Spyder II Direct to Screen

[DannyGruninger]

Mark is a great guy to deal with and they were there every time I called, even remote in and fix it on the fly for ya kind of thing. 

Head alignment was finicky and took a few adjustments for it to settle into place.

Out of nowhere you'd get a clog and come back to a screen with missing info here

Exile has also revised their software based off our input which was super nice of them to do at no cost.  Workflow is overlooked in some other setups in my opinion, so it is good that they were willing to take customer input to increase productivity.

THIS!!! That is awesome the company made software changes that you requested. I feel the biggest downfall to the cts system we use is the rip/software/workflow

[Jwcontractscreen]

I received my Spyder II less than 2 weeks ago and have done 500 screens on it so far and would never go back to film. We just threw away 90% of our old films yesterday.

Customer service is great. I have only called twice for minor stuff. The phone and questions were answered promptly with educated answers.

I'm looking to calibrate my machine for dot gain and was wondering if anyone would share photos/links to equipment to do so with?

[zanegun08]

THIS!!! That is awesome the company made software changes that you requested. I feel the biggest downfall to the cts system we use is the rip/software/workflow

JC, the guy who helped build and redesign the machine, also writes the software, so he is connected to the inter workings.  He just changed some simple stuff, like the image used to display mirrored in the software (since it prints mirrored on the screen), but now it is rotated so you see it like you really want to in my opinion (I think you can change it back with a tick box)

As well as changed the way images are aligned and by which axis, so if you have different size drums, you center your image horizontal, and offset the placement vertical, so you can set your art up once, and print it on multiple size screens without reworking the placement in art for a different screen size.

I received my Spyder II less than 2 weeks ago.  I'm looking to calibrate my machine for dot gain and was wondering if anyone would share photos/links to equipment to do so with?

Congrats!  I'm sure you will be happy in your choice and I hope they set you up right with your templates, ect.

I'll try to post photos next week, but you don't really need any tools in my opinion unless you want to get to the real science, then you'll need a densometer (Exile has one)

The truth of the matter is, you are printing on garments, and it is a little forgiving, but what you should do is print a 0-100 percent gradient at different lines per inch, I attached a Dot Gain Test that I use, but it is really overkill and you would be fine just doing the bars and boxes at the bottom.



Then you need to get this on press, if you do your densometer on the screen, who cares, it is on press that matters.  Print black ink, or white ink, in a normal workflow, print 5-10 prints or something like you normally would.  Now, take this print, and you can now adjust a tone curve so that your gradient will print smooth from ~2% dots (I've had 1% dots work, but who cares, we aren't printing space equipment)

So you'll have to adjust your curves to suit your workflow, everyone will be different, we were great in holding the small dots because my printers love to use too much pressure, they think it is the fix all, so our 80% looked like 90%, and the rest was solid.  You may have the opposite issue, where you have lots of gain in the low end due to your screen process, but your high end is dialed.

Anyhow, now you take this back to the RIP, and make a tone profile that you apply to your settings, and you can adjust to compensate for dot gain, or lack of.  So maybe your low end needs to be a bit darker, so you scale it up, and your high end lighter, so you pull it back.  You can type this in, or you can adjust the line.

Now you do this, and then start over from square one, and do it again, until you are happy with the results and you have a nice smooth gradient from 1% to 95% I think anything over 95% will always look solid unless maybe under a loupe.

But anyhow, keep in mind that you are printing t-shirts, you could spend a lifetime adjusting, but then a different garment, blend, weave, you will get different results.

This reminds me to recheck our tone curve, maybe I'll post some photos next week of my results, before and after making adjustments, we have been better about not just mashing pressure, so may need to recalibrate.

[jsheridan]

Zane busts out with the linearization how to! Love it 

[Maxie]

Looked at the M&R of the Starlight exposing single screens from the I Image.
It's time for them to design an exposure unit for this, can be much smaller and without a vacuum.
It can also be on a stand and higher up so the operator doesn't have to bend.
There was a post where Rich mentioned that there is still power in the light panel even when not exposing, with a unit without glass they can design it so that there is not power in the panel until exposure so it you touch the LEDS by mistake it won't make a difference.
If you look at Kitsons site he just hangs them on the wall and exposes with a lamp,
Saati sell a LED lamp that is cheap compared to all the exposure tables, not as fast as the Starlight.
I got to 45 sec with PHU, which is a SBQ emulsion.

[244]

Looked at the M&R of the Starlight exposing single screens from the I Image.
It's time for them to design an exposure unit for this, can be much smaller and without a vacuum.
It can also be on a stand and higher up so the operator doesn't have to bend.
There was a post where Rich mentioned that there is still power in the light panel even when not exposing, with a unit without glass they can design it so that there is not power in the panel until exposure so it you touch the LEDS by mistake it won't make a difference.
If you look at Kitsons site he just hangs them on the wall and exposes with a lamp,
Saati sell a LED lamp that is cheap compared to all the exposure tables, not as fast as the Starlight.
I got to 45 sec with PHU, which is a SBQ emulsion.

we already make too many exposure units. For what you are looking for us to design look at the D_Scan

[zanegun08]

An exposure unit for this, can be much smaller and without a vacuum.  It can also be on a stand and higher up so the operator doesn't have to bend.

I'd say M&R want's to sell the I-Image STE II, rather than build exposure units that would work well with any CTS user.

I'm trying to get Exile to build one, or maybe Ryonet, or even M&R?  This is exactly what I need, I already designed it for you, now you just build it.  I give you full rights to the design as long I can have your first unit for production environment testing, we will expose 150 screens a day, and put it through the woodworks.

So whoever is listening, the industry is speaking, this is what we want.



I attached the .pdf if anyone wants to play or expand upon my design.

We need this at $3500, hell, build it in China, it's so basic, just use quality LEDs.

Exile?  M&R?  Ryonet? Vastex? Workhorse? Douthitt?  Somebody can do it, maybe TheShirtBoard should do a kickstarter?

[244]

This is already done. There is one in Texas and one coming to a shop near you.

[Colin]

I know CCI has also made one, but it is not as nice as what you have designed.

[zanegun08]

I know CCI has also made one, but it is not as nice as what you have designed.

http://ccidom.com/us/en/products/support-equipment/led-exp-exposure-unit/

I think the cost is like 12k or 17k, which their pitch is it exposes 4 screens at a time.  But if it is fast, I only want to expose one at a time anyhow while the CTS prints the other.

This is already done. There is one in Texas and one coming to a shop near you.

Thanks Rich, is there anywhere I can see information on the unit or just wait til it lands so I can go check it out along with the Eco-Rinse and their new screen room?

I've tested a starlight onsite, and another in the area, but we still aren't getting the exposure times down to where we want to see them.  We are currently using Kiwo Multi-Tex, which exposes much faster.  I agree with you that there is something in our process effecting out times, my hunch is that we are coating in the same room we are reclaiming and the humidity residual chemicals in the air slow down the exposure process.  I've yet had time to do a controlled test with coating in a different envioronment.

Been busy getting our Gauntlet III and Chameleon running, among many other things

[244]

I know CCI has also made one, but it is not as nice as what you have designed.

http://ccidom.com/us/en/products/support-equipment/led-exp-exposure-unit/

I think the cost is like 12k or 17k, which their pitch is it exposes 4 screens at a time.  But if it is fast, I only want to expose one at a time anyhow while the CTS prints the other.

This is already done. There is one in Texas and one coming to a shop near you.

Thanks Rich, is there anywhere I can see information on the unit or just wait til it lands so I can go check it out along with the Eco-Rinse and their new screen room?

I've tested a starlight onsite, and another in the area, but we still aren't getting the exposure times down to where we want to see them.  We are currently using Kiwo Multi-Tex, which exposes much faster.  I agree with you that there is something in our process effecting out times, my hunch is that we are coating in the same room we are reclaiming and the humidity residual chemicals in the air slow down the exposure process.  I've yet had time to do a controlled test with coating in a different envioronment.

Been busy getting our Gauntlet III and Chameleon running, among many other things

it's in for photo shoot at our marketing division. When the shots and write up are done I will send you the info.

[jsheridan]

we are coating in the same room we are reclaiming and the humidity residual chemicals in the air slow down the exposure process. 

Yes that is a problem, you'd be better off to create a dry and wet side with a drying space between the two.

A good option is pass through cabinetry with the exhaust of the dry screen room air passing into the wet from reclaim screens cabinet.

[markdhl]

Douthitt still offers more density and consistency than the other unit.  We also have the longest track record of proven performance over the long term.  Customer service on ALL units sold is very important.  We have also had touch screen for years.  Reliable and durable .... .

Mark Diehl

[Screen Dan]

Rich,

       Is there any chance that this (or any other) LED exposure unit will be available for our 48"x32" M6s?

[244]

Rich,

       Is there any chance that this (or any other) LED exposure unit will be available for our 48"x32" M6s?

There will be a new larger unit shown at the SGAI show next month. Has not been named yet as we are not done but it will be at the show.