Thanks to the help of Mike Dolph, one of the greatest #ROQStar Service Techs to ever #ROQStar Service Tech, we are going to dive into 3 of the many cutting-edge Safety Features on all ROQ Automatic Screen Printing Presses to show You how they differ from others in the market and how they work to create the most-secure working environment for You and/or Your Colleagues. #PressOnward & always stay safe, #ROQFam!
Key Safety Features on Your ROQ Screen Printing Press
Light Tower
Emergency Stop Button
Safety Bars
1. Light Tower
The Light Tower is a tri-color LED light bar with an audible siren located at the very top of the machine that communicates the current condition of the machine directly to the user. Further, it alerts them prior to the “star” (a.k.a. “carousel”) movement with a loud beep.
The different light combinations are used to quickly identify the state of the machine at a glance.
The Light Tower allows the user to know if the machine is in operation, awaiting a command, has a fault condition, or is alarming. On the ROQ NEXT and ROQ ECO, the Light Tower will also give a visual cue when the machine is in “Go-To Platen” mode for relocating platen positions at the press of a button.
2. Emergency Stop Button
The Emergency Stop Button is a large red mushroom-style button that will stop ALL movement on the machine in the event of an emergency. All industrial equipment is required to have an emergency stop method.
The Emergency Stop Button is located on the HMI (Human Machine Interface) or “Main Display" and is used like any other button: simply press.
It’s the only method short of removing electric current from the machine that will stop all movement immediately.
The emergency stop button can be helpful for ROQ Partners who forget to press “first piece” before starting a job. If utilized quick enough, one can avoid printing on bare platens and potentially damaging screen emulsion.
ROQ Tip: If the user can resist, it is best to just push this button instead of slapping it like a buzzer on Family Feud or Double Dare. While it is rugged, it is still made of plastic.
3. Safety Bars
These crucial yellow metal rods create a physical barrier between printheads. They are equipped with a small DC microswitch that sends a signal to the PLC to stop all movement of the rotating portion of the press. While these bars are pushed in, the machine cannot rotate.
The Safety Bars are located on the front clamp assembly on each printhead and are simply pushed in toward the center of the machine to trigger and pulled out away from the center of the machine to reset.
This is the single most important safety feature on the machine as they allow operators to step into the diameter of the machine to perform their job without worrying about anyone else being able to accidentally injure them or others.
The ROQ Safety Bars are superior to others on the market for one simple reason: they can be reset without the need of your hands. Often, the user will have one or both of their hands full of ink containers, spatulas, etc., making it difficult to reset. Thanks to the rigid structure of the ROQ Safety Bars, they can easily be reset with an elbow or shoulder.
Your ROQ’s Safety Bars lead to faster setups, tear downs, and ink refilling, unlike other options on the market that use cables and require both hands to reconnect.
ROQ Tip: ROQ Safety Bars are on a “daisy chained” circuit, so the most efficient way to reset all of them is to walk around the machine counterclockwise and look for the red lights illuminated on top of each printhead.
