Squeegee Fundamentals

Aug 1, 2008

To get a sharp print, pay attention to the different variables that affect the screen printing squeegee.

Surviving in the textile screen printing market requires constant improvement in every area of the process, even if you are a seasoned veteran. This means always looking at even the most basic aspects of the production cycle to determine where you can improve efficiency. One thing to pay close attention to is the different variables of the squeegee. This simple tool acts as your paintbrush, and squeegee speed, hardness, sharpness and angle all factor into creating a good, clean print.

First, squeegee speed is instrumental in controlling the amount of ink that is delivered to the shirt's surface. A slow squeegee stroke allows more time for the ink to flood the image area, delivering a larger volume of ink to the garment. A fast squeegee reduces the amount of ink delivered to the garment surface.

Squeegee hardness also is a major consideration. A common squeegee hardness for everyday garment printing is in the 70-durometer range. A high durometer number indicates a harder squeegee material, which is preferred by printers doing fine halftones in four-color process work. A 55/60 durometer squeegee is ideal for special-effect inks, such as puff or suede.

Finally, keep your squeegees sharp and experiment with the squeegee angle when printing. Although a 45-degree angle is the starting point for the squeegee in relationship to the screen, you can get a higher volume of ink to pass through the open areas of the screen by laying the squeegee back to a 40-degree angle. Remember, rules are a starting point; find the angle that works best for the job at hand. — Information provided by James Ortolani, Hix Corp., Pittsburg, Kan.

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