[jim.goodwin]

It has been a long time coming, but after hoops and hoops we just had our brand new Titan delivered and installed. I believe we are one of the only (if not the only) high schools in the country with an automatic press. It is a 6 color, 8 station with an infrared shuttle flash. I'm excited to put it through it's paces and get some students trained on setting up jobs.

I started five years ago with a 80s era 4x4 Hopkins that I found in pieces then I upgraded to a M&R chameleon with 10 colors and 4 stations, and picked up a couple 4 color single station presses as well. We needed the 10 color press to accommodate multiple print jobs running during different class periods and it is an absolute dream (although really heavy) The silver presses make it easy for every student to make their own 1 or 2-color shirt.

I train all my students on the entire process from artwork, to separations, burning screens, and printing shirts. The problem comes when I ask smaller students to print a few dozen navy hoodies with white ink, they jut don't have the muscle to lay down ink. Also when we take on larger jobs, students aren't learning much after they print the first 50. Now any student will be able to run jobs and we can take on many more large projects within the district. 1000 shirt orders won't take weeks to complete.

The press was custom built to pass through a 32" doorway and I'm impressed with the overall quality of the machine. Our tech doing the install was amazing. He assembled and calibrated the press and was very willing to explain any detail I asked about (and I asked a lot).

Being the fist automatic I've touched, I'm sure there is to be a bit of a learning curve. Any advice on the transition from manual to auto? Any advice on training people on autos?

I'll toss up some photos when I get a chance.

 

[20vK]

Congrats!

Advice for training people on autos?

Make sure they can use a manual competently first! Including loading garments on straight, whites and underbases.

Mistakes on an auto can have a habit of multiplying many many times before they are spotted! Ensure the person unloading knows what a good or bad print looks like too. Lint pickup is something the unloader really needs to keep an eye out for.

 

[sben763]

Congrats. There is a high school in the St.Paul MN area that has a graphics program that has 2 M&R auto for at least 5 years. I bought some roller frames from them and they had a incredible graphics program. Sublimation, DTG and a ton of other industry related technology.

From what the instructor told me they are a self sub staining program. They print for profit to support the program and no tax dollars are spent to support the program.

 

[jim.goodwin]

sben, do you have his name or school name, I'd love to contact him and pick his brain.

We don't do enough printing to support our whole program (although we may now.) So far, I've made it a point to only print for school and community organizations because I don't want to cut into local business and with the manuals, it was slow going and we turned down a lot of work because it was too big a job or we were just too busy.

 

[sben763]

sben, do you have his name or school name, I'd love to contact him and pick his brain.

We don't do enough printing to support our whole program (although we may now.) So far, I've made it a point to only print for school and community organizations because I don't want to cut into local business and with the manuals, it was slow going and we turned down a lot of work because it was too big a job or we were just too busy.

I will send it by PM later when I'm back at home. It's been about a year or since I have contacted him.

 

[TCTMolly]

It is Roseville highschool. In Roseville, MN

 

[sben763]

It is Roseville highschool. In Roseville, MN

Molly you are correct. Are you close to that area? EDIT Just seen St. Paul do you know the instructor?

Jim I sent you the instructors name and contact in a PM.