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bcondrey
Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 580
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 Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:16 am Post subject: Silkscreening Your Panel |
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I decided that if Tim could do it, so could I…
After reading Tim Olson’s notes several times and talking to him on the phone, I actually applied ink to the panel and it turned out great! I do have a few thoughts/tips that I thought I’d pass along while they’re fresh in my mind:
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>I used the same brand/type ink as Tim: Nazdar ADE which is intended for electronics and industrial panel use. I was able to find a local distributor easily by doing a couple of Google searches – you will want a distributor because this stuff ships as Hazmat and you’ll pay dearly!
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>Smallest amount of this type of ink is a quart and it’s mixed 5:1 with the catalyst. Smallest container of catalyst is a .5 pint and the smallest container of screen cleaner is 1 gallon. The distributor had the ink and screen cleaner in stock in these quantities. He ordered the catalyst for me in the smaller size (no shipping fee!) and had it in a few days.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>Get the exact screen cleaner that’s recommended for the brand/type ink you use. This stuff is also useful as a general cleanup solvent.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>Make sure you let the panel paint cure for a long time before silkscreening it. If you’re a pro it probably isn’t a big deal, but for the rest of us there will probably be at least 1-2 labels that need to be cleaned off and redone. I used PPG Concept auto paint on the panel and it sat for a couple weeks before I silkscreened it. The solvent didn’t have any effect at all on it – there was one label that I did 3 times before I was satisfied! I was very generous with the solvent when cleaning off the panel so it didn’t require any scrubbing.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>There is definitely a technique needed to be successful… mask off labels around the one you actually want to apply. Put a small glob of ink next to the label (on the mask area, NOT on the label itself). With 1 smooth motion, drag the squeegee across label applying pressure so that ink is even spread and not pooled in any area.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>The ink spec sheet will probably also have specs for the squeegee type (you sure learn a lot building an airplane!). They are measured in durometers – make sure you get what the ink maker recommends. Nazdar ADE specifies a 70-80 durometer polyurethane squeegee. The squeegees that I got have a wooden handle and a flexible material attached to it. Get a few inches worth and then use your bandsaw to cut them to widths that you need. Most of the time I used one that was about 1 inch wide and a few times used one that was about 2.5 inches wide. I had one between those sizes but never used it. I also never had need for any other size.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>You have plenty of time to work with the ink. The Nazdar ADE ink has a pot time of 6-8 hours! You don’t have to rush, if you make a mistake it can be cleaned off with the screen cleaner and just try it again.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>I took Tim’s advice and used regular “scotch tape” to mask off the area around the label I wanted. Even if I was going to redo the same label, I removed the tape (cleaner will dissolve it and make a sticky mess) and cleaned the screen. Seems like overkill but the mesh is very fine and it’s a small price to pay for starting fresh each time.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>The ink will also determine the screen mesh size in TPI (threads per inch) as a range. Get the finest mesh that your ink specifies for the sharpest edges. Nazdar ADE specifies a mesh range from 200-305 and I went with 305.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>There are a number of companies that will take your artwork and turn it into a photo-positive mask mounted on a screen. They can read almost any format (but not MS Visio) and seem to lean toward Adobe Illustrator as a default. They can also take PDF files (which is what I sent) so MS Visio or CAD programs aren’t an issue as long as you can generate that output.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>I iterated many times with my layout before finally sending the file in. I used MS Visio for the layout simply because 1) I had it, and 2) it allows measured layouts where objects can be grouped and moved. I verified the layout spacing, size, font size, etc. by printing onto clear viewgraph sheets. I then cut these out and taped them onto the panel. After several minor adjustments it was ready to go. This method allowed me to see exactly what the end product would turn out like.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>Turn around time for the actual silkscreen was just a few days. It took them a couple days after receiving the email to ship the finished product back to me.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>When you make your screen be sure to put on a few extra labels for testing and practice. This avoids the potential for messing up the screen (not getting screen completely cleaned, etc) on actual labels that you’re going to use. Do a few test runs to develop the feel for the squeegee technique. You can do this on scrap bare aluminum. Common problems I saw were not enough pressure on the squeegee and making sure the ink starts out exclusively on the mask so the only way it gets over the label is via the squeegee.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>Be sure to test the solvent on the paint before using it on the actual panel. I strongly suspect that it will remove rattle can paint of just about any brand/type.
<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>You can use any type of ink including water based craft ink. I chose the ADE because I didn’t want to clearcoat the panel. Obviously if you go with something like Walmart craft ink you’ll want to clearcoat it when finished.
Although I went with the same silkscreen supplier and ink type as Tim, I’m sure that there are a LOT of choices out there (I’m just lazy). Below are some links to get you started:
Tim’s panel silkscreening web page: http://www.myrv10.com/N104CD/panel/20051228/index.html
Silkscreen supplier: http://www.silkscreenframes.com/vend/westar/screens.html
Nazdar ADE ink specs: http://www.nazdar.com/pdf/ADE_TDS_Rev_5_061127.pdf
Bob #40105
[quote][b]
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KiloPapa
Joined: 24 May 2006
Posts: 142
Location: Pearblossom, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject: Silkscreening Your Panel |
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Nice write up.
Kevin
40494
do not archive
[quote] ---
| | - The Matronics RV10-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV10-List |
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Kevin
40494
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