Screen printing and alternative technologies
If, at the beginning, screen printing was the only solution for those who wanted to duplicate texts and images on printable surfaces, over the years, alternative technologies have been developed and established, including pad printing and digital printing, which have boosted the creation of new printing opportunities, among which we can mention printing on uneven surfaces, and personalized single prints.
Pad printing is based on a pad made of soft material, which enables to transfer the ink onto very small and uneven surfaces, and for this reason can be used to print on promotional gift items. The limit of this method, however, is that printing cannot reach the exact edge of the printing surface. Digital printing offers the advantage of being able to produce different prints at each stroke, but still with the limits of speed with regards to printing and thickness of the film of the inks deposited on the surface.
Despite the coming into use of these alternative printing methods, screen printing maintains its significant and undeniable market share, due to some particular characteristics, making them therefore fundamental for numerous applications.


Screen printing - the method
The method used for screen printing is based on a screen printing frame, where the image to be printed is impressed, which can reach up to 6 metres in length and with printing speeds of up to 800 items per hour. The silk printing screen has particular...

Screen printing and alternative technologies
If, at the beginning, screen printing was the only solution for those who wanted to duplicate texts and images on printable surfaces, over the years, alternative technologies have been developed and established, including pad printing and digital printing, which have boosted the creation of new printing opportunities, among which we can mention printing on uneven surfaces, and personalized single prints.
Pad printing is based on a pad made of soft material, which enables to transfer the ink onto very small and uneven surfaces, and for this reason can be used to print on promotional gift items. The limit of this method, however, is that printing cannot reach the exact edge of the printing surface. Digital printing offers the advantage of being able to produce different prints at each stroke, but still with the limits of speed with regards to printing and thickness of the film of the inks deposited on the surface.
Despite the coming into use of these alternative printing methods, screen printing maintains its significant and undeniable market share, due to some particular characteristics, making them therefore fundamental for numerous applications.


Screen printing - the method
The method used for screen printing is based on a screen printing frame, where the image to be printed is impressed, which can reach up to 6 metres in length and with printing speeds of up to 800 items per hour. The silk printing screen has particular characteristics, which enable it to transfer considerably detailed images, reaching the highest printing resolution, as well as the possibility of depositing a much higher thickness of ink compared to digital printing, a fundamental condition for the lasting of prints exposed to the elements.
To get a better idea of this situation, we can use the example of the fading of colour on signs in direct sunlight, which is caused by the physical phenomenon of UV radiation, causing the disintegration of the pigments and relative detachment, which, over time, causes a progressive loss in thickness, and consequent loss of colour too.
The privilege of screen printing is that of being able to deposit a much higher thickness of ink, which enables to obtain prints that are extremely long lasting.
Screen printing is therefore a unique method of printing if we want to have quality reproductions on: glass, metal sheet, plastic and wood; prints on large surfaces and considerable thicknesses; serial production of high production numbers and batches in short times; signs, plaques and posters, to be displayed in direct sunlight, heat and moisture.

Versatile solutions
Thanks to the particular characteristics of screen printing, there is a market segment of skilled craftsmen and medium sized companies who look for solutions in response to their needs of versatile screen printing, with low operational costs, with which to have small to medium production runs, with high speed production changeover and the possibility of printing the most diverse shapes, all with a single machine.

Canguro
Cugher responds to these needs and demands with two extremely versatile screen printers. Canguro is a completely pneumatic machine, able to print sizes up to 500 x 200 millimetres and thicknesses of up to 150 millimetres, at a speed of 1,200 beats per hour, with hourly production of up to 450 items.
“We have, with Mir Stekla in mind,” says Marco Dal Monte, Marketing Manager at Cugher, “been working to be able to offer the machine at an affordably price of EUR 8,900. More-over, for the first time, we have also created a guided procedure of self-installation and use, which enables all users to be able to start up Canguro and begin production in just a few hours, without the need for assistance from here.”

LS series
With regards to larger sizes, the LS series has a surface area of up to 1300 x 700 millimetres and thicknesses of 20 millimetres, producing up to 240 items per hour. The important feature of the LS series is the possibility of automatic posterior unloading, which enables to connect the machine to a drying oven. The LS series is also equipped with a PLC, as well as a number of accessories and settings, which make it a unique machine thanks to its versatility. Following the basis of the LS series, a line for the printing of fire extinguishers, with quality control by means of HD camera, has also been developed and set up.
Both these machines can be equipped with vacuum tables, for the printing of particularly lightweight or thin flat objects.