Automatic Screen Developers

[ZooCity]

Who's using one? 

We have been using a fresh water dunk tank +wide angle press washer for years and it's pretty fast -but- it requires a human being to pay attention and understand when a screen is correctly resolved. 

I feel that automating this benefits in two ways:

• Can walk away from the unit as it works v. standing there with a spray wand.
• Forces you to dial in everything so that the machine settings resolve all screens correctly, eliminating human error (more or less, depending on your overall system)

Interested to hear how well this works in reality.

[Alex M]

You hit the nail on the head with it.
1. Eliminates labor
2. Makes you have better screens (controlling EOM is the biggist player in this with exposure being second)
3. M&R's does also save on water over standard pressure washer. The pressure washing cycle is all recirculated water while the pre and post rinse options are new fresh water from the wall at line pressure.

Generally when I run the unit I use 3 pressure cycles and 1 post rinse to clean out the recirculated water from the screen.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

[ZooCity]

Alex, I assume EcoRinse filters that recirculated water? 

I know this will vary wildly based on eom, emulsion, mesh, tension, exposure and so on but what would you put out there for developing time as an average with this unit?

[Alex M]

Yes, it does filter it.
Develop times varries a lot as you said, but a good rule of thumb for us is 195 tpi+ with 7-12% EOM will resolve in 1 minute per screen or 2 minute per full cycle.
Under 195 tpi you can still resolve in 1 minute per screen with lower EOM (pretty industry standard) for the guys with 110-160 at 20-25% EOM you are looking at 1.5-2 minutes per screen.

The Eco-Rinse works on "passes" since the pressure head always has to return home it is best to work in even number as you would just be wasting a pass if not.
2 cycles or three pressure passes and 1 post rinse land you at 2 minutes of run time for the 195 and over (lower mesh with little EOM will also use this)
3 or 4 cycles will be need for low mesh with higher EOM 20-25% this will have a run time of 3 or 4 minutes.

[ZooCity]

Thanks Alex.  I contacted our vendor awhile back on this unit, asking questions here in the hope that it will help inform others.

Is there an option to blow the screen dry after resolving? 

[Alex M]

No, air knifes just blew water around more then off.


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