Tips to Evaluate Router Hold down Methods

Evaluating router hold down methods to choose the most beneficial method for your application is important to achieve maximum quality and efficiency. Computer numerically controlled (CNC) applications require consistency with a reliable hold down method to meet the precision accuracy required in grinding or cutting processes. Choosing the right hold down method for your process requires an evaluation of a few important factors.

Consider the following factors when evaluating the right hold down method for your CNC router process:

• Changeover required - how quickly you need to change from one product to the next will help to determine the best hold down method for your application. Some hold down methods such as clamps and jigs take time to remove one product and install a new one. Vacuum table systems typically provide quick changeover with instant on/off capabilities. 

• Thickness of substrate - the thickness of your product or substrate is a critical factor in selecting the right hold down method. Vacuum tables typically do a good job of holding nearly any type of material whether thin, thick, rigid or flexible. 

• Material flow – The flow of material throughout your process is important to determine the right hold down method.  Vacuum systems can help to hold loose or cut parts in place so they don’t fly off the table and cause injury to workers.  

These are all very important considerations when choosing the right hold down method for your application. Vacuum hold down tables are proven in a wide range of applications for various substrates. Consulting with a vacuum table specialist may help you determine the right method for you.

Systematic Automation is a leading provider of vacuum table systems, screen printing machines for pretreatment and posttreatment systems. Our skilled engineers will help to evaluate your process and provide the best, custom designed solutions to meet your needs. 

Systematic Automation offers process evaluation to determine the right hold down method for your process.  We custom design the right vacuum table to improve your application efficiency, quality and profitability. Contact a vacuum table specialist to learn how to improve your CNC router application with the optimum hold down method.

Custom Designed Vacuum Tables to Meet Your Process Needs

Vacuum tables are proven beneficial in many industrial and commercial applications such as screen printing, CNC applications such as plotting and cutting and many other applications. Holding products firmly in place during additional processes improves consistency and accuracy for improved quality. Improve consistency, accuracy and quality all equates to improved profitability. 

When it comes to vacuum tables, not all vacuum hold down systems are created equally.  Consistent hold down force with maximum flatness is required to achieve accurate and precision cutting. Vacuum table systems many advantages over other hold down methods such as jigs, adhesives or clamps which can be time-consuming and less accurate. Vacuum hold down table should maintain a consistent flatness throughout the entire table system matter how large or small.

Systematic Automation Offers Custom Vacuum Table Solutions

Systematic Automation offers more than 35 years of experience designing, engineering and manufacturing high quality screen printing machines and vacuum table systems. Our vacuum tables maintain superior flatness proven at +/-.001” per linear foot in any size table.  We offer a wide selection of vacuum tables with sizes ranging from 5” x 6” to larger 72” x 144” vacuum tables with custom designed vacuum solutions available to meet specific application requirements.

Our skilled engineering team possesses in-depth knowledge of vacuum table technology to provide custom vacuum hold down force to meet your needs. Most vacuum tables are flat and square or rectangular although we offer custom designed shapes and sizes with horizontal or vertical vacuum force, heated vacuum tables and many additional options.

Standard options with our vacuum hold down tables include:

• Customized hole patterns
• Custom designed vacuum zones controllable with valves
• Automatic pin registration
• Sliding vacuum tables with two Axis of travel
• Surface options such as anodizing for resistance to corrosion
• Formica table top surfaces for resistance to scratching
• Sacrificial layers

Systematic Automation leads the industry with vacuum table technology in custom designed vacuum solutions to meet any application requirement.

Systematic Automation is a leading manufacturer of vacuum table systems, screen printing machines, pre and post treatment equipment.  We provide the automated solutions that deliver process improvement with maximum efficiency and quality. Contact us to learn how to improve your process with a custom designed vacuum table system.

Applications Which Benefit from Vacuum Hold down Systems

Vacuum hold down systems are beneficial to a wide range of processes such as computer numerically controlled (CNC) work processes, grinding and cutting.  Vacuum table systems are used in many industrial and commercial applications to hold products securely in place during additional precision work. Vacuum tables are used to hold various substrates in place such as metals, canvases, plastics, paper, cardboard and plexiglass to name just a few.

Applications which benefit from vacuum hold down systems include:

• Engraving - engraving requires precision work while your product is held firmly in place with no chance of slipping. Engraving processes and CNC engraving applications require consistent, reliable vacuum hold down force to achieve maximum productivity with precision quality work.
• Plotter cutter - vacuum table systems assist putting and cutting applications by holding materials firmly in place for accurate and efficient work processes. Sacrificial layers help to protect the vacuum table surface when necessary.
• Screen Printing – screen printing on various items requires precision accuracy. Vacuum hold down tables assist screen printing processes on flat products such as canvases, cardboard, paper or plexiglass. Rotating vacuum platens may be incorporated in cylindrical printing machines to hold mugs and glasses in place for precision screen printing.
• Flexography – vacuum tables support many commercial and industrial manufacturing applications such as production of graphic rubber rolls for flexography machines. Optimal vacuum hold down force should be designed to specific application requirements.
• Canvas and Sail Making – designing and cutting large canvas sails requires the material to write flat and even for accuracy and consistency.
• Material Handling – many material handling systems utilize vacuum conveyors to parts secure while transporting from one area to another.

Systematic Automation Offers Vacuum Hold Down Tables
Systematic Automation offers a wide selection vacuum table systems in virtually any size or shape imaginable. We custom design, engineer and manufacture small tabletop vacuum systems and large vacuum table systems to accommodate nearly any product. We set the industry standard with consistent flatness of +/-.001” per linear foot with all vacuum tables manufactured in our modern United States facility.

Systematic Automation sets the industry standard with vacuum table systems designed for any application.  We offer custom designed vacuum and screen printing solutions for nearly any application. Contact us to learn more about our vacuum hold down tables designed to improve your process.

How to Screen Print on Glassware

Screen printing on glass products can be tricky as the smooth glass surface prevents the adhesion of the most types of inks.  Pretreatment is usually required with a flame treatment machine that improves ink adhesion on plastic and glass products. When products are passed through a flame treating system, the molecular structure is altered enough to allow adhesion without changing any physical appearance.

Utilizing a screen printing machine with a flame pretreatment system is the best way to screen print on glass, plastic and no all nonporous products.


Screen Printing Machine with Flame Treatment for Glassware
The Model F1 by Systematic Automation is a popular screen printing machine for many versatile products including mugs and glasses.  The Model F1-DC is a dedicated cylindrical screen printer ideal for a range of products from small shot glasses to large growlers and glass mugs.  The Model F1 screen printer is easily integrated with a flame pretreatment system, Model FL, and a post treatment UV curing system.  

Systematic Automation offers total turnkey screen printing solutions, with semi-automatic and fully automatic screen printing machines, pretreatment and posttreatment systems.  Systematic Automation offers one of the widest selections of screen printing machines and vacuum table systems. Some screen printing applications benefit from vacuum table systems or vacuum platens to hold products firmly in place to improve quality and precision printing.


Multicolor Screen Printing on Glassware

Systematic Automation also offers the Model Super ROI, a precision screen printing machine with one to six color screen printing capability.  The Model Super ROI easily integrates with flame treatment and UV curing system technology. This automatic screen printer moves products in one linear direction and minimizes the handling required to be substrate with minimal lifting for printing and curing.

Systematic Automation offers a screen printing solution for any product, flat or cylindrical, small or large with single or multi-color printing solutions.  Our pre and post treatment systems combined with our vacuum table systems provide a total turnkey printing solution for maximum automation and efficiency. Contact us to speak with an engineer and learn more about proven printing solutions for screen printing on glassware and any other item.

Automatic Multicolor Styrofoam Cup Screen Printer

It can be challenging to find a quality screen printing machine to easily print on Styrofoam cups.  Screen printing on foam cups or soft sided material requires a precision screen printing machine with special tooling to accommodate sensitive foam material.  The Model T8-SS is an automatic screen printing machine which accommodates various cylindrical items and is ideal for printing on plastic or Styrofoam cups.

Model T8-SS Styrofoam Cup Screen Printing Machine

The Model T8-SS by Systematic Automation is a fully automatic, turret motion screen printer designed specifically for precision printing on cylindrical items. The Model T8-SS provides many automated features such as automatic loading and unloading, pretreating with a flame treatment system and posttreatment with UV curing options. 

This patented screen printer is ideal for printing on Styrofoam cups with product inflation for soft sided, sensitive material. Product inflation prevents damage which often occurs with other cup printing machines.  This automatic screen printer is ideal for high volume requirements, processing up to 2,000 products per hour depending upon the application.

Automatic loading and unloading saves time and manual labor.  Increase productivity by expanding the standard eight stations to accommodate your process. Styrofoam cups are printed and neatly stacked ready for packaging. This turnkey printing solution includes pretreatment and posttreatment for the most cost-efficient Styrofoam cup printing process available.

Multicolor printing is available with mechanical and optical registration.  Choosing the right cup printing machine for your process is important to achieve maximum productivity and quality.  The Model T8-SS provides quick changeover with specialized tooling which makes it easy to switch between different sizes of products in less than a minute.

Systematic Automation Offers Screen Printing Solutions

Systematic Automation offers one of the largest selections of screen printing machines, designed, engineered and manufactured in the modern, state-of-the-art US facility. We have been providing high-performance, precision screen printing machines and vacuum table systems for more than 35 years.  We are committed to providing efficient, automated solutions with quality equipment and exceptional customer service.

Systematic Automation provides more than 35 years of designing, engineering and manufacturing screen printing machines, vacuum tables and automated equipment. Our engineers possess in-depth knowledge of the screen printing process and provide custom designed printing solutions.  Contact us to speak with an engineer for assistance in selecting the right screen printer for your process.

Tips for Selecting the Best Mug Screen Printing Machine

There are some factors to consider when selecting the best mug screen printing machine for your application.  It can be challenging to screen print on plastic or glass mugs as the nonporous material is not very receptive to ink adhesion. Pretreating mugs for improved ink adhesion may be required on certain materials.

Consider the following tips when choosing the right mug screen printer for you:

Select a screen printer with pre-treatment options - evaluate the need for pretreating  your mugs for improved ink adhesion. A flame treatment machine alters the molecular structure of nonporous materials without altering the physical appearance whatsoever.

Consider posttreatment with UV curing - UV curing specialty inks improves quality and productivity in many printing applications. UV curing dries inks instantly, improving cycle time and profitability. UV curing also provides a more consistent process over air drying as there is no time for evaporation and inks dry evenly without potential contamination from dust or airborne contaminants.

Evaluate your requirement for versatility - consider all of your mug screen printing jobs and what material you will be printing on.   You will need a versatile mug screen printing machine to switch between plastic, ceramic or glass in various sizes.

Consider the level of automation desired - be sure that your screen printing machine meets automation requirements that you desire. Some automatic screen printing machines offer automatic loading, unloading and stacking with pretreatment and posttreatment options.

Evaluate your volume requirements – the volume of your print job may also dictate the automation you desire. Volume is an important consideration when evaluating the right screen printing machine to provide the greatest value and cost effective printing operation.

Consult with an experienced screen printing machine manufacturer for answers to all your questions on selecting the right screen printer for your application.


Systematic Automation Offers Mug Screen Printing Options 

Systematic Automation offers one of the widest selections of screen printing machines available including mug screen printers with options to meet your needs. The Model F1 is known as one of the most versatile screen printing machines made. The Model Super ROI provides increased automation to meet higher volume requirements.

Systematic Automation provides screen printing solutions for a total turnkey operation with multicolor printing, pretreatment and posttreatment options available.

Systematic Automation is a leading global supplier and manufacturer of patented screen printing machines, vacuum tables automated equipment. We offer custom design and engineering to provide maximum benefit in turnkey operations. Contact us to speak with an engineer for assistance in choosing the best mug screen printing machine to provide maximum benefit to your application.

Considerations When Evaluating Hold Down Methods

Router applications such as CNC machining, grinding, cutting and other precision processes require substrates to be held firmly in place. Various methods of hold down technology can be used depending on your substrate. Many industrial processes require reliable hold down force of various substrates such as wood, metals aluminum, steel, plastics, plexiglass and many other types of materials.

Choosing the hold down method which facilitates precision operations with quick changeover will provide the most benefits.  Some common hold down methods used in various industrial processes include vacuum tables, clamps, jigs, screws or even adhesives. Here are a few of the top considerations when evaluating hold down methods for CNC or router processes.

The thickness of your substrate - the thickness of your substrate is an important factor when choosing the right hold down technology. While clamps or jigs may hold thicker substrates securely in place, they may not facilitate quick changeovers. Clamps can be time-consuming to remove and reapply, jigs may allow for some slippage and these hold down methods are typically not ideal for thin materials.  Vacuum hold down technology will hold thin or flimsy materials firmly in place as well as securing thicker products for precision processes.

Changeover time - hold down methods which facilitate quick changeovers improve cycle times leading to increased productivity. This is one area where vacuum table technology outperforms other hold down methods. Quality vacuum tables can be designed with custom vacuum zones which can instantly be turned on or off for improved efficiency, productivity and profitability.

Material flow - the movement of material throughout your application is an important factor in choosing the right hold down technology. In certain cutting applications, special care must be taken to ensure that cut pieces do not fly off the table and pose a safety hazard.

Upon evaluation of these considerations, you may find that vacuum hold down technology provides the most benefit to your process. Consulting with a vacuum table specialist will help you to understand the features and benefits available to you.

Systematic Automation Assists with Evaluating Hold down Technology

The engineers at Systematic Automation offer more than 35 years of experience in designing vacuum tables for a wide range of industries and applications. We can help you to evaluate vacuum table technology compared to other hold down methods to help you choose the right system for your process. Our skilled engineers offer custom designed vacuum hold down tables to meet your specifications.

Our vacuum tables set the industry standard with +/- .001” per linear foot for any size of vacuum table system.  Our standard vacuum tables range in sizes from 5” x 6” up to 72” x 144”, with even larger custom designed sizes available. We can program specific vacuum zones with controllable valves, custom design hole patterns and table top surface options including Formica or anodizing for corrosion resistance as well as designing sacrificial layers to protect your tabletop surface.

Systematic Automation is recognized worldwide for designing, engineering and manufacturing high quality vacuum table systems, as well as offering one of the widest selections of screen printing machines available. Our vacuum table systems complement many screen printing operations as well as a multitude of commercial and industrial processes.

Systematic Automation offers assistance in evaluating various hold down methods to meet your application requirements. We partner with you to custom design the right vacuum hold down table to provide maximum efficiency with precision quality. Contact us to learn how vacuum hold down technology can benefit your application and improve your product and process quality.