‘We Do What We Gotta’ Do’

IN THE 2-D WORLD of screen printing, somewhere between puff tees and posters, exists the world of the 3-D printer. The human version, not the machine. That’s someone who knows how to print images or logos directly — and permanently— on 3-dimensional housings or fabricated parts with weird angles or print locations, all of them made with challenging materials and finishes. This is entirely different than the “3-D printers” most people think of today. It’s a homonym, in other words. So nobody gets too confused, let’s call it industrial printing on dimensional objects.

Industrial, the ‘I’ in F&I (F stands for Functional, as in printing on electronics or solar cells, see Episode 20) is another one of those “hidden in plain sight” screen-printing applications we encounter every day but never think too much about. Look around. The TV, the stereo, all those mass-produced houseware gizmos, plus lots of parts that have direct prints on them. Most of these consumer goods are manufactured overseas in factories, with custom modified screen-printing presses, rows of them, even inkjet where possible.

That’s all well and good for the Samsungs and LGs of the world, but what of the smaller manufacturer in North America? How do they logo and label their products so they can put out a professional machine or consumer product with durable controls/dials/indicators? And no stickers!

Places like Boeing have large, in-plant print operations. Regional fabricators who provide housings to manufacturers will have in-plant printing operations. The rest use the services of someone like our guest today.

In Podcast 23, we meet Ken Johnson, a lifelong screen printer who started in printed circuit production in the Bay Area when electronics manufacturing in the USA really took off. He learned a lot about precision printing and got into printing applications in the circuit board and electronics industry that exploded in California and other locations in the USA back when things were made here. Unfortunately, the jobs also took off a few years later as production moved overseas, chasing profit and shedding workers. Ken moved his family north to Oregon, kept screen printing, went through ups and downs, and ended up with a unique business called www.specialtyscreenprinting.com. That specialty? Printing industrial parts using screen printing, servicing a range of manufacturers and fabricators in Oregon and the western USA.

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In an interview that started out being about industrial printing, we found some common ground with other screen printers. Stories about building up a life around a steady job and hard work, and then seeing things crumble through outside economic forces, bad luck, and new technologies. Whether it’s a one-person shop or a larger company, you either adapt or fold. Ken continues to adapt, and we talked about how that looks in his particular world. Many of the things are common to a majority screen shops, regardless of the number of employees or type of work. Other things just come with the territory — a one-person show trying to deal with the work coming in and finding more.

During the interview Ken takes us through the challenges of printing 3-dimensional objects, which differ from flatstock or fabric in many areas. It’s not for the faint of heart, and an added problem is you aren’t allowed to have misprints or just add some stock off the shelf if you screw up. It’s all custom jobs, really. But if a person wants to try industrial printing, it takes you out of the commodity business. I’m looking at you, textile industry, and puts you into a different category where you charge what you need to because your skills are not common. Like the sign says, “Specialty.”

Dimensional Printing 101

• Building a jig. It all starts here. The part must be held firmly, with the surface to be printed presented to the screen for printing. Vacuum doesn’t always work. Foam core and D-tape are your friends!
• Material and ink match. Most of the metals and powder coats require epoxy inks. Plastics or other materials want compatible inks. Industrial prints must withstand serious wear — no fading, no scratching, no peeling.
• Screens and setup. The hinge mechanism and base must be height adjustable to accept the part held in the jig, with the screen frame coming down to a supported position parallel to the surface to be printed. Stencils must be resistant to a range of mostly solvent-based ink systems and have nice sharp edges. 230 to 305 are typical meshes, depending on coverage, detail, and density.
• Run on/run off. The squeegee must be supported before and after the print on 3-D objects, otherwise the print blurs. Extra surface extensions are built into the jig or slide in place if the part needs them due to location of the print.

In addition to these considerations, the material handling gets complicated as surfaces must be kept dust free and, in some cases, cleaned before printing. After printing, the inks take quite a few hours to cure properly and then must be carefully packaged to avoid damage to the finish.

Each job and new part requires a new jig and approach. Ken does a lot of prototype work for manufacturers who then produce parts in house. He’s happy with this as his runs are usually from 5-20 and that fits his shop and business model. Figuring out how to print a new shape or part is what he enjoys. “We do what we gotta do,” he says, and keeps customers coming back with quality and quick turnaround.

Like many he still sees a need for more economic recovery, but he’s also got plans to stay busy, find some more clients, and balance his other commitments. He’s a caregiver with a family member. Not a lot different than you or I and his experiences mirror many in this industry. And maybe the industry itself.

Want to find out more about functional and industrial printing? If you are attending the Printing United Expo, drop by RH Solutions, booth SL12052, and say “Hi.” I’ll be live printing a souvenir poster and look forward to meeting readers. And remember…screen printing still spoken at RH Solutions.

Also on Wednesday, September 11 at noon, I’m hosting a panel of experts in the functional printing world as part of the Academy educational presentations, room S231. It’s called “Printing the Future.” My guests are Dr. Julie Ferrigno from Henkel, an ink specialist (Episode 12); mesh specialist Dan Gilsdorf from Sefar (Episode 20); and stencil wizards Dave Dennings from Kiwo (Episode 9) and Art Dobie from Microscreen. We will overview the sector, cover some definitions and examples for printers interested in this growing print sector where screen printing still rules, and new things that are being invented every day. Bring your questions, and we will try to provide answers. The session is free for PUA members.

PHOTO GALLERY (6 IMAGES)

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