What is the difference between digital printing equipment and screen printing

Digital printing equipmentRefers to the use of dyes or paint to form pictures and texts on the surface of the fabric. Since the development of printing skills, it has formed a pattern in which multiple printing processes such as screen printing, rotary screen printing, roller printing, and digital printing coexist. The applicable scales of various printing processes are different, the process characteristics are different, and the printing equipment and consumables used are also different.

As a traditional classic printing process, screen printing has a wide range of applications, and it accounts for a relatively high proportion in the printing industry. In recent years, digital printing has developed rapidly, and many people feel that it will replace screen printing. What are the differences between these two printing processes? The difference between digital printing and screen printing is analyzed here.

There is little difference in the types of printed materials
Digital printing is divided into five categories: acid digital printing, reactive digital printing, paint digital printing, heat dissipation transfer printing and direct injection digital printing.
Digital printing acid ink is suitable for wool, silk and other protein fibers and nylon fibers and other fabrics.
Digital printing reactive dye ink is mainly suitable for digital printing on cotton, linen, viscose fiber and silk fabrics, and can be used for digital printing on cotton fabrics, silk fabrics, wool fabrics and other natural fiber fabrics.
Digital printing pigment ink is suitable for digital inkjet pigment printing of cotton fabrics, silk fabrics, chemical fiber and blended fabrics, knitted fabrics, sweaters, towels, and blankets.
Digital printing thermal transfer ink is suitable for the transfer printing of polyester, non-woven fabric, ceramics and other materials.
Digital printing direct-jet loose ink is suitable for digital printing of polyester fabrics, such as decorative cloth, flag cloth, and banners.

Clothing digital printing machineTraditional screen printing does not have much advantage over digital printing in the variety of materials to be printed. First, there are limitations on the size of the printing format of traditional printing. The inkjet width of large industrial digital inkjet printers can reach up to 3 to 4 meters, which can be printed discontinuously, and the length is not limited. They can even form a whole production line; For some materials, traditional water-based ink printing cannot achieve better functions. Therefore, solvent-based inks can only be used for printing, while digital printing can use water-based ink for inkjet printing on any material, which avoids many applications. Flammable and explosive non-environmentally friendly solvents.

Screen printing andClothing digital printing machineThere is not much difference in the variety of printed materials. However, the size of traditional printing is limited; in some materials, screen printing can only use flammable and explosive non-environmental solvent-based inks for printing.