The foundation of any small screen printing business is an automatic screen press. Even while the initial cost could be slightly greater than for conventional manual screen presses, many businesses will be considerably more willing to work with your business once they learn that you have an automatic press. Purchasing the appropriate printing press may have a significant impact on the company’s efficiency and financial performance. Carefully selecting your press pays off. These are a few of the most frequent errors individuals make when buying screen printing equipment.
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1) Complete your homework
Knowing what you’ll need from a screen printing machine is crucial when making a purchase. Should you get a screen printing machine without knowing what you need it to perform, you will ultimately wind up paying more than you need to.
Think about the following while determining what you need it for:
How much do you have to spend? Take into account the price of the supplies, labor, equipment, and upkeep.
What kind of equipment and operation do you now have? Are you searching for a smaller, maybe portable PC because you have limited space or because you want to upgrade? Is your company becoming too big for you?
How much room do you have to work with? Both small and big screen printing equipment are available. What will you be able to fit in the available space?
2) Spend money on training both before and after you buy the screen printing machine.
Making money doesn’t end with buying a machine, even if it is true that you may earn money screen printing various goods. Before you can earn any money with it, you will need to invest the time necessary to learn how to utilize it correctly.
As a result, you should spend money on frequent trainings on how to:
Install the equipment correctly.
How to teach it to your people.
How being well-prepared may boost productivity.
How to use the proper viscosity of ink.
How to keep the equipment in good operating order.
Among many other things, you will also need to learn how to make your equipment work properly, such as the mesh counts and inks to use.
3) Recognize Your Target Audience
Your target demographics will have a big influence on your screen printing business.
What sort of printing will my clients require?
For a work, how many colors do you usually use?
Will you be printing on darker materials or using specialist inks?
In a typical order with my target audience, how many goods will there be?
The answers to these questions will help you decide what kind of machine you need and how big it needs to be.
4) Understand the Distinction Between Automatic and Manual Press
Generally speaking, the kind of equipment you will want will depend on how many things you plan to print in a normal order. You may choose to use a manual press if your orders are often modest, say 50–100 units or fewer. On the other hand, it would be financially advantageous to have an automatic press since if you start with a manual one without considering a normal order size, you can end up wasting that money and falling behind in production capacity. You should ask yourself the following questions to determine if you should automate:
Do you have to be ready for a big order? You may drastically change your business with only one consumer, and an automated press can help you do that. Before you make the initial investment, it is advised to have anything in writing.
Have you established a reliable business that consistently brings in hundreds or even thousands of orders?
It’s time to get an automated press if these circumstances apply to your company.
5) Recognize the Standard and Optional Features
When purchasing a screen printing equipment, the worst error you can make is not fully comprehending your alternatives. Regardless of what you want from a machine, you still need to consider factors like:
How is the machine constructed?
Is it composed of tubular steel or sheet metal?
To what extent is it robust?
Will it withstand the tasks you want of it?
Do the press’s various parts, including the print stations, have enough support?
Is it hefty enough to do the task at hand yet light enough to be ergonomic and useful?
Does it have the power to shut off all heads?
If that’s what you need it to accomplish, this function will allow you to print at all of the stations simultaneously.
Is the load rotating?
This is the situation when only one screen is ever unavailable.
What kind of screen holding mechanism is in use? Is it equipped with rear or side clamps? Is there an option?
What are the compatible registration systems? Are jobs requiring precise adjustment compatible with micro-registration? What is the operation of the registration systems?
Is there an adjustable off contact on the press you’re looking at?
With this function, the screen will only come into touch with the material being printed while the squeegee presses the ink through it. Sharper printing and screen pop-back are made possible by this feature.
Does the screen’s angle have a changeable setting?
With the ability to change the screen’s angle, you can make up for frame weight and make sure the screen is parallel to the printing pallet without affecting the degree of off-contact.
Attending a trade exhibition is one of the finest methods to select a new screen printing machine, if it is possible at all. By doing this, you’ll be able to compare prices, watch each machine in operation, and even test out the various types. Making a list of your requirements and preferences in advance will help you ask insightful questions at the show and get the information you need to make an educated decision about buying a new screen printing equipment.
