Brown Firefly FACTS

[Steve Harpold]

Hey all,
I am Steve Harpold with Brown Manufacturing, I wanted to thank you all for the interest and conversation on the Fire Fly dryer. As with all new technology there is a lot of misinformation being passed around.  I am always available and happy to answer any questions regarding the Fire Fly.  Feel free to post your questions here and I will answer them based on physics and mechanics of the Fire Fly.
Or send questions to: steve@brownmfg.net
We will also have live demos at ISS Atlantic city in two weeks.

Again thanks and let me know how I can help.

[mk162]

ok, what's wrong about the firefly?  set us straight on why this is the best of the best.  Not being sarcastic, I just want to know more.

[Gilligan]

Was there any misinformation in this thread so far?  If so please correct it.

I think that would be a good starting point as you don't want people to assume everything in this thread is correct if it isn't.  As of right now, we are left to guess at what might or might not be correct.

[Steve Harpold]

Hey, 
Here is a quick list on a few of the capabilities of the Fire Fly:

General capabilities:
1. Fire fly is sold in one, two and three belt options. Keep in mind the belts are fully independent and can be made different lengths. Allowing for multiple press configurations. (Ie. Accesses to the center belt)

2. Each lane can run and independent time, temp, exhaust, cooling.  (The elements are only 27" or 36" long, no fear of sagging)

3. If a lane is set to a temp say 320, thermal imagers will ensure each garment reaches 320 applying more energy to thicker garments or reducing the amount of energy to thinner materials. No scan is needed if the desired temp remains constant.

4. If a user wants a different temp and time a scanning device can change instantly. (Think digital)  example:
Hoodie ( 340 for 3:30 minutes) poly tee (290 for 2 minutes) 
Step 1 Place hoodie on belt scan program
Step 2 Poly on same belt scan poly
Step 3 Fire Fly software will take over drying the hoodie to 340 and 3:30 and the poly to 290 and 2 minutes. Even though they are on the same belt in the same chamber.
Why? It creates seamless digital printing allowing a user to change garments constantly without separating material types.

5. Efficiency:
The fire fly uses the exact amount of energy required to cure a shirt based on its material type. It will turn off in between shirts and during set-ups requiring zero energy usage. If you run poly the imagers will know and run and 50% using only the energy required to cure the garment.

6. Size:
A Fire fly with a 7' chamber is comparable to a gas dryer with a 21' chamber depending on ink type. (See ink types below for additional details)
Example: Discharge ink
Electric dryer - not recommended
Gas Dryer - 120 seconds
Fire fly- 40 seconds
A 7' Fire Fly will output the same amount of shirts as a 21' gas oven.

1. See ink types below for additional details

By ink type:
Plastisol
1. Eliminates dye migration on polyester fabrics without using barrier bases
2. Cures all garments in 25 seconds

Discharge
1. Fully discharge shirts in 40 seconds

Water base
1. Fully cure water base in 40 seconds

Silicone and polyurethane base
1. 15-25 second cure times

Kornit
1. Cure light shirts in 2:00 minutes
2. Cure dark shirts in 4:00 minutes
3. Eliminate/reduce vinegar smell
4. Controlling staining on troublesome fabrics

Direct to garment
1. Allow printers to use 70/30 and
50/50 garments, tri blends
2. Cure Dtg inks in 2:00

All of the above have been tested and are currently  being used in production applications across the country.

just Many more applications are currently being independently tested, once approveI will update the application lists.

As I earlier introduced myself, Brown is third generation company founded by Wes Harpold in 1979 selling wooden presses to Mike Harpold in 1992 rebuilding the family brand, later joined by Gerri (Harpold) Rhien marketing/advertising. 
The Brown team is currently armed with third generation thinkers, developers and researchers.  The Fire Fly is merely a start to the capabilities of our young team.

A challenge to TCT,  as a vocal and respected leader on this board I would be honored to give you a full demonstration of the Fire Fly. I will be in Minneapolis on the 17,18 and 19th of March.  After a fair trial return back to the board and let them know what you think.

[Gilligan]

Interesting.

FYI, you meant TCT I think.

Alex, you do need a new dryer.

[sqslabs]

A challenge to TWC,  as a vocal and respected leader on this board I would be honored to give you a full demonstration of the Fire Fly. I will be in Minneapolis on the 17,18 and 19th of March.  After a fair trial return back to the board and let them know what you think.

[TCT]

Vocal yes, leader, ummmmm I guess I sort of saw myself as the comic relief at times...

I'm assuming you mean you will be at the DAX show yes? I'll stop by. The woman that I talked to about it at SGIA simply said it was a "smart dryer".

So, you are running your hoodie at 330 or whatever then your poly shirt is up and needs 250, does it go in right away or does the belt sit stagnant for a while as the chamber cools?

How is it able to discharge so quickly? How is it different in regards to discharge, than a regular electric dryer?

Is there still a higher chance of scorching with this unit vs. a gas unit?

I had asked my local rep that actually sells Brown some of these questions, but it sounds like you guys cut a deal with other distribution just for this dryer, is that accurate?

[Steve Harpold]

Sorry about the name confusion TCT. The dryer will be set up an demonstrated at SPSI open house.

The hoodie, poly question:
The shirt travels into the chamber right away. The method of energy transfer is not air related so there is very little residual heat in the chamber. Almost all of the heat (energy is absorbed by the shirt)

Side note: the fire fly gives off nearly zero residual heat, those of you running air conditioned shops will benefit greatly.

How it able to discharge so quickly?
Keep in mind the following answer is simplified, science majors don't take it to heart

Typical IR dryer (including traditional brown models)
The shirt goes into the dryer, the dryer begins to heat the shirt, the area that has discharge is protected from the IR. The plain area of the short has no such protection. The area with no protection quickly absorbs heat and eventually burns scortches. The discharge area does not heat up as fast as the reaction is taking place that area is not fully discharged before the outer area burns up.

Fire Fly
Uses the area without discharge protection as a measuring tool. Applying the most amount of energy to the discharge area without letting the unprotected area rise above the selected degree.


Scortching:
In a perfect world there is zero chance of scorching on the Fire Fly (there is always a possibility)
The Fire Fly watches the shirt the entire time through the tunnel never allowing any part of the shirt to exceed the requested value.
A gas dryer has a much higher chance of scorching as the premise of the gas dryer is to run a cath all scenario. It does not require the same amount of energy to dry a white shirt as it does a black hoodie. If you try to dry those items simultaneously the black hoodie will call for more energy the white shirt will request less. The dryer most react to one or the other. The fire fly reacts to each one independently.
(Again a very basic answer but should help explain) Gas also depend on air flow the larger the area the harder it is to heat air from a central source (the burner) and send it long distances without energy loss, (this is part of the reason high air flow is thought to be important, yes I know there is other scientific reasons however this is part of that equation)

Distribution opportunities were placed in front of many distributors starting with our Dragon Air line, a novel concept for DTG printing. SPSI was the first in there particular region to invest in the Dragon Air line. The Fire Fly was passed to them as a partner on the Dragon Air line. They are a stocking distributor of both products.

[mimosatexas]

Im far from the most informed here and a novice when it comes to this kind of technology, but it doesnt make any sense to me that a dryer which is controlling temp across an entire garment would cure a discharge shirt faster than any other dryer with dialed in settings.  Discharge cures based on evaporation, and more than the surface temp of the garment is at play in determining the speed of the reaction.  Care to explain in more detail than just giving a generic time?

Can you address the massive amperage requirements as well?  I don't think I've even been in a shop that could handle those requirements...

[mk162]

Our old Maxi-Cure was a 120A 3PH...our bills were $1200 most months, especially in the summer. And that is when power was cheaper.

That being said, the 150A is it's max output with overamperage more than likely.  I wonder what it pulls after the motors start(since those are higher amps to get started) and the chamber is warmed up a bit.

[Gilligan]

Our old Maxi-Cure was a 120A 3PH...our bills were $1200 most months, especially in the summer. And that is when power was cheaper.

That being said, the 150A is it's max output with overamperage more than likely.  I wonder what it pulls after the motors start(since those are higher amps to get started) and the chamber is warmed up a bit.

Wow, 120 amps ain't. No joke.

From what he is saying, I can see it hitting max amperage when it needs to but typically not running hardly any amps.  Since it monitors the garment, it's almost idle with nothing in the tunnel.  Then as the garment enters it goes ~100% for I moment getting that garment to target, then it cuts way back maintaining that temp.  Repeating that process on every garment.

Your typical dryer, like that maxicure, was running those elements at 100% for the entire duty cycle.  I think I have tested my radicure and I think it was on like 80% of the time.  Though that was at 1050* and I haven't checked it since I lowered it per Rich's suggestion.  So even at 75% that's gonna be over 80 amps steady on that maxicure.  The firefly SHOULD pull less than that with its "smart" technology.

It's all interesting, I'd like to know more about how it monitors the garment.

[Steve Harpold]

The heating process:
Step 1. The shirt is room temp bring the shirt up to temp
Standard electric dryer uses a constant energy as it cannot change instantly when shirt hits appropriate temp
Fire fly uses unlimited energy to get the shirt up to temp, as shirt approached temp fire fly can switch intensities instantly as not to burn the shirt. The shirt under this scenario comes up significantly faster

Step 2
Evaporate carrier
Physics will prevent the area from climbing in temp that is covered with the carrier. This area most evaporate fully before the shirt will climb in temp.
Standard electric dryer will burn the area where the shirt does not have a carrier layer. This is why many put the shirt in the dryer let it pass through once, let it cool a second than repeat

Fire fly will use the most amount of energy to remove the carrier while watching the area without the carrier. It will use the most amount of energy possible based on the characteristics of the shirt. Evaporating the carrier significantly faster.

Power requirements:
Next up (thanks to Gilligan for starting the explanation, as soon as I finish the post it will be a detailed version off Gilligan's explanation)

After that:
Explanation on how it handles monitor garments

[blue moon]

this was split from the original thread as most of what was going there were speculations and guesses. My fear was that anybody looking for the correct information would find the two pages of rants and never make it to the details provided by Steve. Starting with his post will make it more visible when needed.

pierre

[Steve Harpold]

Power questions:
The comment 150 amps three phase is not logical for small or large shops.

I am not sure why this is the case?
 Consider current equipment
(2) Flash dryer Quartz 22"x24"- 50 amps 3 phase (avg from multiple sources)
Air compressor to run equipment - 60 amps/ phase
Automatic press 8/10 - 20 amps, 3 phase
Standard electric dryer recommended to handle this combination of equipment - 100 amps 3 phase.

The above is a common automatic shop seen all over the U.S.

Total amperage- 280 amps 3 phase
(Yes, I know you could get a smaller compressor or smaller flash units or a smaller dryer but the items listed are recommended and standard across several different manufactures)

I am assuming the comment was about not using 150 amps 3 phase on one line.  We all can agree on this. The Fire Fly was built as modules, we will never require a line large than 125 amps. The unit that requires 150 amps would be broken into:
(2) 75 amp drops.  Less power than (2) flash dryers on one automatic press.

Like most equipment 480 is available for smaller cable sizes. (I will correct the info listed on our site to clearly show the correct power configuration)

Power part 2:
Will explain how the Fire Fly manages power, similar to Gilligan's explanation. The power management is quite remarkable and will require a detailed explanation.

(Ps. Sorry for getting banished to a thread with just facts and figures, kinda makes it boring)

[Gilligan]

Boring = Interesting sometimes.