The flatbed method
The stationary cylinder method
The cylinder method
The cylindrical textile method
The roll-to-roll method
Flatbed Method
The flatbed method is a very basic form of screen printing. It places the substrate beneath woven wire mesh that is stretched within a frame.
As stated above, this mesh is essentially a stencil as a special epoxy is used to mask off specific areas, creating a design.
During the screen printing process, the mesh is pressed firmly against the substrate, and the exposed mesh openings are flooded with ink. A squeegee is then pushed on top of the mesh from one side of the frame and dragged to the other.
As a result, the ink is squeezed through the mesh openings and adheres to the substrate.
Stationary Cylinder Method
With the stationary cylindrical method, the squeegee does not move. Instead, a cylindrical container that is being printed on, such as a water bottle or coffee mug, rotates.
While the container rotates, the woven wire mesh screen moves horizontally in the same direction. As the mesh is pinched between the stationary squeegee and rotating container, these motions work in conjunction to ensure the design is accurately transferred onto the right amount of surface area of the container.
Cylinder Method
The cylinder method resembles the stationary cylinder method in the fact that the squeegee remains static during printing. But unlike the stationary cylinder process, so does the mesh, and the frame remains stationary as well.
To transfer ink, a cylindrical mechanism rotates counterclockwise to pull a substrate, typically some sort of sticker. The substrate is then wedged between the mesh and the cylindrical mechanism.
While the substrate is being pulled, the mesh frame moves the mesh from right to left. As the ink is flooded on the right side, the squeegee forces the ink through the mesh and onto the substrate.
The dual motion of the cylindrical mechanism and frame, all the design to be accurately depicted onto the substrate.
Cylindrical Textile Method
The cylindrical textile method places a stationary squeegee in a large rotating drum. The ink being transferred is also stored in the drum.
During screen printing, the substrate moves from left to right as the drum rotates counterclockwise.
Now, there are several woven wire stencils on the rotating cylinder. As the cylinder rotates over the moving substrate, the squeegee forces ink through mesh stencils, creating a continuous operation.
Much like the other listed screen printing methods, because the substrate motion and cylindrical rotations move at the same pace, the design is transferred evenly and consistently.
Roll-To-Roll Method
The roll-to-roll method follows a similar concept as the cylindrical textile method as it employs a rotating drum that contains ink and a stationary squeegee. The biggest difference is that it also uses two substrate master rollers: one that feeds substrate and one that collects the printed substrate.
Again the substrate is projected from left to right while the rotating cylinder rotates counterclockwise. As the substrate is projected under the rotating cylinder, the squeegee forces ink through wire mesh stencils located throughout the cylinder, transferring the design onto the substrate.
This makes for a continuous process typically used when producing stickers, such as the hazard stickers on various packaging.
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