Advance Silkscreen Tutorial

Truly silkscreen printing has been the go-to staple for custom printing ever since people decided to capitalize on making customized items. Though the traditional silkscreen printing is cost-efficient and mundane to understand and operate, the process can encounter a roadblock when it comes to finishing multiple colors on a design and doing it fast.

That is where 6 color station silkscreen machines goes in handy for such jobs, though you need quite a spacious place to set it up, the process becomes easier since you can separate and print multiple colors on your design instantly, thus becomes more profit-wise and cost efficient should you vie for custom printing the long run.

Here in this article is the basic how-to when it comes to this seemingly complex-yet-easy to use machine!

• The whole machine is packaged in 5 separate containers, in which parts are separated by strong supports both up and down. Because it is inside a corrugated box and covered by stretchable films, this proves minimal if none, damage at all during transport even in long distance exporting. It doesn’t need special devices for transportation and handling, which gives off minimal shipping cost.

• The surface is made out of stainless steel and is finished, making it rust-proof and easy to clean.

• The design of the spring devices makes the screen adjustable up and down so that it would be easier to operate according to the size and weight of each screens, which then guarantees correct spring intensity to avoid having squeegees giving off more concentration of colors in certain areas, which then makes color splotchy and uneven, which happens because of unadjusted heavy screen frames and loose squeegees. 

• The device can be adjusted easily which guarantees well pressing between the screens and pallet, especially if the screens used are uneven and the printing surface is not smooth.

• Surfaces which contain higher artificial contents with uneven textures can be printed on easily if they should be applied first with adhesive which makes the printing firmer and more precise. 
• The foundation of the machine can accommodate people with height from 160-190 cm. Height adjusting is easily done, and ensures that it will not collapse which gives users printing in correct positions which doesn’t compromise their position and makes usage more comfortable.
• The foundation and the auxiliary balance foot stands keeps the contraption balanced and stable even if the surface that the machine is in is uneven.

• Adjust the skewer beams at the bottom of the machine. This will be the auxiliary balance foot which can adjust the machine’s height by 20 cm.
• Once that’s done, attach the bottom bars, using screws to connect the corners of each of the supporting feet. The supporting feet has several holes in which you can attach the screw to measure the height in which you need the machine to be.
• Next is attaching the second layer of bars to the first layer by using additional screws and washers to secure the screws in place. Then by using bolts, connect the top corners by using the metal bars provided. This frame will be the machine’s foundation.
• After making your foundation secure, attach the metal frame on top of it, this will serve as the base in which you will assemble the contraptions.
• Next is you want to attach the pole in the middle of your base which will serve as the rotational gear.
• After doing so, attach the rotating board in the midle of the pole. Using large bolts, secure the rotating gear in place.
• After making sure that the gears are well-ballanced and rotating properly,  position the bars in which you will attatch the pallet. Secure using more screws and washers in the pre-dilled holes in the rotating board. Once you’ve finished attaching six of the metal bars in the machine, secure the printing head on top of it.
• Next is attatch the Pallet support arms and orientation blocks.  Do not tighten the screws when the pallet support arm instalation is finished.
• Attach the orientation blocks on each of the support arm.  Then you have to install the parts of the mainframe upper turntable. Then attach each spring to the hook connecting to the upper turntable. After that is you have to adjust the inner bolts of the mainframe to make the position precise. The printing chucks attached to the turntable can be adjusted to the thickness of the substrates, while the position knob can be adjusted for controlling the height of the printing support arm.
• Install each individual pallet to the printing heads. The printing head support the arms which have been accurately adjusted so it can register the six colors to print accurately after the installation. Simply put, once you adjusted any in the six color arm, then you can guarantee that the colors will come out accurately in the remaining five, simultaneously therefore it can be applied into the multicolor printing by more than one people.
• After attaching the pallets, you have to each if each printing head is rotating and can bend. Changing pallets is convenient because it only needs six screws ends for installation and dismantling the machine.  The upper wheel blocks make it much easier for the pallet support to be fixed in position. While the small bottom wheel blocks secures the position of the pallet support arms and color registers which then makes the pressure on the printing much more refined and printings goes smoothly for the user.
• Then chech if each printing head is bendable and rotating. The screen layer and printing pallet should be able to rotate independently. Once you’ve checked it, your installation is done.

1. Fix screens in the chucks, stick the paper in one pallet and select any of the screens, then mark off the points of the table to measure the position. Based on the marks that you have made on the paper, adjust the other screens to the same alignments precisely.
2. After aligning, adjust the screen in to place.  Then per color, block the marks on the screen to avoid overlapping of colors and leakage.
3. Once you have adjusted the precise color per alignment in the pallet, the colors per pallet can work simultaneously, so you can use any of the pallets per color/station. Also you need to use pallet adhesive for this. Pallet adhesive is a substance made for screen printing on cloth-based materials, it is a positioning material used to hold them in place during the process.  Apply this on your pallet before placing the t-shirt/ cloth surface. You have the options to either dry the adhesive manually using a regular hand-held dryer or a flash dryer specifically for silkscreen printing.
4. Now once your cloth item is placed on the pallets, you can now close your screens over them and apply colors to each shirt by applying your pigment on the screen then dispersing and evening out the color using a squeegee.
5. Once the first layer of color has been applied to the shirt, apply the next set of colors in your design. Take note that you have to dry each layer before proceeding to the next one to ensure that the colors are solid and to avoid blotting. At this point it’s better to have a flash dryer to speed up the whole process especially if you have to deal with lots of orders.
6. When you applied all the colors needed to complete your design, set your shirts to dry or you can use your flash dryer again for this process.
7. Then voila! You have now your finished batch of items ready for personal use or for profits.  You have your own mini factory of shirt/cloth printing!

The whole process may seem daunting and pricey if you look at it as a whole but once you know how things work, and if you have your heart really set out for printing consumable items at a cheaper-yet-faster rate, then amp up your printing by trying out a 6 color station silkscreen machine!