Film problem

[3Deep]

Hey have any of you had a problem with your injetfilm pulling apart after you tape to the screen..the other day I was exposing screens then when I pull the scotch tape off it pulled the printed film part of the film off.

Darryl

[Frog]

If you are talking about ink transferring to the emulsion, yes, many of us have experienced it. In past threads, it was almost always chalked up to emulsion that was not completely dry, or emulsion that just seemed to stay sticky, no matter what.
The drying issue was worse in humid conditions, as one would expect, and in a pinch, some suggested talcum powder on the sticky stuff.

So, what has changed in your screen making department?

[alan802]

Happens all the time here with high solids, pure photopolymer emulsions.  We use baby powder on the screens as a bandaid but honestly, if 20% humidity in the dark room and days and weeks drying time doesn't stop it from happening, nothing is.  I've been told they aren't dry enough but if they won't dry in that controlled environment then they won't dry.  It's a tack issue on the higher solids PP's that nobody is addressing or doesn't think it's a big enough issue.  I have found one thicker emulsion that will not do this to our film and it's the imagemate PC 701.  Chromablue, Kiwo One Coat, Ulano Orange and Saati PHW Red do this terribly bad on screens with 25%+ EOMR no matter what time of year, low humidity or high, hot or cold, it doesn't matter.

[screenprintguy]

I know what you are talking about D, where the "skin" or printable surface of the film actually lets loose from the plastic film itself. Happens to me all the time. That is one reason why I'm excited about DTS, everyone talks about storing films. Well, when I run into a problem where this happens, or even where ink front a positive sticks to the screen ruining the film, I'd have to print another one for re-prints. Hope this DTS is all that it's cracked up to be. I don't know how many times I'd have someone pulling films from carrier sheets and have that "skin" peel off the film carrying the image along with it and wasting that for storage. It's happened to me on 3 different brands of film.

[DCSP John]

Sounds like D is referring to the film itself splitting..
like the coating becoming separated from the plastic carrier sheet which is stuck to the to coated screen.
Cheap and/or old  film maybe?

John

[Frog]

Darn old Darryl went and bailed on us after getting us started!

[Dottonedan]

I see his post as DCSP mentioned.  To me, when I've seen this, it was related to the films (an old film) that was burned over and over so many times that it caused it to be brittle for the lack of a better word. Almost as if it were dry rotted. Aged maybe?  Thin sheets of plastic like that can lose it's elasticity or durability over time and become brittle. In some brands, I would assume it could show more in some lesser priced brands of film. In addition, it could be the quality of the ink in the inkjet or a combo of the two.


I recognize this issue because of the excessive exposures on an individual films per designs while working at Disney, Russell Athletics and Ohio Pyle Prints. All ran the same jobs multiple times a week. Low mesh requiring longer exposure times were most noticeable.


For example a shop that re burns the same film over and over for a pre print line should replace the film after so many uses. Thermal devices are a good example of this. Many of those films (because of the thermal heat connection) are prone to discolor after long exposures as if cooking them. The films can then become brittle and break a way if not replaced. I remember noticing that the old films were all sepia brown colored. After a while, It can play an effect on your exposure times due to your films being less and less translucent. These are extreme cases but in those shops, it was common to need to replace the films after a few months.


One of my first projects was to get rid of the thermal device for out shop. It was a Calcomp 44" wide. Many issues and costly waste. For smaller shops not doing that much film per day, it would be useful.

[rmonks]

Always Humidity

[cbjamel]

I've had the ink come off on a not totally dry screen. Emulsion still had some water in it. No face film though that the ink sticks too.
Shane

[3Deep]

Screenprintguy nailed it, that's what is happen the printed part of the film is peeling away from the plastic part of the film...I,m thinking just some badly coated film..I don't know what they put on the film to make the ink stick but this is the first time I had it peel from pulling the tape off.

Darryl

Ps this is a new box of film I just bought I want mention the company but I'll post a pic in sec here

[3Deep]

Film Pics

[JBLUE]

I have not had that happen. What kind of film is it? Cheap film causes nothing but problems. Everything from dot gain to distorted images.

[Squeegie]

Yup!  Happens here with a particular brand...there is most definitely two parts the the film...the clear carrier and the "film" that holds the ink. When pulling tape from the film and carrier sheet it pulls every time.
I changed film brands and have no issues.

I use the "bad" film for the one time prints that I don't want to keep the film for anyway.

Bill

[Frog]

No, I've never had the film's coating peel off.

Of course, I am taping the film directly to the screen (rather than to the glass or carrier sheet) My tape is sticking to the uncoated back side of the film.
Have you called the manufacturer or distributor for the film yet?

I am thinking that some manufacturers are not thinking about situations that require the film coating to be the taped surface.

If, otherwise, this film is killer, I'd look into a less sticky tape, like Scotch temporary.

[3Deep]

No Frog I have not talk with them yet, but I will say I no longer tape my films to the glass, have not for some time now, always tape to the screen from the back side.  This has happen when I pulled the film from the screen and allso when I taped my film on press for line up...most times I would just fold the tape over, but this time I pulled it and that happen.

Darryl