← All symptoms
Safety stop: Stop the process if there is smoke, an electrical fault, a strong unfamiliar odor, melting, cracked glass, or evidence that the material is not heat-rated. Follow the equipment and blank manufacturer’s safety instructions.

Describe what you can observe

These answers only reorder checks. They do not create a diagnosis from unsupported inputs.

Did the symptom affect the whole image or only part of it?
Does it repeat in the same location on another blank?

Prioritized checks

Starting order

Confirm or weaken each cause before changing the next variable.

1

Excess time, temperature, or pressure

Evidence that supports it

  • Paper browning, coating softness, or surface imprint accompanies sticking.

Evidence against it

  • The product instruction explicitly requires a cold peel and the item is still hot.

Safe next actions

  1. Confirm hot/warm/cold removal instructions before pulling.
  2. Return to the documented setting and change one variable at a time.
2

Paper or coating combination is incompatible

Evidence that supports it

  • Sticking repeats with one paper/product combination.

Evidence against it

  • A control with the same materials releases correctly.

Safe next actions

  1. Use the paper specified by the ink/blank workflow.
  2. Test a supplier-approved alternative on a spare blank.

Evidence

Sources

  1. Sawgrass TechnologiesHow to Troubleshoot Sublimation Color IssuesOfficial source · last checked 2026-08-04
  2. Johnson Plastics PlusSublimation Technology FAQsOfficial source · last checked 2026-08-04