A subject that is coming to the forefront more than ever before.

I crosses several subjects and i starting to become something that I know is very workable in some situations.

I started in several places and with several parts but is just now coming together for several shops in a very profitable way.

Here is where it started.

Small shop of one person and limited occasional help, moves to a new location where wash development and reclaiming screens is an issue, reclaiming screens is almost impossible because of a new private sewage system.

The first answer this shop had was simple, just don't reclaim and tank the development water to be processed off sight by a public/commercial sewage collection service. This shop was collecting more than enough in charges to cover a new screen for each color - the answer was to buy screens, coat, and expose, then print and after use an on-press wash and set the screen off to the side to be discarded later. This presented a small storage issue, but a huge gain in production time available - zero time reclaiming screens. The screens are heavy and shipping was an issue. Of course I flinch at the thought of a screen "trash canned" like that and tried to convince the shop to at least sell them on e-bey, that failed, they did not want the designs to go to other shops (fair enough).

Final answer we worked out involves several steps and would not be a great fit for every shop but once all the cost and profit were reviewed with the gains in hours used for production rather than reclaim the results were dramatic. This is in action in several small shops currently.

Here is how the procedure works.

Base retensionable screens with table, three days of production.
Insert panels of mesh.
Degreasing chemical and/or chemical stain remover.
Capillary film preparation chemical.
Capillary film.
Quality positives for full exposure and lowest time and water use in wash development.
Current Manual printing equipment.
On-Press Wash of customer preference.

Shop did choose to use a hybrid frame and table with mesh panels, the needed mesh is chosen and locked onto the frame and brought to full tension.

Mesh is prepared for wet application of cap film by first an application of a mild stain remover and short pressure wash (less water use), mesh is then sprayed with a cap film preparation chemical and the necessary choice in cap film applied using the wed roll-on method (this saves a dry step).

Once the screen has the cap film applied it is dried in a high airflow drying cabinet and then exposed, washout is with a light mist and then high pressure wash out with a pressure washer in fan spray, this is where a quality positive lower water use.

Screen is dried then blocked out, dried, (often the block out is skipped) taped with a screen tape and used for printing.

Once the job is printed, rather than reclaim the screen the ink is dry-wiped then a mild on-press wash is used and the panel is removed with the screen table, the frame is placed in storage for the next use.

The snap in panels are a quick ship, light weight item that has a total cost lower than shipping heavy frames each job, possibly they could be sold or even reclaimed later if needed.

At first I thought the idea was heretical and insane until I reviewed the profits captured, efficiency wins, it's not for every shop but it does work, very well in the correct application.

So is it screen printing heresy? or in the right situation just good profitable business?