Advantages and Disadvantages of Printing Methods

 

BLOCK PRINTING

Advantages		Disadvantages
(1)	This method is simple and decorative method of printing.	(1)	This method involves much manual work.
(2)	Method is quite simple so any expensive equipment is not required.	(2)	Method is slow and therefore low output (production is less)
(3)	In this method, there is not any limit in repeat of size of style	(3)	Good skilled labors needed for multi color design in this method
(4)	Prints produced have great decorative value and stamp of craftsmanship.	(4)	Fine and delicate designs are hard to produce using this method

STENCIL PRINTING

Advantages		Disadvantages
(1)	The method is simple and cost effective	(1)	Good design is difficult to obtain in this method
(2)	Stencils can be made rapidly and can be used for small orders	(2)	The process involves manual work and is, therefore laborious
(3)	Colour combination is good in this method	(3)	Method is not suitable for large scale production
(4)	Any kind of colour can be used in stencil printing including oil colours and water colours; other methods of printing do not permit the use of such colours

ROLLER PRINTING

Advantages		Disadvantages
(1)	Large quantities of fabric at the rate of 914-3658m per hour can be printed	(1)	Not economical for short run of fabrics
(2)	Faulty joints or joint marks are absent in this method	(2)	In this method, difficult to produce blotch designs
(3)	Fine sharp outlines and good prints can be obtained which is difficult to get in block printing	(3)	Repeat of design limited to the size of the rollers
		(4)	Setup cost of roller printing m/c is high

FLAT SCREEN PRINTING

Advantages		Disadvantages
(1)	This method gives higher production	(1)	A big setup required for more number of screens
(2)	Printing with different repeat can be made easily	(2)	Prints with more colors may not be possible
(3)	Good print is obtained	(3)	Printing paste not evenly controlled
(4)	Sharp lines and features easily produced	(4)	Screen clogging may be there in fine areas
(5)	Blotch design can be printed by this method which cannot be printed by block or roller printing

 

ROTARY SCREEN PRINTING

Advantages		Disadvantages
(1)	Production of printed material by this method is the highest as compared to roller printing or automatic flat-bed printing method.	(1)	The method is not economical for short runs of the fabric due to high cost of engraving of the screens.
(2)	As many as 24 colours can be printed by this method but 8 to 10 colours can be printed easily.	(2)	The size of repeat of the design is limited to about 65 cm. which is less than that of a hand screen.
(3)	Joint markets which are perceptible in flat-bed and hand screen printing methods are totally absent in rotary printing.
(4)	Half tone effects and vertical lines can be produced very successfully by this method.
(5)	The prints produced are free from smudging effect which is quite severe in roller printing.

 

TRANSFER SCREEN PRINTING

Advantages		Disadvantages
(1)	The operation of transfer printing is very simple and does not require expensive machinery.	(1)	The process is mainly applicable to polyester material; the prints on other synthetic fibers like nylon or acrylic have poor wet fastness and those on polyester-cotton blends are skitter. The process is not applicable to natural fibers like cotton or silk as they are not thermoplastic and do not possess any affinity for disperse dyes.
(2)	No after-treatment of the printed material i.e.drying, washing, streaming, curing or developing	(2)	The colour range i.e. the number of dyes used for printing is limited.
(3)	No skilled labour or a colour chemist is required.	(3)	The cost of printed paper is high and its width is limited.
(4)	Faults do not occur in printing because the defects are rectified at the stage of paper printing itself; consequently the rejects are few.	(4)	The process is not economical for short runs of the fabric and designs on the pre-printed release paper cannot be modified last minute colour changes are not possible.
(5)	The machine requires considerably less space for installation than that required for conventional printing machines	(5)	Colours fastness to light of the printed material is low as compared to the fastness obtainable by the conventional method of printing
(6)	No need to store printed goods; the goods can be printed when required quantity
(7)	It is possible to print knitted goods and garments as also grey fabric (provide it is free from stains).