The target audience for these courses are all those who have to operate a printing press and need to understand what is happening on the press and the factors that affect the performance of the process.
Initial research has indicated that people who consider themselves as competent typically score 40% in knowledge tests. The aim is to increase this level of retained knowledge to better than 85%. Supervisors score slightly higher than operators but managers often lower. This shows that everyone will benefit from the course. It may be that individuals might wish to select particular lessons without aiming for full Certification.
The lessons are applicable to every learner no matter what their specialist sector. The intention is to give the learner an understanding of other screen printing methods as well as the aspects of the process that are common to all.
There are lessons that go into the specifics of particular systems and techniques used in the various sectors.
HISTORY
SCREEN PRINTING PATENTS
Selectasine Method
PRESS OPERATION
SETTING UP THE MACHINE
Set up procedure
Safe operation of equipment
SET UP PARAMETERS
Substrate
Setting the squeegee
Setting the flood coater
Setting snap distance
Peel off
The ink
Setting the dryer
Feeders and stackers
Checking the first off
Importance of set up
RUNNING THE PRESS IN PRODUCTION
Main causes of interruption
Reduce the variables
ENVIRONMENTAL
Considerations
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRINTER
Your responsibility
What is waste?
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF WASTE?
The quality of consumables
Machine set up
Machine maintenance
Waste by another name
DISCHARGE OF EFFLUENT INTO THE ENVIRONMENT
How to comply with effluent regulations
Discharge to the atmosphere
CONTROLLING WASTE
Use of consumables
MANAGING WASTE MATERIALS
Dry waste
Wet waste
Keep a record of waste substrate
Company environmental policy
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMPANY
Waste reduction initiatives
Fast track visits
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT 1990
Actions and penalties for non-compliance
ISO 14001 environmental management standard
Environmental management system
INCREASE IN LEGISLATION
Hazardous waste regulations 2005
IN CONCLUSION
THE FLOOD COATER
PURPOSE OF THE FLOOD COATER
CONSTRUCTION OF FLOOD COATER
SETTING THE FLOOD COATER
Flood coaters with wings
Novel designs of flood coater
Key points
DRYING & CURING
PRINCIPLES OF DRYING AND CURING
Is it drying or curing?
Drying/curing solvent based systems
UV Curing
Key points in UV Curing
Colour
WHAT IS COLOUR
Colorants
Colour mapping systems
Other web sites to visit
QUALITY
PERCEPTION OF QUALITY IN SCREEN PRINTING
Viewing distance
Time
How an image is illuminated
Additional quality parameters
Quality of consumables
Quality system
SPECIAL INK SYSTEMS
SPECIAL INKS
Photoluminescent
Mirror Inks
Reflective
Fluorescent Inks or Day Glow
Pearlescent Inks
Electroluminescence
Thermochromic
Photochromic
Perfumed Inks or “Scratch & Sniffs”
Glitter Inks
Light active Inks - UV Light Sensitive
Ferrous Inks
Reflex - Fading Inks
Tactile Inks or Braille Inks
Anti-bacterial Coating
Thermic Black
Just Add Water
Water Wipe Away
Hologram
Rub Removable Inks/scratch off inks
4 COLOUR PROCESS
PRINCIPLES
Principles of Four Colour Process
How Process Inks Alter White Light
An Optical Illusion
ORIGINATION
Origination Parameters
Highlight and Shadow
Line or Screen Ruling
Dot Gain or Loss
Screening
Moire
Screening Angles
CONTROLLING AND MEASURING
Controlling and Measuring Colour
Colour Gamut
Grey Balance
Densitometer
Measuring Dot Gain & Dot Loss
Trap
Colour Bar
Registration
High Fidelity Colour Printing
Proof
APPLICATION
Controlling Four Colour Process Printing
Density
Ink Film Thickness Density
Print Sequence
Rules of Four Colour Process Printing
Finger Printing the Press
Typical Image for Finger Printing
How to Carry Out the Trials
ISO Dot Gain Curves
Summary of Four Colour Process Printing
PRINCIPLES
BASIC ITEMS
Principles of screen printing
Functions of the component parts
Relationship between the squeegee and the stencil
EXAMPLES OF SCREEN PRINTING
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
CONTROLLING THE VARIABLES
Areas that require careful attention
HEALTH & SAFETY
LEGISLATION
Skin conditions
DATA SHEETS
Classification and labelling
Risk and safety phrases
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
STENCIL PRODUCTION
Stretching and gluing the mesh
Mesh preparation
Coating emulsions
Exposing the stencil
Developing the image
Stencil reclamation
Environmentally sensitive materials
PRINT SHOP
Drying
Handling inks and solvents
UV curing inks
UNDERSTANDING MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS
Legal responsibility
How is a material safety data sheet structured
Information in the 16 sections
How can the screen printer find what he needs to know?
What is the ESMA position?
Glossary
YOUR CHECKLIST
THE SQUEEGEE
FUNCTION OF THE SQUEEGEE
The action of the squeegee
Squeegee action
Definition of mounting angle and effective angle
What happens on the press
The effects of squeegee pressure
SQUEEGEE MATERIALS
Polyurethane
Squeegee manufacture
SQUEEGEE HARDNESS
General rules
SQUEEGEE SHAPE
Squeegee configurations
SUPPORTED SQUEEGEE
Internally supported
Externally supported
Metal backed squeegee
SQUEEGEE DRESSING/SHARPENING
Linnishing
End finishing
Squeegee care
SUMMARY
INKS
INKS
Ink terminology
Ink categories
Reasons for choosing a particular ink system
SOLVENT BASED INKS
Using solvent based inks
REACTIVE CURING (TWO COMPONENT INK)
WATER BASED INKS
Basic constituents of water based (jet dried) inks
WATER BASED ULTRA VIOLET CURING INK
Basic constituents of water based UV inks
Using water based UV ink
CONVENTIONAL ULTRA VIOLET CURING INK
Basic constituents of UV curing inks
Using conventional UV inks
FACTORS AFFECTING CURING OF CONVENTIONAL UV INKS
Effects of film thickness
Effects of opacity
Effects of colour
INK MANAGEMENT
INK STORAGE
Maintaining ink condition
Records
Mixing and dispensing
Automated mixing
Keep records
Ink hints and tips
STENCILS (BASIC)
CONSTRUCTION
The frame
The mesh
Mesh geometry
Mesh tension
Emulsion
FUNCTION OF THE STENCIL
Mesh
Emulsion
Screen frame
BASIC STENCIL MANUFACTURE
Processing steps
PROCESS CONTROL
IMPORTANCE OF PROCESS CONTROL
Informal control
Variability
Formal control
Measurement of snap distance
Control of peel off
Setting flood coater
Squeegee setting
Measuring dried ink colour
Measuring dry ink film thickness
Measuring wet ink film thickness
Control of ink mixing
Checking image size
Dryers
Just do it
SYSTEMS AND DOCUMENTATION
Production control card (PCC)
Production control card layout
Standard operating procedures
PROBLEM SOLVING
HOW TO PROBLEM SOLVE
Initial questions to ask
The golden rules are
FAULTS AND CAUSES
The way forward