Screen Printing Pallet with Offset Squeegee for Label Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current screen printing machines reduce the image height on the chest of a shirt by about 6 inches due to the tag or label printing area and gap in the standard pallet, limiting the printing space.
Innovation Solution
A longer pallet is designed with separate printing areas for the chest image and label, utilizing an offset squeegee and flood bar to enable independent printing operations without reducing the chest image height, allowing the label printing area to be outside the chest image area and using adjustable components for mounting on existing machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard pallet is used with tag printing area, then label printing is enabled, but the image height on chest is reduced by about 6 inches
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet is divided into separate functional zones: a chest image printing area and a label printing area. The label printing area is positioned at the rear end of the pallet, separated from the chest printing area, allowing independent optimization of each zone without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The label printing area is positioned in a different spatial dimension (rear end of pallet) relative to the chest printing area. This spatial separation allows both label and chest image printing to occur without interfering with each other, maintaining full chest image height while enabling label printing.
2Productivity
If standard pallet configuration is used, then device complexity is low, but printing space efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The extended pallet is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides the standard chest printing surface and additionally extends to provide a label printing area. This multi-functional design increases printing space efficiency without requiring completely separate printing systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The label printing area is nested at the rear end of the extended pallet, utilizing the additional space created by the pallet extension. This nesting approach allows efficient use of the extended space while maintaining compatibility with existing printing mechanisms.
3Manufacturing precision
If offset squeegee and flood bar are used, then label printing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The offset squeegee and flood bar act as intermediary components between the printing mechanism and the label area. These components enable precise control of ink flow and application in the label printing zone, improving printing precision while adding manageable complexity through specialized rather than fundamental components.
Data Source
AI summary
A screen printing device is disclosed for printing in a label area. An example screen printing device includes a printing pallet having a chest image printing surface connected to a label printing surface. The label printing surface extends outside of a chest image printing area of a printing machine when the screen printing pallet is loaded onto the printing machine. An example screen printing device includes an offset squeegee configured for a printing operation by the printing machine on the label printing surface.