How We Met A Challenge Too Hot To Handle

What fits in a gym bag, helps soothe recovering muscles and stimulates deep tissue massage? It’s a device called HotRock, a little miracle worker developed by a Portland-based doctor of physical therapy who knows a thing or two about fixing aches and pains.

This simple foam roller puts out intense heat while delivering therapeutic pressure, a combination that really does feel like a deep tissue massage. Athletes love it. But you don’t have to be an athlete to appreciate the feel-good results from this easy-to-use, fully rechargeable device.

Premier Press was brought in when the MedRock team was in final stages of product development. We were asked to produce a faux leather sleeve for the HotRock to slip into—one that could be branded with the HotRock logo.

Premier has always loved a good engineering challenge but this time, we were dealing with a serious obstacle—heat. The HotRock can go up to 175 degrees in under five minutes and will maintain that temperature (the maximum) over time. What we needed was a source material we could print on that would also withstand the product’s heat transfer.

After experimenting with somewhere between 10 and 15 substrates and a variety of printing techniques, we had a winning combination: we identified a sleeve material that could withstand the rigors of heat and a specialized UV ink that would also be stable. Once all signs pointed to go, we used a wide format printer and emblazoned the HotRock logo on the lot.

• A printing project turns into an engineering feat when dealing with a product that can soar up to 175 degrees in just five minutes and stay there.
• Premier’s search was on for a material that could withstand the product’s heat transfer and be safe to the touch.
• The material used would have to be compatible with a heat-resistant ink

Once HotRock’s engineering challenges were mastered, we headed to the Premier photo studio to capture product images for the website, packaging and sales materials. The shoot proved to be the perfect project conclusion.