Printing

The textile printing is the art of design by mechanical and chemical application.
It entails the localized of dye of pigment the design being created by different
colour or motives.
OR
By the term “ Textile printing” we mean the localized application of dyes or
pigments and chemicals by any method which can produce particular effect of
colour on the fabric according to the design.

Steps/stages of printing:
Grey textiles / Raw materials
↓
Preparation of textile mtls
( singening, desizing , bleaching scouring)

Preparation of printing paste

Printing (with a certain style and method)

Drying of the printed fabric (in the drier)

Steaming of the printed fabric
(to transfer dye into fibre, 100-1020 C, 15 min in a steamer)

After treatment (Soaping of washing)

Styles of printing: Style refers to the manner by which particular action is

performed. It is chemical operation. Styles of printing means the manner in which
a printed effect is produced-
1. Direct style.
2. Dyed style.
3. Discharge style
4. Resist style
 5. Raised style
6. Azoic style
7. Metal style
8. Flock style
9. Creap style

1. Direct style: The dyes are printed directly at the required places of the
multicolored design on the fabric, leaving the other portions white. Thus a
multi-colored print on a white ground can be produced.

2. Dyed Style: The style consists of two stages-

I). Mordanting.
II). Dyeing.
 Printing of the colour with a thickened mordant.
 Fixing of a mordant.
 The dyestuffs combine with the mordant to form an insoluble colour
take. But the colour on the unmordanted portions only adheres
mechanically.
 Washing and soaping of the dyed cloth to remove all adhering colour.

3. Discharge style of printing:

Discharge style of printing means the process which can produce a white or colour effect
on a previously dyed ground.
Discharge style of printing is carried out.
1st step: Dyeing: Fabric is dyed firstly with an easily reducable dye.
Reduction (Reducing agent
Dye(-N=N-) ~NH2 + NH2~
Steaming 2nd step: Printing:
 The fabric is printed with a thicked soln of discharging agent.
 This discharging agent destroy the colour at the printed areas and leaves the dye of
unprinted areas unaffected.
  If any dye is present in the soln of discharging agent which is not affected by its
discharging action, can also be deposited and fixed on the ground.
 Reducing agent must be stronger than Dye
rd
3 Step: Steaming.
4th Step: washing.

Types of discharge styles:

I) White discharge:
 After dyeing and printing, the discharge agents discharge the dye of printed areas
and leaves the dye present on the unprinted area unaffected
A while design is produced on colour ground
Green
Green Green

Dyed Print with White

Fabric discharging agent

II) Colour Discharge:

 The coloured printing paste remove the initial value from the coloured ground
At the same time deposit colour on the original ground.

Green Green

Dye with Print with discharging Red

Green agent + Red
Colour discharge

4. Resist style of Printing:

In this process, a substance is applied to the fabric that will prevent the fixation of any
coloring agent employed afterwards on that area.
Resist style of printing is carried out-
I) Printing: The fabric is printed with a resist salt sol which is sprayed on the fabric
mechanically or manually.
II) Dyeing: The fabric is dyed with a suitable dye as a result the areas covered by the
resist salt will not be dyed and other portions would be dyed.

Types of resist style of printing:

White Resist:
 No color is added to the print paste sol with resist salt
 After dyeing the printed area remains white.

Print with Print with green

resist Salt + resist Salt

After dyeing with After dyeing

Red with Red

White Green

Red Red

White Resist Colour Resist

Color resist:
 Coloring mtl is added to the print past with resist salt
 The printed area contain the color added to print paste and the remaining areas will
contain the color of dye sol.

(5) Azoic style: Two components constitute the azoic dye.

 The two components are the base or diazo component and the Nepthol. Dyeing
or printing with azoic dyes is a two stages process:
I).Diazotisation: It involves converting diazocomponents into soluble diazonium salt.

II). Nepthalation: It involves dissolving the napthol in H2O. When dissolved

napthol comes, in contact with soluble diazonium salts ‘ coupling’ reaction
tahesplace and colour is obtained.

Azoic style of printing consists of two steps-

I). Printing: The fabric is printed with diazo compund.

2). Padding: Then napthalation occurs i.e. napthol is added to the fabric.
The printing of B napthol is an example of azoic style of printing.

(6) Raised style: It is the same process of white discharge style of printing.

(7) Metal style: In this style of printing some spangle type metals are printed on the fabric
as it will be brighter.

(8) Flock style: Flock is a branch of short fibre.

In the electrostatic method of flocking, the fabric is printed with on adhesive and
passes on a moving belt through an electric charge. The flock made from cotton,
rayon, is filtered from the flock hopper on to the fabric and is attracted to the
adhesive in perpendicular form. After a batching process the sharpless fibres are
removed.

(9) Creep style: In this style, printing is performed after alkali treatment or heat setting.
Difference bet Discharge style of printing & Resist:
Discharge Style Resist style of printing
1. It is always sharp in outline, bright 1. It is less sharp in out line and less
in appearance bright
2. Discharging agent used 2. Resist salt used
3. Strong chemical reaction is 3. No chemical reaction due to pre
required dyeing
4. At first the fabric is dyed and then 4. At first reisting salt printed, and
discharging printing then fabric is dyed.
5. Two or more coloured can be dyed 5. Only two class can be dyed
at a time
6. Discharging agent destroy pre 6. Resisting salt resist to be fixed of
fixed dye of fabric colour on the fabric
7. The cost of discharging agent is 7. Cheap
high
8. More wastages of dye 8. Less wastage of dye

Difference between Dyeing & Printing:

 Dyeing Printing
1. There is no localized 1. This is the localized application of
application dyes/pigments on the fabric according to
design.
2. Color is applied in form 2. Color is applied in form of thick paste.
of soln
3. Fabric, yarn and fibres are 3. Fabric is only printed
dyed.
4. Generally a color is used. 4. One or more color is used.
5. Thickener is not used. 5. Thickener is used.
6. Steaming is not required 6. Steaming is used in the printed fabric for
on dyed mtl. fixation.
7. More time is required 7. Less time is required.
8. Less expensive. 8. More expensive
9. Much amount of water is 9. Less amount of water is used.
used
10. Liquor ratio is high. 10. Liquor Ratio is less.
 Thickener
Chapter

2
Thickener
Definition: Thickener is a thick mass which imparts stickiness and plasticity to the
print paste so that it may be applied on the fabric surface without bleeding or
spreading and be capable of maintaining the design out lines.

Function or Object or Purpose of Thickener:

 To give the required viscosity to the printing paste.
 To prevent premature reactions between the chemicals contained in the print
paste.
 To hold the ingredients of the print paste on the fabrics.

Factors to be considered to select/choice of a Thickener:

 Type and quality of mtl. to be printed.
 Compatibility with dyes and chemicals.
 Print paste stability.
 Styles and methods of printing.
 Properties of the dried thichener film.
 Effect on colour yield, such as-diffusion, fixation.
 Preparation and removal of the thickner.
 Cost.
 Biological oxygen demand.
 Printing thickener

Natural Modified natural Synthetic

1. Starch derivatives 1.Acrylic

1. Cereals Starch
e.g. British gum i.e. Polyacrylic acid
i.e. Maize Starch
C.M.S etc. Polyacrylic amides
Wheat Starch 2. Vinyl
2. Plant exudates 2. Cellulose derivatives
e.g. C.M.C i.e. Polyvinyl Chloride
i.e. Gum tragacanth
HEC Polyvinyl aceetate
Gum arabic Polyvinyl alcohol
Karaya gum 3. Gum derivatives
3. Root and seeds i.e. Meypro gum
i.e. Guar gum Indalca
Locust beam gum
4. Sea weeds
i.e. Na - alginate
Classification of Thickener:
C.M.S – Carboxy Methyl Starch
C.M.C – Carboxy Methyl Cellulose
H.E.C – Hydroxy Ethyl Cellulose

Essential Quality of Thickener:

 Stability to keeping (physical-cheical stability) should be good.
 It should have certain physical and chemical properties such as viscosity,
flow property, ability to adhere and wet to the internal surface of etchings
of the engraved roller.
 It must be compatible with the other ingredients of the printing paste.
 The thickener film should dry properly on the fabric to prevent spreading of
the colour by capillary action.
 Proper extraction of water from steam during steaming should be ensured to
provide free space for the dye molecules to move towards the fabric.
 The thickener should not have affinity for the dye and should not keep the
dye from the fabric.
  The thickener molecule should have a control over the free water pick up
and not carry the dye beyond the boundaries of the impression.
 The thickener should be cheap and available in abundance.
 After perform printing, the useable media i.e. Block, Roller, Screen should be
easily cleanable.
 Once the dye is transferred from the thickener film (desizing steaming) the
removal of the exhausted thickener film without fetching water soluble dye
should be easy.

Thickener Preparation:
1. Starch and Starch derivatives:
Starch is a homopolymer of glucose. It consists of 20-30% linear Amylose and
80-70% branched Amylopoctire. Normally 10% Starch paste is prepared.
CH2OH CH2OH
H OH H OH
H H
OH H OH H
OH O O
H OH H OH

A part of amylose molecule. (Straight chain)

 C H 2O H C H 2O H
H O H H O H
H H
OH H OH H
O O
H OH H OH
O

CH 2
C H 2O H
H O H H O H
H H
OH H OH H
OH O O
H OH H OH

A p a rt o f a m y lo p e c tin (B ra n c h e d c h a in )
Recipe:
Starch – 100 parts
Water – 900 parts
Total – 1000 parts
Time – 15 min.
Temp. – Maximum 600 c
Procedure: At first starch is immersed to the cold water according to Recipe. Then temp.
is increased gradually to boiling. Starch starts to swollen up to 70 0 c. In this way after
boiling 15 min. a required viscosity of starch thickener is prepared.

2. Gum Tragacanth: A 6% paste of this gum is usually prepared.

Recipe: Tragacanth-60 parts
Water-90 “
Time-2-3 days
Temp- 1000 c

3. Starch Tragacanth:
Recipe: Wheat starch- 400 parts.
Gum tragacanth-600 “
Temp -1000 c

4. Gum Arabic: A 50% paste is prepared by boiling.

Recipe:Gum arabuc—600gm
Water------400 gm
Time-------3 hr
5. Locust bean gum: A 2-3% paste is made. PH 3-4 range.
The 20 gm gum powder is sprinkled on a soln. of borax(4.5gm/l) while stirring.
The paste is made slightly acidic and heated to 800 c to 900 c.
1. Guar gum: Fine powder. A 2% sloution gives thick paste. It is non ionic in
nature.
Advantages:
I).It gives const visosity over a wide range of PH (1-10.5)
II). Compatible with dyes and other chemicals.
III). Economical than others.
IV). Prepn is easy.

7. Meypro gum: 5% paste is prepared. A modified guar gum.

8. Guar Arabic and Crystal gum:

A 20% paste is made widely used for polyester and nylon etc.
9. Sodium Alginate:
--Obtained from sea-weeds.
--Widely used for printing with reactive dyes.
--Good stability in wide range of PH (4-10)
--Normally 6% paste is prepared.

10. Carboxy Methyl Cellulose: This is made by reacting cellulose with

concentrated NaOH solution. and then reacting with sodium monochloro acetate.
Generally 2% solution is made
CH2OH CH2OH

H O O H H O O

H H O O H
O
CH2OH
 NaOH

CH2ONa CH2ONa

H O O H H O O

H H O O H
O
CH2ONa

ClCH2COONa

CH2OCH2COONa CH2OCH2COONa

H O O H H O O

H H O O H
O
CH2OCH2COONa

Advantage:
 Viscosity very high.
 Good thickener.
 Compatible with acid or alkali solution.

Suitability in the process:

1. Starch: No reaction with alkali
2. -Suitable to that dyestuff which are printed with alkali.
3. Gum Tragacanth:
4. -suitable to that fabric which do not require washing properly after printing.
5. Gum arabic:
-For printing of nylon fabric with acid dye.
-Printing with vat dye of cotton fabric.
-Printing of silk fabric.
-Easy to remove form fabric
6. Gum karaya:-Suitable to printing with direct dye stuff.
7. Locust bean gum:-Printing with vat dyestuff with alkali.
8. Na alginate: Widely used for printing with reactive dye.
9. British gum: Printing with vat dye and discharge colour.
10.Indalca: Suitable for printing with vat and direct dye and printing for
polyestor,Nylon.
11.CMC: Suitable for printing with vat dye stuff and azo dye
-easy to remove after fixed.

Rheological behaviour of gums:

The water-soluble gums may be devided into four groups, depending on their viscocity
response to an applied force in an aqueous media-
1. Newtonian flow.
2. Dilatent flow.
3. Thixotropic flow.
4. Pseudo plastic flow.

Viscocity may be defined in two ways:

Viscocity is the ratio of shearing stress to the rate of shearing. or
Viscocity is the measure of the resistance of a liquid to flow:
Shear stress
Viscocity =
Shear rate
Shear stress is the resistance of the liquid to flow under the influence of an applied force:
Force
Shear stress =
Area sheared
Velocity
Shear rate =
Clearance
When a liquid is sheared assuming laminar flow, the layers of the liquid move at different
rates. The relative rate of motion of the layers is only factor in the rate of shear. The other
is the distance between the shearing planes.

1. Newtonian flow: In this case, the viscocity is not dependent upon the time or shear
rate. It is, however dependents upon solution concentration and temperature
solutions of high polymers are very rarely Newtonian. In applied shearing stress,
The proportionality-viscosity- remains constant with the shear rate.

2. Dilatent flow: This is rarely encountered except in dispersions having about 50%
solids. It involves and increase in viscocity with increasing shear rate. Starch
exhibits dilatent flow.
3. Thixotropic flow: This involves a decrease in viscocity as a function of time.
Thixotropic systems re-establish their structure upon standing
undisturbed.Thixotropic flow never exists alone; it is a super imposition of the
viscocity-time relationship upon either Newtonian, dilatent or pendoplastic flow.
The most common is the thixotropic-pseudo plastic flow combination. Solutions of
CMC, hydroxyethylcellulose etc. can be thixotropic or pseudoplastic.

4. Pseudo plastic flow: Most polymer solutions of moderate concentrations exhibit

this type of flow. In this case, viscocity decreases with increasing shear rate. Ethyl
hydroxyethyl cellulose, CMC, alginate etc. demonstrate pseudoplasticity.

Printing Ingredients:
1. Dyestuffs or Pigments.
2. Wetting agents.
3. Thickener.
4. Solvent, dispersing agents.
5. Dofoaming agents.
6. Oxidising and Reducing agents.
7. Catalyst and Oxygen Carrier.
8. Acids and alkalis.
9. Carrier and Swelling agents.
10. Miscellaneous agents.
Function:
1. Dyes/Pigments:
 Attraction of dye stuff to the fibre due to presence of auxochrome.
 To achieve colour effect on the fabric
 To produce required shade.
e.g. Vat, Azoic, Reactive, direct etc.
2. Wetting agents:
 To wet the fabric as well as dyestuff.
  To reduce surface tension of water allowing the dyestuff for easy penetration into
fibre.
 To obtain smooth paste.
 To dissolve the dyestuff in the paste
e.g.: Olive oil, T.R oil, caster oil .
Lissapol N. Animal oil, Glycerine.

3. Solvents/dispersing agents/solution acids:

 To get bright design.
 To assist dye penetration
 To spread dye moles evenly in the past.
 Assist dye fixation.
 To prevent aggregation of dye molecules in the highly concentrated of the dye.
 To prevent precipitation.
 To increase solubility of the dyes.
 To make proper printing shade
e.g.: Urea, Glycerine, desirable, Alcohol, Acetone, Diethylene glycol, Thio diethy lene
glycol.

4. Thickener:
 To give required viscosity to the printing paste.
 To prevent premature reactions betn the chemicals contained in the print paste.
 To hold the ingredients of the print paste on the fabric
Ex: Na-alginate, fine gum, british gum, CMC.

5. Defoaming agents:
 To prevent the foam generation during printing.
e.g. Silicone, defoamers, sulphated oil, perminol KB, Emulsified pine oil.
6. Oxidising and reducing agent:
Oxidising agent:
 To develop the final colour during steaming or in the subsequent after treatment.
 Assists to dye fixation.
e.g.: Sodium chlorate, Potasium chlorate, Sodium nitrate, Resist Salf Ammonium
chloride, Ludigol, Na or K dichromate

Reducing agent:
 Used for reduction of different dyes.
 Used for mainly in discharge printing.
 To destroy colour from the ground of fabric.
 To make the insoluble dyes to soluble
e.g. Sodium hydrosulphite, Stanus chloride etc. Rongolite-C

7. Catalyst and oxygen carrier:

 To prevent fibre damage during steaming.
 Accelerate the final colour development by oxidation.
 Reduce the risk of oxidisation.e.g. Copper sulphide, Amimonium vanadate,
Potassium ferrocyanide.
8. Acids/Alkalis:
 To maintain PH
 To develop the colour or printed fabric.
 To fix dye on the fabric permanently.
e.g. Organic acid Alkali KOH, NaOH, Na2CO3, pottasium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate,
Sodium acetate.

9. Carrier and swelling agent: Swelling agent:

 To create the big size holes of the fibres.
  Helps to swell the fibre structure.
 To reduce crystallinity.
 Help the easy penetration of dye molecule inside the fibre polymer.
e.g. Polyethylene Glycol, Phenols, DEGDA (di-ethylene glycol. diacetate)

Crrier:
Used for fixing disperse dyes on polyester or polyster wool blends at temp below
105oC.
Cl

OH Cl

OH Cl

e.g. Diphenol, Ortho-phenol, Tri-chloro benzene,

Para phenyl phenol

10.Miscellaneous agent: Hygroscopic agent:

 Assist fixation of dyes.
 Absorb moisture from air.
 Facilitates subsequent washing off.
e.g. Urea, glycerine etc.

Mild oxidising agent:

During steaming of ago colour, the partial colour can be destroyed by the effect of
Reducing. To secure of this condition, Mild agent used.
Ex: Ludigol, Resist Salt.
 Methods of printing:

1. Block printing---(i)By hand (ii) By machine

2. Stencil printing
(i) Metal stencil
(ii) Screen stencil
3. Roller printing
4. Screen printing
(i) Hand screen
(ii) Semi-Automatic flat screen printing
(iii) Fully Automatic flat screen printing
(iv) Rotary screen printing

5. Transfer printing
(i) Flat bed press transfer printing m/c
(ii) Continuous transfer printing m/c
(iii) Vacuum transfer printing m/c

1. Block Printing: Block printing is the oldest method of printing which still
exists but use is limited to the decoration of scraves and handker chiefs.
Block size: Generally 3” X 4”—4”-12”
Maximum—36” X 36”

Required equipment:
I). long table (generally made of wood).
II). sieves.
III). Resilence pad of woolen felt cloth/foam.
IV). Gummy cloth.
V). Back grey.
Table size: Length—as required.
Width—1.5-2 m
Height—depend on labour height.
Block preparation: Generally block is made from pear wood which is cut so that
the design is raised in relief. The size of the block depends on the design
characteristics. Normally block is used only for single colour. The printing does
not become uniform with large size block.

Printing procedure:
 The fabric for printing is stretched on a flat table covered with resilience
substance and then back grey and gummy cloth.
 The printing paste is kept in a colour pad which is a blanket. The colour
pad or sieves is kept in a colour tlray.
 The block is pressed into the sieve and smeared with colour paste. Then it
is raised and pressed upon the fabric so that coloured pattern to transfer to
it.
Advantage:
 The method is simple to operate and does not require elaborate and
expensibe equipmet.
 Design in any no of colours and on any scale can be reproduced.
 Fast rate block print posses richness, fullness and purity of colour.
 There is no limiting factor in repeat unit.

Disadvantage:
 Slow method, low out put and hece costly.
 Not possible to obtain sharp out lines of design.
 Difficult to join up each impression or repeat perfectly.
 This method involves manual work and hence quite laborious.

Stencil Printing:
-Stencil made from (I) Steel (II) paper (III) plastic (IV) Laminated.
Paper: Transparent paper imaging a design and then chemically treatment to make
water proof.

Kinds of stencil printing:

 I) by brushing.
II) by spray.

Procedure: Direct style of printing is applied in this method by two ways-

spraying or brushing. The stencil is placed on the fabric and colour is applied by
means of brushing or spraying.
It is used decorate knitted fabric.

Advantage:
 Stencil is much easier handle than the block and the cost of production is
low.
 Possible to produce various shade effect.
 Direct application of print paste and any kind of colour can be used in
stencil.
IV). Profitable for small scale production.

Disadantage:
 Complete circular/rings can’t be obtained and designers freedom is limited.
 Complex design is not suitable.
 Not suitable for large scale production.
 It involves manual work and hence laborious.

Roller printing:
Rollor printing or M/C printing is the most economical and fastest way of
printing. The output of this M/C can not be surpassed by any other method of
printing. Designs with up to 16 colours present no problem in Roller printing.

Construction:
 This M/C consists of a central pressure bowl(1) suitably wrapped with layers
of cloth called lapping (2) around which an endless woollen blanket (3) ,a
back grey (4) and the cloth (5) to be printed circulate in contact with each
other.
  An engraved printing roller of shell (6) mounted on a steel shaft or mandrel
(7) revolves in contact with the pressure bowl above and a furnisher roller
(8) below which partly dips in the printing paste kept in the colour box (9).
 A sharp edged steel blade called colour doctor (10) rests on the engraved
roller on one side and a brass blade lint doctor(11) rests on the other by
suitable weights and levers.

Working procedure:
 The fabric to be printed is placed on the impression cylinder. The pressure
cylinder comes to the contact of engraved roller by rotating forwards.
 The engraved roller is first supplied with the printing paste by the
furnishing roller. This paste is deposited in the engravings as well as applied
on the smooth surface.

Fig: Roller printing m/c

 When the engraved roller rotates, it comes into contact with the colour
doctor which scrapes the excess colour (paste) from the smooth surface and
allows the paste deposited in the engravings to remain there. Subsequently, it
makes an impression on the fabric by depositing the paste contained in the
engraving.
 During the further rotation of the engraved roller, it meets the lint doctor
which is placed at an angle against the rotation of the roller. It cleans the
engraving rollers by removing fibrcs, faulty mtls.
  A no of engraved rollers provided with separate furnishers, colour boxes and
colour doctor and lint doctors are replaced around the central pressure bowl
so that by a single passage of the cloth through the M/C all the colors
required in the design are printed, each roller supplying a part of the
design.

Advantages:
 Suitable for large scale production.
 High speed M/C and hence more production.
 Can be used for fine printing.
 Can be made/prepared high quality design due to not joint mark.
 Possible to print in complex weaven design.

Disadvantages:
 Changing time high. So not suitable in small scale production.
 Engraving the printing roller is an expensive operation.
 May be light printing shade.
 Crush effect produce.

Screen Printing:
1. Hand Screen printing.
2. Flat bed screen printing.
 Semi-automatic
 Full automatic
3. Rotary screen printing
Fundamental characteristics of Screen Printing:
(1) In screen printing process, hydrodynamic pressure is built up in the
print paste between. the squeeze and the screen surface through which the paste
is passed. Important elements here are the force (pressure) exerted by the
squeezes, the holes through which the paste must pass and the receptivites of the
cloth for the colour.
(2) The hydrodynamic pressure appears to be inversely proportional to the
1
radius of the pores ( HP  )where the power of r not exceed 2) Here pore radius
rn
greatly affects the winorenl of paste flowing through screens. H.P  viscosity of
the paste.
(3) The % of open area of the screen also plays a role. More open
screens allows more paste to pass.
(4) The fabric to be printed forms a three dimensional structural with the
screen where the absorbency of the fibers and penetration capacity between pores
also affect the take up of the paste.
(5) The usual hexagonal opening which are larger at the outside of the
screen that’s at the inside the capillary and surface tension forces etc result in a
printing with actually more colour deposited in the areas between hole than
opposite holes.
Pore Printing paste

Factors to be considered for good screen printing:

The amount of paste which is pushed through depends upon-
1. The fineness of the screen.
2. The fraction of open or non curved area of screen.
3. The hardness of the table.
4. The viscosity of the printing paste.
5. The no. of the squeeze strokes.
6. The speed of the squeeze strokes.
7. The hardness and X-section of the squeeze blade.
Hand Screen Printing: Printing table is arranged in the shade vertically. The
fabric to be printed is placed on the table in tension and welded with gum. Then
screen is placed on table and printing paste is given on it. Paste is attached
through screen according to design by moving squeeze 2 or 3 times. As a result
engraved de3sign on screen is printed on fabric. Then dried by heat arrangement
below table.
S c re e n

F a b ric

B a c k g re y

T a b le

Fully Automatic Flat Bed Screen Printing:

Feature:
 The M/C consists of a printing table (flat bed) an endless conveyor belt to
bring the fabric onto the table under screen.
 A no of screens a special mechanism for lowering the screen on the
required parts of fabric.
 Squeezes are driven by motor.
 An arrangement for gumming the fabric on conveyor belt by a driver.
 Special arrangement under table to collect extra paste.
 Speed 5-20 m/min.
Squeeze system:
1. Double blade squeeze.
2. Magnetic Rod Squeeze.

Fig: Automatic Flat bed screen printing m/c

M=Fabric to be printed,
S1,S2, S3, S4 =Screen
t=Printing table, d= Conveyor belt
W=Washing device for blanket
I=Device for bringing gum to the printing table.

Procedure:
 The fabric to be printed is feed to the printing table by feed system and
is welded by glue with endless conveyor belt.
 The conveyor draws forward below screen in equal difference and printing
paste mechanically supplied is welded on fabric according to design by
squeeze through screen.
 Automatic squeeze system of individual screen is controlled by
mechanically or electro magnatic power with individual motor.
 By using different colours in different screens, printing effect of different
colour can be made.
 By washing device weld glue on belt can be cleared.

Advantage of Automatic Flat Bed Screen Printing:

 The flat bed screen printing method is mostly used for sarees.
 Easy and very cheap to prepare screen.
 The colours have a transperancy, purity and richness.
  Upto 14-16 colour in one pattern can be produced.
 Since the whole width of fabric is printed at a time, its faster than block
printing.
 Comparatively cheap than roller printing.
 Wastage of printing paste is less.
Disadvantage of screen printing:
 Joint markers at the repeat often precipitated.
 For high production a large no of tables have to bel used requiring huge
space.
 Fine mesh screen used for sharp designs are often chocked.
 Production is less than roller printing.

Rotary Screen Printing:

Feature:
 A perforated cylinder or spherical screen.
 Each screen is independently driven.
 Printing paste is fed to individual screen by special pump.
 The printing paste level inside the rotory screen is automatically and
constantly controlled.
 The transfer of printing paste through the perforations of the screen into the
fabric is governed by specially designed squeeze blades.
 Gummy device.
 Washing device.
Procedure:

Fig: Rotary screen printing m/c

M=Fabric to be printed, d=conveyor belt
W= Washing device, L=Device for bringng gum to the blanket.
 At the time of printing, the fabric is brought on and placed on the
conveyer belt through feeding system.
 The conveyer brings the fabric continuously under the series of rotary
perforated screen made of metal foil where the printing colour is passed
through the squeeze inside each rotary screen forces the printing paste into
the fabric.
 The conveyer belt is cleared with water once during each revolution by
the washing device.
 In this method, print paste is fed to the different screen individually by
special pumps.

Advantages:
 Highest production.
 As many as 24 colours in a pattern can be produced, 8-10 colour can be
printed easily.
 No joint mark.
 Suitable for woven and knitted fabric.
 Stripe design can be done in warp.
Disadvantages:
 Printing cost is high due to high price of screen.
 Not suitable for short runs.
 Different screens are needed for varying colours.
 Not possible of fine line design.
Difference between. Rotary Screen and Roller Printing:
Rotary Screen Printing Roller Printing
1. Printing is done by specially 1. Printing is done by specially
made perforated cylindrical or engraved cupper roller.
spherical screen
2. Paste is pumped to the screen and 2. Paste is transferred to the engraved
distributed lengthwise by pumps. roller by colour furnishing roller.

3. Upto 24 colours can be printed but 8- 3.Even 16 engraved roller can be used for
10 are printed easily. different colours of
pattern only 4-6 may
4. Can be printed woven and knitted fabric. 4. Can be printed woven and tricot fabric.

5. The main equipment of printing is rotary 5. The main equipment of printing is

screen Engraved roller
6. Design can be changed quickly 6.More time required for changing of
pattern.
7. Engraving costs slightly lower than 7. Engraving costs is higher.
copper roller.
8. Setting up time- lower 8. Setting up time -higher
9. Production rate-high 9. Production rate medium
10. Pressure of fabric-low 10. Pressure of fabric-high
11. Skillness required by the operator is low 11. Skillness required by the operator is high

12. Colour applied is more adaptable. 12. Colour applied is less in general.

Transfer Printing: Transfer printing is such the printing which can be printed on
fabric by transfering design of printing paper using only methods.
P r in tin g in k
T ra n sfe r
P r in tin g p a p e r
T ra n sfe r
T e x tile m tls .
 Basic Principle:
Transfer printing technology is done by two steps-
 At first step, the definite design is printed on transfer paper by sublimable
dyestuff paste. This transfer paper is printed by flexographic lithographic.
 In 2nd step- this transfer paper is kept contact into the fabric to be printed.
As a result design of printing paste is transferred to the fabric from
transfer paper under the condition of time, temp and pressure.

In this method cut piece fabric is printed in flat bed M/C and long fabric is
printed by continuous transfer printing M/C.

Types of transfer printing M/C:

1. Flat bed process transfer printing M/C.
2. Continuous transfer printing M/C.
3. Vacuum transfer printing M/C.

1. Flat bed process Transfer Printing M/C:

 It is suitable to print the garments.
 It is suitable to print both side of fabric.
 Time of printing is settled to the M/C.
 The no. of printed garments per hr. is 50 to 100.
 Heated is carried out by electricity or super heated steam.
Working principle:

A = Feeding, B = Printing, C = Press, D = Stacking of printing parts, E = Conveyor

Fig: Flat bed Transfer printing m/c
 In this M/C printing is performed by three steps-
 At first fabric to be printed is fed to endless blanket.
 In this step, fabric comes to press bed and pre-printed paper is placed on
the fabric in press bed. In this step, temp normally 1800C to 2200C and
time 30-40s pressing is given by a pair of cylinder with air.
 The press bed or heated plate is then lifted and this printed fabric is stored by
moving through blanket.
In the moment the another cycle is starts.

2. Continuous Transfer Printing M/C:

In this M/C, design is transfered from printing paper to fabric. After printing by
this M/C no need of fixation or wet treatment.

Working principle:

 In this M/C, since preprinted paper and fabric contact to each other passes
through, design is transfered to fabric which is done in a biggest heated
cylinder.
 Here, cylinder is heated at 2200C in interlly and design is transfered due to
the pressure of cylinder and pre-printed paper.
 A tension device is used for pressure of printing paper to fabric.
 Required time for printing is 15-30 s.
 Backing paper is used for uniform pressure fabric and transfer paper.
 The speed of M/C is 1300 m/hr.
  The speed of machine varies between 6-15 m/min depending on the diameter fo the
heated cylinder.
3. Vacuum Transfer printing:

Fig: Vacuum Transfer printing

Both continuous and unit transfer printing machine have been redesigned to provide
vacuum assisted transfer.
The drawing of dye into the fabric from the printing paper is achieved by means of
vacuum produced in a cylinder. The cylinder is manufactured from a finely perforated
steel mantle with surface profile and perforations. Due to this even vacuum the paper and
fabric are wrapped around the cylinder, ensuring an intimate contact pressure between the
paper and fabric.
The composite (fabric/paper) is fed around the perforated cylinder. The steel mantle of
the drum is covered with a heat resistant padding material. The sublistatic paper usually
extands about 1inch beyond each selvedges of the fabric. The projecting edges of the
paper are sealed off by adjustable perforated Teflon tapes which reject the dyestuffs and
protect the drum edged from getting soiled. Heating is done by infra-red heating, filled in
a special reflecting chamber.
Advantages of Transfer Printing:
 Standard printing can be done by this printing.
 No washing off or No need of after treatment.
 It is possible to guarantee delivery of small and large quantities in a short
time.
 Produced fabric is not stiff.
  The degree of wastage is very small.
 Suitable in knitted fabric.
 The cost of the equipment is low.

Disadvantages:
 Only volatile dye can be used.
 The technique mainly aims at synthetic fibres baised on synthetic polymer.
 There is extra step of 1st working on paper.
 Once the transfer printing paper has been used it cannot be used.
 Costly.

Defects in Roller Printing:

1. When grit particles in the printing paste cut the smooth surface of the
unengraved roller, the scratches produced will also transfer the paste to the
cloth.
By burnishing the roller as well as by straining/filtering the printing
paste again this fault may be removed.
2. Sometimes large double stripes of colour called snappers appear along the
length of the cloth due to solid coming under the colour doctor edge.
Washing, cleaning the doctor blade, roller and filtering the paste are to
prevent this defects.
3. Very minute snappers called litts are produced at regular intervals on the
cloth because of particles of steel getting embeded in the engraving of the
roller. Cleaning the roller engraving can prevent this fault.
4. Streakes appear as fine lines or series of lines running along the piece and
parallel to selvedge due to scratches on the engraved roller and cut in the
colour doctor blade edge. Polishing the roller and sharpening the doctor
blade edge can remedy this problem.
5. Scumming is the fault arising out of insufficient scraping of the printing
paste from the unengraved portion of the printing roller by the doctor blade.
6. Uneven printing is another fault due to the faulty of the cloth, the roller,
the printing paste and working of the M/C.
7. The printed cloth with deeper shades near one selvedge than near the other
due to uneven pressure exerted by the engraved roller on the pressure bowl
and faulty setting.
 8. If the fitting of the engraved roller on the mandrel is not perfect, it slips
while rotating, this defect known as lobbing of the engraved roller.

Screen printing faults:

1. When uneven pressure is exerted by the squeegee during the stroke, the resulting
print becomes lighter on one selvedge and becomes gradually deeper towards the
other .Uneven steaming may also lead to this fault.
2. The prints may come out lighter in the middle and deeper towards the selvedges.
This occurs when too much cloth is steamed in one batch or when the cloth is very
thick.
3. Very small specks of colour appear on the ground (unprinted portions) when the
screen has tiny holes in the blocked areas. In this case, the screen should be
inspected and lacquer applied at these places.
4. When the printing has too much solids in it, especially in pigment printing, the
screen may got choked (clogged) during working. This results in light prints after
working for some time.
5. When the screen is placed on a previously printed area with another colour, which
is not dried , the back of the screen picks up some paste and transfers it to the next
area where it is placed, leading to smudging of the print.
6. Deeper prints are obtained irregularly throughout the material. This may due to
uneven table surface and hence the squeegee exerts different pressures at different
places.
7. Deeper prints appear throughout the cloth in the direction of the weft(direction of
the squeegee stroke) .Uneven edge of the squeegee leads to this fault. This may
remedied by sharpening in the squeegee edge.
8. If the squeegee vibrates while applying the pressure (stroking) deep stripes along
the warp appear.
9. When a paste containing a large amount of foam is printed, lighter prints are
obtained throughout the cloth.
10.Lighter prints occurring irregularly may be due to uneven application of eh gum
while fixing cloth on the table.
11.If a soft table is used on a hard table surface deeper prints are produced. On the
other hand, if a hard squeegee is used on a soft table surface, fine lines of the
designs are not obtained.
 Difference between stencil and screen:
Stencil Screen
1. Oldest method 1. Moderation of stencil
2. For drawing of cicular line, need 2. Very easily
of combination bridge.
3. Less production. 3. More production.
4. It can proceeds with stencil 4. It can process by screen

5. Colour is applied on the

fabric by brush or spray
5. by moving the screen

Printing of fabric
Printing of cellulosic fabrics

Printing of cotton fabric with direct dye:

1. Direct style of printing:
Thickener used:
 Gum Tragacanth
 British gum
 Starch Tragacanth
 Starch etc.
Printing recipe:
5-20 parts Direct dye dissolved in.
385-310 parts Water(with or without TRO)
50 parts Urea
10-20 parts Trisodium Phosphate.
500 parts Starch – Tragacanth thickening.
Total – 1000 parts (To be adjusted with water on thickening)
Method of printing: Block printing
Sample: A bleached and scoured fabric.
Procedure:
I) Thickener preparation: 80 gm starch Tragacanth is mixed with water and
heated until required viscosity at 5-10 min. The mixture is stirred
continuously while heating.
II) Direct dye + Urea + Small water --- Paste
III) Trisodium Phosphate + Small water --- Paste
IV) Paste II + Paste III + Thickener --- Printing paste
Then the fabric to be printed is placed on the printing table and defined block is selected.
Then the block is touched with printing paste and then printed.
After treatment:
After printing the cloth with the above paste, it is dried and steamed for about 1
hr in a cottage steamer followed by light soaping and then by washing.
By increasing 10% Urea, the steaming time may be reduced from 1 hr to 5 to 10
min.
The washing fastness of the prints may be improved by with cationic dye fixing
agents.
1-3 gm/L Fixanol Dye Fixing agent
750c, 15 min time
Then finally ringing and dried.

2. Discharge style of printing:

a) White discharge effect
When white discharge effects are produced a suitable optical brightener may be
added to the printing paste so that the dye is discharge dazzling white prints are
produced by the optical brightener.
Sodium sulphoxylate Formaldehyde Method:
Recipe:
50-150 gm Rangalite C
230 gm Water
535 to 455 gm Starch Tragacanth
100 gm Titanium dioxide
60 gm Egg Albumin
Total 1000gm
The above paste may be printed on the cloth dyed with an easily dischargeable
direct dye and dried. It may be steamed for 5 min., at 100-1020C. Finally the
cloth is subjected to light ringing to remove the thickener and the residual
chemicals.

An aftertreatment with cationic dye fixing agents helps to minimise bleeding of

the dye from the ground on to the white discharged portions.

b) Coloured discharge effects.

With vat dyes:
Recipe:
70-300 gm Vat dye (Paste form)
80-100 gm Glycerine
500-380 gm Starch Tragacanth thickener
80-120 gm Potassium Carbonate
60-100 gm Rangolite C
250-0 gm Water
-----------------------------------
1000 gm

At first the cloth dyed with an easily reducible direct dye and padded with 10
gm/l mild oxidizing agent followed by drying, is printed with the above paste,
dried and steamed for 5 min. The cloth is then rinsed with water, the leuco vat
dye is oxidised to the parent vat dye by treatment with potassium dichromate and
Acetic acid, sodium perborate and acetic acid. Finally the cloth is washed and
dried.

Printing of cotton fabric with vat dyes:

O O

Dyes: Mainly- i) Indigoid C C C C

ii) Anthraquinone
 O

Range of colour: Range of shades like blues, yellows, greens, reds, violets, orange,
grey, black, scarlet. Range is very high and possible to any colour shade.

Thickener:
One stage method Two stage method
-British gum -Methyl cellulose
-Gum Arabic -Locust bean gum
-Starch Tragacanth etc.
-Starch
etc.

Methods of Printing:
1. Potash Rongalite method:
a. Without pre -reduction
b. With pre-reduction.
2. Potash Caustic Method:
a. Without pre-reduction
b. With pre-reducing.
Potash Rongalite Method:
a) Without pre-reduction:
Recipe:
100-200 parts Vat dye (Paste form)
50-75 parts Glycerine
30 parts solution salt B
500 parts Starch Tragacanth paste
80-120 parts potassium carbonate (K2CO3)
60-100 parts Rongalite-C
210-250 parts water
----------------------------------
1000 parts
b) With pre-reduction:
Recipe:
100-200 gm vat dye (Paste form)
50-75 parts Glycerine
30 parts solution salt B
500 parts starch tragacanth paste
80-120 parts potassium carbonate
40 parts sodium hydro sulphite
160 parts Rongolite C
----------------------------------
1000 parts
After printing, dried and steaming as soon as possible steamed (air free) for 5-10
min at 1000-1020C.

Oxidation: Leuco-vat convert into insoluble vat dye. Incomplete oxidation produces
uneven prints of inferior fastness proporties. Oxidation may be carried out by any
of the folowing process-
I). Air oxidation:
-Cheapest and simplest to handle.
-Slow process
-complete oxidation may not be takes place of sufficient times is not given.
II). Chemical oxidation:
(a) Perborate:
2-4 parts sodium perborate
5 parts acetic acid
991 parts water
---------------------------
1000 parts
This treatment is given at 600-700C water.
(b) Potassium dichromate method
2 parts potassium dichromate
5 parts acetic acid (30%)
993 parts water
------------------------
1000 parts
This traeatment is given at 500 C and is widely used to effect the oxidation to the leuco
vat dye.
c ) Amonium/Pottasium per sulphate:
2-3 gm Amonium Persulphate
1000 parts of Water
At 700C
d) Per oxide method:
4 gm Hydrogen peroxide in 1L Water
Temp 600-700C
After oxidation the cloth is rinsed, soaped at boil (detergent + soda ash), washed
and dried.

Printing with Solubilised vat dyes:

Various methods for printing with solubilised vat dyes:
I). Nitrite Method.
II). Steaming Method.
III). Chromte method.
IV). Ferric chloride method.
V). Aluminium chlorate method.
VI). Copper sulphate method.
VII). Sodium chlorite method.
II). Printing cotton fabric with steaming Method:
Recipe:
60 parts S/V dye
50 parts Glycerine(Solvent)
340 parts Neutral starch Tragacanth paste
40 parts Ammonium Sulphocyanide (50%)
40 parts Sodium chlorate (33%)
10 parts Ammonium Vanadate
10 parts Ammonium hydroxide(25)
450 parts Water
--------------------------------
1000 parts
The cloth may be printed with this paste, dried and steamed for 5 min in a rapid
steamer at 100-1020C.
After steaming the cloth is rinsed, soaped at the boil washed and dried.
II). Nitrite Method:
Recipe:
50 gm S/V dye
40 parts Glycine A
30 parts Ethyl glycol
60 parts Urea
2 parts Sodium Carbonate
338 parts water
450 parts Neutral Starch-traganth paste
30 parts Sodium nitrite (33%)
-------------------------------------------
1000 parts
The cloth may be printed with the above paste and dried. It may be passed in
open width through a bath containing
20 ml Sulphuric acid(96%)
20 gm Glaubers salt

The cloth may be steamed for short time.

Printing of Silk
Printing with Acid dye on silk:
Style of printing: Direct style of printing.
Method of printing: Block printing
Sample: A bleached, scoured fabric.
Thickener:
 Gum Arabic
 Gum Tragacanth
 British gum
Recipe:
40-50 parts Acid dye
40 parts Solvents
50 parts Glycerine
200 parts Hot water
20 parts Ammonium oxalate
 20 parts Glacial acetic acid
20 parts Water
600 parts Crystal gum(thickener)
1000 parts

Procedure:
I. Thickener preparation: 80 gm Crystal gum is mixed with water and heated until
required viscosity at 5-10 min. The mixture is stirred continuously while heating.
II.Acid dye +Solvent +Glycerine +Hot water --- Paste
III. Ammonium oxalate + Small water --- Paste
IV.Glacial acetic acid +water------Paste
V. Paste II + Paste III + Paste IV +Thickener --- Printing paste

The cloth may be printed with the above paste, dried and steamed for 1 hr at
1000-1020C in a cottage steamer. Washed in cold water and then dried.

Printing of Wool
Printing wool with Acid dye: With wool, apart from normal preparation
processes lsuch as scouring, bleaching, chlorination is always required to assist
wetting and dye absorption.
Style of printing: Direct style of printing.
Method of printing: Block printing
Sample: A bleached, scoured fabric.
Thickener used:
i) Gum Senegal/Arabic
ii) Gum Tragacanth
iii) British gum
Printing recipe:
30-40 gm Acid dye
50 parts Solvents
40 parts Glycerine
600 parts British gum
210 parts water
70 parts Acetic acid
1000 parts
Procedure:
I. Thickener preparation: 80 gm British gum is mixed with water and heated until
required viscosity at 5-10 min. The mixture is stirred continuously while heating.
II.Acid dye +Solvent +Glycerine + water --- Paste
III. Acetic acid + Small water --- Paste
IV.Paste II + Paste III +Thickener --- Printing paste

The cloth may be printed with the above paste, dried at moderate temperature and
Steamed for 1 hr at 1000C washed and dried.

White discharge on wool/Silk: The fabric is dyed with selected acid dyes and
then printed with recipes as under.
40 parts Thiodiglycol (Penetration agent)
100 parts hot water
500 parts Gum Tragacanth (Thickener)
100-150 parts Rongalite-C (Reducing agent)
75 parts TiO2 (Brightening agent)
175-185 parts Water
----------------
1000 parts

After printing and drying the cloth are steamed for 15 to 20 mins at 100 to
1020C and then Rinsing, Soap washing and drying.
Colour discharge on Wool/Silk:

Recipe:
20-40 parts discharge resistant acid dye
40 parts Thiodiglycol (Peretration agent)
200 parts Hot water
500 parts Gum Tragacanth
100-150 parts Rongaite-C
100-120 parts Water
---------------------------
1000parts

After printing and drying, the fabric are steamed at atmospheric pressure for 15-20
min followed by rinsed and soaping treatment at 500C. Finally washed and dried.
Printing of Acrylic fibre by Basic dye:
The printing is carried out in two stage-
1. Preparatory (Singeing, desizing and scouring, bleaching, drying and
stentering).
2. Printing (Printing, steaming, washing, soaping).

Recipe:
10-40 parts Cationic dye
20 parts Acetic acid (50%)
20-30 parts Thiodiethylene glycol
20to 30 parts Tartaric acid (50%)
4 to 8 parts Sodium choloride
X gm parts water
Y gm parts stock thickening
20-40 parts Phenol
--------------
1000 parts
The acrylic fiber may be printed with the above paste on dried in a hot flue
drier. The printed and dried fabrics may be steamed in a star ager at 103 0C for
40 min. A temp of 1050C is the maximum allowable steaming temp.
The steamed fabric may be after-treated (after a cold and hot rinse) with a bath
containing 1-2 g/L anon ionic detergent at 600C for 25 to 30 min.

Silk Printing with Basic dye:

Recipe: 10 parts Basic dye
50 parts Glygot BN
170 parts Water
20 parts Tarteric Acid
650 parts Nufha crystal gum
100 Acetic Acid (40%)
---------------------------------
1000 parts
After printing with the paste the fabric is drying and steaming 30-45 min, ringing with
water and drying.