NEW Laser To Screen Coming Soon

[Dottonedan]

Also, for any CTS type machine and Tr-Loc,  is it really that big of an issue to have to manually micro reg (maybe a little more than a mico) a job when you are using an image on both sides...but only Tri-locked on one side?

Wouldn't it be like every 3-6 left chest jobs out of maybe 20 jobs a day you might need to micro a left chest that wasn't in reg?   It's off center by about .375" on the other side if I'm not mistaken and then the reg based on screen frame accuracy would be up or down also, but close.

Is it not worth the time for registering the left chest for just that 1-3 or 6 jobs a day yet saving the reclaim time for two sets of screens? 6 of one/half dozen of the other I figure.  Just rattling off questions.

[tonypep]

For us it is truly a micro......screens are never crooked. If they are out its typically .64 of an inch top to bottom or right to left. Easy quick adjustment. So it works for us.

[1964GN]

We are pretty close to dialed on. Imaging takes about 1min 20sec. The first 20 seconds it goes thought each bank and checks each laser. If there is a bad laser it turns that bank off so you don't have unexposed streaks (like a douthitt with missing jets), if I understood the tech correctly. Actual imaging time is one minute per screen. We have tested 135, 150, 180, 225, 280 and 305's. All have the exact same imaging time just different power levels and lens focal lengths depending on overall mesh/emulsion thickness.

We are currently only at 600 dpi as the rip we have maxes out at 600. We should have an upgrade coming so we can go to 1200.

Tomorrow we should be able to images a few multi color jobs and see if they register on press like the Douthitt

[tonypep]

Sounds like so far so good! Can't remember if you have an auto coater

[Evo]

Is it not worth the time for registering the left chest for just that 1-3 or 6 jobs a day yet saving the reclaim time for two sets of screens? 6 of one/half dozen of the other I figure.  Just rattling off questions.

Not to mention time savings on the press. Flip the all the clamps open, rest the flood/squeegee down on the ends of the screen, flip it around, clamp in, wipe the images, register, tape off, go. No removing ink, no swapping screens, less reclaim chemicals and time, etc etc.

Triloc on only one side is still triloc, yo.

It's the little things that add up.

[1964GN]

Sounds like so far so good! Can't remember if you have an auto coater

We do have auto coat. About the only thing we don't have is a developer.

[tonypep]

Is it not worth the time for registering the left chest for just that 1-3 or 6 jobs a day yet saving the reclaim time for two sets of screens? 6 of one/half dozen of the other I figure.  Just rattling off questions.

Not to mention time savings on the press. Flip the all the clamps open, rest the flood/squeegee down on the ends of the screen, flip it around, clamp in, wipe the images, register, tape off, go. No removing ink, no swapping screens, less reclaim chemicals and time, etc etc.

Triloc on only one side is still triloc, yo.

All of this. Large runs we don't gang up images due to running it on different presses. But for the shorter custom contract we of course do and this tremendously saves time/money

It's the little things that add up.

[1964GN]

Initial thoughts:

So far I am pretty impressed, but it's only been a few days of install and training.

- Our rip is only licensed for a max resolution of 600 dpi so all testing has been done at 600 dpi.
- Total imaging time with the max of 128 lasers is 1 min 20 sec.
- If I did my math correctly that's 40-45 screens per hour. That's double our current capacity.
- Did a quick test at 64 lasers and total imaging time was 2 min 5 sec.
- Monday morning Mark from Douthitt will update the rip to 1270 dpi max with a free trial from Xitron.
- The workflow is different but should be easy to get use to.
- It has an Auto Run mode. Drop your TIFFs in the hot folder set up for a specific mesh. Select that folder from a drop down and it loads all of those files into the software. Image your first screen, remove, put in the next screen and press start.
- We are use to imaging per job so the changing to imaging per mesh will take a little while to get adjusted.
- I'll be doing some time studies over the coming weeks  at different laser bank levels. The laser banks are not cheap so we'll find out if there is a sweet spot with time/price. The software has the option to set how many lasers to use so I should be able to get some hard time numbers at different levels.
- It has the MHM pin system and the live jobs we did on Friday registered 100%. If not that would have been an immediate deal killer.
- It has a function at automatically backs up all of your settings, templates, etc to Luschers servers every 30 days... just in case. Should something happen you can restore a back up from their server to a new computer.

Issues I have:

- High humidity is a problem. A humidity level above 55-60% and the machine will throw an error and will not allow you run until the level comes down. Something we did not expect. That error message can be disabled but I would be reluctant to do that.
- Size. It takes up a lot of floor space and requires at a 64" wide door opening. The unit is about 64" and 74 deep (this the hood down) and requires about 20" space in the back for servicing if needed. We put a double door into the wet area of the screen room to get equipment in and out but only a single door into the dry room where we store screens and the Douthitt.
- We do not have a auto developer so humidity levels go up fast as we develop. Auto developer was next on our list so if we decide to keep it we'll add and enclosed unit to the mix to decide humidity levels, in addition to more AC.
- The MHM pin bars do not auto retract when you push the button. You have to manually wiggle the bar away from the screen to remove it.
- It came with a German keyboard and European cords for the computer and monitor. I'm told it was probably because it went to MHM first.

Service:
Time will tell on this one. Switzerland is 6 hours behind us on the east coast so any issues you may have that need tech support you may have to wait until the next morning. They do have certified tech partners in the US, if you have a mechanical issue. SPSI is expected to be deeply trained as well but that will take some time.

[CBCB]

SAATI use three point spring loaded and three beefy air cylinders to lock the screen. Works fine just not always 1,000% maybe 90-95%

Then you can’t just put art on the other side and expect it to line up. It’s not the same three points of contact when it gets on press.

Might be different with MHM pin system? But no on a typical three point reg you can’t just shoot both sides.

[CBCB]

Also, for any CTS type machine and Tr-Loc,  is it really that big of an issue to have to manually micro reg (maybe a little more than a mico) a job when you are using an image on both sides...but only Tri-locked on one side?

No, not an issue - but way less of an issue to flip it in the screen machine.

[tonypep]

Depends on how your set up is. Flipping on my LTS is not an option anyways. How about yours? I'd like to hear from an expert ;)

[CBCB]

Depends on how your set up is. Flipping on my LTS is not an option anyways. How about yours? I'd like to hear from an expert ;)

Do I need an LTS to understand the basics of three point registration? To be fair, I had to explain this to my ‘expert’ ROQ techs setting up the PRU backwards too. I guess we will wait for the experts!

[tonypep]

No expert here but two years in the field with it with no issues. Sometimes the smartest guy in the room is the one who realizes he's not the smartest guy in the room ;)