registration marks

[Shanarchy]

what are you folks using for your regi marks (size, quantity & location)?

I am going to start using the Newman pin reg system and figured this would be a good time to evaluate what I am using.

I set up with 2 on the top (center and right) and one on the bottom (center). 1 point thickness.

Any newman pin reg users on here? Pierre, I believe the MHM system is very close, no?

[ebscreen]

One on top with film/color info and one on bottom.

Newman pin-lock is more like the Triloc in that it uses a pallet
to align frames on press. MHM system uses pins on frame that correspond
to pins on press to align frames. No pallet needed.

[Shanarchy]

One on top with film/color info and one on bottom.

Newman pin-lock is more like the Triloc in that it uses a pallet
to align frames on press. MHM system uses pins on frame that correspond
to pins on press to align frames. No pallet needed.

EB, so you only use two regi marks per film?

[DanK]

We do 6 reg marks, all 1 pt I believe.  +'s in each corner about 1/4" tall and wide, vertical hash marks in the center top and bottom (if you are on an MHM and using the pre registration guide piece of equipment that is an option the middle marks are crucial).  As EBScreen said, we also put the pantone color, mesh count, and the number of the screen from the order of print on there...  When the job goes to press, much of the time we don't even need these marks due to the super accurate pre reg system, but sometimes we have to make tweaks in which case these help, especially with sim process and whatnot...

[ebscreen]

Typically, yes. Used to line the whole top with 'em but found that it really just isn't necessary.
More crap to tape off.

I want a RIP that will print reg marks in yellow or cyan so they can be used for pre-alignment
but not be burnt in the screen. Right now we cut them off. This is for waterbased/discharge
on designs where they aren't really necessary.

[Sbrem]

4 marks here, 1 point. Mostly from habit. On a good press, 2 will do, but I like at least 3.

Steve

[blue moon]

with linear micros, we use one on top and one on the bottom of the center line. They are also used for film placement on the positioning unit. For the most part, very little adjustment is needed and the two registration marks are enough. Very rarely, I could see that corner marks wold be beneficial under some circumstances, but they are really not necessary.
Thinking back to non linear micros where the screens were pivoting rather than just traveling, I had a hard time and used registration marks on all four corners. But than again, I only printed on a manual for about six months and had no clue!

pj

DISCLAIMER: not implying that I know everything now, but I would give myself a clue one. Maybe even clue one point five!

[3Deep]

I use 3 across the top of the art, one for center mark, 1 point  thickness no need for anything at the bottom.   I have one platen on the press with the lines and center line mark to line up the film to, very quick and easy to tape off the reggies.

Darryl

[alan802]

We use 2 up top and one on the bottom.  The two top marks are on the same horizontal plane with one being in the center and the other where the left chest would be. It's been more accurate for us than the one on top, one on bottom.  We use .75pt and our FPU has .50pt marks so it's easy for us to line them up perfectly.  When the marks on the FPU and our film were the same size, it was hard to line up since you could overlap them slightly and not really be able to tell.  You can get the job done with 2 marks, but I promise you that you'll have less micro work if you move to 3 or more.  I was surprised how much more accurate and how many less test prints we had to do since moving to 3 marks.  Makes me think adding a 4th on the bottom and opposite of the outside mark would make it even better.
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[inkman996]

I use two on top as wide as the art is, 1pt thickness with loner horizontal lines. Also a center hash mark for centering.

I used to use reggies top and bottom but found out with a good tight press it is unnecessary.

[jsheridan]

I made a template in AI that I drop all my art onto before printing to film.

This template has 3 reg marks across the top placed 1.5" above the top of the art for film positioning on my reg system.

I learned that if you place your reg marks above the drop zone of the squeegee on your auto, you will never ever accidentally print a reg mark.

 

[Dottonedan]

I made a template in AI that I drop all my art onto before printing to film.

This template has 3 reg marks across the top placed 1.5" above the top of the art for film positioning on my reg system.

I learned that if you place your reg marks above the drop zone of the squeegee on your auto, you will never ever accidentally print a reg mark.

Good call on that one. Thumbs up.

The question of how much is enough, is a good question.  If you only have reggies at the top, then you can be off down below. If you only have them on the center area (as many use for centering the art), you stand (more of) a chance for it to be off on the outside just a tad due to some skewing or angling. That difference can be minuscule but still affects the print in a small way. Mostly critical when printing very tight detail work.

Many people with auto's and print registration systems prefer I provide only the center marks. If I am preparing film for myself, I prefer the 3 point system. I use 3 reggies as in an L shape. Once you have the top, right and left (outer sides) side as well as one at bottom, you will be in register. No need for a 4th. If you need a center point, you can include a vertical line as well.

[ZooCity]

I do like John and place into an Illy template- 2 crosshairs up top with a single line in the middle, 1 cross hair on bottom.   If it's a large image with multiple colors I'll run four crosshairs. 

We use the Pin-Lock and a bottom mark is needed if you aren't using the full length carriers, which we don't.  In fact we cut down the short ones even more.  I won't suffer another layer of film creating scatter between the glass and the positive.  The Pin-Lock can be deadly accurate but when it's off, it's off down at the bottom since there can be some variance in how the film is placed onto the screen before taping.  You really need to get that motion consistent of drawing one finger down the middle of the film and then taping, bottom first, bottom sides if needed (roll film can be curly), then top.  To combat this we print first color, flash, then visually check subsequent screens for alignment, adjust micros as needed, test and repeat or commence with the printing. (rare and only takes a very small tweak).  I'm sure there's other ways to do this part of the process and should add that I literally threw our used system into production just to see how it worked and we're rolling with it and it's great but I haven't evaluated the whole process yet. 

If you are using the Pin-Lock on a manual you learn quickly how the tail ends of the stroke can get inconsistent when printing by hand and the reg marks help you evaluate and control this. 

I would like to check out the single top and bottom crosshairs, centered.   I like the idea of less taping to deal with and less ink jammed up in the stencil, held back by the tape. 

One thing that drives me a little nutty about the alignment table is that I wish the lines weren't black like the reg marks on our film.  Even under the loupe, it can be a little hard to discern the marks from the table's lines. 

Good thread!

[jsheridan]

there can be some variance in how the film is placed onto the screen before taping.  You really need to get that motion consistent of drawing one finger down the middle of the film and then taping, bottom first, bottom sides if needed (roll film can be curly), then top. 

I knew I wasn't crazy for doing stuff like that.
Something as simple as how you tape film to a carrier can turn into a huge mess.
It's stuff like this and numerous other patterns I've learned that makes me question if I have ocd or not

[Shanarchy]

As John, I have several illustrator templates created, 2 for each film size I use (landscape and portrait), with rulers and grids already on. I find this to be a great time saver.

My initial thought is with using the Newman pin system that film alignment is going to be the most critical step. I am thinking of going from 2 across the top (center and right) to 3 across the top (left, center, and right) and keeping the one at the bottom center.

I do need to start putting the job details (mesh count and ink color) on the films. I think this is going to be key for transitioning employees into the screen making and printing process.

Question for John; if you place the regi marks above the drop zone of the squeegee, how do you use them to assist with on press registration adjustments?

Another question; carrier sheets. The system is designed to use the full carrier sheet and expose through the carrier sheet. It seems some cut the carrier sheets and leave the film taped to the top of the carrier sheet with the image area hanging below it. What are the pros and cons of using the full carrier sheet as opposed to cutting them.