#31 The Importance of R&D in Your Screen Printing Shop
Lets Talk about conducting screen printing R&D
The reason I bring this topic up is because of the difficulty involved in carving out time to actually acquire different products, additives, chemicals, emulsions, inks, even things like screens that are different that the stuff you are currently using.
Most of us printers tend to find a few products we like, and after that come hell or high water we probably aren’t going to change it up much after that because after we find things that work we just need to produce.
Sure some clients don’t care or they dont say anything if your print feels like a bulletproof vest. Some dont mind the heather gray print when you try to print discharge white on a 50/50 blend. But most clients do care very much they have a look and feel in their head and if you print doesn’t meet the expectations in their head, they may not say anything but they do care.
So we need to talk about some easy solutions to start conduction Research and Development in your shop.
First like any great CEO or athlete the trick to completing any task is setting a specific time and date aside to work on what ever it is that you want to pursue.
Lets say you want to test a combination of thin thread screen, and a print flash print with and ink you have never used for me that would be permeset augua.
I want to conduct some R&D as soon as possible but I need to acquire to products get them in the shop first. So im gonna order a sample pack most manufacturers will provide them at a very affordable price or even for free.
My first though is always the cost but I can assure you every cent you spend on educating your self and your team will come back ten fold.
So I order the products
Now I have to set a time and date and stick to it
Hard for me
When date come conduct r&d
Mix your inks coat your screen and do the work
Unexpected results.
In almost every instance if I have not used the product before something will not be right
Adjust and try again.
Work until you figure out the process.
Sometimes you wont even come to a solution.
