What is the typical printing speed of a screen printing machine?

The printing speed of screen printing machines varies due to various factors. Generally speaking, simpler manual screen printing machines have relatively slower printing speeds. In an ideal state, a manual screen printing machine may complete dozens to one or two hundred printing operations per hour. This is because the manual screen printing machine relies entirely on the actions of the operator, including the pushing speed of the scraper, the lifting and placing of the screen, and other links. Each action needs to be completed manually, and time is also spent on positioning, feeding, and other operations between each printing.

For semi-automatic screen printing machines, the printing speed will be significantly improved. Normally, semi-automatic screen printing machines can complete 300-800 prints per hour. The advantage of a semi-automatic screen printing machine is that it can automatically complete some actions, such as the lifting and lowering of the screen controlled by the machine, and the operator only needs to be responsible for placing printing materials and pushing the scraper for printing. This reduces the time waste of manual operation and improves the overall printing efficiency.

The printing speed of the fully automatic screen printing machine is the fastest. In continuous and stable printing operations, some high-performance fully automatic screen printing machines can achieve 1000-3000 prints per hour. The fully automatic screen printing machine can achieve a series of processes such as automatic feeding, positioning, printing, and discharging of printing materials through an advanced automation control system. Moreover, it can accurately control the movement speed and pressure of the scraper, greatly improving the printing speed while ensuring printing quality.

However, the actual printing speed of screen printing machines is also affected by many other factors. The type of printing material is an important factor. If it is a material with soft texture and easy deformation, such as certain thin plastic films or fabrics, in order to ensure printing quality, the printing speed may need to be appropriately reduced. Because these materials may shift or be damaged by the scraper during high-speed printing.

The complexity of printed patterns also affects speed. Simple patterns, such as single color logos or text, can be printed relatively quickly. But if it is a complex, multi-color printed product with fine lines and patterns, the screen printing machine requires more precise positioning and multiple color matching printing, which will slow down the printing speed.

In addition, the drying speed of ink can also limit the printing speed. If the ink drying speed is slow, it is necessary to extend the printing interval time to avoid the situation where the ink is not dry and the pattern is blurred, thereby reducing the overall printing speed.