reclaiming 150+ screens?

[bimmridder]

I'm trying to make better my reclaim loop. Is there anyone around doing 150 plus screens a shift that would care to share information? Work flow, style of reclaim, staffing, etc? Either here, e-mail, or phone?

[alan802]

I've been relegated to screen duty myself and did 60 screens the other day and I incorporated a few different techniques to see which one worked best and the fastest.  I wish I had something to give you because none of the methods I used worked to my satisfaction but I guess it's all relative and the method that works best is the one to use.  I still kept going back to de-inking, dip tank, remove emulsion via pressure washer, ink remover/haze application, then after they've sat for a few minutes I blast them out.  I was averaging about 20 screens per hour but the majority were lower mesh counts.  I could do 30 per hour if they were all 225 and 305's .

[bimmridder]

You're hired! You can start yesterday.

[Maxie]

Watch this post by Greg Kitson, can't get much better than this.

Flat table plastisol ink removal and dip tank emulsion removal workflow.

http://tinyurl.com/kxhxsm3

~Kitson
[/quote]

[ebscreen]

I still kept going back to de-inking, dip tank, remove emulsion via pressure washer, ink remover/haze application, then after they've sat for a few minutes I blast them out. 

For what it's worth this is what we always come back to as well. I know we can do better time and movement/energy wise
on some parts of that process though. Screens go in and out of the sink three times.

[willy35]

With 150+ per shift I will not manually reclaim

Many big shop in Europe use this machine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHyFDRy5g54

[ebscreen]

It took a clean screen and spit out a clean screen with a different color mesh adhesive!


We have similar machines in the US as well.

[willy35]

It took a clean screen and spit out a clean screen with a different color mesh adhesive!


We have similar machines in the US as well.

You can have many screen in the machine, but the main advantage is the high pressure washer, just at 1/2 inch of the mesh both side @ 150 bars - 2175 psi, the screen is well washed.

[ebscreen]

Sorry, it was a joke. I'd love to see one in a production setting. I think everyone would like to automate screen cleaning.

[GraphicDisorder]

I think if we had to do 150 per day every day, we'd have to get something to automate it.

[ABuffington]

Be careful with auto recaiming systems.
Uses a lot more water if you have high water costs.
Uses a lot more chemistry, often specialized chemistry to prevent foaming.
May not reclaim a water resistant screen made for wb/discharge/HSA inks.

You can increase the emulsion remover concentrate in the dip tank.

Increase PSI of your pressure washer to more PSI.  Hydroblasters are at 5,000psi and
can almost knock you off your feet.  On spray mode they take out a wider swath at higher PSI.

Hire afternoon help that wants to get into screen printing.  We started all employees on screen cleaning
and reclaim since once promoted they would clean screens better at press.  If they can't handle the gunk
of clean up they will never maintain a press or work area well.

Al

[Orion]

We have a screen washer:

http://www.nwgraphic.com/product.php?id=SYS--9010--1

Right at seven years old and only problem with it was a $125 touchpad control panel replacement because of operator abuse. They say to use their private label screenwash as it will not affect the pneumatic pump seals, but we found that CCI Ink Wash SC is compatible. Make sure you card out as much ink as you can to preserve the life of the two canister filters.

Next is the emulsion remover dip tank with CCI Gemzyme.

Finally, last year we upgraded from North Star 1700 psi to a 3000 psi pressure washer. We run the washer right at 2100 psi. This increase in psi makes a BIG difference. Change oil regularly to extend pump life.

All of the above is what works for us, in our shop.

[brandon]

If they can't handle the gunk of clean up they will never maintain a press or work area well.

Al

Absolutely. Used to work with a guy nicknamed "fingers" because he left ink finger prints everywhere. Annoying as hell!

[mimosatexas]

I know results vary, but for my setup this has been the fastest, least physical, and has my screens looking and printing the best:

Dip tank with easiway supra, 37 gallons: fits 6 23x31 screens under my hold-down and I can slot in on one side and out on the other.  701 for ink/haze removal after the tank.  Mostly using sp1400, often hardened.  ink is carded off on press, or just off press depending on schedule, or washed off immediately if waterbased.  I have two washout booths, one for post dip, one just for 701 dehazing.  I have two vertical carts for screens, one I fill with dirty screens, ink carded off and tape removed.  One is empty, waiting for screens that have been pressure washed after the dip tank. 

I load 6 screens in the tank, go deal with something for a few minutes, then begin. 

I remove one screen, put on my vertical draining shelf, slot another into the tank. 

After 30 seconds or so, move this screen into the sink, put another screen on the shelf, and slot another into the tank. 

Pressure wash from shirt side only, removing all emulsion with fan setting, quick back and forth, then quick up and down.  Any problem areas, adjust the fan to a tighter spread and blast out.

Move reclaimed screen into empty cart and repeat.

I can usually do a full 25 screen cart in around 15-20 minutes depending on how quickly I feel like working.

Next I begin the deink/dehaze/degrease phase.  I always do a clearing print before reclaim, and the supra + pressure washer gets basically any ink off the screens, so all thats left is small residual ink or ghosting. 

I use a spray bottle with the 701, 4 sprays on the squeegee side, scrub with one of those chem resistant auto brushes, then flip and scrub again (no more sprays, just using residual chems from the other side of the screen.  I rarely have ink on the frame itself, but if necessary I'll get that quickly as well.

Pressure wash from shirt side.

grab screen on the side, angle so it is resting on one corner, fan spray with normal hose nozzle the outside of the frame, then top to bottom.  Then flip and repeat.

The whole process for 25 screens should take around an hour.  There is only one scrubbing step which makes it a lot less tiring.  Screens look good as new unless they have sat for an extended period of time with black or red ink.  On those I have started doing the 701 scrub, then removing from the sink to let sit for a minute or two, then pressure washing and rinsing.  Honestly, doing 6 screens like this then rinsing all at once might even be faster, but I havent timed that.

[ZooCity]

I'd like to see how one of those contraptions handles an HSA screen that's been on press all day.  Unless it uses warm water, my guess is not well.

Which brings me to what I wanted to say- try using warm, filtered water at reclaim through all hoses and press washers.  Sounds expensive and it could well be for a mega shop but it can make a difference in reclaim on certain inks.  Not for everybody but could be a huge improvement in some shops.  The filter keeps the minerals present in warm water out.

Good luck Barth, I think any small improvement you can make will pay off with that kind of screen throughput.