Tekmar is pleased to announce our new Product Sample Service.  You can simply request evaluation samples for  all of our liquid products.   This program has been developed so that you may evaluate our products in your own operation.    We will ship these to you at no charge and for US/Canada there is also no charge for freight.  International customers need to provide freight courier account information for shipment.

This new service will allow you experience how efficient and cost effective our products are.

Please call or e-mail for additional information on this exciting new program.

Request a sample

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Most T-shirts and other imprinted garments contain a blend of heart, soul, creative genius and sweat. You have created, nurtured and massaged it (well, squeeged it). It is yours, your baby, nothing will ever harm or hurt it.

At first you pretend not to notice. There’s nothing there. There can’t be. It couldn’t be. Say it isn’t so. Then reality (and depression) hits; there is an ink smudge on your baby. Your immediate response is of course thoughts of suicide, or even worse throwing it in the garbage, which is no way to treat your baby.
By now any seasoned screen printer who has been around the block, or in fact one who has just turned down the first street, knows about spot cleaning guns. Sometimes called “blow-out”, “knock-out” or simply “spotting guns”, these compact units are the surgeon’s scalpel to screen printers, able to instantly cut away unwanted ink and soils from the fabric. Just like surgeons though, spot cleaning guns do have their limitations. Some times it simply isn’t practical to remove a large design or ink mark, as it would take more cleaning fluid and time than the garment is worth.

Spot cleaning is accomplished by shooting a high-pressure jet of a specialized cleaning fluid through the offending soil. The chemical is forced into the ink, breaking it down and then by the sheer pressure of the fluid stream, it is blown out of the back of the fabric. Because of the way in which these guns work, they are only effective on porous fabrics that have been woven or knitted. Vinyl, plastic or any type of leather or animal skin cannot be cleaned in this way.
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Tekmar has teamed up with TAS America to exhibit at the upcoming ISS Show in Long Beach California. The show is to be held from January 20th thru 22nd 2012. This exciting show will be an opportunity for both companies to showcase their unique and practical products.

Tekmar will have active demonstrations of it’s “industry standard” spot cleaning systems, along with the world’s best selling bulk pallet adhesive and applicators-The TB range. Also being show will be the Tee Tak internal t-shirt Tacker for all over printing. This semi-automatic system, allows inside of T’s and sweats to be temporarily stuck together to allow all over printing. The TB-STX starch adhesive, leaves virtually no residue on the finished garment.

Also we will be printing shirts and having a fun and exciting interactive give away. Simply take your purchased souvenir shirt to the Tekmar Spot Cleaning station and have the white bar cleaned to reveal if you are a prize winner. Prizes will include TAS flash cure units, Tekmar adhesive systems, Inks and other great prizes.

We look forward to visiting with you at this 2012 kick-off event Booth # 2059

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Point blank…..This is wrong, Textile Screen printers who decorate finished goods are not garment manufacturers. This is akin to saying an offset printer is a paper manufacturer. Printers and organization have vowed to fight this in court and get the legislation reversed.

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During FESPA 2010 in Munich Germany, Mike Fresner from T-Biz Network took a few minutes to interview Tekmar President Simon Clifford.  Mike solicited comments on the Show, the industry  and Tekmar’s product range from Simon.   “The show has been Fantatsic” comments Clifford.  “The industry is very exciting again” he added.  Watch the interview here for the full story

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There is considerable new information becoming available, indicating that Normal Propyl Bromide or NPB, a currently unregulated product, may in fact pose a significant health risk, the same or greater than that of Methylene Chloride. It is also under the same level of scrutiny with regards to it’s environmental impact. Green Peace has issued many statements about this product and is petitioning for it’s world wide control and possible ban. The United Auto Workers Union (UAW) has released a bulletin, advising it’s member to use the same cautions for NPB, as they would for Methylene chloride. It is likely that in the next few Months OSHA will initiate it’s own evaluation of this product.

Our Position at Tekmar is very simple. If we feel that a product posses a risk to the user, regardless whether or not it is regulated, we cannot with a good conscience market this product. If substantiated information becomes available that shows NPB to be safe and usable, we will re-introduce our MC-3 as appropriate. We will also continue to work on other new products to enhance the safety in the workplace.

Until then, we will continue to educate and promote the safe use of our current MEC based product and have available the EXHAUSTEX 2000, the first and only cleaning station with an integrated charcoal filtration unit

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Conyers GA. Tekmar’s new production and blending facility is now opening and operating at full capacity

“With Rexco’s increased output, along with Tekmar’s continued growth, we simply out grew our space” stated Randy Tedder, East Coast operations manager for Tekmar.

Fortunately the facility is located on 6 acres, allowing plenty of room for the addition of the new 10,000 ft building.  Randy is also a professional disc golfer and is pleased that new building, has not infringed on his practice area out back.  The new facility will provides some  much needed relief, to  the work load at the Santa Barbara California facility

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With so many different brands of spot cleaning fluids available, choosing the right one can be a confusing decision. Most companies use very similar solvents when manufacturing their products. This is often apparent by the striking similarities in the odor of the product and the contents of the MSDS’s.

What is often missed are the subtle changes in the product that go on behind the scenes, for example, components that make up less than 1% of the total formulation, or that are non regulated, do not have to be listed on the MSDS. When doing laundry the primary ingredient used for cleaning is good old H2O however, water does not do a very good job, a detergent must be used. The detergent only makes up a fraction of a percent of the total solution, but without it, the job does not get done. Cleaning fluids are no different, the primary ingredients are necessary but without the additional additives they do a less than satisfactory job.

The Texstyle™ range of cleaning fluids all contain patented additives that actually allow the chemical to penetrate the stain faster and more completely. This speeds up the cleaning process, saves time and money and makes sure that the job is done right the first time. No Re-do’s, No Residue, No rings, just perfect results every time. The product is available in gallons, an exclusive 2x 2 l/2 gal pack and 55 gallon drums. Call now and start turning those soiling losses back into profits.

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Most T-shirts and other imprinted garments contain a blend of heart, soul, creative genius and sweat. You have created, nurtured and massaged it (well, squeeged it). It is yours, your baby, nothing will ever harm or hurt it.

At first you pretend not to notice. There’s nothing there. There can’t be. It couldn’t be. Say it isn’t so. Then reality (and depression) hits; there is an ink smudge on your baby. Your immediate response is of course thoughts of suicide, or even worse throwing it in the garbage, which is no way to treat your baby.

By now any seasoned screen printer who has been around the block, or in fact one who has just turned down the first street, knows about spot cleaning guns. Sometimes called “blow-out”, “knock-out” or simply “spotting guns”, these compact units are the surgeon’s scalpel to screen printers, able to instantly cut away unwanted ink and soils from the fabric. Just like surgeons though, spot cleaning guns do have their limitations. Some times it simply isn’t practical to remove a large design or ink mark, as it would take more cleaning fluid and time than the garment is worth.

Spot cleaning is accomplished by shooting a high-pressure jet of a specialized cleaning fluid through the offending soil. The chemical is forced into the ink, breaking it down and then by the sheer pressure of the fluid stream, it is blown out of the back of the fabric. Because of the way in which these guns work, they are only effective on porous fabrics that have been woven or knitted. Vinyl, plastic or any type of leather or animal skin cannot be cleaned in this way.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

OK so you’ve researched, shopped and then laid down your hard-earned dollars for the best spot cleaning system your money can buy. Now what! Spot cleaning guns are as important as your printing press. You own the press for one reason, to make you money. If you get a mark down or a spoiled shirt you are loosing money. The gun recovers that lost profit. The first step is to determine if the time and material cost to salvage a print is cost effective. If you are intending to remove a complete back design from a $3:00 T-shirt, it probably isn’t, however, if it’s a $35.00 jacket, it becomes far more viable.

When spot cleaning plastisols, always make sure that the ink is completely dry and cured, otherwise it will run and give you a bigger mess to clean up. Other inks such as water based and catalyst inks, should be tested prior to printing. First try it cured; if the results are unsatisfactory then try it uncured. For small spots, smudges or fingerprints, place the shirt over the exhauster (or a dry scrap shirt). Using a pin point jet, holding the gun about 6” from the fabric, start circling around the soil, spiraling into the center until the ink has been completely removed. Care should be taken not to allow the jet to hit any part of the image, as this will damage it and “really” destroy the shirt. To avoid the formation of a ring, especially on darker shirts, the following feathering technique can be applied. Immediately after spotting, adjust the nozzle to the widest fan setting. Spray around the edge of the damp area in a continuous manor, spiraling out and away from the fabric. The results should leave a smooth transition from wet to dry, with no sharp edges, and when dry, no ring

For marks that are very close to the image a slightly different approach is needed. This is where a steady hand is needed, so early to bed the night before. Adjust the nozzle so that it produce a spray pattern of about ½” from a distance of about 6”. Start spraying on the side of the mark furthest away from the image; slowly move through the soil until it is flushed away. This will take slightly longer than usual, as less pressure is being used. An advantage of this technique is that the softer spray has less potential to damage the image, should it momentarily contact it. This same technique can be used to eliminate ghosting or double imaging, caused when a screen misaligns over a shirt and transfers some built up ink. Simply run it along the edge with a medium spray until the shadow has gone.

Never! Never! Never! run the shirt back through the dryer to dry it. This, besides the obvious risk of a flash fire if a flammable solvent is being used, will guarantee one thing… a ring! To dry the shirt, use an exhauster, air dryer or a combination of both. The faster you dry the shirt, the cleaner your cleaning will be. If you do not have either drying device, you can use a clean airline or even the cool setting on a hair dryer. If all else fails then wave it in the air, this will dry the shirt and also let your customers know that you surrender.

Spot cleaning guns are not miracle makers. They are not a replacement for good housekeeping in the print shop, nor will they keep the printers hands clean. They are however, a first line defense against markdowns due to soiling. Like anything else they are tools that need to be used correctly and safely. By following the above guidelines, spot cleaning can be accomplished very effectively and cost efficiently. Remember to keep in mind that it was ruined before you started, so you really can’t make things any worse.

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Textile spot cleaning is not new by any means. It has been around for over 4 decades (that’s 40 years for those of you who don’t speak “decade”). Up until recent years, spot cleaning was a very simple operation. Take soiled shirt…Lay shirt on rag or cleaning station…Shoot jet of cleaning fluid through soil…Air dry shirt. Simple huh! Not anymore, things have changed. On April 10th 2000, the final phase of the new OSHA standard on Methylene Chloride became effective. This standard dramatically changes the way in which spot cleaning must be carried out.

For the uninitiated Methylene Chloride (also known as MEC and Dichloromethane), is the primary ingredient in most, and I mean most spot cleaning fluids. It is used for a very good reason, it works. No other chemical has been found, that is as effective as MEC for the removal of Plastisol and other textile inks. Up until recent years, MEC was a mildly regulated product. An established TLV (Threshold Limit Value) of 500 parts per million, meant that even the most careless spot cleaning, would not exceed the TLV. Over the past few years, there have been concerns about the health and safety implications of products containing MEC. Primary concerns have been the possible carcinogenic potential of these products. This is not just limited to spot cleaners, but also to adhesives, both aerosol and bulk, along with any other products that contain MEC.

The new standard, sets a mandatory maximum TLV of 25ppm, with an action level of 12.5 ppm. All businesses, no matter how few or how many employees they have, must comply with this new standard. Outlined below is a summary of the standard, which is actually over 250 pages in length.

The OSHA Methylene Chloride Standard FR 62:1494-1619 became effective on April 10, 1997 and has been phased in over a period of 3 years. The final action date of this standard is April 10, 2000. As of this date, all employers whose facilities have Methylene Chloride present, are required comply with the standard.

What does all this mean? Very simply put, to comply with the standard, the first step is to determine the exposure level of Methylene Chloride (MEC) to the employees in the facility. This is conducted by taking one or more personal breathing zone air samples. Monitoring can be accomplished in house or by an independent testing service. The simplest method. is to use badges that are worn by the employees on their collars for a typical 8-hour shift. These are similar to the radiation monitors worn by x-ray technicians. Once the test has completed the monitor is sent to a lab for analysis.

These badges can be purchased with the analysis pre-paid. It is essential to follow the manufacture’s instructions exactly to achieve an accurate test result. The correct monitor type is 3M-3520 Organic Vapor/ Monitor with back-up Section (Recommend Pre-Paid Analysis) available from Lab Safety Supply Tel. 800/356-0783 or direct from 3M Safety Division Tel 800/896-4223.

If the results are 12.5 ppm or below, then no further action is required (other than documentation of the test). If the results are above 12.5ppm, but are below the TWA (Time Weighted Average) of 25 ppm, and are within the STEL (Short Term Exposure Level) of 125 ppm, the employer must begin medical surveillance of the exposed employees. Medical surveillance. basically means having your employees who may come into contact with MEC in the workplace, take a targeted oral and physical medical examination, as outlined by OSHA. If exposure is in excess of the PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) of 25 ppm and/or the STEL of 125 ppm then action must be taken within 60 days to comply with the standard. The complete standard including medical compliance information can be found on OSHA’s web site at: OSHA

“OK, what other options do I have” you ask. Spot cleaning fluids can be separated into three basic types. Firstly there are the non-flammable products based upon Methylene Chloride (highly effective). The second group, are flammable solutions. These normally contain a very high content of Acetone (sometimes they are 100% Acetone). The obvious drawback here is the flammability issue. As a cleaner, acetone does OK, however, you can expect a higher degree of color bleed (ink running into other parts of the garment).

The final group are the new kids on the block, utilizing one of two solvents. The first is 141B Dichlorofluoroethane, a product developed as a replacement for some of the previously phased out Freon products. As a cleaner it will remove some Plastisol screen printing inks, it does however, take more product to accomplish the operation and is classified as a class 2 Ozone depletor. The second solvent being utilized is Normal Propyl Bromide (NPB). This product is very new, with very little data available. It is currently unregulated, however there are a lot of reports floating around that question the health risk potential of this product, as well as showing it to possibly have up to 100 times the Ozone depletion potential, of some phased out Freons. Other disadvantages with these types of products, are their costs, typically about 50% higher than conventional spot cleaning fluids and more importantly, their questionable ability to do the job!
The final step to a safe spot cleaning operation is to look at the equipment being used. At the heart of any spot cleaning system is the Gun. Guns come in various sizes colors and performance characteristics. Which gun is best? The one that does the job for you. Don’t be fooled by manufacturer’s claims of 2000 or even 3000psi. All spot cleaning guns have the potential to develop very high pressures when the nozzle is sealed off and a pressure gauge attached. It doesn’t take a ballistics expert to know that at these claimed pressures, the fluid stream would cut through the fabric like Darth Vader’s light saber. The actual pressure of the fluid stream as it hits the fabric is between 40 & 60 psi. Do not think that this is not enough pressure to puncture your skin, it most certainly is. Always keep your body away from the fluid stream and never, never point the gun at anyone. Look for a gun that has good balance and an adjustable nozzle. The manufacturers warranty will tell you a lot about the quality of the gun.

Almost a necessity now, is a cleaning station. Because of the job that they have to do, high airflow is paramount. Airflow is measured in CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute); a flow of 500 CFM is an acceptable level for most shops. If your solvent is flammable, you must use an explosion-proof unit. The cleaning screen should be stainless steel, and sized so that you can lay the soiled area and surrounding fabric over the vacuum unit. If it is too small an area, the fluid will run out in the fabric and take longer to dry, possibly causing ringing or stains. If the cleaning surface is too large an area, then the fabric will take longer to dry, as the air will be diverted to other parts of the cleaning screen.
For the best protection look for units that offer complete vapor recovery. Exhausters with over-spray shields greatly help to reduce airborne contamination of the workspace. Some exhausters have integrated Activated Charcoal filtration that allow the unit to be vented into an open area inside a facility, allowing installation in large buildings where outside ventilation is not practical.
Is there any black magic in the chemical industry?…No. Do I have a magic wand that can make water do the job of spot cleaning solvents?… also, unfortunately No. Will there be safer more effective products available in the future?…I am optimistic that the answer is Yes. Until then, use the chemical that is right for you, and use the correct procedures and equipment to ensure safe, compliant spot cleaning.

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