Roll to Roll Screen Printing Machine

It is a roll-fed screen printing machine that prints one colour, or two colours on the 2-colour version, in one pass. The web is unwound from a roll through a buffer box and paper guide, held flat by an air vacuum system, printed through the screens by the electro-pneumatic heads, dried and then rewound as a roll or cut into sheets. Because the paper pulling is servo controlled and a re-pass scanner reads the print mark, the machine prints in register on pre-printed material as well as on plain stock.

Each screen printing head is fully automatic and electro-pneumatically controlled, with the squeegee stroke under servo motor and drive control (Inovance) and a frame that lifts for cleaning. Rewinding and sheet cutting are separate modules on the same line and are used one at a time. All settings are made on a 7 inch touch HMI (Schneider).

Single or Double Colour Electro-Pneumatic Printing Heads

The machine is built as a single colour machine with one screen printing unit, and a 2-colour version with two units is also available. Each is a fully automatic electro-pneumatic head, with the squeegee stroke controlled by a servo motor and drive and the screen frame lifting for cleaning. The print stays consistent from the first impression to the last.

610 x 450 mm Frame, 400 mm Repeat

The frame size is 610 mm x 450 mm and the maximum repeat length is 400 mm, on a paper width of 310 mm or 450 mm. This covers most label formats, from a single large label to several labels across the web.

UV or Hot Air Dryer

Screen inks are thick and must be dried or cured before the web is rewound. RK builds the machine with hot air dryers, UV dryers or a combination of hot air and UV. Choose the dryer to suit your ink when you order.

Air Vacuum Paper Holding

An air vacuum system holds the web flat against the bed during the print stroke. This is what keeps thin and flexible label stocks from lifting and gives a clean, sharp screen print.

Servo Pulling With Re-Pass Scanner

Paper pulling is under electronic servo motor control (Inovance). A re-pass scanner system with sliding assembly reads the print mark, so pre-printed rolls are printed in register with the existing artwork.

Unwinding and Rewinding to 600 mm

The unwinding unit and the rewinding unit each take rolls up to 600 mm diameter on a 3 inch (75 mm) air shaft. The unwind has an independent AC motor with gear box and a mechanical brake for tension; the rewind is tension controlled by a mechanical clutch. Buffer boxes and gauge units guide the web.

PLC Based Stroke Counter

A total stroke counter with PLC base records every impression, which helps with job costing and production tracking.

Optional Electronic Web Guide

An electronic web guide for paper movement, made in Taiwan by Leesun, is available as an extra for jobs where edge alignment is critical.

Sheet Cutting and Label Die Cutting Modules

A separate sheet cutting module, with a servo driven nip roll, a pneumatic cutting blade, a buffer box and a gauge unit, delivers sheets instead of rolls. A separate die cutting module cuts plain or printed labels, selected on the touch screen. Rewinding and sheet cutting are used one at a time.

Optional Foil / Die Cutting Unit

A foil / die cutting unit is available as an option, so screen printed labels can be foil stamped or die cut on the same line instead of on a separate machine.

The roll is loaded on the unwinding unit and the web passes the buffer box and paper guide to the first screen printing unit. On each cycle the servo pulling advances the web by the set repeat length and stops. The air vacuum system pulls the web flat against the bed, the frame lowers, and the electro-pneumatic head makes the squeegee stroke under servo control, pushing ink through the screen onto the label.

The frame lifts, the vacuum releases and the web advances to the second unit and through the dryer, where the hot air or UV dryer cures the ink. On pre-printed material the re-pass scanner reads the mark so each print lands on the existing artwork. A separate module can die cut plain or printed labels. At the delivery end the web is rewound on the rewinding unit up to 600 mm diameter, or cut into sheets by the sheet cutting module, one at a time.

• Tactile and raised print labels – thick ink deposits for embossed-look text and logos on premium labels.
• Opaque white on clear film – dense white backing on transparent labels for cosmetics and beverages.
• Braille labels – raised dots on pharma and consumer labels.
• Scratch-off and special effect labels – scratch panels, glitter and metallic effects that need heavy ink.
• Combination printing – screen effects added in register on labels already printed by flexo or flatbed.
• Industrial and durable labels – heavy ink coverage for labels that must resist abrasion and chemicals.

The machine prints on PP, PVC, PET, polycarbonate, ABS, HIPS and treated LDPE, HDPE and EVA film, on webs 310 mm or 450 mm wide, and over-print varnish goes down on the same line. Share your material and ink samples with RK so the vacuum holding, screen and drying or UV curing are set for them.

• RK-4130/E Flatbed Printing Machinefour colour flatbed label printing with lamination and die cutting.
• Double Head Stamping Machine RK-HSD 3030flatbed stamping and label die cutting for finishing screen printed rolls.

RK Label Printing Machinery Pvt. Ltd. has manufactured label printing and converting machinery in Ahmedabad, Gujarat since 1995. The company operates three manufacturing units and supplies customers in 23+ countries. Its roll to roll screen printing machine is designed to sit alongside RK's flexo, flatbed, die cutting and slitting machines, so a label printer can add screen effects to an existing line without changing roll sizes or workflow. Each machine is configured to the customer's material, print size and roll diameters rather than sold as a fixed model.

• Print size: your largest label or label group must fit within the 610 x 450 mm frame, the 400 mm repeat and the 310 mm or 450 mm paper width.
• Colours: the standard machine prints a single colour; choose the 2-colour version if you print two screen colours in one pass.
• Plain or pre-printed: if you add screen effects to printed rolls, the repeat pass scanner and servo feed are essential.
• Ink type and dryer: choose hot air dryers, UV dryers or a combination of hot air and UV to suit your ink; confirm your ink system with RK.
• Roll sizes: unwinding and rewinding take rolls up to 600 mm diameter on 3 inch air shafts.
• Foil or die cutting: add the optional foil / die cutting unit if labels are finished on the same line.
• Edge alignment: add the optional Leesun electronic web guide for jobs with tight side registration.
• Output: 3000 impressions per hour; count your jobs to see how many shifts this covers.

The price of the RK Roll to Roll Screen Printing Machine depends on the single or double colour configuration, dryer system (hot air, UV or a combination), optional foil / die cutting unit, optional electronic web guide, screen frames and other options. Prices are quoted ex-works Ahmedabad with GST at 18% applicable; engineer travel and stay for installation and training at your site are borne by the customer. Share your label sizes, materials, ink system and roll diameters with RK and the engineering team will recommend a configuration and quote against it.