Cap Platen FAQs

Below is a list of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the GT Cap Platen.  Read through this list as there is a chance that the question you have is already answered below or you will learn something that you were not thinking about.

Which model of GT Printers will the GT Cap Platen work with?

The GT Cap Platen will work on the GT-541, GT-782 and GT-3 model of direct-to-garment printers. All three models use the same five pin setup to mount on the GT platen system.  The GT Cap Platen is not designed to work with any other dtg printer made by a different manufacturer than Brother®.

So what do you get when you purchase the GT Cap Platen? Everything you need to be successful in digitally printing on most types of caps. The GT Cap Platen comes with the following items:

GT Cap Platen Base		Large Riser		Small Riser (w/ Center Groove)
Height Spacer		Spring Loaded Bill Holders		Accessories Kit

What are the Instructions for Loading a Cap Platen?
As mentioned above, one of the core principals we had from the beginning was to make it as easy as possible to get a curved crown as flat as possible to print on. After 10 months of development and more than 10 different designs, we believe we came up with the best solution. Below is the basic instructions for loading a cap on the GT Cap Platen.

1. Flip down the sweat band on the inside of the cap.
2. Slide the front of the bill under the spring loaded bill holders.
3. Pull the crown of the cap back to the riser till the sweat band catches under the lip of the riser.
4. Use the black clips to lay the crown of the cap as flat as possible across the riser.

What is the GT Cap Platen made out of?
The GT Cap Platen base is made out of powder coated steel and stainless steel pins. The two Risers, Spacer and spring loaded bill holders are made out of plastic.

Why are the bill holders spring loaded?
To make it easier to load and unload the caps, we connected the bill holders usings springs on the bottom side of the GT Cap Platen base. These springs allow for the bill holders to flex some to make it easier to load and remove the bill of the cap. In cases where the artwork is printed too clese the bill holders, the GT user can simply pull up on the bill holders and rotate them until the bill of the cap can be removed.

Can the GT Cap Platen print on both structured and unstructured caps?
Similar to decorating caps with embroidery, some caps are easier to do compared to others. Unstructured caps (commonly known as relaxed or floppy front caps) are easier to get them to lay flat across the riser.

Because structured caps have rigid backing material designed to make the crown of the cap stand straight up, it can be more challenging to get the crown of the cap to lay flat. In some cases, it will be necessary to lower the GT Cap Platen down more and print using Unidirectional print mode. By printing in Unidirectional print mode, the platen can be lower than usually and still get a detailed print.

How many caps do I need to sell to pay for the GT Cap Platen?
Digitally printing on caps only makes senses if you are able to make back the cost of the platen – which is called the Return on Investment (ROI). Some GT users have markets that will pay more than $20.00 per a decorated cap. Others might have to sell caps for $12.00 each. Our goal was to make a cap platen that a majority of GT users could invest in and get a quick ROI back on it. Below you find a quick ROI analysis that will show that even with a $20.00 hour employee, the ROI on the GT Cap Platen can be as low as 40 caps.

Costs of the Cap		$2.00 to $4.00 (depending on style)
Cost of Ink		$0.10 to $0.25 (depending on size and coverage of artwork)
Cost of Labor		$0.50 to $1.00 (printing 20 to 40 caps an hour)
Total Costs		$3.10 to $5.25 (per a cap)
Sales Price		$12.00 to $15.00 (on the low side)
Total Revenues		$12.00 to $15.00 (per a cap)
Total Profit		$8.90 to $9.75
Cost of Platen		$350.00
ROI on GT Cap Platen		Less than 40 Caps!