Pigment dyeing and printing

Pigments are insoluble coloring matter mostly organic and inorganic (mineral origin) have been used for
the coloration of metal wood, stone, and textile material.
Pigments have no direct affinity to textile fibres. They are fixed on textile materials (fibre/yarn) with the
help of a binding agent in form of a thin invisible coating.
Difference between Dyes & Pigments :

Dye Pigments

1. Water solubility 70% 1. 100% water insoluble

2. Most of dyes are organic 2. Most of pigments are

compounds. inorganic compound.

3. No binding agent is required 3. Binding is required

4. Dye diffusions in the fabric 4. Dye diffusion on the fabric.

5. Costly 5. Cheap

6. Auxochorme present 6. Auxochrome not present.

Trade name of pigments:

Trade name: Manufactururer Country
Acranium F.Bayer W.Germany
Acron Parckh Dye crop W. Germany
Aquabond/ Aquaprint Inmount crop USA
Helizarine BASG Ag Germany
Imperon Hoechst Germany
Noepralae Francolor France
Seabond, lifebond HDC Company USA
Syntrofix Syndex pvt.ltd India.

Qualities of a good Pigment:

 Pigments should have minimum particle sizes(0.2-0.4µ)
 Pigments should have maximum covering power.
 Pigments should have freely mixing power.
 Pigments should be chemically inert.
  Pigments should have good resistance to chemicals.
 Pigments should be resistance to solvent.
 Pigments should have acceptable brilliance, hardness, and stability on dyed and printed goods.
 Pigments should have good wet, light, and abrasion resistance.
 Pigments should have good characteristics for excellent dispersion including :
 Particle size and distribution
 Electrical charge
 Specific gravity
 Purity and crystalline structure
 Condition of Precipitation
 Should be applied to all fibre
 Should be cheap.

Pigments

1. Organic 2. Inorganic
Classification of Pigments:

1. Organic:
1.1 Dyes converted into pigments.
a) Dyes made insoluble by precipitation on substrates.
b) Vat dyes converted into pigments.
1.2 Azo pigments
1.3 Phthalocyanine pigments.
1.4 Quinacridone pigments.
1.5 Iso-indoline pigments.

2. Inorganic:
2.1 White pigments.(used in printing)
2.2 Coloured inorganic pigments.
a) Ultramarine pigments.
b) Cadmium pigments.
c) Iron oxides pigments.
1.2 Azo pigments can be classified-

Azo pigment

Metal free Metal

containing

Water
insoluble
(Group-1) Water soluble azo Chelates
pigments Heavy
(Group-2) metal
(Group-3)

Low solubility High solubility

Group -2(a) Group -2(b)

1. Organic pigments:
1.1 Dyes converted into pigments:
a) Dyes made insoluble by precipitation on substrates.
Example: Erioglucine (C.I. Acid Blue 9) is precipitated as its Barium salt on Alumina
hydrate[AL(OH)3] to make Peacok Blue lake (C.I. Pigment Blue 24) for use as a transparent
trichromatic blue in printing ink.
 CH 2CH 3 CH 2 CH3

N C N+
SO3Na H2C

SO3Na

Fig: C.I. Acid Blue 9

Eosine(C.I. Acid Red 87) is similarly precipitated as its Barium or Aluminum salt on Alumina
hydrate to give Bronze Red Pigment (C.I. Pigment 90), which has an attractive yellowish
bronzing effect in printing ink.
Br
Br
OH O
O

Br Br
COOH

C.I. Acid Red 87

The process of making dyes into pigments is called “Laking”.
And the pigments so made are cake “Lakes”.
b) Typical vat dyes converted into pigments:
Commercial name C.I. Vat dyes C.I. Pigments
a) Thio indigo Red Violet 2 Violet 36
Violet
b) Anthanthrone Orange 3 Red 168
c) Indanthrone Blue 4 Blue 60
d) Perinone Orange Orange 7 Orange 43
e) Perylene Maroon Red 23 Red 179
Typical Group-1 Pigments converted from 2- Naphthol:
Commercial structure Commercial name C.I. Pigments
 OH FIRE RED Red 4
Cl

O2N N N

NO 2 OH RED TONER Red 6

Cl N N

OH PERMATONE Orange 5
NO 2
ORANGE
O2N N N

1.2 Azo pigments:

a) Metal free-water insoluble azo-ompounds (group-1)
Toludine Red: Red 4
Red Toner: Red 6
Per matone orange: Orange 5
b) Metal containing- water soluble azo-ompounds ()
Group 2a- Low solubility make heavy metal salts-
Lithol Red: pigment Red 49
Lake Red : C.I. pigment Red 56
Group 2b-high solubility make precipitate heavy metal salts on basic substrate.
Precipitation of pigment from orange 11: C.I. Acid orange 7
1.3 Pthalocyanine pigments.
Monstral Blue B: C.I. Pigment Bule 15(I.C.I.)
1.4-Quinacridone pigments:
Cinquasia Red B, Cinquasia Red Y, Cinquasia Violet R
1.5-Iso-indoline pigments.
Ingazin Yellow 3RLT: C.I. Pigment Yellow 110
Inorganic Pigments:
2.1 White Pigments: Requirements of white pigments-
1. The primary requirements for a compound to be a white pigment is that it should not
absorb of radiation in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum (400-650 nm)
2. It should have as high as Refractive Index through out the visible spectrum as possible.
3. It should be in the form of particles fairly uniform in size with diameters of the order of
1000 nm.
Pigments are used as dispersions of particles with a refractive index of about 1.5. There are
several white pigments with refractive index between 1.5 and 1.63 which are called “transparent
white” or “extenders”. They include baryles (Barium sulphate), gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O)
whitening (CaSO4), China clay ,talc, and Silica .They confer very little opacity and use mainly to
thicken paints in which they are incorporated.
Titanium di-oxide (FeO.TiO2). A pigment which is used in two (2) crystalline forms. Rutile (R.I.
2.71 ABD NADE IN 1940) and Anatase (R.I. 2.5 and made in 1930)

1.4 Colored Inorganic Pigments:

a) Ultramarine: This is the synthetic form of the blue material “Lapis Lazuli”which was
imported from China and India in the middle ages. It si characterized by eh high light
fastness (ISO 7-8), an attractibe blue color with excellent resistance to alkali and all organic
solbents and easy dispersibility, non-toxic, but it has poor resistance to acids.
Ingredients used in manufacture Ultramarine-
Chemical Ingredients Amount% Si04ze-
formula particle
Na6Al6O24S4 China clay 30 500-6000 nm
Sodium 32
carbonate
Sulpur 30
Silica 04
Rosin 04
The color of the inorganic pigments is associated with charge transfer within the structure.
This can be brought about by specific light absorption.
 b) Cadmium Pigments:
A range of mixtures containing Cadmium Sulphide and varying amounts of Zinc Sulphide
and Cadmium Selenide can be made the resulting colures being as shown below.
Colors obtained with Cadmium Pigments:
Color Components
Prim Rose CdS, ZnS
Yellow CdS
Orange CdS, 0.2 CdSe
Red CdS, 0.4 CdSe
Maroon CdS, 0.7 CdSe

c) Iron Oxide Pigments:

Naturally occurring iron oxide pigments are widely distributed geographically and can
found in a wide range colors from black to red and yellow, depending on the composition
and crystal structure.
Examples:
(i)  -FeOOH or Fe2O3.H2O (Yellow)
(ii) FeSO4. H2O ( Red, Brown, Black)
(iii) FeO, Fe2O3 and FeOOH (Mixed crystal)
Binders: Binders are film forming polymers which play important roles in achieving optimum
fastness properties. Pigments have no affinity towards textile materials. So actually pigment
particles are sticked on the surface of fabric. Binders are those adhesive type coating forming
polymeric materials which sticks pigment particle on fibre/fabric surface. It forms a very thin
invisible film on fabric surface during curing. Under this film pigment particles are remain
sticked.
Types of binder: Binder can be classified accornding to many aspects. Some are mentioned
below-
1. According to origin: Two (2) types-
a) Natural binder----Glue, gelatine etc.
b) Synthetic binder---TROL, SLN, IG, Acramin binders etc.
2. According to chemical groups: two (2) types-
 a) IG binder- Emulsion copolymer of vinyl acetate and butyl acrylate with modified urea
formaldehyde.
b) AG binders- They are made by emulsion copolymerization of olifinic unsaturated
monomers an aqueous medium. These monomers include-
i)Acrylic acid esters (butyl or ethyl acrylate)
ii) Styrene
iii) Acrylonitrile
iv) Vinyl chloride
v) Asymmetric dichloroethene
vi) Vinyl acetate

Required properties of binder:

Binder is a film forming substance made up of long chain macro moles which when applied to
the three – dimensionally linked network.
The characteristics of a good binder are mentioned below:
1. It should not impart any harsh and stiff handle to the fabric. It should create a soft
handle.
2. It should impart good rubbing and washing fastness property to t he print.
3. It should not impart any unhygienic on bad chemical effect on the print.
4. It should form a film like coating on the fabric the curing process and should have good
sticking capacity to hold the fibre and pigment particles together.
5. The coating produced by binder should be transparent.
6. It should be cheap and available and should have a long lasting effect on print.

Pigment dyeing method:

Dyeing Recipe:
Pigments 2 g/L

Binder 20 g/lit
Levelling agent 2 g/lit
Acetic acid (pH=5) 1-2 g/lit
 Temperature in padding 600C
mangle
Temperature for curing Cotton 160Cfor
2-3min
Polyester 180C
for 2-3min

Procedure:
 At first, binder is weighted and diluted with cold water. Then pigments and other
ingredients are added to it.
 The dyeing liquor is well filtered and stirred. Fabric is rolled on feed roller and passed
over guide roller below immersion roller and in between padders.
 Then the dye liquor is taken in immersion tray.
 The fabric passes through the dye bath, takes up pigment solution and then squeezed by
padder roller which regulates pick up percentage.
 After dyeing, the fabric is dried at 900-100C and then curing is done at Cotton 1600C
and Polyester 180C for 2-3mins.

Process sequence:
Fabric Preparation

Padding the fabric in pigment dispersion in a padder.

Drying (90-100C)

Curing (Cotton 160C
Polyester 180C)
Pigment Dyeing faults:
1. Listing effects: It occurs along the width of fabric due to uneven pressure of padder
rollers which cause shade variation.
2. Tailing effect: It occurs along the length of fabric due to changing concentration of
pigment liquor. This also causes shade variation.
Precaution:
1. The fibre to be dyed should not be alkaline.
2. Optical brightening agent should not be used because it may produce faulty shade.
3. Binder should not be allowed to form skein which ultimately give specky shade.

Advantage and Disadvantage of Pigment dyeing:

Advantage:
 Applicable to natural and synthetic fibre
 Wide range of colour can be produced
 Can be used for dope dyeing for filament yarn.
 Easy applicable
 Less expensive
 No washing or rinsing is required after printing.
 Speedy and fast process.
 Less water consumption.
Disadvantage:
 Not controllable for the binder film
 Use of solvent like kerosene, spirit etc can produce problems like flammability, odor,
pollution etc.
 The jumming up of equipment and air and water pollution in observed.
  Rubbing fastness is average.
 Bad fabric and aesthetic feeling.

Pigments printing:
Pigment-------30 parts
Binder---------600 parts
Fixer-----------10 parts
Na alginate---100(50% solution)
White sprit---250 parts

Total 1000 parts

After printing the fabric is dried and cured for making X- linking of the binder film with the
fabrics.

Pre treatments

Roller/Rotary Printing (with binder & Fixer)

printing

Drying (90 – 100%/110-120ºC)

Dryer Curing
(Cotton 140-160ºC/110-120ºC 3 – 5 min)
(Polyester 160 - 220ºC 30 – 60s)

Stenter Washing (Some time it is not need)

 Screen printing

Classification of screen printing:

Screen printing

Flat screen printing Rotary screen printing

Hand Semi auto Fully auto

screen screen screen
printing printing printing

Difference between Rotary and Flat screen printing:

Rotary screen printing Flat screen printing
1. Rotary screen rotate 1. Flat screen moves up and
/moveable down.
2. Roller is used 2. Squeeze is used
3. Large width fabric is 3. Small width fabric is printed
printed by rotary screen (40-50")
printing (67")
4. 14-15 colour is printed 4. 6-8 colour is printed.
5. Production is three times 5. Less production
higher than flat screen printing

Steps before making a screen printing:

1. Design selection
2. Screen preparation
3. Print paste preparation
 4. Printing
5. Drying and steaming
6. Washing.
1. Hand screen printing:
Material required:
1. Printing table(100-200m x 1-1.5m)
2. Screens(1-3 colors)
3. bed on the printing table
4. back grey
5. fabric to be printed
6. Squeeze
7. Drying system under the table
8. Hand washing in a tank or no washing.
 Printing is carried out on a flat, solid table covered with a layer of resilient felt and a
washable blanket (coated with neoprene rubber).
 Fabric movement or shrinkage is avoidable to maintain registration o the pattern. The
fabric to be printed is laid on the table and stuck to the blanket directly with a water
soluble adhesive. Alternatively the fabric is combined with a back grey.
 Before printing, the screens must be positioned carefully on the fabric. The area printed
by a screen (screen repeat) must fit exactly alongside the adjacent one.
 Now print paste is taken on the screen.
 The printing process consists of forcing this viscous print paste through the open areas
of the screen with a flexible, synthetic rubber squeeze.
 The rubber blade contained in a wooden or metal support is drawn steadily across the
screen at a constant angle (about 450) and pressure.
 Two strokes of squeezing gives better result. For very even print 4 strokes are also done.
Advantages:
 Less investment cost.
 No so much necessity ofdanger.
 Multicolor design can be produced (20color).
 Less floor space required.
  Suitable for small scale production.
Disadvantages:
 Slow production.
 Small scale production
 Labour intensity is large
 Fastens properties are not of international standard.
 It is difficult to maintain even penetration of print.

Factors affecting the amount of print paste passing through the screen:
1. The mesh (thread/inch) or raster (thread /cm) of the screen; generally a coarse mesh
allows more past to pass through than a fine one.
2. The fraction of open area in the screen fabric.
3. The hardness or X-section of squeeze blade.
4. The hardness of eh printing table
5. The viscosity of eh print paste
6. The number of squeeze strokes (2-4)
7. The squeeze angle and pressure(550)
8. The speed of the squeeze strokes etc
9. Etc.

Flat screen preparation process:

Chemical preparation Recipe:
Auto-sol → 99%
Sensitizer → 1%
Process Sequence:

A piece of fabric made of glass fiber is taken

↓
It is stretched and attached to a strong metal frame by glue straightening by metal brackets at
the corners.
↓
 Glue is used to attach the cloth with the frame and dried.
↓
The photosensitive chemical is applied on the fabric uniformly and is dried in electric dryer.
↓
The negative of the design is attached on to the screen so that its printed portion faces the
exposed light
↓
Now pressure applied onto the screen fabric so that the fabric alone with negative touch the
glass of the exposure
↓
The system is then exposed for 4 to 5 minutes
↓
Now it is rinsed with cold water flow forcing at the designed area.

Fully automatic flat screen printing:

Feature:
 The M/C consists of a fabric feed unit and endless conveyor belt to bring the fabric
onto the table under screen.
 A no of screens a special mechanism for lowering the screen on the required parts
of fabric.
 Squeezes are driven by motor.
 An arrangement for gumming the fabric on conveyor belt by a driver.
 Special arrangement under table to collect extra paste.
 Speed 5-20 m/min.
 Fully automatic flat screen printing method may be called a semi-continuous method of
printing.
M=Fabric to be printed,
S1,S2, S3, S4 =Screen
t=Printing table, d= Conveyor belt
W=Washing device for blanket
I=Device for bringing gum to the printing table.

Procedure:
 All the screens for the design (one screen for each color) are positioned accurately along the top of
along endless belt (blanket)
 The fabric to be printed is feed to the printing table by feed system and is welded by
glue with endless conveyor belt.
 The conveyor draws forward below screen in equal difference and printing paste
mechanically supplied is welded on fabric according to design by squeeze through screen.
 Automatic squeeze system of individual screen is controlled by mechanically or electro
magnetic power with individual motor.
 By using different colors in different screens, printing effect of different colour can be
made.
 By washing device, weld glue on belt can be cleared.

Advantage of Automatic Flat Bed Screen Printing:

 The flat bed screen printing method is mostly used for sarees.
 Easy and very cheap to prepare screen.
 The colors have a transparency, purity and richness.
 Upto 14-16 colour in one pattern can be produced.
 Since the whole width of fabric is printed at a time, its faster than block printing.
 Comparatively cheap than roller printing.
  Wastage of printing paste is less.

Disadvantage of screen printing:

 Joint markers at the repeat often precipitated.
 For high production a large no of tables have to bel used requiring huge space.
 Fine mesh screen used for sharp designs are often chocked.
 Production is less than roller printing.
Controlling points in fully automatic flat screen printing:
1. Adhesive system
2. squeeze system
3. intermittent movement
4. Production rate/printing speed
1. Adhesive system:
Now-a-days water based adhesive is used to apply to the blanket by means of a brush running in
a trough containing the adhesive solution. The requirements are-
 Adhesive should not create any spot.
 It should be easily washable and should not too sticky.
 It should be applied evenly on blanket.
2. Squeeze system: In flat screen printing the print paste is more preferably spreaded across the
width by the squeeze. Two types of squeeze in case of flat screen printing such as-
1. Double blade squeeze
2. Magnetic rod squeeze
Of them, magnetic rod squeeze is more suitable because its speed and pressure can be controlled
easily. The requirements are-
 The squeeze should create proper pressure on screen to spread the print paste evenly on
the fabric to be printed.
 The squeeze should not damage the screen.
3. Intermittent movement:
The Intermittent movement presents a variety of problems for engineers and printers. These are:
1. Accurate movement of the blanket.
2. Discontinuity of gumming and washing system
3. Printing speed-
 (a) number of squeeze passes
(b) Repeat size
(c) Efficiency of drier.
4. Control of fabric speed through the dryer; the fabric goes to dryer by a conveyor. The
fabric should move to dryer at a constant speed. But this is not always possible. One technique is
often employed to maintain this. It restricts the angel at which the fabric is removed from the
blanket with the aid of photo electric cells and light beams when the fabric runs through ‘A’, if
indicates that there is more tension of fabric due to difference of speed between conveyor and
blanket . Therefore the drive of dryer conveyor will be stopped automatically. When the fabric
will go along the light beam ‘B’, it indicates that the tension is normal. Now the dryer will start.
5. Production rate: Production rate depends on primarily on the time interval which the fabric is
stationary. The other factors influencing production ate are-
1. No. of squeeze passes (1-4)
2. Repeat size
3. Efficiency of dryers
4. Other factors
Squeeze system in Rotary screen printing:
1. Blade squeeze
2. Rod squeeze
3. Air bag squeeze.
Rotary screen printing: Rotary screens are mainly cylinders containing fine pores whose walls
have a thickness of 0.08-0.15mm and which can be more than 3m in length. These cylindrical
screens rotate allowing continuous printing of fabric passing under the screens. Screens for
rotary printing are made form very thin, perforated metal cylinders into which patterns have been
put. The pattern is made by blocking selected areas of screen to hinder the passage of the print
formulation.
Rotary screen preparation: Rotary screens are of two(2) types-
1. Laquer screen
2. Galvano screen
1. Laquer screen: Lacquer screens are manufcutured by electro-deposition of nickel onto a mill-
engraved mandrel. Here mandrel is the cathode and the pieces of nickel submerged in the bath of
a nickel salt are the anodes. First thehexam=gonal recess (holes) are cut on the thin copper layer
on the mandrel surface and then the holes are filled with insulating polymer. TH nickel layer is
then oxidized with chromic acid to produce an oxide layer. This avoids adhesion of the nickel
deposit to the mandrel. No nickel deposits in the areas around the insulating polymer. This is
where the hexagonal holes will be . The o.1mm thick screen of nickel can then be removed from
the mandrel and rinsed.
Photo patterns are produced similarly to those for flat screen but using a single positive film for
each color. The color positives are prepared by step-and repeat using multiple exposures from a
negative of original repeat. The screens may be hand coated with several layers of light sensitive
polymer or single coated with a special annular coating machine. Here polymers like melamine
formaldehyde condensate are used which have good adhesion property on nickel surface. The
polymer coated screen is placed on an inflatable rubber tube and wrapped with a diapositive film
for 7-10hrs. The inflated rubber tube holds the screen onto the film and the whole rotates during
exposure to UV light. Washing then removes the soluble polymer of unexposed part which will
form open areas. After drying the residual polymer is heat cured to completely harden it. Finally
the end rings are carefully fitted.
2. Galvano screen: Galvano screens have solid electrode deposited nickel layers in the field
zones in place of lacquer and are therefore much stronger and less susceptible to pin holes.
Galvano screens are engraved by a photochemical/nickel plating procedure. The mandrel which
is used for engraving and nickel electro forming is manufactured to eh exact inner circumference
of the printing rotary screen and may be reused. The mandrel to be engraved is thoroughly
cleaned. Then the mandrel is coated with a photo sinister. After coating it is dried in an oven.
The roller in contact with the film is exposed to light from a high intensity source. Then the
image is developed (i.e. unexpected coating is washed away) tinted and after retouching (if
necessary) it is ready for electroplating. The mandrel now has a photo-resist in all screen areas
that are to b open to allow the print paste to pass through and the part of the screen that a re to be
plated. The surface meal of the mandrel is then passivatead with potassium dichromate
(K2Cr2O4) allowing the separation of the nickel screen from the mandrel after electroplating is
completed. The mandrel is placed in eh nickel plating bath and plated to required thickness. Now
the screen is separated from the mandrel and finally end rings are mounted on the rotary screen.
Screen production: Choice of screen fabric: Mesh/Raster:
 Design type Threads/ cm Open area%
Terry toweling 19-34 47-43
Large blotches, 4-49 47-40
furnishing
Large blotches, on 43-55 43-39
smooth fabrics
Small motif 49-62 41-34
Details and out 55-62 41-34
lines coarse
Outlines, half 55-62 41-34
tones, fine
Synthetic fabrics 55-100 41-27

Rotary Screen Printing machine:

Feature:
 This is a genuinely continuous printing method where the continuous rotation of a
cylindrical screen in contact with the fabric ensures continuous production.
 A perforated cylinder or spherical screen.
 Each screen is independently driven.
 Printing paste is fed to individual screen by special pump.
 The printing paste level inside the rotary screen is automatically and constantly
controlled.
 The transfer of printing paste through the perforations of the screen into the fabric
is governed by specially designed squeeze blades.
 Gummy device.
 Washing device.
Procedure:
M=Fabric to be printed, d=conveyor belt
W= Washing device, L=Device for bringing gum to the blanket.
 At the time of printing, the fabric is brought on and placed on the conveyer belt
through feeding system.
 The conveyer brings the fabric continuously under the series of rotary perforated
screen made of metal foil where the printing colour is passed through the squeeze
inside each rotary screen forces the printing paste into the fabric.
 The conveyer belt is cleared with water once during each revolution by the washing
device.
 In this method, print paste is fed to the different screen individually by special
pumps.

Advantages:
 Highest production.
 As many as 24 colors in a pattern can be produced, 8-10 colour can be printed easily.
 No joint mark.
 Suitable for woven and knitted fabric.
 Stripe design can be done in warp.
Disadvantages:
 Printing cost is high due to high price of screen.
 Not suitable for short runs.
 Different screens are needed for varying colors.
 Not possible of fine line design.
Squeeze system of rotary screen printing:
The following squeeze systems are commonly used in case of screen printing-
1. Rode squeeze system.
2. Blade squeeze system.
3. Air flow squeeze system.
1. Rode squeeze system: In rod squeeze system a rod is used to squeeze the ink through the
screen. The rod may be moved by magnet. The pressure of the squeeze is controlled by magnet.
When there is a resilient bed under the screen, eh used of large rod on high magnetic field may
distort he screen. This increases the contact area of rod and screen and increase pressure created
by tow moving surfaces causes more amount of print paste to pass through the screen than to a
blade squeeze.
2. Blade squeeze system: In blade squeeze system, a stationary match blade is used to force the
paste through the screen. The blades are flexible and made up of stainless steel. The curvature of
the blade, angle of contact between blade and screen etc changes according to applied pressure
and pressure can be adjusted by adjusting ball and bearing. Length and stiffness of blade are also
useful variables. For ensuring even and level printing some manufactures use phosphor bronze
blade against which a rod is pressed by and inflated air sack. When printing light weight
synthetic fabrics or transfer printing paper a metal blade is preferred to a rod.
3. Air flow squeeze system: In air flow squeeze system, magnetic rod squeezes and blades are
supported by air/sacks by which print paste is passed through the screen. Due to the pressure of
air, required amount of paste is pressed against the fabric.
Design aspects:
(a) Manual-
1. Design selection
2. Repeat sketch
3. Color separation
4. Step and repeat
5. Registration
(b) Computer aided design (CAD)
1. Scanning
2. Colour reduction
3. CAD operations
 4. Proofing

Design aspects:
1. Design selection: When planning to produce and market a print, the design and fabric quality
must first be selected. The design should suit the end-use e.g. small motifs, stripes or checks for
men’s shirting, larger motifs and repeats for furnishing fabrics. While selecting a design it is
necessary to describe which printing method will be used or the lengthwise repeat is subjected to
limitation of the screens etc. for example the repeat is likely to be 64 cm or a simple fraction of
this for rotary screens.
2. Repeat sketch: The individual design unit (repeat) must fit together perfectly in order to
avoid the appearance of discontinuities that become visible when the long lengths of fabric are
inspected to this end. The repeat sketch is arranged very carefully and also fixed.
3. Color separation: Having produce a repeat sketch, the next step is to separate the colors in
the design. This is done by reproducing eh design areas of each color separately on a clear f
translucent, dimensionally stable film. The color separation usually consists of positives paint d
by hand using opaque paint. Automatic color separation is also possible; it is pore successful for
simple geometric design.
4. Step and repeat: Once a single repeat of the design has redrawn in a suitable form it must
normally be replicated in eh correct arrangement so as to fill eh screen and cover the full width
of the fabric to be printed. In flat screen printing, the design should not reach the frame as there
must be room for eh paste reservoir at the ends of each stroke of the squeeze. Such combinations
do not apply to rotary screens.
5. Registration: It is essential to include registration lines on each color separation during its
penetration. These are lined up when the completed separations are checked for registration by
placing them one on top of another over a glass table illuminated form beneath the glass. Pitch
marks are used to check registration during printing.
Fundamental mechanism of screen printing:
Pressure profile:
The down ward force ‘F’ on the squeeze is necessary to produce the required angle and to
prevent the blade being lifted off the screen but otherwise has little effect on the hydrodynamic
pressure in the paste wedge except that due to any distortion of the screen. The hydrodynamic
pressure si increased by-
1. decreasing the squeezing angle (  )
2. increasing the blade length of eh pressure zone (b)
3. Increasing eh speed of squeeze movement (v)
4. increased paste viscosity(  )
5. reduced screen pore radius(r)
Here F=downward force
b=base length of pressure zone
v=speed of movement of squeeze
 =paste viscosity
 =squeeze angle
a=screen pore radius
Simple flow through holes in screen can approximately descriebed by Poiseuille relationship-
Pr 4
Q=
8l
Q=Amount of print paste
P=hydrodynamic pressure
I=Base length

F
v

Paste

Screen
b
Advantages of screen printing faults over roller printing:
1. The number of colors in roller printing is usually restricted to 4-6 whereas that in screen
printing is as much as 14-16.
 2. Generally the external circumference of the roller varies form 330-540mm i.e. here up to
540 mm design repeat can be produced. But in screen printing large repeats of 612-
640mm can be printed.
3. The purity of color is not maintained in roller printing as compared to flat and rotary
screen printing due to previous color running into subsequent colors specially when large
yardages of cloth are printed.
4. Due to the limitations of the sequence of colors form deep to light , the sharpness of print
has to be sacrificed in certain designs in roller printing.
5. Screen printing like rotary screen printing is comparatively more productive than roller
printing. For example, the production rate in roller printing is 25.8m/min and that in
rotary screen printing is 37m/min
6. In screen printing both continuous widthwise and lengthwise lines can be produced but in
roller printing horizontal lines and very blotches are difficult to produce due to doctor
dipping.
7. The handling of heavy engraved roller makes changing of design difficult and time
consuming. But it is easy to change the screen to change the design.

Maintenance and lubrication plan for printing m/c:

Maintenance of printing m/c is important to get decreases print product. Lubrication covers about
50% of maintenance job. It is said that lubrication is the life blood of any m/c to save the vital
parts of the machine.
Now the lubrication and maintenance plan of rotary and flat bed screen printing m/c are
mentioned below-
1. Rotary screen printing m/c: In rotary screen printing m/c, there are two ebonite rollers
(driving roller) and a number of counter rollers and guide rollers between them. An endless
blanket is moving over these rollers. One D.C. motor is the main diver which is coupled with the
reduction gear box which transmits the motion to rotate screens. The speed of screens is
synchronized with the speed of blanket. It is very important to adjust the P.I.V. gear which
should be kept locked a checked periodically. There is a steam heater for drying the blanket and
a washing unit underneath the blanket to wash it. The interlocking system of blanket will not
start unless the blanket is in the centre. The lubricating schedule as below-
 Parts to be lubricated Frequency
1. Chains of the feed and Once in a night
dryer.
2. Color feed pump Twice a week
3. guide roller and blanket, Monthly
washing equipments, pulley at
blanket at delivery end.
4. Bearing blocks (dryer) Once in a night
5. Entry guide roller, blanket Monthly
felt drive, tensions roller
6. Motor collars on shaft and Monthly
connecting shaft
7. Entry guide roller In every 3 months
8. Printing head, roller at yearly
blanket drive.
9. Chain for edge control and Monthly
lift motion for belt
10. Hydraulic system Monthly
11. Hairy roller, DC motor and Once in two years
other motors.

2. Automatic flat bed screen printing m/c:

This m/c is expected to perform following sequential operations precisely e.g. forward
movement fo the blanket, stopping the blanket at the exact repeat position, lowering the screen,
giving eh squeeze stroke and lifting up of the screen. The main drive of the blanket operates at
two speeds. A fast movement over the major part of the repeat distance reducing to the slow
speed to permit accuracy in the final positioning. All machines have a tensioning device to take
care of the elongation of the blanket during the use. The squeeze needs special attention
regarding grinding etc to maintain correct profile. Gluing of blanket is an important operation in
screen printing when a thermoplastic adhesives is used, caring is necessary both during
applications and use.
 Schedule of working Frequency
1. Checking the level of grease Daily
in pump
2. Filling the pump with Weekly
grease
3. cleaning oil filter and Monthly
distribution system
4. Cleaning and lubricating all After every 3 months
rollers and gears.
5. Cleaning and lubricating all Yearly
bearings, , blanket bearings
and micro switch printing
head.
6. checking steaming process, Every week
stem line and valves etc.

Defects in Roller Printing:

1. When grit particles in the printing paste cut the smooth surface of the unengraved
roller, the scratches produced will also transfer the paste to the cloth.
By burnishing the roller as well as by straining/filtering the printing paste again
this fault may be removed.
2. Sometimes large double stripes of colour called snappers appear along the length
of the cloth due to solid coming under the colour doctor edge.
Washing, cleaning the doctor blade, roller and filtering the paste are to prevent this
defects.
3. Very minute snappers called litts are produced at regular intervals on the cloth
because of particles of steel getting embeded in the engraving of the roller. Cleaning
the roller engraving can prevent this fault.
4. Streaks appear as fine lines or series of lines running along the piece and parallel
to selvedge due to scratches on the engraved roller and cut in the colour doctor
 blade edge. Polishing the roller and sharpening the doctor blade edge can remedy
this problem.
5. Scumming is the fault arising out of insufficient scraping of the printing paste from
the unengraved portion of the printing roller by the doctor blade.
6. Uneven printing is another fault due to the faulty of the cloth, the roller, the
printing paste and working of the M/C.
7. The printed cloth with deeper shades near one selvedge than near the other due
to uneven pressure exerted by the engraved roller on the pressure bowl and faulty
setting.
8. If the fitting of the engraved roller on the mandrel is not perfect, it slips while
rotating, this defect known as lobbing of the engraved roller.

Screen printing faults:

1. When uneven pressure is exerted by the squeegee during the stroke, the resulting print
becomes lighter on one selvedge and becomes gradually deeper towards the other
.Uneven steaming may also lead to this fault.
2. The prints may come out lighter in the middle and deeper towards the selvedges. This
occurs when too much cloth is steamed in one batch or when the cloth is very thick.
3. Very small specks of colour appear on the ground (unprinted portions) when the screen
has tiny holes in the blocked areas. In this case, the screen should be inspected and lacquer
applied at these places.
4. When the printing has too much solids in it, especially in pigment printing, the screen
may got choked (clogged) during working. This results in light prints after working for
some time.
5. When the screen is placed on a previously printed area with another colour, which is not
dried , the back of the screen picks up some paste and transfers it to the next area where
it is placed, leading to smudging of the print.
6. Deeper prints are obtained irregularly throughout the material. This may due to uneven
table surface and hence the squeegee exerts different pressures at different places.
 7. Deeper prints appear throughout the cloth in the direction of the weft(direction of the
squeegee stroke) .Uneven edge of the squeegee leads to this fault. This may remedied by
sharpening in the squeegee edge.
8. If the squeegee vibrates while applying the pressure (stroking) deep stripes along the
warp appear.
9. When a paste containing a large amount of foam is printed, lighter prints are obtained
throughout the cloth.
10. Lighter prints occurring irregularly may be due to uneven application of eh gum while
fixing cloth on the table.
11. If a soft table is used on a hard table surface deeper prints are produced. On the other
hand, if a hard squeegee is used on a soft table surface, fine lines of the designs are not
obtained.

Difference between. Rotary Screen and Roller Printing:

Rotary Screen Printing Roller Printing

1. Printing is done by perforated 1. Printing is done by specially
cylinder or spherical screen engraved copper roller.
2. Paste is pumped to the screen 2. Paste is transferred to the
and distributed lengthwise by engraved roller by colour
pumps. furnishing roller.
3. Upto 24 colors can be printed 3.Even 16 engraved roller can
but 8-10 are printed easily. be used for different colours of
pattern only 4-6 may
4. Can be printed woven and 4. Can be printed woven and tricot
knitted fabric. fabric.
5. The main equipment of printing 5. The main equipment of printing
is rotary screen is Engraved roller
6. Design can be changed quickly 6. More time required for
changing of pattern.
 7. Engraving costs slightly lower 7. Engraving costs is higher.
than copper roller.
8. Setting up time- lower 8. Setting up time -higher
9. Production rate-high 9. Production rate medium
10. Pressure of fabric-low 10. Pressure of fabric-high
11. Skillness required by the 11. Skillness required by the
operator is low operator is high
12. Colour applied is more 12. Colour applied is less in
adaptable. general.

Difference between rotary and flat bed screen printing:

Rotary screen printing Flat bed screen printing
1. Rotary screen is a continuous 1. Flat bed screen printing si a
method of printing. semi-continuous or intermittent
method.
2. The printing blanket may be 2. The printing blanket should be
shorter because cylindrical longer because flat screens
screens occupy less fabric length. occupy more fabric length.
3. Automation is required for print 3. Print paste may be poured
paste pouring on the screen. manually on flat screen.
4. suitable for printing continuous 4. Suitable for printing large
warp wise stripe but not for longer repeats but not for continuous
repeat. warp wise stripes.
5. A joint mark may occur on print 5. No such joint mark on flat
if the screen is not seamless. screen print.
6. Frame mark does not occur 6. Frame marks occur.
7. Air bag squeeze system can be 7. Air bag squeeze can not be
used. used.
8. Printing speed is higher i.e. 8. Printing speed is lower i.e. only
37m/min 7.3m/min
9. Production capacity is higher 9. Production capacity is lower i.e.
i.e. 1931m/hr 381m/hr
10. Screen should be cleaned 10. Screen should be cleaned less
more frequently. frequently.
11. 15-20 colors possible 11. 8-10 colors possible