NEW Laser To Screen Coming Soon

[tonypep]

Not sure what you mean but images are ganged up in the computer, then sent to the LTS, thus perfectly burned in register. The SAATI uses spring loaded pins to lock them in

[zanegun08]

Means if you do it digitally then the flipped image won't register with the tri-loc since it's only on one corner of the screen.

However you are saying to flip the screen and flip the triloc on press so you would be registering to the same point, front left for the fist image, turn the screen around and back right of screen for second image.  But how would an operator know what is the correct way for triloc, my hunch like many places is triloc rarely gets used since it doesn't work that great and operators will think they are faster without it.

I don't get the ROI on these, for the price I would prefer to get a wax or inkjet model and a press which would have a much better ROI than the steep cost of just a laser.  It looks like the "Screen Cube" is similar to the CST which has been around in Europe for a long time, a single laser that scans

https://luescher.com/en/product-lines/screen-cube
https://www.c-s-t.de/en/flat-exposure/

Most people are printing spot colors on gildans for pennies, if you think you are going to be printing 80+lpi on a gildan you need to get real.  So how does a 150k laser make sense is beyond me.

If it's worth it, post your work in here https://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,73.3285.html otherwise I don't think that laser to screen is worth it for the price point, and there is a point where it wouldn't even make a difference since hybrid would be better than screen printing ever be at a certain point, also for a relatively similar cost as a Screen Cube.

[tonypep]

Correct on the ROI...LTS is totally not for everyone, or even most (although ours was half the price listed above). Also correct on seasoned printers resisting to use a triloc or similar device. I personally don't use it. That said, I find it to be an excellent training tool. So with our ROQs and LTS, ganging up and flipping screens totally works. XYZ works for both top and bottom, despite what has been stated. I find it interesting how there are so many opinions on this subject by people who do not nor have ever used the unit.

[bimmridder]

Tony, that's why I've kept my mouth shut

[tonypep]

Stop talking common sense Dave. You might confuse people

[Admiral]

Not sure what you mean but images are ganged up in the computer, then sent to the LTS, thus perfectly burned in register. The SAATI uses spring loaded pins to lock them in

Zanegun already answered, but yes, if you don't Tri-Loc each side when imaging, it will not line up on the press each way, just the originally loaded way.  On our M&R CTS we flip the screen then print the other image, so everything we do Tri-Locs.

We have a pretty good success rate with Tri-Loc and definitely save a lot of time with it.

[tonypep]

One nice feature of the SAATI is that instead of a three point spring, it they have a single point spring pin and two beefy air lock clamps holding the screens firmly in place, which aids in getting the screens burnt exactly in register. Note that I did not say 100% all the time. Warped or skewed frames can throw this off a smidge so we try to identify those and weed them out. So multiple images burned in one pass. My experience is better degree of accuracy with less micro adjustment on press over my CTS. But that was a different shop with different operators so that can have a lot to do with it. Slowly moving towards not using registration marks as they are becoming an unnecessary nuisance.

[ebscreen]

Just to throw a wrench in the discussion did anyone see the new Exile machine coming out?
You feed it a clean screen and it will print an "emulsion" and then expose it. Eliminates coating/darkroom.

[CBCB]

It's not rocket science.

lol I know… it was a joke.

[CBCB]

I love the idea of a 1-up unit that is fast but only if it’s decently cheaper than a 2-up version.

Our wax machine is awesome but has consumables besides the wax. My “refurbished” Douthitt seems to be eating a $2000 ink feed every two years so that’s great. Never mind the print head that’s coming up, haha!

Dan’s right though, some sorta half screen option would be great but gotta find a way to communicate it to the darkroom. Ganging screens is always hard for this, the RIP just gives darkroom a list. Always gotta be a better way!

[zanegun08]

Imagine spending $100k+ on a laser and then being like I wanna save 40 cents in emulsion and use more tape so I can gang screens to "save money"

[mk162]

Imagine spending $100k+ on a laser and then being like I wanna save 40 cents in emulsion and use more tape so I can gang screens to "save money"

I'd do it. I also don't use tape.

[TCT]

What's the word on fully cross linking the emulsion for a diazo??? I know when I REALLY push the other laser sales guys at trade shows, when I don't back down and ask them to provide some kind of guarantee we won't see breakdown, they finally admit they don't fully cross link the emulsion. Not a issue if you print plastisol, for us it is a huge issue and honestly, pretty disappointing.

[Admiral]

Imagine spending $100k+ on a laser and then being like I wanna save 40 cents in emulsion and use more tape so I can gang screens to "save money"

Time at the press is most important to save

[ericheartsu]

What's the word on fully cross linking the emulsion for a diazo??? I know when I REALLY push the other laser sales guys at trade shows, when I don't back down and ask them to provide some kind of guarantee we won't see breakdown, they finally admit they don't fully cross link the emulsion. Not a issue if you print plastisol, for us it is a huge issue and honestly, pretty disappointing.

With  the Saati unit, it works fine, as long as it's post exposed. If it's not you'll see premature breakdown.