OYO GOBLIN

[EmbellishAthletics]

Alan ask if I would share some information about our experiences with the OYO Goblin DTS.  When we started looking/thinking about a DTS it was for two reasons, to eliminate film and speed up setup times.  We are not a large shop by any means but we are growing.  We go through 15 - 40 screens a day depending on the time of year.  Currently 90% of our business is with schools so most of the work is simple spot color with some basic halftone work occasionally.  Due to the school business and the types of orders during the busy months we will setup 7 - 10 jobs a day so we were looking for something to speed the process up. 

We researched the possibilities and were not ready to bite off $40+K for a DTS.  One of the other things we did not want is the headache of clogged print heads and such although we were told if we used the machine everyday that wouldn't be a problem but the waterbased and wax machines were made to run (same type of thing you are told about DTG).  Our sales rep from GSG is someone who we trust and based on his input and experience with the machine he pointed us to the Goblin.  He has another shop in this area that is running one (had the first prodcution machine produced) and the customer said "it is the best piece of equipment I have ever owned".  This particular shop has more than 20 years in the business and has a great reputation in the area.  I know the shop owner and he would not run the machine if it was not productive for his shop.  Given all of that and the machine would meet what we were/are trying to accomplish we chose the Goblin.

The Goblin and the Diablo are the same machine with the exception that the Diablo will print larger (not sure of the exact dimensions).  They both use the same thermal print head and ribbon.  The Goblin max print area is 14" x 19".  The print heads on the Goblin and the Diablo are almost the exact same as on the Imagestters.  The way that they work is the same.  The thermal film comes into contact with the print head and "releases" directly onto the screen (same concept as the imagesetters).

The only thing we were told and it is true.....you have to have screens coated with a low RZ and you have to use the right kind of emulsions.  Right kind?  Not really anything specific but they have tested several different brands and types so there are several that will work and won't work.  We are currently using QTX Blue and it works great with the Goblin.  ULANO Thix and QX-1 supposedly work also but we haven't tested them.  Chroma Blue is another emulsion that has been reccomended.  An example of one that will not work is ULANO Orange.  I don't know the chemistry behind the ones that will and won't work but the film will not stick/adhere to some of the emulsions.

In terms of coating method we don't do anything special.  We use either a 2 & 2 or 1& 2 depending on the mesh count.  The only thing you are trying to create is a smooth surface. 

You also have to have controlled humidity in the range of 35% - 50%.  We have a separate room where the Goblin is located and it hasn't been a problem keeping the humidity at the correct level.  We have a small dehumdifier in the room but rarely run it.  If the humidity gets too high >50% the film tends to stick to the screen as it is printing.  If it gets too low then it doesn't want to stick.  Usually we can correct this by using screens that were coated the day before (or day of).  Coated screens that have been in storage 4 - 5 days or more seem to be too dry but a quick face coat and drying for 30 mins corrects that.

The only other thing you have to be careful with is screen tensions.  The screens clamp into the unit (using air locks) and a roller comes down on top of the screen.  The roller pushes the mesh down as it is printing so that the screen is in direct contact with the film as it is passing over the print head.  Due to that, the max tension that you can have any screen is 35n.  We tend to keep everything at 30 and below.

Cost for the film is about 65 cents for a 14 x 12 image.  Yes, you are always using the 14" but the depth of the image is what drives the cost.  It is not as inexpensive as wax or waterbase but the equipment it much less upfront.

We are very happy with the machine so far (only about 4 months into it).  The main reason is that it is simple to operate and maintain.  No head cleanings, no clogs, etc.  As long has the screens are cleaned, coated properly with the right emulsions and the tension is not too high then we haven't had any issues.  We can print four screens (< 1 minute per screen depending on image) and burn them in the amount of time it would take us to just print films on an Epson 1400.

Apparently the shop down your way Alan had issues with the resolution.  They wanted to print 85lpi screens with 10% dots and the machine was not setup to handle that.  Now that information was a tidbit I got from the install tech.  We have printed halftones at 55 lpi with not problems but we haven't tried anything higher.

I know that one of the very large shops west of us (15+ autos) run two of the Diablo's and two of the wax machines.  They have been running the Diablo's for a while and just purchsed 2 of the wax machines.

The comments from the tech was that the shops who didn't like them or were not interested was due to the fact that they didn't want to make changes to their processes namely in the screen making department.  The screens and coating methods are the most sensitive part.  If you rush through that area you are likely to have problems when printing.  We may have been lucky in that sense that we were pretty much coating correctly (for the machine) in the first place.  We did change emulsion and apparently some shops don't like to do that as it takes time to go through exposure test and such.

I hope I wrote enough and not too much!  If anyone has any questions I will be happy to answer as best I can.  We are not married to the equipment or the company so we don't have any stock in the equipment other than so far it has done everythin we expected it to do. 

[alan802]

Freaking awesome info.  This is why this forum is numero uno for the serious screen printer.

[ZooCity]

Freaking awesome info.  This is why this forum is numero uno for the serious screen printer.

Word.  Great post embellish.  There is more info in there than you could probably find on all the web searches and talks with sales people combined.

What's the cost of a Goblin, on the floor and rolling if you don't mind me asking?

I'd be interested to see if the unit can run good dots, it doesn't sound like you get much opportunity to test with the typical work you run this but it'd be cool to see it next to was/ink units dots in the 45-65 range.

The cost of consumables, from what you said is no more/less than inkjet+film really.  Intriguing. 

[EmbellishAthletics]

If I remember correctly the list price is $23,500 and that includes the RIP.  The RIP is capable of curves for the halftones.

I will try to post some pictures of the dots when I get the opportunity.  The contrast of the film/print is darker than any film we ever were able to get using the Epson 1400 using AccuRip and all black ink. It is simply solid black.

[mattisme2003]

Great Post! I'm interested in this printer as well. Do you use it combined with an on press registration system? I've heard about people using DTS/CTS printed screens and mounting them on a wall and vertically exposing 2 or more screens at a time. Do you know how to go about vertically exposing dts/cts printed screens without a cabinet style exposure unit (with glass and vacuum top)? What I don't know about that method is the type of exposure unit that would be used to project vertically rather than horizontally; and how one would go about dialing in the exposure times. distance, etc. using this method and dts printed screens.  Would you mind giving some insight into your method of exposing screens?
Thanks

-Matt

[ericheartsu]

Great Post! I'm interested in this printer as well. Do you use it combined with an on press registration system? I've heard about people using DTS/CTS printed screens and mounting them on a wall and vertically exposing 2 or more screens at a time. Do you know how to go about vertically exposing dts/cts printed screens without a cabinet style exposure unit (with glass and vacuum top)? What I don't know about that method is the type of exposure unit that would be used to project vertically rather than horizontally; and how one would go about dialing in the exposure times. distance, etc. using this method and dts printed screens.  Would you mind giving some insight into your method of exposing screens?
Thanks

-Matt

there are all sorts of different exposure lamps, generally used for large graphic shops. you can get them pretty cheaply too. we just sold off a ton of super old ones we had lying around.

[EmbellishAthletics]

We use the tri-loc in conjunction with the Goblin and registration is a breeze. We have to make small micro adjustments occasionally but our setup times have been reduced significantly. We have a Nuarc 6k exposure light and burn 4 screens at a time. The screens are placed on the wall with no vacuum or glass needed. The distance from the wall is measured by taking the diagonal measurement of the 4 screens. It just takes some exposure testing to get dialed in.

I am very happy with the machine so far and do not miss ink jets and films.

[mattisme2003]

Thanks for the additional info guys. I'll keep my eyes open for a deal on a free standing exposure lamp in the meantime.