Fabric Roll/Rotary Screen Printing

Rotary Screen Printing

This continuous method of printing applies color through a perforated cylindrical screen. As the screen rotates, a squeegee device inside of the screen pushes the print medium through the screen and onto the fabric.

Advantages 

• Fastest printing method
• Quick changeover of patterns
• Versatile design and special effect options
• Cost-effective for long production runs

Disadvantages

• Not profitable for short yardages
• Sampling and production may look different
• Some color limitations, prints only spot colors
• Not suitable for fine detail
• Higher speed printing can cause registration problems
• Cannot print in garment form

Versatile Designs 

• Highly productive
• Quick changeover of patterns
• Have few design limitations
• Can be used for both continuous and discontinuous patterns

 Although the size of the design repeat is dependent upon the circumference of the screens, the standard circumference of production screens measures 25.75”, 32”, or 36". There are also many custom screens available. On average, rotary screen printing machines operate between 12 and 24 screens, which allow for between 13 and 25 colors respectively (+1 color for the fabric color).

Rotary screen printing can accommodate both reactive dyes and pigments. Reactive dyes form a bond with the fiber, and therefore the finished product performs more like a dyed fabric, with high colorfastness and soft hand. To properly fix the reactive dye, steaming the fabric is necessary. In contrast, pigments are attached to the surface of the fabric. After printing, the fabric goes through a tenter to dry and cure the print onto the fabric. The print can be felt on the surface of the fabric. While versatile in terms of design and special printing effects, rotary screen printing, unlike digital printing, does not allow for printing in garment form.

Fast & Efficient

Rotary screen printing is the fastest printing method for cotton with typical speeds ranging from 50 to 120 yards per minute depending upon design complexity and fabric construction. While cool transfer printing and digital inkjet printing can claim lower WEC inputs and outputs, rotary screen printing’s environmental advantage is efficiency due to its fast speeds and high yields.

Rotary screen printing can accommodate long fabric lengths and provides a continuous and economical process. Due to high screen engraving costs and machine downtime needed to change patterns, rotary screen printing machines are generally not profitable for short yardages of widely varying patterns.