How many test prints for sim process do you do?

[TheGhost]

In general how many test prints do you do before you start a run for a sim process design?  Or how many prints does it take to get a halftone screen flowing properly on higher meshes?

[RICK STEFANICK]

We usually run like 1 round of test shirts before loading a good shirt then dial it in based on that one. one comfortable we run maybe 6 more test shirts then start loading the order. But remember we are running 20 year oldall air machines with static screens so we get more deflection and dot gain than someone running super tight newmans on a servo/ac head press

[blue moon]

it takes 20 prints for the ink to build up properly on the bottoms of the screens. then evaluate and make changes. in theory, you should do another 20 prints to see what it looks like. We tend to rush it and test after 10 or so, but that comes to bite us in the behind pretty often. You'd think we'd learn by now!

we probably average about 100-150 shirts before we are happy with the way it looks. On the low end it's about 50 and in the worst case scenario it could go up to several hundred!!!

pierre

[Sbrem]

it takes 20 prints for the ink to build up properly on the bottoms of the screens. then evaluate and make changes. in theory, you should do another 20 prints to see what it looks like. We tend to rush it and test after 10 or so, but that comes to bite us in the behind pretty often. You'd think we'd learn by now!

we probably average about 100-150 shirts before we are happy with the way it looks. On the low end it's about 50 and in the worst case scenario it could go up to several hundred!!!

pierre

Ouch! We're about 20, but I don't think my clients are as knowledgeable or fussy, they are usually happy with looking really good.

Steve

[tonypep]

We're at about three

[screenprintguy]

Id say do what you need to do to get the print to look as best as it can be, before you run the shirts. Limiting yourself for the sake of speed will cost you down the road. In a perfect world, perfect seps ect, a few to dial it in, but like mentioned already, it takes more than a dozen prints to get the wet on wet build ups to even off, at least that's what I've experienced.

[ffokazak]

How many rags you guys got!?

If I did 20 test prints per job, we'd need like 300 shirts a day... No to mention the time.

We reg it, and send a first gunny pig actual shirt, and if it looks good, we run and adjust.  If the red for example ( the most prone to  build up and get stronger throughout a run in my opinion ) needs adjustment, we just dial back the pressure / adjust squeegee speed / tone it down.  ( Beauty of a challenger IIID is it can all be done from the press operators station )

I think managing customer expectations is important too. "There may be slight variations in a run of 150 shirts as the colours build up and self adjust, If that is an issue order 5000 shirts and they will all be relatively the same on average "  Most people are fine with it.  Pierres clients obviously notice and care about it, I am lucky to have mine who don't!

[screenprintguy]

that digital control of air pressure at heads would be awesome in this case!!!!!!!!!

[merchmonster]

An alternate question would be
What % of time do you have to change at least one of the PMS colors on press in order to get the print to look true to the digital file?

I'd guess for us it might be 50% of time.