| |
| Image
is distorted on a flat part, size of image is one square inch or
less... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Pad is too small |
Use larger pad |
| Pad is not aligned with image on the plate |
Align image to center of pad from the plate |
| Too much pad pressure |
Decrease pad pressure, use the least amount pressure to pick up image
from plate and to print |
| |
Choose another pad shape |
| |
Adjust tooling or support better |
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| Image
is distorted on cylinder, print area less than 90º arc... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Pad is too small |
Use larger pad, a pad can only be depressed about 1/3 before distortion
will occur |
| Artwork |
May require distortion to print |
| Cylinder bends during printing |
Inflate with a nose cone or stiffen to prevent collapsing during
printing |
| Image area is not horizontal |
Adjust holding fixture so cylinder print area is horizontal and
parallel to etch on the plate |
| Wrong shape or durometer for pad |
Use a softer, larger or different shape pad so it can wrap part
to be printed |
| Pad not supported during print stroke (skidding) |
Give pad full support on both sides of the cylinder |
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| Image
is distorted on a compound curved substrate... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Pad is to small |
Use larger pad |
| Artwork is not distorted properly |
Distort artwork based on pad shape and hardness |
| Wrong pad shape and durometer |
Test different shape and hardness to see if image can be transferred
without using art distortion |
| Placement of image on pad is incorrect |
Align pad with center of image on the plate |
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| Spots
/ Blotches in printed image... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Ink is too thick |
Thin, to correct viscosity
|
| Ink is too old |
Change to a new batch |
Pad beyond life
|
Replace pad |
| Too much pad pressure |
Decrease pad pressure, the least amount of pressure to pick up image
and to transfer to substrate |
| Substrate contamination on surface |
Clean surface of part |
| Plate too deep |
Make shallower plate |
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| Pinholes
in print... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Ink not mixed with additives well |
Mix ink thoroughly |
| Ink viscosity is too high |
Add thinner to correct viscosity |
| Ink is drying on pad |
Adjust ink by adding retarder or more thinner |
| Pad is too flat, trapping air bubbles in the ink layer |
Use higher angle pad
Slow down pad, down stroke to allow bubbles to escape
|
| Texture on part is too high |
Use harder durometer pad with a higher angle |
| Pin holes in film positive before making plate |
Touch up positive and remake plate |
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| Loss
of registration of multicolored image... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Pad is loose on mounting |
Tighten pad mounting |
| Not the same pad style or shape or durometer between print stations |
Use identical pads so all
distortions will be equal, do not mix old and new pads |
| Apex of pad are in different locations |
Align all pads to center of design, equal distortion is critical |
| Fixtures are not registered between stations |
Realign fixtures to each other |
| Film positives do not line up to each other |
Redo film positives |
| Parts are moving between print stations |
Secure part in fixture |
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| Printed
image will not pass cross hatch tape test... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Ink is not cured |
All inks have different drying requirements, check manufacturer technical
sheets for full cure times |
| Wrong type of ink |
Use correct ink system fro substrate being printed |
| Contaminated surface of parts |
Clean parts with alcohol test for surface contamination, check part
with a dyne solution, record level, wipe part with alcohol, retest
with dyne solution - If readings are different parts have surface contamination |
| Polyethylene and polypropylene surface of material have not been
pre-treated |
Surface
of material needs to be treated to a dyne level of 38 to 41 dynes |
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| Fine
detail and lines are not printing... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Pad is too soft |
Use harder durometer
pad |
| Plate (cliche)
is too old, worn out |
Replace with new
plate |
| Plate is too deep |
Replace with shallower
plate |
| ink
is not thinned correctly |
Thin ink to allow it to flow into plate image |
| Ink is drying into plate |
Speed up print cycle, add retarder to slow down drying speed of ink |
| Movement of air on plate (cliche) |
Prevent air flow |
| Pad
is too flat |
Use
high angle pad |
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| Not
picking up full image on pad... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Ink dried in plate
(cliche) |
Slow down ink
evaporation be adding retarder or a slower thinner speed up cycle
of machine on print stroke |
| Not enough pad
pressure to pick up image from etched plate |
Increase pressure |
| Pad too small |
Use pad large
enough to pick up entire image |
| Pad is new, too much release agent |
Wipe pad with
solvent to condition pad surface |
| Pad is contaminated on surface |
Clean pad surface
with masking tape |
| Pad is too flat in shape |
Use higher angle
pad |
| Pad is damaged in print
area |
Change to a new
pad |
| Ink is too high in viscosity,
too thick |
Thin to correct
thickness by adding thinner |
| Image falls on tip of pad |
Move image off
tip (be careful of distortion of print) or use different shaped pad |
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| The
print looks fuzzy or cobwebby at edges of design... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Ink is too thick |
Thin ink by adding solvent (thinner) |
| Build of ink on pad |
Use faster thinner, slow down print stroke of machine, blow air
on pad or run ink thicker
Speed up machine use, use slower thinner
or retarder, run ink thinner
|
| Static |
Increase humidity, should be 50% and 70º-72ºF, use a deionized unit
ionized air blowing over substrate.
Antistatic additives added to ink
Ask operators not to wear clothing containing synthetic materials |
| Pad too flat in shape |
Higher angle pad |
| Plate is too deep in etch |
Make shallower etch in plate |
| Pad is too old |
Replace with new pad |
| Machine is cycling too fast |
Slow pad up strokes |
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| Threads
and splashes... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Pad is hard |
Use softer pad |
| Angle of pad too steep |
Use flatter pad |
| Plate etch is too deep |
Make shallower etch in plate |
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| Ink
not opaque... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Ink is too thin |
Change ink or add new ink |
| Plate etch is too shallow |
Make new deeper etched plate |
| Pad is too soft |
Use harder pad |
| Using screen printing ink |
Use a pad printing ink |
| Pad is too old and dried out |
Use new pad, be sure to condition pad surface with solvent to remove
oils |
| Ink is drying into plate etch |
Add retarder to ink |
| Pad is too flat |
Use higher angle pad |
| Texture on substrate is too high or too much |
Use a harder pad |
| Substrate is too dark for color |
Print white under color or double hit |
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| Ink
is not printing on substrate uniformly... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Depth of etch on plate is uneven |
Remake plate to correct depth |
| Ink is not thinned correctly |
Thin to proper consistency |
| Ink is not fully releasing from pad |
Use new pad |
| Pad is too old,
not enough silicone left in pad to give good transfer of image |
Use new pad or
coat pad with silicone oil to rejuvenate |
| The up and down stroke of machine is too fast of a speed |
Slow down speed of machine |
| Pad is too soft |
Use harder pad |
| Ink dried in etch of plate |
Wash with solvent to remove dried ink |
| Not enough pressure on down stroke to plate or to substrate |
Increase pressure on down stroke |
| Dirt under plastic plate causing a bump |
Remove plate and
clean back of plate and remount to base |
| Substrate is too heavy textured |
Use a hard pad, sharp angle |
| Part or substrate is contaminated (dirty) |
Clean parts |
| Spots in plates |
Check film or screen, remake plate |
| Part not properly supported in tooling fixture |
Support part properly |
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| The
printed image is not glossy enough... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Gloss ink is not used |
Make sure ink is made to be glossy |
| Thinning solvent is too aggressive for substrate |
Change to a less aggressive solvent or use a less aggressive ink |
| Not transferring enough ink to substrate, etch too shallow |
Make new plate
with deeper etched image / double hit part |
| Image with a screened plate |
Try using a plate without a screened image |
| Not enough hardener added to a 2-part ink |
Correct allowable amount, will improve gloss of ink |
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| Color
does not match original color after printing... |
| Causes |
Solutions |
| Ink is over-thinned |
Adjust viscosity
to correct thickness |
| Plate etch is too shallow |
Make a new plate with a deeper etch |
| Parts are being cured at too high of a temperature (burning ink) |
Cure at lower temperature for a longer period of time |
| Color match done with open etch then printed with a screened plate |
Change plate to open image or reformulate ink to screened plate |
| Substrate color showing through the ink layer |
Hit twice or lay down a white under base |
| Not all ink is releasing from pad |
Adjust thinner or retarder so all ink is removed from pad |
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