Digital screen printer accelerates prototype production
21 January 2010
A recent development in industrial production technology has been the ability to print onto plastic and metal surfaces using digital flat bed printers.
The Copytrax PrintMaster uses advanced inkjet technology and solvent based inks, which enables companies to achieve high quality print at the press of a button on a range of materials; without the requirement for the creation of films and screens.
Recent applications have included printing on PCBs, dial gauges, and control panels.
This digital approach to screen-printing offers engineers a number of advantages. At the development and prototype stage, it gives engineers the freedom to quickly create prototypes in-house, therefore reducing costs and accelerating the design cycle. This freedom to experiment also means that engineers can be more innovative and create multiple versions for approval by the client or manager.
Another advantage of this is that a machine such as the Copytrax PrintMaster has a minimal environmental impact on the working environment. Unlike traditional screen-printing methods, digital printing equipment does not require cleaning solvents or similar agents.
"The main development has been in the make up of the inks that we can now use," said Steve Woods, Sales Manager at Copytrax. "These inks are very durable once printed and can be used to print on a wide range of substrates. In addition to this, the printhead technology is also enabling us to provide equipment that is delivering higher resolution and more vibrant designs than has been possible before. This has been an exciting break through and we are seeing a lot of demand for this technology."
The Copytrax PrintMaster employs Epson Micro Piezo head technology using a variable-sized droplet format to ensure superb colour management and a high-resolution performance. It can print a range of media up to a size of 330mm x 530mm and offers a quiet and low odour performance that enables it to be operated in a design and engineering office environment.
For many clients, Copytrax provide bespoke trays that can hold multiple items for low to medium volume print runs. There is also a rotary print fixture for the printing of cylindrical objects; a fixture that will accommodate tapered designs.
Copytrax has been working with industrial printing technologies for over 15 years and their technology has been used extensively for the printing of CDs and DVDs. "We like to think we are the experts in this field," said Woods. "We tend to work closely with our customers, often providing technical support, training and after-sales support. Every customer is different, with different projects and challenges, so we often undertake engineering projects to ensure our technology can be effectively applied to their business situation. At the moment we are working on projects with a Swedish and a French company, so it’s good to know that our expertise is appreciated abroad as well as here in the UK."
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