Setting up 5 color job first time

[Appstro]

Looks like I will be doing a 5 color job soon. I am trying to understand how a typical 5 color 4 station with flash job would run. In the past I have tried putting the shirts on as I rotate the next coior to flash. Most of the time though, I cannot get the shirt lined up fast enough before the flash gets the shirt I just rotated too hot. I just saw a video on youtube of a guy loading all the pallets with shirts, then doing all 4 shirts, rotating between colors to flash. When all the shirts were done, he put them on the conveyor and loaded the next 4 shirts. IS THIS HOW ITS DONE? No wonder I cannot load the shirts fast enough!


Can anyone post a video of them running a 4-5 color job on a manual press with flash between the colors? Are there any tips you can give me on doing a multi color job efficiently?

Thanks for your replies! I love this place!!!!

[Admiral]

Load the shirts with the pallets out of the lock position under the flash, then proceed with printing.  That's one of the annoyances of the stationary always on flash, you have to time everything properly and pace everything consistently.  I bought a used swing away IR flash for the manual awhile ago and this solved the over / under flashing misprints.

[Maff]

You can raise your flash a little bit higher off the platen if you need a few more seconds. But keep your temp gun handy and check to make sure your not over flashing.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

I like warm platens, but don't over do it.

It is POSSIBLE to hit the gel point of plastisol on the screen. I doubt you'll do it, but I have. like Maff said, keep a temp gun handy.

Aluminum platens surrender their heat pretty fast, but mine are all covered with silicone rubber sheeting. If you pass 150° or so (maybe 160°) it is uncomfortable to handle the platens. Too hot to handle is a pretty good test. Stay at that range or under. Use good rhythm and build a habit.

I gelled a plastisol screen on my auto recently, trying to partially cure a mostly waterbased job with just one screen loaded with plastisol. It was right after the second flash, with no cool down station. (DUH. Rookie mistake.) Spoiled a bunch of shirts too, before my chattering unloader caught it. Grrrr.....

[sweetts]

We always have had two people on those jobs, one loads and unloads one prints, raise flash height  to adjust the time needed to flash and have at it.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk