Rookie Plastisol on the Auto Question

[ZooCity]

We've been running so much DC/WB here that I have yet to put any plastisol jobs requiring a flash on our Gauntlet. Did run some plasti but was able to double hit it without revolving. I have one coming up that was traditionally a PFP through 225/40.  WFX quick white going on AA 50/50s.  It's around 135 pcs so I def do not want to be revolving jobs like this...especially since we don't have a revolver model.

The image has 45lpi halftones going down to around 6% and fine lines, sample attached.  We'll use the Red Chili for this.

My initial thought was to run two screens from identical films: 180/48 - Flash - 225/40 on top.  No choke on the UB screen, doesn't look like there's wiggle room for that.  The 180 would provide the matt down and the 225 would drop in the missing low % dots. 

What would you seasoned old auto dogs do with this?

[mk162]

using the same screen is about the most sure fire way to make sure the dots line up on top of each other.  I would do 1 screen with my solid white and another for the halftones. 

the best thing to do is test, test test.  you might find that your press can hold that registration, but aligning it might be tiresome.

[ZooCity]

Yeah I'd say the sure shot for setup would be PFP on a single screen and hell, maybe, it would be faster to just revolve it due to setup hassles but I need to get used to running it in one rev.  I don't think the dots would be opaque enough with one hit from one screen.

[Parker 1]

I do this with 158/64 Base & 230/48 Top.  Even better throw DC_base in 158 and run Top white 230 with NO flash

[ericheartsu]

I do this with 158/64 Base & 230/48 Top.  Even better throw DC_base in 158 and run Top white 230 with NO flash

this is how we would do it, but i can almost garuntee the DC base won't work on those stupid AA 50/50s. especially if it's blue.

[alan802]

I'd do one screen and two revolutions because I'd bet you money that you would almost be done by the time you had the second screen dialed in perfectly with all that detail.  At that quantity and at our shop, we'd be faster with using one screen anyway since trying to get halftones on top of halftones takes time, I'd simply not even mess with it.  Even if there weren't halftones involved I think we'd be well into the run by the time the second screen was dialed in.

[ericheartsu]

i wish we had a revolver function on our press. as far as i know we do not.

[mk162]

so many options...

the nice thing about running it around twice is you can go to the end of the dryer and stack the already printed ones...so you can run a job like this with fewer folks

[ScreenFoo]

No revolver is no big deal if you get it in one stroke--remembering which one is first is the only tough part.   

Agree 100% with Alan, unless you're talking hours of runtime, or have a client who's picky about the hand, I wouldn't do two screens.

[Sbrem]

I might try to run it on 110S for one screen, but my first thought is 2 screens, one with everything to print first on a 200, 40 lpi, and a 110s for the solids on top, no flashing. I actually had to print 3 screens once for Bose (a 140 1st, 110 2nd, and 60 last) before flash units were invented, on a Precision Oval. They really like their white to be white and nothing else...

Steve

[GaryG]

No need for revolver, send around twice-
just look for brightness and --remember when to pull off.
That'd be the second go'round, not the first, that stinks!

[ZooCity]

This is why I love this forum, thanks for the perspective y'all.  Going to keep it sim on this one and do a single 180 or 225, whatever is going to hold the dots best and cover.  It's weird, all I read before going auto was how different printing on one is and I've found we use an almost identical process as manual printing from the mesh to the blades and so forth.

2 screens, one with everything to print first on a 200, 40 lpi, and a 110s for the solids on top, no flashing

That's interesting, never did it like that w/o a flash. Gonna try that someday, always looking for ways to not flash and DC/wb has spoiled us there. 

DC_base

Yup...but, we're not rock solid on how to run the DC/plasti combos yet.  It's worked out well when we have but has required flashing thus far.  Still need to dial it down.  And yeah, the Lapis 50/50s in this run would not DC as bright as the hth forest.  Most of AAs 50/50s are actually excellent dischargers though.  The issues are their random ass dye lot changes and tendency to mix them all up in an order. 

[TCT]

I would go with Alan also, it 135 T's. 2 times around won't be that bad, ya it is "technically" a waste, but add up the time and money you put into 2 films, 2 screens, 2 setups(perfect) ect. Send that sucker around twice and get on to the next one!