Teardown/Setup Video - I Image STE

[inkman996]

It would be difficult in our space constraints having two people always working on pre-prep stuff, people would be tripping over each other and there simply is not enough table space to do it. As it is we have one guy that works on screen cleaning and, my set up guy does all the setting up him self unless I can help but once a job is set up we have no less than three on press unless its a really small run.

[Squeegie]

In my shop it is all hands on deck for every take down and set up.  Of course...that means just me but still 100% of the crew involved! 

It amazes me to watch some ops in different shops hover over the screen scraping off squeegees/fldbrs

That is me...every flood bar and squeegee cleaned and on the shelf as the screen comes down. (unless i need it again that day)
Ink scraped from screen and tape pulled.

Makes no difference if i tie up the press as I am the only one waiting to get a job set back up.
With that said, when things are busy and time is tight...the cleaning of the flood bars and squeegees will wait, but not often. 

Watching the STE videos makes me realize just how time consuming it is to get a file to film, screen and press.   Hell, it takes me longer to print 7 or 8 films than Dannys entire process of file to print on a shirt.

Very interesting to see how others have streamlined their shops.  Good on ya man!

[alan802]

Not that I'm not impressed with the regular CTS machines, I am, but the STE is the one that looks like it will really give our production a kick in the pants.  Putting the screens on the press with the triloc pallet cannot get any faster for us whether we are CTS or not, our registration could possibly get better but not by much since we can go through quite a few setups without touching the micros, so that leaves "pre" pre-press with the most opportunity for a boost.  A regular CTS will allow us to not have to have the vacuum drawdown which will save 12 seconds and we'll go from an average 40 second exposure to 20, give or take a few seconds, so that's no slouch when you're doing 25-30 screens per day.  But looking at the STE with 3 heads you can print and expose a screen in a minute and it's straight to the post exposure dip tank.  I guess we could get a 3 head regular CTS and still have super fast print times but I think I need to break down the STE versus standard CTS performance to see if it will be worth the extra expense.  In my head and only minutes thinking about it, it sure seems like the STE would be a much better buy for US.  Now will the extra expense of a 2 or 3 head versus a single head be worth it?  So many things to consider and this CTS thing is awesome to talk about but with so many options available which one will give us all that I'm asking of it?  That is the question.

[ZooCity]

I agree, something like the STE is a different animal in a sense, consolidates so much that is currently standalone and apparently is just as fast/faster.   Seems like this is the closest our industry has come so far to actually advancing in equipment, catching up to all our other print cousins like offset and eliminating the multiple steps to make a screen as well as registration.

[bimmridder]

I have to chime in here. We have one guy that can coat screen, image, and expose all at the same time. Auto coater and STE. BAM.

[tancehughes]

Alan as I wait to purchase our STE this is one of the questions I have as well. If Dave has a 2 head, then I obviously don't need anymore than 1 head, but 2 sure would be nice. 3 heads just don't seem to be necessary unless you have a huge shop


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[ericheartsu]

Alan as I wait to purchase our STE this is one of the questions I have as well. If Dave has a 2 head, then I obviously don't need anymore than 1 head, but 2 sure would be nice. 3 heads just don't seem to be necessary unless you have a huge shop


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from our research the 2 head was like $4500 more, and doubled the speed.

Also our rep from GSG told me they already improved the STE with an added bulb i think

[tancehughes]

Yes sir, that's why I'm leaning toward the 2 head. Dealing with Monty?

Alan as I wait to purchase our STE this is one of the questions I have as well. If Dave has a 2 head, then I obviously don't need anymore than 1 head, but 2 sure would be nice. 3 heads just don't seem to be necessary unless you have a huge shop


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

from our research the 2 head was like $4500 more, and doubled the speed.

Also our rep from GSG told me they already improved the STE with an added bulb i think

[ericheartsu]

Yes sir, that's why I'm leaning toward the 2 head. Dealing with Monty?

Alan as I wait to purchase our STE this is one of the questions I have as well. If Dave has a 2 head, then I obviously don't need anymore than 1 head, but 2 sure would be nice. 3 heads just don't seem to be necessary unless you have a huge shop


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

from our research the 2 head was like $4500 more, and doubled the speed.

Also our rep from GSG told me they already improved the STE with an added bulb i think

Monty is our M&R rep, Super nice guy. we've been dealing with Dustin and Harry at GSG alot too

[GraphicDisorder]

Alan as I wait to purchase our STE this is one of the questions I have as well. If Dave has a 2 head, then I obviously don't need anymore than 1 head, but 2 sure would be nice. 3 heads just don't seem to be necessary unless you have a huge shop


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

from our research the 2 head was like $4500 more, and doubled the speed.

Also our rep from GSG told me they already improved the STE with an added bulb i think

There is already a STE II