How to print on round containers and cups?
To print on round containers and cups, use a curved surface screen printing machine equipped with a mandrel that rotates the container in synchronization with the squeegee stroke. The container is loaded onto the mandrel, the screen lowers, and as the squeegee moves across the screen, the container rotates, transferring ink evenly around the circumference. CooPrinter's servo-driven machines achieve 300-500 prints per hour on round containers.
Detailed Explanation
The round container printing process starts with loading the container onto a mandrel or fixture sized to the container's diameter. The screen, containing the stencil image, is positioned above the container. As printing begins, the squeegee presses ink through the mesh while the mandrel rotates the container at the same linear speed as the squeegee. This synchronized motion ensures the ink transfers cleanly without smearing or distortion.
For plastic containers, surface treatment (flame or corona) is applied before printing to ensure ink adhesion. For multi-color designs, each color is printed in sequence with UV curing between colors. CooPrinter's multi-station automatic machines can apply up to 6 colors in a single pass, with UV curing integrated at each station. Tooling changeover for different container sizes takes 15-30 minutes on CooPrinter machines.
The food container and cosmetic packaging sectors drive strong demand for round container printing. CooPrinter's curved screen printing machines handle diameters from 10mm to 150mm and heights up to 300mm. With automatic feeding and stacking, the machines achieve 300-500 prints per hour while maintaining registration accuracy within 0.15mm. Over 10,000 CooPrinter units are installed globally, many in round container printing applications.
Key Points
Synchronized Rotation
Container rotates at the same linear speed as the squeegee for clean ink transfer.
Multi-Color Capability
Up to 6 colors with UV curing between stations on automatic machines.
Quick Changeover
Tooling change for different container sizes takes 15-30 minutes.
Related Questions
- What is curved surface screen printing and what products is it used for?
- How to choose the right screen printing machine for bottles and cosmetic containers?
- What is flame treatment and why is it necessary before printing on plastic bottles?
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