With the range of squeegee materials and specifications that saturate the market today, picking the right one for your screen printing is becoming more and more arduous.
But, not to worry.
In this guide, we will walk you through some actionable insights into how to choose the right squeegee for your subsequent screen printing jobs.
Let’s dive in.
Picking the right squeegee: beginners guide
The first consideration before picking a squeegee is the shape of the top of the blades. This comes in various forms.
- If you’re looking to use the squeegee for some general screen printing jobs. The straight edge or square blades usually work best in this regard. These blades are usually cut flat and they are perhaps the most common blade you’ll find around.
- Are you looking to print on curved or uneven Substrates? The beveled squeegee is the right fit for you. This type of squeegee usually has an angle on either side of the blade.
- Finally, if you want to print on a relatively heavy substrate or perhaps you are looking to print using specialty inks. You can go for the ball nose or round squeegees. These squeegees are known for their superior ability to work with heavier ink deposits.
After choosing the right shape, your next consideration is rigidity. We measure this parameter using durometer. A higher durometer means a more rigid or harder squeegee and vice versa. The harder the squeegee the lesser the tendency of leaving behind heavy ink deposits.
- Materials between 50 and 60 durometers are deemed soft. These are best suited for applications that require heavy ink deposits. These soft squeegees also work best for heavy substrate printing.
- The most popular hardness is 70 durometer. Materials within this range are medium-hard and they work best for general screen printing.
- Finally, anything within and beyond 80 to 90 durometer is a hard squeegee. These types leave little to no ink deposit. They are the right choice when you’re printing four colors with fine details.
Now that you’ve decided on the shape and hardness, the next consideration is the material. Usually, squeegees are made from neoprene, rubber, and polyurethane.
- Natural rubber is the least expensive, but since it breaks down easily, it has fallen out of favor.
- Neoprene is the higher-priced alternative to rubber that doesn’t break down as easily as rubber. Its abrasion resistance is also superior.
- Polyurethane is the priciest alternative. It doubles as the most durable and is tailored for demanding automatic and semi-automatic printing. If you want a material that will last you over an extended period, this is your best bet here.
If you’re planning to use the squeegee for manual screen printing, you have to factor the handle into your consideration. You generally want a handle that works great to withstand the stress of printing. You also want something that will feel comfortable in your hands. The popular choices here are wood, plastic, or aluminum. For further questions, please contact us at pengde2@pengde-pu.com.
