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GETTING STARTED IN MANUAL SCREEN PRINTING
It should go without saying that you’ll have the greatest success and fewest problems if you stick with equipment from an established company with a reputation for customer service and quality products. If you can get most of your equipment from one company, you’ll usually eliminate compatibility issues, and you get all your service and support at the same place.
The best equipment is easy to use, machined to precise tolerances, easy to integrate with your other equipment; and durable.
The Press: The most important item is the press. You shouldn’t settle for less than a four station, four-color press with micro-registration. More colors mean more business, and more stations allow flash curing and make it possible for one person to load and unload while another prints.
The press should work with screen frames designed for automatic presses. Many manual printers who ultimately bought an automatic press had to spend thousands of dollars to replace manual-only frames.
Presses that allow you to add color capacity mean you can spend less now and upgrade later. We're sure it will come as no surprise to you that M&R's Chameleon Manual Presses meet all these criteria.
Pre-registration Systems: Although they are optional, most screen printers who have them wouldn't print any other way. That's because they maintain registration as the images move from artwork to screens to the press. And they have a fast return on investment because they require less expertise, reduce setup time up to 95%, and ensure high-quality prints.
Exposure Systems: Buy the best system your budget will allow. To get exposures with fine detail, get an instant-start metal halide unit sized to work with pre-registration systems. If your budget is tight, start with a less expensive fluorescent unit.
Flash Cures: A small infrared flash cure is a good choice. If you can afford it, consider one with a head that pivots away from the pallet after a user-set time or when the operator depresses a foot pedal.
Dryers: Electric dryers are generally smaller and less expensive to purchase, but more expensive to run. Gas dryers tend to be larger and more expensive to buy, but more powerful and less expensive to operate. Which one is right for you? If you plan to grow quickly or eventually buy an automatic press, gas is probably the better choice.
Although this just begins to tell you what a successful screen printer needs to know, there are many resources on the Web, including www.sgia.org and www.screenweb.com.
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For More Information
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