HSA inks (what are they for, why do i need them, tell me why i should buy them)

[ericheartsu]

I have a project that we are building that i'm really interested in HSA inks for. But I know litterally nothing about them. I've sent emails off to Chris/Zoo City and Brandon who I know use both frequently, but i was wondering if anyone else uses them, and for what applications.

I'd really like to find a soft hand ink to print on gildan dri fit, as well as other dri fit tees, as well as find a way to get a bright white with a soft hand on tri blends, aside from using a DC base.

Any info would be awesome!

[ABuffington]

Here is the stencil info on this stuff:

These inks are unlike anything you have ever printed.  First off they are co-solvent inks that require special emulsions to withstand both the water and the glycol or other solvents used.  Murakami produces a special emulsion just for these inks:  Murakami TSR.  This is a diazo emulsion that can withstand the agressive nature.  If run lengths arent above 1000 you can get away with SP-1400 that is hardened with Murakami A&B Hardeners.  Permanent screens at this point however unless you hit with caustic haze remover rinse, then apply the emulsion remover. 

They do print like a very soft plastisol, but may require double base plates for large print area.  Ink dry in is not too bad with most, unless you are in the desert and your shop is 110 all day long.  The jobs I have seen run take more flashes typically.

The benefits are huge.  Pthalate and PVC free.  Very soft hand, great print quality. 

Here are some video links from our friend Mark Gervais who shared this a few ISS shows back.  Mark is the king of this stuff and his advice is worthy of a consulting fee IMO>

http://murakamiscreen.com/murakami-videos/ 

At the bottom of this page are six videos produced by M&R and edited and videoed by Thad Hutton.  The attendees are like a who's who of screen printing in the audience.
this is great stuff.  Mesh counts, angles, call outs and techniques. 

Al

[screenprintguy]

I know the Green Galaxy hsa inks are awesome!!!! Kevin for Forward told me at a trade show that they are using Murikami emulsion with no issues. So far the little work we've done with Green Galaxy ink is working well in HXT just like our discharge printing, no emulsion breakdown at all. We've yet to do a 1,000 or more peice order with it, but it holds up well, lasts long in the screen without dehydrating. I know at the trade shows that Forward is doing the demo printing, they leave that ink in those screens alllllllllll day and don't have lock up issues. I hung out with Kevin for at least 3 hours at the Orlando ISS and I know he never sprayed any water into the screens and the inks stayed wet and screens didn't lock up. It was good to see it at a trade show with the A/C cranking and long lag times between the next print, perfect recipe for drying ink, but Green Gal hung in there. Also they make a warp drive cure additive that makes it cure really fast at lower temps to be able to use it on Poly and not have the bleeding, that's our next test. Al probably knows the Murikami emulsion that Forward is using. I also know they use all high count Murikami S thread screens, really reaally nice work.

[Printficient]

As to emulsion might I suggest Xenon 902 QDC.

[TCT]

I know the Green Galaxy hsa inks are awesome!!!! Kevin for Forward told me at a trade show that they are using Murikami emulsion with no issues. So far the little work we've done with Green Galaxy ink is working well in HXT just like our discharge printing, no emulsion breakdown at all. We've yet to do a 1,000 or more peice order with it, but it holds up well, lasts long in the screen without dehydrating. I know at the trade shows that Forward is doing the demo printing, they leave that ink in those screens alllllllllll day and don't have lock up issues. I hung out with Kevin for at least 3 hours at the Orlando ISS and I know he never sprayed any water into the screens and the inks stayed wet and screens didn't lock up. It was good to see it at a trade show with the A/C cranking and long lag times between the next print, perfect recipe for drying ink, but Green Gal hung in there. Also they make a warp drive cure additive that makes it cure really fast at lower temps to be able to use it on Poly and not have the bleeding, that's our next test. Al probably knows the Murikami emulsion that Forward is using. I also know they use all high count Murikami S thread screens, really reaally nice work.

I told you Kevin is a wealth of knowledge!! He gets excited taking ink. Last I spoke with him they were using SP-1400 and ridiculous high mesh counts. They do nice work.

[brandon]

So in my opinion HSA inks can be great, or they can suck. Depends on your clients and your shop and equipment and everything else under the sun. I think they are awesome for us and our clients. Am I doing sim process with them? Not yet but will be by the end of this year. On darks we currently only print them on a discharge base and we love it. I love the mat down, the bright ass white, and the ease of use and clean up. Now there are some printers on here that can print plastisol like no tomorrow and you would think it is water base discharge and just all around amazing prints. But I am not one of those guys haha! Plastisol is great just not for me or my shop. There are many many emulsions out there that can handle it. Murikami makes great products but we do not use their emulsion. Reasons specific to this shop and nothing else. We do use their mesh though. That stuff will work in any shop! Love it. Interesting that Permaset's inks can feel and act like HSA but they say they are not and Green Galaxy's inks do act like HSA and feel like it. You do have to flash it that is for sure. But both can produce amazing results. And in regards to all the flashing this ink make you rethink seps again on a whole other level. Like when you went from manual to auto. Anyway, I have to go. Attached is a pic of Green Galaxy White on top of discharge base. Super crisp print, brighter than white discharge, brighter than plastisol, and very, very soft.