Best Practice in Phototooling Eric Janssens January 2002

1. Best Practice in Phototooling Eric Janssens January 2002

2. Best Practice in Phototooling • Defect Code list related to ADS ( Agfa’s Defect Shooter ) BAL See page 7,8,9,10 BAS See page 7,8,9,10 BAT See page 6,9 EPO See page 5 PSC See page 6,7,8,9,10

3. Best Practice in Phototooling • Working conditions: Darkroom lighting • Check level and color (coin test) • expose new film to darkroom illumination • put five coins on the film • remove every five min one coin • when the last coin is removed process the film

4. Best Practice in Phototooling • Working conditions: Temperature and humidity • Control and monitor the temperature everywhere the film is • Control and monitor the relative humidity everywhere there film is • Check and calibrate the measuring equipment

5. Best Practice in Phototooling • Working conditions: The plotter • See instruction of the plotter manufacture • Check light intensity • Run a power series and look for: • best line width fit: horizontal and vertical • positive and negative • check Dmax • Check mechanical damaging • Check for stray light

6. Best Practice in Phototooling • Working conditions: The processor • See instruction of the processor manufacture • Check parameter (temperature, speed, replenishment) • Respect emulsion up / under • Check mechanical damaging • Check for stray light • Check for water on the feed in table • Check for algae • Check for air under the rollers • Implement cleaning program • Use filtered water (dilution and wash)

7. Best Practice in Phototooling • Working conditions: The clean room • No paper or card board (paper is compressed dust) • Limit access of people • Limit access of materials • Avoid transportation from one compartment to another (install hatch) • No cutting or punching of film in the clean room • No knifes,no scissors, nail files, no pencils • No posters, no photos, no radio • Use clean room certified tools and equipment

8. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: Storage • Check material upon receipt (correct product, transport damage,…) • Check expire date (implement FiFo system) • Store in shipping packaging • Store horizontally • Limit stack height • Avoid too extreme temperatures and humidities

9. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: Unpacking and acclimatize • Open shipping carton in gray area and remove it • Open cardboard packaging in gray area and remove it • Open the shrink foil gently and remove it (don’t crumple up) • Pass inner packaging in plotter room • Store one pack only on perforated shelfs • Acclimatize for at least 8 hours

10. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: Load the plotter • See instruction of the plotter manufacture • Open the innerpackaging • Remove top PP sheet • Load the plotter with as many sheets as one can handle safely • Distinguish emulsion side from back • Store the left over in a film safe (re-use inner label)

11. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: Unloading the plotter, processing and acclimatization • See instruction of the plotter manufacture • See instruction of the processor manufacture • Advise: use on line unloading • Acclimatize the phototool for at least 10 minutes from each side

12. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: processing and acclimatization

13. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: Phototool check • Check: • Dmax, D min, • line width, line sharpness, • dimensional stability, • pin holes, • scratches, • dust contamination

14. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: Printing • See instruction of the plotter manufacture • The use of (dust free) gloves is advised • Avoid scratching the phototool while mounting • Avoid scratching the phototool while printing • Clean the film as often as necessary

15. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: Film handling in general • The use of (dust free) gloves is advised • Avoid stray light • Never fold or wind film • Avoid mechanical pressure • Develop film immediately after plotting • Respect acclimatization rules • Use humidity tide envelopes • Clean the film as often as necessary • Clothing rules

16. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: In the clean room • No paper or card board (paper is compressed dust) • Clean feet • Dress correctly (overall, hair cap, over shoes, gloves) • Never ever enter in “out side” clothing, not even for just a second • Never ever leave the clean room in clean room clothing • No brief cases, no handbags • No food, no drinks, no smoking • Move slowly and as little as possible • Keep films in vertical position, use (humidity tide) envelopes • Clean the film as often as needed

17. Best Practice in Phototooling • How to act: In the clean room • Implement cleaning programme • per batch, shift, day, week, month • what to clean, how to clean • Replace mats in due time • Replace filters in due time

18. Best Practice in Phototooling • Implement SPC program • Image quality: • Dmax, Dmin, line width, line sharpness, pin holes, scratches • Temperature and Relative humidity (calibration program) • Processor parameters: • temperature, speed, replenishment, circulation, algae • Dimensional stability • Cleaning program • Dust level • Printer temperature • Pressure over air filters, air flows • ….

19. Best Practice in Phototooling • Implement a calibration program • Thermometers • RH meters • Densito meter • …

20. Best Practice in Phototooling • Remember: You, as operator, make the difference Good luck