Author Topic: i-Image in the house!  (Read 39636 times)

Offline tonypep

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #225 on: September 15, 2014, 03:14:19 PM »
the reason being with film you are making a copy of a copy, which anybody that has seen multiplicity will know it's never as sharp as the original
Best underrated movie ever. Best quote............."She touched my pepe"


Offline Sbrem

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #226 on: September 15, 2014, 03:18:41 PM »
True Eb, buuuut, you still have to print film, you still have to take the time to line them up, even if it's quick, not as quick as printing the sep on the screen and boom you are done. You have to work with one for a couple days, and know what the hype is all about. Not that the FPU isn't a good idea, it's just another element of time and possible human error. We did it all three ways. I cut up a tri lock frame to do what Alan is doing, I don't think I had it quite dialed in as he does so I went back to carrier sheets again and now the CTS, there is no way I'd go backwards. NOOOOOOO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!! ;D

I get this part, but since we have an MHM and it's FPU, I can place a piece of film in the exactly correct spot in about 5 seconds and tape it down. I'm pretty sure that's faster than printing the image on the screen, and no extra hardware or workarounds necessary... I'm still interested, but I really can't see the change in getting jobs through the shop faster, since we never have printers waiting for screens to print unless it popped on press and an emergency remake is necessary. And if so, 5 seconds to line up and tape a piece of film is pretty quick. I would rather spend 40K somewhere else, like toward a replacement for our '94 Gauntlet.

Steve
I made a mistake once; I thought I was wrong about something; I wasn't

Offline bimmridder

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #227 on: September 15, 2014, 03:37:18 PM »
'94 Gauntlet!?!? SWE-E-E-E-T
Barth Gimble

Printing  (not well) for 35 years. Strong in licensed sports apparel. Plastisol printer. Located in Cedar Rapids, IA

Offline Gilligan

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #228 on: September 15, 2014, 04:58:35 PM »
That's the german (i believe?) one.. I think Volker posted about it... that one uses a DLP light source to do the exposure

seems to me it was like 150k or so.


http://www.kiwo.com/Product%20pages/ScreenSetter%20main.html


Now, that thing is awesome!

All you DTS guys are old school now. ;)

Offline Sbrem

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #229 on: September 15, 2014, 05:02:11 PM »
'94 Gauntlet!?!? SWE-E-E-E-T

twice a year we have to replace those little cams(?) after they snap off, other than that, she be solid...

Steve
I made a mistake once; I thought I was wrong about something; I wasn't

Offline Dottonedan

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #230 on: September 15, 2014, 06:45:12 PM »
Alan or anyone, what is the FPU referring to on film?  Some sort of adaption to the Tri-Lock I take it, but what exactly?
Artist & high end separator, Owner of The Vinyl Hub, Owner of Dot-Tone-Designs, Past M&R Digital tech installer for I-Image machines. Over 35 yrs in the apparel industry. e-mail art@designsbydottone.com

Offline DannyGruninger

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #231 on: September 15, 2014, 07:19:33 PM »
Dan, the FPU(film positioning unit) is what the screen locks into before the film is placed on it. Basically it's like the table on the i image that the screen locks into, but the fpu has a laser grid that you turn on which then allows you to place the films to align with the laser grid. Technically speaking all the screens lock into the fpu the same just like they would on an i image, then you have someone aligning the films to the laser grid so when its all said and done everything "should" line up...... With dts you eliminate the human error of a person placing a film on the screen but fpu is basically a poor(er) mans dts unit if that makes sense


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Offline Gilligan

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #232 on: September 15, 2014, 07:27:28 PM »
Or it can be a simple grid printed on the FPU that the screen sits on.  As Danny said, you  just line up to your marks and place the film.

Alan flipped his Tri-lock upside down (since the screen is now upside down on the FPU) and mounted it like that to fashion his FPU jig.

Offline Evo

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #233 on: September 15, 2014, 07:49:29 PM »
Professionally, this thread leaves me thoroughly and completely depressed.

 :(




Why so?

I closed my shop and now I am employed by someone who seems to think basic tools and equipment are luxuries. Anything remotely like a DTS system, registration system, LED exposure, etc would simply never end up in this operation. It took weeks just to talk him into a second dip tank for developing. It took MONTHS to order new screens after I counted 60-70% of the inventory was busted or full of holes.

After several years of running everything exactly how I wanted it, and constantly making improvements, now I am getting into arguments about at least fixing what's broke just to keep the shop firmly in the 1990's.

I'm pretty much over it.
There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey.
John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

Offline screenprintguy

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #234 on: September 15, 2014, 08:21:16 PM »
Professionally, this thread leaves me thoroughly and completely depressed.

 :(




Why so?

I closed my shop and now I am employed by someone who seems to think basic tools and equipment are luxuries. Anything remotely like a DTS system, registration system, LED exposure, etc would simply never end up in this operation. It took weeks just to talk him into a second dip tank for developing. It took MONTHS to order new screens after I counted 60-70% of the inventory was busted or full of holes.

After several years of running everything exactly how I wanted it, and constantly making improvements, now I am getting into arguments about at least fixing what's broke just to keep the shop firmly in the 1990's.

I'm pretty much over it.

Jason, too bad you didn't live closer, I'd hire ya in a heartbeat!  ;D
Evolutionary Screen Printing & Embroidery
3521 Waterfield Parkway Lakeland, Fl. 33803 www.evolutionaryscreenprinting.com

Offline TCT

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #235 on: September 15, 2014, 08:46:40 PM »
Pretty sure the company is actually Swiss- Signtronic or something. They have 1 satellite office here in MN actually. Keep meaning on stopping in to see if they need a "show shop" locally... ;)
Alex

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Offline Gilligan

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #236 on: September 15, 2014, 08:59:17 PM »
Imagine the savings with one of those puppies... For just a hair over twice the price of dts.  If you think scotch tape was a savings, now no ink!

Offline TCT

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #237 on: September 15, 2014, 09:22:27 PM »
Um if I remember correctly, the Signtronic sucker is like $500k. Or as I refer to a price tag like that, "chump change". ;)
Alex

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Offline blue moon

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #238 on: September 16, 2014, 12:23:43 AM »
Um if I remember correctly, the Signtronic sucker is like $500k. Or as I refer to a price tag like that, "chump change". ;)
380 with a 100k show discount. Uses a MH light that costs $3k and has to be replaced every 100 hours. Had serious moire or mesh interference on the printed sample they were displaying at the show.

I still think CTS struggles below 5% a lot more than the good film. To me that is enough to cause pause. . ,

Pierre
Yes, we've won our share of awards, and yes, I've tested stuff and read the scientific papers, but ultimately take everything I say with more than just a grain of salt! So if you are looking for trouble, just do as I say or even better, do something I said years ago!

Offline tonypep

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Re: i-Image in the house!
« Reply #239 on: September 16, 2014, 06:04:37 AM »
True Eb, buuuut, you still have to print film, you still have to take the time to line them up, even if it's quick, not as quick as printing the sep on the screen and boom you are done. You have to work with one for a couple days, and know what the hype is all about. Not that the FPU isn't a good idea, it's just another element of time and possible human error. We did it all three ways. I cut up a tri lock frame to do what Alan is doing, I don't think I had it quite dialed in as he does so I went back to carrier sheets again and now the CTS, there is no way I'd go backwards. NOOOOOOO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!! ;D

I get this part, but since we have an MHM and it's FPU, I can place a piece of film in the exactly correct spot in about 5 seconds and tape it down. I'm pretty sure that's faster than printing the image on the screen, and no extra hardware or workarounds necessary... I'm still interested, but I really can't see the change in getting jobs through the shop faster, since we never have printers waiting for screens to print unless it popped on press and an emergency remake is necessary. And if so, 5 seconds to line up and tape a piece of film is pretty quick. I would rather spend 40K somewhere else, like toward a replacement for our '94 Gauntlet.

My point exactly. It just wouldn't make sense for us to invest 40K into something that, while not perfect, simply isn't broken. More/better autos now that makes sense.

Steve