User Guide How to use the Aicello Photo Mask System
Which media has to be used for preparing the artwork? For working with the Aicello Photo Mask System it is mostly important, that you have to have a high quality artwork at hand. The artwork has to be absolutely uv-impermeable to achieve best results. To prepare those artworks we recommend our ImageBlack inkjet films, which are specially designed for the screenprinting industry. They are suitable for all our materials. For example: TheImageBlack materials are water resistant inkjet films, and are currently the ultimate transparent media for the preparation of high quality film positives, negatives and full colour presentations. ImageBlack has a DMAX up to 4,6 and a DMIN of 0,07. Further benefits of ImageBlack inkjet-media: 1.) The inks dries very fast and is afterwards impermeable against water and moisture. 2.) Dye- pigment based-, and K3 - inks can be used Important: Please don t use laser-printouts, because the density of the printout won t be high enough, even if you use a toner-spray. Commercial inkjet-films are also not suitable, because they are only designed for printing presentations. Which hard- & software you will need? The following is required: - Notebook or PC for graphical processings - Scanner or digital camera - Inkjet-printer (please ask us for the newest type) - ImageBlack inkjet-films - Software: Corel Graphic Suite (newer than version 9) or Adobe Photoshop
How to prepare the working environment? As on every working place, where handicraft activities are being done, it is necessary, that the place is well organized, clean and free of dust. The technical equipment should be arranged well organized in that way, so that every processing step is directly beneath the following processing step. Keep the ways short, so you won t waste time and you will also avoid to damage the film. The room temperature and the humidity of the air should be kept constant. All APM films should not be exposed to sunlight, wether too long to any other source of roomlight.
ductory information for uv-exposure Exposure equipment is available in varius designs. It is important, that the exposure lamps / tubes show a wavelength of 365 nm. We recommend to use exposure systems with vacuum. The vacuum will ensure that the artwork covers the films exactly, so that you won t loose any details. If you use exposure units without vacuum it is not granted that you can develop all details of your artwork onto the APMmaterial. How to store the artwork and the film in the exposure unit??? Here a small graphic to imagine: Source of uv-light ImageBlack - inkjet film printed side down emulsion (varius thicknesses) 15µ membran 75µ plastic / carriersheet Exposure times based on our exposure unit Hellas E or CopyDesk: Wash-out films ( Red, Plus, Plus Blue, R3; Ultra Vinyl) 75µ films : 8 seconds 125µ films: 9 seconds 250µ films: 12 seconds Dry-films (RapidMask) 50µ films: 35 seconds 100µ films: 55 seconds
Wet-film development Wash-out process In order to obtain optimum results by developing our watersoluble APMfilms, we recommend to use our Powerjet pump, which is specially constructed for the use with our materials.our high pressure pump is equipped with a special flat jet nozzle. This special nozzle atomizes the pressurized water to a very fine dust. This allows you to develop finest details like halftones and lines up to 100 lpi in the emulsion of our films. (tested by ourselfs) Furthermore, it is possible to install the high pressure pump and our new wash-out bowl into a circulation system, which will save considerable costs for water. Important: The exposed APM film has to be washen out till all unexposed areas will turn totally clear. Please doublecheck! Do not forget to remove at first the protection layer of APM Plus before starting the wash-out process. Drying To dry the film only a certain airflow and heat (not hotter than 50 C ) are required. If you have to dry a lot of films, we offer therefore a storage dryer. Important Wether the film is well dried you will notice thereby, that the film is not showing any milky spots. The colour of the dry masks is uniformly. If the film is not completely dried, the carrier sheet (plastic) will stick to the membran, so you will damage the mask by removing it.
for APM ProRed & ProSuper Before sandblasting can be started, the washed-out and dried mask must be fixed with an adhesive to the object. We offer two different types of adhesive: BrushOn which is suitable for glass and the origin Application Adhesive which is suitable for stone & metall. How to apply......by using a rubber roller A rubber roller from the local DIY store is particularly suitable for flat glass, as the adhesive can be spread evenly with this rubber roller. The adhesive is thus applied in a uniform thickness to the object, and this subsequently takes care of an even satin-finish....by using a sponge or paint brush For bellied objects it is advisable to apply the adhesive by means of a paint brush or sponge. Please pay attention, that the adhesive is not applied too thickly and unevenly, as this would cause a strongly non-uniform delustering of glass....by using an airbrush-system Dilute the adhesive with water, in order to atomize the adhesive by means of an airbrush-system. Ratio mixture: 1/1! Important Please pay attention that the adhesive is dried before applying the ready to use stencils. The adhesive has to be dried until its colour turned from milkywhite to clear and translucent! You have to be sure that the temperature of the substrate / your working environment is not too cold or to hot (between 15-30 C ) to avoid unnecessary loss of details.
Preparations The surface where the sandblasting mask will be applied has to be cleaned. Any traces of of grease, oil, dust or fingerprints can affect adversely the agglomerating power. Wether a self-adhesive or a non-adhesive Photo Mask film has to be applied to an object in nearly the same way. Please have a look for avoiding airbubbles below the film while applying. After applying the film the carrier sheet (plastic sheet) has to be removed. This can be done easily with a peace of an adhesive tape which has to be placed edge on edge on the the carrier sheet. If it s not as easy as metioned to lift up the carrier sheet with a peace of tape, it s mostly caused by a wet mask, or the adhesive was not dryed well. CLEAN APPLY REMOVE PLASTIC
Recommandations for sandblasting We recommend the following mesh sizes for abrasive (aluminium oxide / silicon oxide) 120 mesh for films with a thickness of 250µ 150 mesh for films with a thickness of 125µ 220 mesh for films with a thickness of 75µ We recommend the following pressure by each mm nozzle-size: APM Plus, APM Plus Blue, R3 = 0,5bar / 7 psi APM Pro Red, APM ProSuper, RapidMask = 1 bar / 14 psi Ultra Vinyl = 1,5 bar / 17,5 psi Distance between nozzle & object = min. 20 cm What is the finest line resolution??? The finest line resolution is nearly as fine as the thickness of the film, so with RapidMask HD or APM MicroMask approx. 100-140 lpi. For further questions please do not hesitate to ask us! Contact details: Aicello Chemical Europe GmbH Xantener Str. 1 45479 Mülheim a. d. Ruhr Tel.: +49 (0)208 3069 1500 Fax.: +49 (0)208 3069 1501 E-Mail:imaging@harke.com Homepage: www.harke.com