The guide of choosing screen printing squeegee

The guide of choosing screen printing squeegee

In screen printing process, screen printing squeegee plays a vital role. The major function of screen printing screen is press the ink through the screen printing mesh to print the design on the fabrics or other substrate. Therefore, a suitable screen printing squeegee will influence the final effect of the screen printing. We will talk it from three impacts, the hardness of the screen printing squeegee, the length of the squeegee and the blade of the squeegee.

In the market, there are many kinds of screen printing squeegee. Squeegee materials are available in rubber, neoprene, and polyurethane designs. Blades made of polyurethane – a composite material consisting of polymer units linked by urethane groups, are regarded as the most durable squeegee material you will find. They are more resistant to abrasion than the others. Compared to the other blades, polyurethane remains the best blade choice due to its impressive physical properties. It’s the industry standard and is really the only blade you should be getting.

First of all, how to choose the suitable hardness of the screen printing squeegee for your screen printing? Generally, we use a durometer to measure how hard, firm, and flexible a screen printing squeegee is and determines how much ink it deposits. The higher the number, the harder the squeegee is. For example, a 60 hardness squeegee is softer and has thicker ink deposits than a 90 hardness squeegee.  

Softer squeegees (e.g., 50 to 60) are often used for thick, less detailed imprinting, as well as special effects such as glitters and shimmer, among others. On the other hand, harder squeegees (e.g., 80, 90) are best suited for delicate and highly-detailed designs or prints on clothing.  Harder squeegees are also suitable for automatic presses. This is because they can withstand the higher friction that comes from being used on a high-speed automatic press which owns to their durability. From there, we can notice that, 70 is a average hardness. That makes 70 hardness squeegee sit as a “sweet spot”, which means they are the most versatile lot and suitable for spot colors and halftones. We can also say, 70 hardness is the most popular one and a choice that won’t go wrong for beginners.

Second, what length is a better choice? Squeegee blade lengths vary from lengths less than 6″ to 70″ or more. When purchasing a screen-printing squeegee, we should consider the squeegee’s length for printing work. Ensure that the width of the screen and that of the design are taken into account and that it corresponds with the squeegee length – and probably exceeds it by half of an inch, for the best results during printing jobs. As the pressure is mainly exerted on the central area, the edges are smudged or blurred if the length of the squeegee is too small.

Third, How to choose suitable squeegee blade? Screen printing squeegee handles are often available in wooden and aluminum. Each type offers a unique mix of physical properties that may appeal to different people. Wooden handles are cheaper, more comfortable to use, and are pretty weighty, so they are relatively more helpful in manual printing. However, they tend to stain, although it doesn’t affect the quality of the work. On the other hand, aluminum handles are lightweight and easier to clean, and of course, do not stain. Aluminum handles are also suited for automatic presses. Some squeegee handles are available in ergonomic designs, such that they ensure ease of use and user satisfaction while maintaining optimum efficiency. Different handle heights are also available. Most designs often fall within the 4-5″ range. However, it is not unusual to find sizes such as 13″ on the far end of the spectrum.

Last but not least, tips of the storage of the screen printing squeegee are shared. Squeegees should be stored at temperatures of 60-70°F. Storing below this can reduce their hardness. In addition, they may lose their structural integrity when subject to very high temperatures.

Choosing the appropriate screen printing squeegee is one of the important factors to ensure the quality of printed matter. The selection of screen printing squeegee is not set in stone. It is necessary to choose the appropriate squeegee based on factors such as the printing material, squeegee width and hardness, and adjust the hardness of the squeegee  to achieve the best printing effect.

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