If you are planning to grow your printing business, un automatic screen printing press can be a smart upgrade. It can print a lot of shirts in less time, with better quality and less effort. But before you buy, you need to understand a few important things like how it works, how much space it needs, and what type is best for you.Dans ce guide, we’ll explain everything step by step in simple language.
What is an Automatic Screen Printing Press? Tout ce que vous devez savoir
Different Types of Automatic Screen Printing Machines
There are many types of printing machines. Each one is made for different kinds of items. Let’s take a look at the main types so you can pick the one that suits your business.
1. Cylindrical Screen Printing Press
This automatic screen printing press machine is specially made for printing on round or curved surfaces.
The item, like a bottle or mug, rotates while the machine applies ink evenly around it.
This ensures the entire surface gets a smooth, clean print.
Businesses that print on drinkware, jars, or cosmetic packaging often use this type of press.
It’s efficient and produces high-quality results on all kinds of curved products. The price for a cylindrical press usually falls between $8,000 et $40,000.
2. Flatbed Screen Printing Press
Flatbed screen printing machines are best for printing on flat, hard materials.
In this setup, the item stays in place on a flat surface, and the screen comes down to press ink onto it.
It’s commonly used for glass panels, wood signs, plastic boards, or electronic parts.
The machine is known for producing very accurate and sharp prints, especially on non-flexible materials.
It’s ideal for industries that deal with signs or technical prints.
The price for a flatbed press usually ranges from $15,000 à $60,000.
3. Rotary Screen Printing Press
The rotary screen printing press is designed for large-scale clothing production.
It features multiple rotating platens that allow many shirts or garments to be printed at the same time.
As each item spins through different stations, it receives different colors one by one.
This makes the machine fast and perfect for businesses that deal with bulk printing of t-shirts, uniformes, et autres produits en tissu.
It’s commonly used in large garment factories or print-on-demand services.
The cost of a rotary press usually ranges from $30,000 terminer $120,000, depending on the size and features.
4. Four-Post Screen Printing Machine
The four-post screen printing machine is built with four sturdy support columns.
These posts help keep the screen and printing surface balanced, making it a great choice for printing on large, heavy, or rigid items.
It’s often used for printing on metal sheets, industrial parts, and big panels that require strong, even pressure during printing.
This type of press is perfect for industries that need technical precision in their prints.
Prices for four-post machines typically range from $10,000 à $40,000.
5. Roll-to-Roll Screen Printing Machine
The roll-to-roll screen printing press is built for non-stop printing on long rolls of material like fabric, vinyle, film, ou du papier.
The material moves through the machine as it prints repeated designs continuously.
This type of machine is fully automated and ideal for companies that need fast, high-volume printing, like wallpaper makers, fabric producers, or packaging label manufacturers.
Because of its speed and automation, this machine is more expensive, usually costing between $100,000 et $300,000 ou plus.
What to Check Before Buying Buying Automatic Screen Printing Press?
It can make your printing business faster and more professional. But before you buy one, it’;s very important to check some key things.
If you skip any of these, you could end up with problems that cost you time, money, or both.
Here are the most important factors to consider:
- Printing Volume Capacity
- Type de machines: Electric vs. Pneumatic
- Number of Colors and Stations
- Shop Space Requirements
- Commandes conviviales
- Total Cost and ROI
- Support and Maintenance
- Safety and Efficiency Features
- Power and Air Requirements
1. Printing Volume Capacity
One of the first things you should think about is how much printing you do on a regular basis. Are you printing just a few dozen shirts each week, or are you handling hundreds of items for bulk orders? Your answer will help decide what size and speed of machine you need.
If you choose a machine that’s too small for your workload, it can slow down your business and create backlogs. D'autre part, if you buy a heavy-duty machine but don’t have enough orders to use it fully, you might waste money.
Try to pick a machine that can manage your current workload and also give you room to grow in the next 1–2 years.
2. Type de machines: Electric vs. Pneumatic
There are two main types of presses:
- Electric presses: Use motors. They are quieter, use less energy, and need less maintenance.
- Pneumatic presses: Use air pressure. They are usually cheaper but require a strong air compressor and can be noisy.
If you’re buying an automatic screen printing machine for t shirt businesses and want a quiet and clean setup, electric might be better.
But if your budget is tight, pneumatic is also a good choice just be ready to manage extra noise and air equipment.
3. Number of Colors and Stations
The number of colors and stations on a machine determines how complex and fast your prints can be.
More color heads let you print more colors in one go, useful for multi-color logos or detailed artwork.
More stations (platens) allow for better production flow.
Par exemple, a machine with 8 stations gives room for loading, impression, flashing, and unloading all at once, speeding up the process.
Choose the setup based on the designs you usually print and how quickly you need to finish orders.
4. Shop Space Requirements
These machines are large and need plenty of room, not just for the machine itself, but also for operators, écrans, encres, and dryers.
Avant d'acheter, carefully measure your space and compare it to the machine’s dimensions. Also leave extra space for safe movement and easy maintenance.
If your space is limited, a compact or small automatic screen printing press may be a better fit.
5. Commandes conviviales
Some machines have manual controls like knobs and switches, while others come with digital touchscreens.
Touchscreen systems are more user-friendly, save your job settings, and allow fast adjustments.
This is very helpful for repeat orders and reduces the chance of human error.
Manual machines are cheaper but need more training and time.
Choose a system that matches your team’;s experience and your need for speed and accuracy.
6. Total Cost and ROI
The price of the machine is just the beginning. You also have to budget for installation, expédition, entraînement, accessoires, future maintenance, and repairs. Calculate your return on investment (ROI) by figuring out how many items you need to print and sell each month to cover your costs and start making profit.
A slightly more expensive machine that works faster and lasts longer might be a better value in the long run than a cheaper model that breaks down often.
7. Support and Maintenance
No matter how good a machine is, it will need maintenance and support at some point. Make sure the brand or supplier offers proper customer service, easy access to spare parts, and helpful user manuals or training.
If the machine breaks and you can’t get help quickly, your business could come to a halt. Choose a machine with strong after-sale support.
8. Safety and Efficiency Features
Look for machines that include helpful and safe features like emergency stop buttons, quick-release screen clamps, off-contact controls (to adjust the gap between screen and fabric), and adjustable squeegee pressure.
These features make your work safer, plus rapide, and more accurate especially during long shifts or when handling multiple jobs a day.
9. Power and Air Requirements
Check what type of electrical power the machine needs. Most automatic machines use 220V or 3-phase power. If you’re using a pneumatic machine, you’ll also need a strong air compressor that can keep up with production.
Make sure your shop can handle these power requirements. Sinon, you may need to upgrade your electrical system or buy a new compressor, which adds to the total cost.
How to Take Care of Your Automatic Screen Printing Press?
Taking care of your machine keeps it working longer and prevents problems. Follow these tips:
- Clean the squeegees, platens, and screens after each shift
- Wipe off dust, peluche, and dried ink
- Check for worn-out belts or loose bolts weekly
- Lubricate moving parts
- Update software if your machine has a digital screen
- Clean the air compressor regularly (for pneumatic presses)
- Keep a logbook of repairs and cleaning
Good maintenance means fewer delays and better quality prints.
Dernières pensées: Should You Get an Automatic Printing Press?
If your business is getting more orders and you want to save time while printing better dessins, then an automatic screen printing press can be a great investment. But before you buy, ask yourself a few simple questions: Do you have enough space in your shop? Can your shop handle the power or air supply needed? Are you printing enough to make the machine worth it? Do you have a team that can learn to use the machine? And are you ready to keep it clean and maintained?
Aussi, keep in mind, even the best machine needs high-quality designs to print. Many people face problems because their artwork is not ready or is low quality.
C'est là Numérisation EM peut aider. We provide professional vector art and services de numérisation de broderie that are ready to use with your machine. You’ll get top-quality designs, livraison rapide, and full support anytime you need it. Plus, nous offrons 50% hors de votre première commande and extra discounts on bulk designs.
So don’t waste time fixing bad artwork. Laisser Numérisation EM take care of your designs while you focus on printing and growing your business!
FAQ
An automatic press is a machine used in screen printing that does most of the work by itself. Instead of pressing ink through the screen by hand, the machine moves everything automatically, making printing much faster and easier for large orders.
A screen printing press helps you transfer a design onto fabric by holding the screen still and applying ink through it. It makes sure every print is done in the same position and helps produce clear, sharp designs on items like t-shirts or hoodies.
Automatic screen printing works by using motors and settings to control the printing process. You place the shirt on the machine, press a button, and it prints each color layer without needing someone to manually move the screens or squeeze the ink.
With a machine like the Trooper, you can print around 180 shirts every hour, even with designs that use six colors. This speed is great for businesses that get lots of orders and need to finish them quickly.
To set the ink properly in screen printing, you need to heat the printed shirt to 320°F (160°C). A heat press works best and should be pressed for à propos 40 secondes. If you’re using an iron, apply heat evenly until the whole design is heated properly.