I've been meaning to do this for quite a while. Today I originally went in to get caught up on some artwork and clear the desk, but soon after arriving I said screw it, I'm building the FPU.
First of all, none of the stuff is really my idea, more my take on the ideas found here, on other forums and from other products etc. Thanks to those who provided input over the years!
As a sign shop, and shop that builds most of it's tables, benchs, racks etc, we have all the basic supplies and tools, but most of it is not very exotic stuff, Alumapanel, an aluminum 18"x 24" sign blank, 2x2's, plexi, or in my case Makrolon Lexan as it's much more durable, and some HDPE blocks for jig points.
HDPE:
I started with the screen jig to go on press, an .060" 18 x 24" aluminum sign blank would fit over the platen with enough overlap and wouldn't be too thick to cause problems with low off-contact on the press:
1" strips of 3mm. Alumapanel to form a frame on the bottom:
and a "L" shaped chunk of 6mm. alumapanel to put screen frame jigs on:
This goes on the bottom of the strips on the bottom of the sign blank, this offsets it low enough to fit under the screen clamps on the press:
HDPE Pointed Jigs attached
I need to pick up a couple of lever clamps to go on the back which will clamp the screen frame jig to the platen securely:
On to the FPU.....
A makrolon panel on a frame of 2x2" built to fit into the squeegee side of the screen, heavy on the deburring, counter-sinking and corner-rounding as screen mesh will be sitting right on it, and sliding around:
A 1/2 Crezon sign plywood bezel to mount the makrolon frame and jig points onto and sit on the light table.
Screen in place, with layout grid on it to make sure I set jig points appropriately. there was a lot of back and forth from the press, to the screen, to the FPU with known L/C and center placements to get the placement correct
Screen with jig shims:
and jigs in place to match exact jig points on the on-press screen frame jigs
Screen removed and FPU grid attached to the Makrolon lense:
On the light table:
and with a coated screen, should be easy to see and line up films:
The alingment grid is a simple crosshatch at the top and a line below, all films will have a small cross above the image and short line section under the image to minimize what has to be taped/blocked off on exposed screens
For now everything is held together with removable high strength double-sided tape as I want to test it all in a variety of circumstances, once I get everything tweaked so it works well for us, it will all get screwed together.
All input, critique, advise, comments appreciated. I'm looking forward to testing it out in the following weeks. One thing I already noticed is that the tall jig blocks on the on-press jig may be a problem if anyone ever lifts the carousel up with the jig plate under flash cure. I may make lower jig blocks, but I'll sleep on it first.
Pretty much everything was honest left-overs from sign making, so cost was extremely low, actual wholesale costs of the parts would probably be less than $100 though. I put it together in 3 hours, but have been building and refining it in my head for years.
I think a system like this has the potential to be one of the biggest boosts to productivity for the least amount spent, even if you buy a manufactured units. It should be the gift that keeps on giving.
