Impressions - January/February 2024 - 29

Bases with casters allow operators to move
them from one press or station to another
with ease. Also look for an easy-to-use, reliable
height-adjustment system. Many units
include a swing-away feature as part of the
base or stand as well, making it that much
easier to get the unit out of the way when,
say, working with a static platen.
For those running autos, implementing a
flash unit that meshes well with whatever kind
of press you're using is another important consideration.
" Investing in the right technology
can offer a competitive advantage, " ROQ.US's
Sousa says. " If you're pairing a flash with your
automated press, try to find a flash that is able
to communicate with your press for signaling
on/off. In addition, flashes with digital parameters
can often make it easy to determine the
proper time-temperature you are targeting. "
Bottom line, per Workhorse Products' Dummett,
finding the right flash unit for your shop
requires matching it to your particular production
needs. " A key component is the balance
between function and speed, " Dummett says.
" Some flashes allow you preserve a printhead
(color) by working in conjunction with it, but
this option decreases output. Others work independently
of the printhead and while you
sacrifice a color, this set-up maximizes your
output. Ultimately, your flashes need to be
efficient and effective at meeting the specific
requirements of the ink and garment you are
printing on. "
Dryers
Dryers, in addition to serving a similar function
to a flash unit, i.e., curing the ink after
the design has been printed, also come in a
variety of types and sizes. Don't be fooled,
though, by their boxy looking appearance.
There's more to these systems than meets
the eye.
For starters, as is the case with flash units
there are two very different types to choose
from: gas or electric, with gas dryers preferred
by larger shops due to their higher
curing capacity and electric dyers preferred
by smaller outfits. In addition to higher cost,
gas-powered units, which include a blower
to circulate heat throughout the curing area,
require a dedicated gas line and tend to take
up a lot more room. Electric units, on the
other hand, are less expensive and much less
complicated to set up, though on the downside,
the infrared heat generated by an electric unit
can be hard to distribute evenly, increasing
the risk of scorching.
Per Vasilantone, " Gas dryers are very consistent
and will run at a lower temperature,
requiring a long tunnel to fully cure the ink. "
Vasilantone adds: " These units need to plumb
into a gas line, so once the dryer is in place,
it will need to stay there. There is also a sig...when
flashing a base layer, the goal is not
to cure the ink entirely, but cause it to " gel "
to a point where it's stable but still a bit tacky,
thereby allowing it to bond well to the next
layer, or layers of ink
nificant initial cost of installing a gas dryer...
Electric dryers will run at higher temperatures
so they will cure inks in less time, allowing
for a much smaller footprint. They also can
be moved around, whether that is to clean
underneath or rearrange your shop. "
Beyond that, pretty much all conveyor
dryers include a belt-speed control to help
regulate the amount of heat applied to the
garments going through-faster speeds, less
heat; slower speeds, more. Going up the scale
in terms of size, sophistication and price, you
also get temperature controls, a variety of different
heat sensor and the ability to pre-set
and saving various belt-speed/temperature
combinations. This is important. One the
one hand, you want to heat the entire ink
layer, or layers of the design to the correct
curing temperature-typically around 320°F
for most standard-cure plastisol ink. On the
other you want to avoid scorching the ink or
the underlying garment.
" When running different garment types
or inks through the same dryer, it's important
to consider things like zone control, split
belts for running at different speeds, or belt
width/infeed length if you're running multiple
machines into a dryer, " Sousa says. " Most
dryers can be customized, so if you're a shop
looking to grow it's important to look into the
options for future upgrades. A shop that has
more width available in terms of space may
run their belt slower with a smaller chamber
or a shop that is narrow but has considerable
length may resort to a smaller belt width with
an increased length in chamber. "
Speaking of size, bigger is not surprisingly
better, especially if your shop's primary concern
is production capacity. Larger systems
also provide better thermal stability, i.e., are
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Impressions - January/February 2024

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