Choose the Right Squeegee for Screen Printing

Your squeegee can have a big impact on your printing-make sure you use the right job!

Shape

The top of the scraper blade has several shapes:

Square or straight edge-squeegee blades are cut flat across the bottom.  These are the most common types of squeegees and are used for more general screen printing jobs.

When the printer requires heavier ink deposition, such as printing on a heavier substrate or printing with special ink, a round or round head squeegee can be used.

The characteristic of the inclined plane is that there is an angle on one or both sides of the blade. When printing on curved or uneven substrates, bevel blades are most commonly used.

Rigidity

The hardness of the scraper is measured with a durometer, the higher the hardness, the harder the blade. A harder blade scrapes the ink more thoroughly, while a softer blade leaves a heavier ink deposit.

A squeegee with a hardness between 50 and 60 is considered a soft squeegee. They are used to leave a large amount of ink deposits when printing on heavy substrates, to control fibrillation or to print with special inks.

The most commonly used scraper is a 70 durometer. These squeegees are considered to have moderate hardness and are used for most common screen printing operations. .

Hard or super hard squeegee, from 80 to 90 hardness, used to leave lighter ink deposits. They are ideal when printing high grid count screens, when printing fine details or printing four-color processing jobs.

There are also composite rubber scrapers with different hardness layers. The printed edge is a lower durometer that is smoothly formed along the screen, while the higher durometer layer provides strength to prevent bending and deformation of the squeegee.

Material

The scraper can be made of natural rubber, neoprene or polyurethane.

The traditional scraper is made of natural rubber. Rubber scrapers are cheaper than other scrapers, but they are no longer popular because they absorb solvents and quickly decompose.

Neoprene blades are more expensive than rubber blades, but cheaper than polyurethane blades. Neoprene is a popular scraper choice because they are more resistant to cracking than rubber blades.

Polyurethane scrapers are the most expensive option, but they are also the most durable. Polyurethane blades are usually used for long-time work and printing on automatic or semi-automatic printing presses.

Handle

If you are a manual screen printer, your squeegee handle will be a major consideration. You want a handle that holds up well to the rigors of printing, but one that feels comfortable in your hand.

Wooden handles are a perennial favorite because they are warm and comfortable in the hand. However, they also absorb moisture and solvents, making them difficult-if not impossible-to clean. The method of replacing the scraper blade is usually more difficult to use a wooden handle.

Plastic or aluminum handles are easy to clean, and blades can usually be replaced quickly and easily. You can look for handles with an ergonomic design that feels comfortable in your hand.

Other considerations

No matter which kind of squeegee is suitable for your printing job, there are several considerations to keep in mind.

Blade width-Each side of the squeegee should be one inch beyond your work; however, the blade should not be too close to the screen frame, as this will break the tension of the screen.

Blade condition-The squeegee blade may be scratched or warped. Due to the abrasive nature of the screens, they can become dull over time. Please make sure that your squeegee is in good condition and is not warped or damaged, as this will affect your print quality.

Scraper care-The blade absorbs moisture and solvents. Don't let the blade stay in the solution, clean the blade quickly after use, and have enough scraper blades to rotate the blade, so that each blade has enough time to dry between operations.

When you understand how each squeegee variable affects the overall printing, you can choose the correct squeegee for each screen printing job. The correct squeegee and proper squeegee care will help improve your screen printing.

The above information is provided by squeegee supplier.