper roller of a skateboard heat transfer machine, closely follow the instructions in the video above.
Watch this video on how to replace the heating elements of a 2HEX skateboard heat transfer machine:
How to replace the heating elements of a 2HEX skateboard heat transfer machine
To replace the heating elements of a skateboard heat transfer machine, closely follow the instructions in the video above.
Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine Warranty
The machine warranty is valid for one year after the machine’s delivery.The machine warranty covers the machine as a whole and all components thereof, except for parts replaced, added or impacted by a change to the machine conducted by the customer. The machine warranty does not cover damages occurred through the wrongful electric connection to the electric power grid, or incorrect use of the machine. The machine warranty does not cover the rollers or heating elements of the machine, as these are prone to wear and must be replaced regularly.
If the machine gets damaged by the freight company during the delivery, the freight company’s insurance will cover the cost of fixing or replacing the machine. We warrant that the machine is fully functional, except for the missing machine-safety required by German machinery law. If within the time of warranty the machine is not operational because of a defect in the machine’s original production, the machine must be fixed or replaced at the expense of 2HEX.
Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine Certificates
2HEX is a German company and must manufacture machinery according to CE and the German machinery law. German machinery law is one of the strictest globally. The 2HEX skateboard heat transfer machine was developed for our production in China and does not meet the requirements set by German machinery law. We must therefore declare the machine as unfinished. The machine is unfinished according to German law until all safety precautions have been added by our customers. If we would manufacture the machines according to German machinery law, it would double the machine price which would not be in the interest of our customers. Each country has a different set of machinery laws and we have only tested the machine for German law. We therefor do not know if the machine meets your country’s machinery law. Including the three additional safety precautions listed above, 2HEX has developed one of the safest skateboard heat transfer machines worldwide. By the best of our knowledge we are currently the global leader in machine safety, which puts us closest to meeting international machinery laws.
Skateboard Heat Transfer Machine Maintenance:
We suggest replacing the upper transfer roller after transfer printing on 6000 skateboard decks.
• Regularly fasten all nuts and bolts of the machine.
• Keep your machine clean. Do not add stickers, paper notes or anything else to the machine body.