ITW Trans Tech: PADPRINT: How Grey Scale Testing Can Save You Money


	PADPRINT NOTEBOOK Useful Tips & Information © ITW Trans Tech An Illinois Tool Works Company


	TECHNICAL DATA: 21-Step Grey Scale Kit • Uses industry standard 21-step grey scale film • Enables determination of optimum exposure time • Means to monitor & control etch depth • Helps to test strength of exposure light source • Useful in setting quality control standards Each kit contains: 21-step grey scale film; sample of properly exposed cliché material for reference; blank sample strips; detailed instruction sheet. Available for: • Polymer Cliché Calibration Kit (#1410491) • Hydro-Foil Cliché Calibration Kit (#1410492) • Express-3 Cliché Calibration Kit (#1410497) IN THIS ISSUE: Art & Cliché Order Form: Pre-Flight Checklist Automation Case Study: Versatile Knob Printing Tips from the Pros: Test Your Fixture Science vs. Black Magic: Why Grey Scale Test?

Professor Tom's Advice:
How Grey Scale Test Can Save You Money
.

ITW Trans Tech cliché expert Tom Guastaferri

THERE is a simple business reason for using the grey scale test in your platemaking operation, according to ITW Trans Tech Manager of Plate Services Tom Guastaferri, “It will save you money in the long run.”

“Using guesswork instead of science can cost you big bucks in several ways. First, when you make a bad polymer cliché, you waste plate material with trial-and-error guesswork, plus the time spent in processing. Second, you waste time and materials in setting up a padprinter with ink and solvents, only to backtrack and start over with another hit-or-miss attempt at 'black magic' platemaking.”

“While you’re calculating the money wasted, be sure to include the scrap parts that have bad imprints on them. Although you could clean the ink off them one by one, that would only substitute the cost of your time plus the part cleaner solvent. All those costs just keep adding up. Unless you discover exactly what went wrong or what part of the process is defective, you are no wiser than when you first started. Why not use science? It’s cheaper than black magic!”

For more details on our complete line of pad printing clichés, feel free to contact your ITW Trans Tech Customer Service Representative at: www.itwtranstech.com

Complete do-it-yourself chlichémaking supplies

A complete system for do-it-yourself clichémaking includes MBM exposure unit, 21-step grey scales test kit, staticmaster film brush, washout brush, film cleaner and blank clichés.

Back to PadPrint Notebook

© 2006 ITW TRANS TECH An Illinois Tool Works Company. All rights are reserved. Direct all inquiries regarding content or questions to: webmaster@itwtranstech.com ; comments and suggestions welcome.