Printing and silk screen seek cooperation without threat

Although inkjet will occupy a certain position in the entire printing industry, the direct impact on screen printing is very small. Printing and printing technology can not match the performance achieved by some screen printing. On the contrary, screen printing can not reach the performance of inkjet printing in some aspects. For example, screen printing is difficult to duplicate 40 μm dots, and some inkjet printers can accurately replicate dots less than 1 μm. Screen printing, on the other hand, performs well on printed thick surfaces, printed PCBs and welding masks, glittering patterns on I-shirts, and even numbers that can be erased on lottery tickets.

In image reproduction, inkjet printing and screen printing will duplicate patterns of the same thickness on the textile, so that there is competition. In industrial applications, the overlap between the two applications is very small, and each industry has its own priorities. In the field outside the image-reproducing industry, for example, printing on the surface film of a pad, decorative plates, and industrial labels, screen printing is rarely used. Therefore, the threat of inkjet to the screen printing industry does not mean that it will replace screen printing.

Printed CDs and DVDs and related media are all developed from screen printing. There are still hundreds of companies and thousands of machines engaged in this work today. Although inkjet printing is also attempting to perform decorative printing on CDs, screen printing remains an absolute dominant position and inkjet technology can only be limited to use in homes and offices. Subsequent CDs and DVDs will be replaced by media with superior storage capabilities, which provides opportunities for inkjet printing rather than screen printing.

Another example is PCB printing, especially in Asia, where screen printing is still dominant in basic imaging, welding masks, and legend printing. For illustration printing, inkjet is a good finisher, but printing circuit boards and welding masks on the current PCB format, inkjet performance is not very good. However, this situation will soon change. The electronic cross-linking industry will undoubtedly develop to higher density and lighter weight, and the products will be more compact, making it impossible to use screen printing, and inkjet has its own place.

Printing is not really a threat to screen printing, but more cooperation opportunities. By investing wisely in the second-generation inkjet system, it helps screen printers to remain in a dominant position in the business and actively seek better business opportunities.