Screenroom Manhours / Efficiency

[tonypep]

Great layout. We keep the clean/dirty areas separate as well. Also you have to separate the Sahara from the Rainforest. (a Greavesism)

[Screen Dan]

Thanks.  It was purpose-built to accommodate our space and needs.  It made such a difference in the work flow and productivity which is why I cannot recommend this approach enough.  Analyze your available space and needs. Proactively plan.  Map out your workflow from station to station, try to reduce crossed paths between different parts of the workflow, reduce the distance from one station to the next station in that flow.  Minimize wherever you can.

This floor plan might not work for somebody else and it certainly isn't for everybody...but there is an effective way to use all of that space based on your individual needs.  Extreme space constraints are an obvious limiting factor...sometimes there just isn't any way to move things around...but I've seen shops, and not just screen printing shops, where equipment is just put in a place based on little more than "it fits here easily enough" with no thought to how that machine will be used, what happens before that, what happens after that, etc. 

Our exposure unit used to be in a hallway!  The stretching room needed to be contained, aluminum dust, etc...before we went to rollers...wasn't necessary anymore...but it took up a massive amount of room for YEARS.  The CTS was around the corner on the other side of the department, there was no staging area so you had to do one job at a time...when I got back here they were masking, exposing and spraying one screen at a time.

The low hanging fruit has all been plucked so getting efficiency gains isn't as dramatic now.  Adding the second door to the wet room has helped a bit...getting rid of that screen cart and having screens live on racks from cleaning to consumption has helped a bit too.  Not sure of what to do next...but I'm looking.

[tonypep]

Fortunately this entire bldg. was built for garment decoration. We started with infrastructure plumbing first (always)/gas/air electric/ ventilation and airflow. Screen room is a horseshoe shape as well. And Dave can attest to the eight sets of $1,800 restaurant grade double bumper double window doors we have in there but they were worth it in the end!

[bimmridder]

I was just going to chime in Tony. Yes indeed, a great set up. I have same kind of doors on my screen room. Sometime I'll try to show our set up. Nothing fancy, but try to make it a system that is part of a bigger system.

[zanegun08]

We are right in the middle of changing this at our place right now if you want to come over and check it out, before we finish

Jamie, I'll have to take you up on that and come check out the eco-rinse, and your new layout.  No more garage door expose?  You got an STE-II?  What exposure unit are you using for LED Post Expose?  I want to get a starlight, but I don't know if it will hold up to waterbase inks in my goal of 35 seconds or less.

I think that we really have a good layout of equipment and good flow, but it is coming down to operators not pulling their weight.  I think that we could get down to 4 people and have the same output with the tools they have.

There are some things missing from my layout like how we move batches of screens in carts, so although the post expose drying racks aren't immediately by the tape off area, they are on rolling carts that get shifted back and forth.  It works well to have them by the light because that kicks off quite a bit of heat, along with fans to have good airflow for quicker drying.  We also shop vac off the screens after exposer so the drying time isn't that long.

I think if we just take people away, they will have to pick up the pace, and the problem will fix itself.  We just kept adding people, but didn't equal an even ratio of productivity.

[jamiem]

Zane, just talked to M&R this morning.  They either have, or will have very soon a Starlight with bulbs on both sides for post exposure.  This is what we will get.  Not sure about 35 seconds for you, depends on emulsion choice.  Bet it would be close though.  We are using PHU, which is super fast.  We are using the door as post exposure only now, but hope to mostly eliminate that once we have the new post exposure unit.

[TCred]

Thanks Screen Dan, some great ideas in there. When we've built our new one (first half of 2016) hopefully I might have something intelligent to add.

[Screen Dan]

We are right in the middle of changing this at our place right now if you want to come over and check it out, before we finish

I think if we just take people away, they will have to pick up the pace, and the problem will fix itself.  We just kept adding people, but didn't equal an even ratio of productivity.

Wow, awesome setup.

...and yeah, I'm running pretty lean on guys but I can't really imagine where I'd even put another that would increase my capacity at this point.  Shy of getting another big pressure washer to double the output of de-stenciling station.  The degrease sink could function as that...it used to before we got it.  Then that guy could bounce back to the extra wash sink to double output there.  But there are few times a year when I need to put out that many screens...and I'd probably have to double the size of my drying room which would fill up far faster...and I don't foresee needing ~400 screens a day and don't want to worry about a rotating cast of part time help ruining my inventory of screens by half assing their way through the day.  Sorry, I've had it happen before.  Not worth it.

Yeah, I'm staying like this.  The peak volume season is a tough month and that's all there is to it.

[jamiem]

Dan, you should look at the Eco Rinse, works great.  Stick a screen or 2 in, push the button, walk away, and in 1-2 minutes you have a fully developed screen.

[jvieira]

Yeah, I'm staying like this.  The peak volume season is a tough month and that's all there is to it.

What about hiring a temp for that month alone? Make him do some easy stuff that doesn't require long to learn and have another of your guys do whatever you need done.
If it's peak season, I'm guessing a tired crew will cost you more in terms of errors and whatnot

[Screen Dan]

Yeah, I'm staying like this.  The peak volume season is a tough month and that's all there is to it.

What about hiring a temp for that month alone? Make him do some easy stuff that doesn't require long to learn and have another of your guys do whatever you need done.
If it's peak season, I'm guessing a tired crew will cost you more in terms of errors and whatnot

I've found that except for pulling tape and stacking the racks an inattentive or low-experienced workers can screw up the process at nearly any step.  If the screens aren't washed thoroughly, dried promptly and completely the de-stencil speed can suffer...mesh gets stained...etc.  Same for reclaim.  If a de-stenciled screen (assuming they get all of the emulsion off) frame isn't washed completely streaky stains ooze out from the locking strips, old bits of emulsion, shop gunk everywhere...and explaining the degreasing step (and goal) does nothing to eliminate the ever present fisheye that I've never been able to duplicate on purpose.

Listen, I didn't even think this stuff was hard and I never knew that level of inattentiveness was possible...but it is.  Dehazing, timing your workflow perfectly, etc.  Came naturally to me and all of my guys I guess.  Let screens go through the cycle a couple times like that and there's no way to get them back to perfection. 

...and I'm definitely not letting one of those kinda guys coat, tape or image the screens.  Nozzles clog, there are subtly different meshes, different exposure times, the occasional discharge job requiring hardener, a different drying routine and post exposure.

These are all things I guess I take for granted as seeming very simple to me...but I have seen the temp and new workers screw all of this up.  It's mystifying, they discover new ways to screw things up that I never considered and never even saw before.

My guys don't really get burned out during that month...they work 4 10s so we pick up the slack on Fridays.  They love the time and a half.  Also morale management is my top priority, especially that time of year.  I'm often shocked by their enthusiasm and lack of complaining.  I've got a great crew right now.

I'll cross that bridge if and when I get to it...and I'm not looking forward to it.

Dan, you should look at the Eco Rinse, works great.  Stick a screen or 2 in, push the button, walk away, and in 1-2 minutes you have a fully developed screen..

I will look into this post haste.  I'm fascinated already.