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| Posted on 5/24/06 at 05:14 AM | |
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When reclaiming, use the proper mix ratio of water to reclaimer concentrate (a concentrate identified as 20:1 needs 20 parts of water to one part of reclaimer concentrate). Mixing stronger is not necessairly better. Only a minor amount of the Sodium Metaperiodate in reclaimers is needed to breakdown the stencil. The large amount of water is what allows the chemicals in reclaimer to penetrate the emulsion coating so they can do their job. The next important factor in reclaiming is to have the emulsion fully hardened. This may sound opposite of conventional thinking, but more cured the emulsion is, the easier it is to remove. If your stencil system contains SBQ type photochemistry (either a true photopolymer or a Dual Cure emulsion), give your screens another lengthy blast of UV exposure before trying to reclaim. If the stencil is less than fully hardened, you may end up turning the emulsion to a glue-like substance that is locked in the mesh for all eternity. We ask alot from the emulsion formulator, and it's conflicting - we want the stencil to image (selectively cure) in seconds, develop with a simple water spray in minutes, resist every ink and solvent we can throw at it, and stay on the mesh as long as we need it to; but to also come off immediately when we're done with it. So fully harden your stencil, mix reclaimer properly and apply as directed, and absolutely use the power washer to blast it off after the reclaimer breaks it down. | ||
  
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