How to Reclaim Screens In Your Print Shop [Workflow]

[printavo]

How should you reclaim screens for screen printing? The key is developing a process that is documented and repeatable. Bill Hood shares the template he uses at print shops to dial-in their reclaim process.

Remember: good screen prints start with good screens. It's called screen printing, after all!

Screen Reclaiming Procedures & Workflow

An understanding of the operations of the screen printing process – no matter how complete – is not sufficient!

A system is needed to assure repeatability.

Creating instructional workflows is one such system. It should include all of the functions and activities that relate to that task.

Screen printers must be aware that maintaining this systemic view is critical to understanding these functions and the interrelationships among them. In short, you must understand the entire organization!

This Screen Reclaiming Procedure Workflow is an example of a simple system that provides checkpoints for repeatability.

Use this as a template for constructing your own workflow!

The Basic Formula

Screen reclaiming works like a water wheel.

One part of the process leads to another in an infinitely repeating system. A consistent screen reclaiming procedure will ensure your press operators are never waiting on screens!

• Ink clean-up
• Emulsion removal
• Ghosting and staining
• Tension check
• Degreasing
• Cabinet storage

Ink clean-up

The screen reclaim process always begins by removing leftover ink from the screens.

• Remove excess ink from the screen.
• Place screen into a dip tank with an approved ink degrader.
• Leave in dip tank for approximately 5 minutes (follow manufacturer's suggestions for specific times).
• Place screen in washout booth.
• Use moderate pressure to rinse ink away.
• Wipe ink from the frame.
• Remove all water from the mesh and the frame. (TIP: you can use a vacuum attachment to speed this process up)

Read the full article here: https://www.printavo.com/blog/how-to-reclaim-screens-in-your-print-shop

[farmboygraphics]

• Leave in dip tank for approximately 5 minutes (follow manufacturer's suggestions for specific times).

No.
I always have a problem with this statement about Dip Tanks. I even made a video about it, watch to or skip to the end where I finally get my point across. I love to ramble on. (https://youtu.be/PH-S8No5SRc). To each they're own. :-)

[CBCB]

• Leave in dip tank for approximately 5 minutes (follow manufacturer's suggestions for specific times).

No.
I always have a problem with this statement about Dip Tanks. I even made a video about it, watch to or skip to the end where I finally get my point across. I love to ramble on. (https://youtu.be/PH-S8No5SRc). To each they're own. :-)

Agreed!!! I have got the runaround in many different ways from suppliers and vendors of dip tank chemicals.

It’s called a dip tank. Not a soak tank. Our yields are getting higher and higher as we get it figured out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Maxie]

Either I don't understand something or I don't agree.
We deghost remove stains and then degrease a wet screen.
We only check tension once the screen is dry before coating.
We also don't do this every day, about once a month we'll check screens and take out of production screens with a low tension.

[CBCB]

Either I don't understand something or I don't agree.
We deghost remove stains and then degrease a wet screen.
We only check tension once the screen is dry before coating.

Wow I didn’t notice that. I also think it’s odd to check tension on a wet screen. I can imagine a lot of waste in the process as well, taking it out of the sink to check tension and putting it back in. So I need a table near the sink that gets wiped off every time now?

I need to post a video showing how we measure ours. Out of the rack and onto a table right before coating.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[brandon]

This is a perfect example of how shops are very very different

[CBCB]

This is a perfect example of how shops are very very different

I’m interested in the logic behind the choice.

I’m not sure I understand why my gut tells me to measure it dry. First thing that pops into my head is the mess and in/out of sink. Not even diving deep into technical aspects of tension on wet vs. dry. Does the mesh absorb water and change tension readings?

Even if shops are different we should all be able to agree on what achieves the best results so we can decide where to ‘settle’ in the middle. If there is no technical downside to measuring wet mesh then there is still the factor of the extra work compared to measuring it at other parts of the process.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CBCB]

Here’s what I was talking about. I made this video a few months ago to show our team the new process. So it’s rough.

But this shows our elevated table setup. This lets us check tension with minimal extra motion/transport waste. The ‘stilts’ make it so that you don’t have to set the scoop coater aside.

The way this article describes it is a lot more work for the same result so I hope this helps someone.

An auto coater makes it a bit more difficult. I figure when we get an auto coater we would still check tension at this point of the process. Doing it as a stand-alone process means you’re taking it in/out of the rack an extra time.

https://youtu.be/DWlvDyF6_QU