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screen printing => Equipment => Topic started by: Doug S on March 26, 2014, 09:13:12 PM
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Just wondering how many of you are using temperature donut probes? If you are what do you think of them? I was thinking about purchasing one "although they are pretty pricey" and stop relying on the temp gun because I'm always in doubt as to what the temp is at the bottom of the ink layer.
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Ive got one... never seems to work correctly on top of the shirt or in the ink... at least when comparing to the ir gun.
We do use it inside the shirt with the cross hairs upside down. I try to make sure that we are hitting 310 to 320 inside the shirt under the ink, assumimg that if its at temp inside, above it will be fully cured
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Ive got one... never seems to work correctly on top of the shirt or in the ink... at least when comparing to the ir gun.
We do use it inside the shirt with the cross hairs upside down. I try to make sure that we are hitting 310 to 320 inside the shirt under the ink, assumimg that if its at temp inside, above it will be fully cured
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When you say upside down are you meaning inside the shirt with the wires against the belt or against the underside of the print?
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Underside of the print.
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A laser temp gun gives you REFLECTIVE heat.
The probe actually tells you how hot is is at the cross hairs.
Reflective heat can be 20-50 degrees hotter..... even in a gas dryer.
Just used a probe last week and had one of my guys also use the pricey temp gun on the same garment at the same time. It shocked them to see the temp deference between the two methods.
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If you are what do you think of them?
I used it about ten times, now it sits in my cabinet. We will use it when we run into problems or try out new inks.
I like the probe because it can indicate where the cold spots are in the oven. Now I know why my curing time is not as fast as other people.
A cheaper alternative is to do a wash test.
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We just picked one up back in January from a restaurant supply who had the best price I could find. I has proven to be worth every dime for us.
http://techinstrumentation.com/products/93816-and-93916-Screen-Print-Thermometer-Kits.html (http://techinstrumentation.com/products/93816-and-93916-Screen-Print-Thermometer-Kits.html)
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We just picked one up back in January from a restaurant supply who had the best price I could find. I has proven to be worth every dime for us.
[url]http://techinstrumentation.com/products/93816-and-93916-Screen-Print-Thermometer-Kits.html[/url] ([url]http://techinstrumentation.com/products/93816-and-93916-Screen-Print-Thermometer-Kits.html[/url])
I just purchased the same one. From the same outfit. Appreciate it everyone.
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this is what we have:
http://www.foodservicedirect.com/product.cfm/p/138074/Silk-Screen-Print-Donut-Probe.htm (http://www.foodservicedirect.com/product.cfm/p/138074/Silk-Screen-Print-Donut-Probe.htm)
http://www.foodservicedirect.com/product.cfm/p/138040/EconoTemp-Thermocouple-Instrument.htm (http://www.foodservicedirect.com/product.cfm/p/138040/EconoTemp-Thermocouple-Instrument.htm)
looks like the one you guys found has a peak temp hold function, which would be really nice...
so what is the "correct" way to use these? I'm sure my way is 'overcooking' the top of the shirt a bit as the heat has to penetrate through the fabric after the ink... but I'd rather be 1000% sure of a good cure and deal with the potential for glossing issues.
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To save a bunch of money, I just bought the probe separately. Then use a multi meter with a k type port built in. Doesn't have any peak functions but works perfectly. I bought the probe for $100 and had the meter but they cost around $30.
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To save a bunch of money, I just bought the probe separately. Then use a multi meter with a k type port built in. Doesn't have any peak functions but works perfectly. I bought the probe for $100 and had the meter but they cost around $30.
Now THIS sounds like the perfect solution. And you have a multimeter to use for other tasks as well.
Interested to see how/where you guys are mounting these probes and how often you use them?
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I use the donut probe and the temp gun but I'd never just use the temp gun alone. I know with fairly high certainty what the temp on the bottom of the print is at the same time I use the temp gun so I have a baseline or something very accurate to compare it to. If I'm dealing with a thick ink deposit then I wouldn't trust the temp gun by itself and rely only on the donut probe. I know on a regular underbased print that the temp gun will read 360-370 when the donut probe is reading 320 in the ink. But you still have to be careful because of what Colin said and some ink reflect and absorb very differently.
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My donut probe is worthless in my small harco dryer. I use the temp gun and the paper thermometers. The paper thermometers seem to be really accurate.
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The Cooper Atkins donut probe works best when it's IN the ink.
smear a finger blob on the shirt and sink the cross hairs into the ink.
Slow the belt down and then take readings.
Repeat the test a few times until you get your correct speed.
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I thought different ink thicknesses will yield different results. That is why I place the probe on a screen printed image.
I place the printed image on a thin wooden board. Then put the donut on the printed area. I use a wooden stick to press the wire into the ink, making sure it remains in there.
The thing that surprised me is my inks takes 10 seconds to heat up. When I look inside the heating chamber of my dryer, I discovered my I.R panels were not that big. >:(.
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We have one that come with our M&R dryer. It hooks up to the control panel to get the reading.
Very cool!! Love it. ;D
The is the best way to check ink temp.
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I thought different ink thicknesses will yield different results. That is why I place the probe on a screen printed image.
Yes they will.
The reading we want is the iinternal temperature of the ink, NOT the surface temp.
This is why we sink the wires into the ink surface.
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Wait, you guys put this probe on a wet print, mash it in, then run it through the dryer with a 15' cord attached and take readings along the way? I am so confused.
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Wait, you guys put this probe on a wet print, mash it in, then run it through the dryer with a 15' cord attached and take readings along the way? I am so confused.
Yes.. that's what the probe was designed for.
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Wait, you guys put this probe on a wet print, mash it in, then run it through the dryer with a 15' cord attached and take readings along the way? I am so confused.
Yes.. that's what the probe was designed for.
And why we keep a variety of test shirts to hopefully accurately duplicate the real run.
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I can definitely see where those of you with long gas dryers really benefit... set the air temperature, make sure that the air temperature is at the correct level, and let'r rip... none of this 'how long does it need to dwell to soak up enough IR, but not too long that it soaks up too much IR and scorches the shirt' nonsense.
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So does it only display the temp at the cross hairs or do you have sink the full diameter of the wires for it to work? Just wanting to know so I can test right away when I get mine Wednesday.
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I can definitely see where those of you with long gas dryers really benefit... set the air temperature, make sure that the air temperature is at the correct level, and let'r rip... none of this 'how long does it need to dwell to soak up enough IR, but not too long that it soaks up too much IR and scorches the shirt' nonsense.
Scorching is just as much an issue with gas heat. I've roasted my fair share of white shirts in a gas dryer.
Cotton will start to scorch at 350 degrees.
Gas oven set to 365 or higher with a long dwell (you ran DC last job and forgot to reset belt speed).. it will yellow a white shirt.
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Gas oven set to 365 or higher with a long dwell (you ran DC last job and forgot to reset belt speed).. it will yellow a white shirt.
Yep. Hate that.
The crosshairs on the donuts are designed like that so as to react to temp changes really quickly.
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So does it only display the temp at the cross hairs or do you have sink the full diameter of the wires for it to work? Just wanting to know so I can test right away when I get mine Wednesday.
I don't use my finger because I can pick up a lot of wet ink with it. Also I find it quite difficult to press the wire into the ink on my conveyor belt.
So here is the instructions from Wilflex.
http://www.polyone.com/en-us/about/businessgroups/Inks/Literature/How%20To%20thermoprobe2.pdf (http://www.polyone.com/en-us/about/businessgroups/Inks/Literature/How%20To%20thermoprobe2.pdf)
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMEONE ON THE OTHER END OF THE DRYER TO CATCH THE PROBE. YOU DON'T WANT TO DROP IT BECAUSE THOSE STUFF ARE EXPENSIVE.
Here is the Chart form you can use.
http://www.polyone.com/en-us/about/businessgroups/Inks/Literature/Dryer%20Heat%20Chart.pdf (http://www.polyone.com/en-us/about/businessgroups/Inks/Literature/Dryer%20Heat%20Chart.pdf)
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I can definitely see where those of you with long gas dryers really benefit... set the air temperature, make sure that the air temperature is at the correct level, and let'r rip... none of this 'how long does it need to dwell to soak up enough IR, but not too long that it soaks up too much IR and scorches the shirt' nonsense.
Scorching is just as much an issue with gas heat. I've roasted my fair share of white shirts in a gas dryer.
Cotton will start to scorch at 350 degrees.
Gas oven set to 365 or higher with a long dwell (you ran DC last job and forgot to reset belt speed).. it will yellow a white shirt.
Not necessarily true about the 350 degrees althoughthe garment itself is a variable. Somehow many people forget the variable of retension time. Our dryers run at 400 degrees 24/7 without issue.
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Yes, be careful with the cross hair wires on the probe.
I need to replace mine last week. I was lucky to have a pair on hand.
Went to reorder some wires. About 8 to 10 years ago a set of wire was $5.00 now they are $38.00.
Talk about inflation.