Screen Printing Equipment

High-capacity screen printing equipment If your needs are to produce a large amount of screen printed items, you'll need to invest in screen printing equipment that is fast, efficient and automated.

I recommend:  Printa Systems manufactures large format, multi-color, full-service screen printing machines. M & R makes the highest-volume textile printers in the world.

Small manual silkscreen machines Small screen printing shops, or shops that only use silkscreen equipment on occasion don't need to invest in large or expensive equipment. You'll only want to buy a press that accommodates your needs.

I recommend:  SilkScreeningSupplies.com makes affordable tabletop screen printing machines in a variety of options for color capabilities and sizes. SilkScreenBiz offers starter kits and packages for businesses with smaller budgets.

Dryers for your screen printing machines Screen printing requires a way to dry or cure the image that you've placed on a textile between colors and for the finished product. There are several types of dryers that accomplish this task in the process. Flash dryers are best for small productions as they take up little space and they cost considerable less than conveyor dryers. Conveyors allow you to dry larger quantities of textiles in a short amount of time, but cost considerably more than flash dryers.

I recommend:  Logos Screenprinting Equipment & Supply offers a freestanding flash dryer with a 2000 watt heating element. Equipment Zone has a variety of new and used tabletop and freestanding high production conveyor dryers.

Producing images for silkscreen equipment Before you start applying ink to your textiles, you'll need to decide what method and equipment you'll use to produce your image or stencil. Exposure units use photographic methods to make a negative image and create silkscreens. Newer technology also allows regular inkjet and laser printers to use specialized paper to in effect 'print' your silkscreens.

I recommend:  Pro-light 1 series of screen exposing units use UV light to make your silkscreen. Ryan Screen Supply offers a large variety of exposure units ranging in price from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Buy vellum film for outputting silkscreens on an inkjet or laser printer at Dimensional Products Corporation.

Supplies and accessories for screen printing equipment If you reuse your screens, you'll need dip tanks to remove old stencils. Other supplies you'll need to use with your silkscreen equipment include ink, squeegees, emulsion and screens.

I recommend:  SPSI carries virtually all screen printing supplies including emulsion, screens, squeegees and ink. Lawson Screen & Digital Products carries a variety of dip tanks. Nazdar supplies inks, emulsions and cleaners for screen printing. Nazdar SourceOne offers accessories for virtually any screen printing shop including frames, screens, inks and equipment.