Screen printer

Screen printers tend a press that presses ink through a screen. Industrial screen printing is often used to print on materials that are hard to use with other processes, like rigid plastic surfaces.

The following job titles also refer to screen printer:

silk-screen printing machine oeprator
silk-screen printing machine worker
screen printing machine specialist
screen printing machine technician
silk-screen printing operator
silk-screen printing machine technician
screen printing operator
screen-printer
screen print technician
screen printing machine operator
silk-screen printer
silk-screen printing machine operator
silk-screen printing machine specialist

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a screen printer.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Screen printer is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to screen printer.

hot foil operator
gravure press operator
flexographic press operator
offset printer
digital printer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of screen printer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of screen printer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

automated assembly line operator
pulp control operator
machine operator supervisor
paper mill supervisor
industrial robot controller

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of screen printer.

• Screen printing inks: Various types of screen ink, such as solvent, water, water plastisol, and UV curable ink solutions.
• Printing on large scale machines: Methods, processes, and restrictions related to printing on machines that produce large quantities and sizes of graphic print materials.
• Printing techniques: The techniques and processes to reproduce text and images using a master form or template such as letterpress printing, gravure, and laser printing.
• Screen printing process: This consists of preparing the screen or image carrier, squeegee, and the ink. During this process, ink is pressed through a screen on a certain surface.
• Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.

These skills are necessary for the role of screen printer.

• Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
• Perform test run: Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
• Operate screen printing press: Operate a screen printing press to fabricate multiple copies of the designed screen, increasing production significantly.
• Monitor automated machines: Continuously check up on the automated machine’s set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment in order to identify abnormalities.
• Clean equipment: Perform cleaning routines after equipment use.
• Follow safety precautions in printing: Apply safety and health principles, policies and institutional regulations of working in printing production. Protect oneself and others against such hazards as chemicals used in printing, invasive allergens, heat, and disease causing agents.
• Supply machine: Ensure the machine is fed the necessary and adequate materials and control the placement or automatic feed and retrieval of work pieces in the machines or machine tools on the production line.
• Prepare screen printing: Prepare a screen for printing by applying the photo emulsion technique, where an original image is created on an overlay and the inked areas are not transparent. Select a screen, coat it with a certain emulsion by using a squeegee and expose the print after putting it in a dry room, leaving a negative stencil of the image on the mesh.
• Prepare printing form: Prepare and inspect plates that are used in printing process to transfer ink on the desired surface and place them in the machines, for example fixing them around printing rollers.
• Follow production schedule: Follow production schedule taking into account all requirements, times and needs. This schedule outlines what individual commodities must be produced in each time period and encapsulates various concerns like production, staffing, inventory, etc. It is usually linked to manufacturing where the plan indicates when and how much of each product will be demanded. Utilise all the information in the actual implementation of the plan.
• Determine colour shades: Determine and use the correct colour to be applied to a surface, according to requirements, by using instruments and software.
• Adjust drying process to goods: Adjust machine settings to adapt drying processes, drying times, and special treatments to the requirements of the goods to be dried.
• Set up the controller of a machine: Set up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.
• Use doctor blade: Use a doctor blade to remove the excess of ink during printing and coating processes.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of screen printer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Polygraphy: Production branch that handles reproduction of text and images by printing.
• Screen printing machines: The different types of screen printing presses such as the cylinder press, the flat-bed press, and most importantly the rotary press.
• Types of paper: The different criteria used to determine differences in paper types such as coarseness and thickness, and the different fabrication methods and wood types from which the types of paper stem.
• Printing media: Specific techniques related to various printing surfaces such plastics, metal, glass, textiles, wood, and paper.
• Printed goods processes: The various types and characteristics of producing printed goods such as catalogues, flyers, etc.
• Maintenance of printing machines: Upkeep procedures and technical working of machines that produce printed graphical material.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of screen printer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Communicate with customers: Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
• Mix ink: Tend a computer-guided dispenser that mixes different shades of ink to obtain the desired colour.
• Record production data for quality control: Keep records of the machine’s faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.
• Monitor stock level: Evaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.
• Handle chemical cleaning agents: Ensure proper handling, storage and disposal of cleaning chemicals in accordance with regulations.
• Verify feasibility: Interpret an artistic plan and verify whether the described design can be executed.
• Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
• Monitor conveyor belt: Monitor the flow of the work pieces on the conveyor belt as they are processed by the machine to ensure optimal productivity.
• Pack goods: Pack different kinds of goods such as finished manufactured products or goods in use. Pack goods by hand in boxes, bags and other types of containers.
• Perform machine maintenance: Perform regular maintenance, possibly including corrections and alterations, on a machine or machine tool to ensure it remains in a proper productive state.
• Inspect printing output: Verify that the printing output is satisfactory using various methods such as visual verification, use of spectrophotometers or densitometers. The problems that might occur include misregisters or colour variation.
• Consult technical resources: Read and interpret such technical resources such as digital or paper drawings and adjustment data in order to properly set up a machine or working tool, or to assemble mechanical equipment.
• Report defective manufacturing materials: Maintain required company records and forms in order to report any defective materials or questionable conditions of manufacturing machinery and equipment.
• Check quality of raw materials: Check the quality of basic materials used for the production of semi-finished and finished goods by assessing some of its characteristics and, if needed, select samples to be analysed.
• Use colour printing programs: Use colour printing programs, such as the CMYK colour (ink) model for various pressing machines.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.

7322 – Printers

---

References

1. Screen printer – ESCO