User Guide for RapidMask™

Imaging
User Guide for RapidMask™
RapidMask™ - Evolution & Intelligent Design
RapidMask™ is a photo technical film for simplified processing of sand blasting films. With these films it is possible to copy finest
details within the my-range on various materials as for instance glass, stone, wood and metal.
RapidMask™ qualifies especially for sand blasting of finest lines and raster pictures because this film must neither be washed out
nor dried. Already during exposure with UV-light this film type can be sandblasted. The exposed and therefore sandblasted areas
will colour into dark.
Over the last 20 years photo resist films have been steadily evolving. The first generation of photo resist films freed us from the
monotony of weeding as well as the resolution limits of vinyl stencils. The second self-adhesive generation freed us from the
drawbacks of liquid adhesives. Now, as when those ancient amphibians took those first breaths, we’ve been freed of water.
Most of us stick with the photo resist film that we first learned. That’s natural. Why spend valuable time changing something that
works?
Light sensitive product!
In order to achieve optimum results, photo technical films should be used in yellow or
safe light conditions. General purpose gold or yellow fluorescent or incandescent lights,
red ortho-safelights or yellow bug lights can also be used.
Storage
Dry and lightproof at 15°C - 20°C
Safety Requirements
The relevant legal requirements and safety regulations (see EU-Safety Data Sheet) have to be followed. The Safety Data Sheet
informs you of further product properties, it contains directions for hazardous classification as well as the regulations to be respected
and describes the necessary measurements for product handling to protect mankind and environment.
The shelf life should not exceed 12 months
Requirements for the Exposure Draft
Allowable media for making exposure drafts are our ImageBlack - InkJet films (Inkjet Repro‘s) and professional Repro-films.
In principle we advice against using transparent films for laser prints because of the low Denso value.
This User Guidefor RapidMask will explore three reasons to consider the latest generation in photo resist stencils for decorative
sandblasting.
1. The process is quick and easy to understand.
2. The process is much faster than wet processed photo resist films.
3. The process redefines resolution limits.
1. Process is quick and easy to understand
ARTWORK
Use photo negatives for line art and photo positives for halftones (Photos). The transparent areas of the artwork will be sandblasted.
An easy way to remember is that “clear equals blast” (opposite of wet processing films).
Artwork should incorporate a 1/4" black border. The black border will help later in the process when removing the carrier sheet.
Artwork can be printed on a standard inkjet printer with HARKE Imaging Systems’ ImageBlack Premium Inkjet films or with laser
printed drafting film. A toner enhancement may be needed to darken images on lasered artwork. For best results, dark areas of the
artwork must be completely opaque.
Artwork should be right-reading with printed side up when front blasting. Artwork should be right-reading with printed side down
when back blasting (same as wet processing films).
protection film
emulsion
RapidMask = 3 layer structured!
75µ plastic foil
© HARKE PackServ GmbH - Xantener Str. 1 - 45479 Mülheim an der Ruhr - Matthias Stange, Phone: +49 (0)208 / 3069 1530, Mail: [email protected]
Imaging
User Guide for RapidMask™
EXPOSE
Place the soft / dull slip sheet side of RapidMask against the printed side of the artwork. Note: there’s a subtle difference between
the look of the slip sheet and the carrier sheet. The slip sheet has a slight matte finish while the carrier sheet is glossy. Test it with
your fingernail to be sure. Press your fingernail into what looks like the matte side of the film. You can dent the slip sheet but not the
carrier sheet.
Close the exposure unit and expose for 35 seconds. (Count-down function)
During exposure, ultraviolet light passes through the clear areas of the
artwork. Those exposed areas turn from green to blue. The green areas
remain flexible.
The flexible green areas will absorb the force of the sandblasting stream. The
blue areas become brittle and lose their adhesive. The brittle blue areas will
disintegrate when sandblasted.
APPLY
Clean the substrate using a standard glass cleaner to remove dust and finger prints.
Hinge Method: Place the RapidMask film slip sheet side
down on the substrate before removing the slip sheet and
position it exactly where it needs to be. Tape along one of
the edges using masking tape to hold film in place. Hinge
or flip the film back along the taped edge and remove the
slip sheet by placing a piece of tape on one corner and
peeling back to reveal the adhesive surface. Carefully
move the film back over the substrate, but keep it elevated
so it does not prematurely come in contact with the surface. Starting at the taped edge, squeegee the film down onto the substrate.
Squeegee the entire surface well to ensure good adhesion. Remove the top carrier sheet by placing a piece of tape onone corner
and peeling back.
Wet Method: By laminating film to glass with water you can easily reposition the film and eliminates air bubbles. After removing the
slip sheet, spray the the RapidMask (adhesive side) and substrate with a light mist of water. Place the emulsion side of film on the
glass. When positioned correctly, squeegee the carrier
side from the center outward. The pressure of the squeegee removes the water and bonds the RapidMask to the glass. Using a
piece of tape on a corner, remove the carrier sheet and carefully mask all edges.
BLAST
Blast about a distance of 4 to 6 inches away with at a
perpendicular angle. Begin blasting using a back-and-forth
motion over the entire surface. Keep nozzle moving at all
times. Do not concentrate on any one area.
During the first few passes, you will notice the blue areas of
the film will lighten and then disappear. Continue blasting until
all blue areas have disappeared and desired depth is achieved.
RapidMask can be blasted using a siphon or pressure- pot sandblast system. The
recommended blasting pressure is between 30 – 40 psi when using a pressure-pot system or 60 – 80 psi when using a siphon
system. For most applications, Alumina Oxide 220 mesh is recommended.
2. The process is much faster.
By now it should be obvious, that the process has fewer steps than traditional films. Rapid Mask eliminates time spent with water
development. Typically water development can account for as much as five minutes depending on water pressure, water
temperature and image size. The time savings are even greater when
considering drying times required by traditional films.
Since washout basins aren’t required, work areas can be simplified. Work space becomes more efficient.
For those still using liquid adhesives on traditional films, there’s an additional time savings with the self-adhesive RapidMask.
Clean up can be quick and easy by either soaking the piece in very hot water or spraying a mist of isopropyl alcohol on the mask.
The latter method dissolves the mask so it can be wiped away.
© HARKE PackServ GmbH - Xantener Str. 1 - 45479 Mülheim an der Ruhr - Matthias Stange, Phone: +49 (0)208 / 3069 1530, Mail: [email protected]
Imaging
User Guide for RapidMask™
3. The process redefined the resolution limits.
RapidMask is offered in two thicknesses. RapidMask High Tack is a 100 micron film designed for deeper blasting of line art. Rapid
Mask High Detail is a 50 micron film designed for very fine blasting including halftone images.
Developing half tone imagines with wet processing films is more of an art than a science. When spraying the films, you have to have
a good feel for the proper duration of the image development. Because the exposure image doesn’t need to be developed with
water, one could easily image over 65 lines per inch. That means the potential etching resolution is not limited by imaging parameters. Rather, we are limited by the size of the grit we intend to blast through the Rapid Mask. Most of us use 180 or 220 grit.
You can easily blast 220 grit on a 65 lines per inch halftone with Rapid Mask HD 50 micron film.
You can increase the resolution imaged on RapidMask well beyond the limit given. However, you can’t etch detail smaller than the
grit size.
RapidMask dry processing, self adhesive, photo resist films are by far the most innovated films available. With fine detail halftone
making ability and strong blast resistance, the combination of RapidMask High Detail and RapidMask High Tack provide an effortless
sandcarving experience.
If you require any assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.
Further information can be found at:
www.RapidMask.de/en
www.youtube.de/harkeimaging
© HARKE PackServ GmbH - Xantener Str. 1 - 45479 Mülheim an der Ruhr - Matthias Stange, Phone: +49 (0)208 / 3069 1530, Mail: [email protected]