Back to the Future Part 1

Training and continual monitoring of procedures is key to better prints produced in the fastest time.  Many companies already have training in place, but few have a continual review of procedure standards.  Easiway receives calls about product performance that in fact are a result of photo-emulsion coating procedures that are not correct or recommended by the photo-emulsion manufacturer.  A quick check list of your coating procedures:

1. Inspect the edge of the scoop coater for any ‘knicks’ along the coating edge surface.  Dropping an emulsion coater will create these ‘knicks’.  Any irregularity will result in an uneven amount of photo-emulsion deposited on the screen.  This will result in exposure times that will be correct in some areas of the design and either under or over exposure in the other areas.  This results in screen breakdown or difficulty in reclaiming without more reclamation chemicals or longer wash-out times required.
2. Make sure that staff is using the correct size emulsion coater for all the screen sizes you currently use in your shop.  You would be surprised how many shops use emulsion coaters that are not wide enough to cover the entire print area.  Using a smaller coater will cause an overlap of emulsion coats, creating multiple thicknesses of photo-emulsion and again creating uneven exposure of the photo-emulsion.
3. We do not like to ask callers, but we need to, in order to exhaust all causes of problems.  What is it?  Is the emulsion coater clean?  Is it cleaned after each coating session?  Is dried and prepared for the next use or is it simply laying in the bottom of the sink being bumped and ‘knicked’?  A clean coater is a must and easily done.  When was the last time you checked on the handling of your coaters?

If you want to to use less silk screen cleaning products, reduce washout and prep times, and want less screen break-downs resulting in rejected prints, review these procedures frequently and impress upon staff the importance of these three simple procedures.  Go back in time, review procedures and improve future performance.

Filed under: Easiway Systems News by easiway