Roller Printing

Introduction
• Is the machine method of printing designs on cloth
by engraved rollers.
• Engraved copper cylinders or rollers take the place
of hand carved blocks.
• Just as there must be a separate block for each color
in block printing, so must there be as many
engraved rollers in machine printing as there are
colors in the design to be imprinted.
• Originally the design for each of the rollers was
engrave by hand with an awl; then a skilled
craftsman duplicated the artists’ design onto copper
rollers.
 Working process of roller
machines
This machine has a main cylinder that is fitted with a large gear.
In this printing, the print paste is supplied from reservoirs to
rotating copper rollers, which are engraved with the desired
design. These rollers contact a main cylinder roller that
transports the fabric. As many as 16 rollers can be available per
print machine, each roller imprints one repeat of the design. As
the roller spins, a doctor blade in continuous mode scrapes the
excess of paste back to the color trough. The belt and the
printing gear (roller brushes or doctor blades, squeegees and
ladles) are cleaned up with water.
How roller prints work
 Main parts of roller
•  Color doctor
•  Lint doctor
•  Blankets
•  Back grey
•  Furnishers
• Color box / tray
•  Color unit
How Roller Prints Are Made

1. The Engraved Copper Roller A in rotation

makes contact with Color Furnisher B (whose
surface is much like that of a paint roller used in
house painting). The entire surface of Roller A
becomes covered with print paste.

2. Color Furnisher B, also in rotation, picks up a

constantly fresh supply of print paste from Color
Box E.
3. Engraved Copper Roller A in rotation comes in
contact with Doctor Blade C. It scrapes off all the
print paste on the surface of Roller A, but cannot
clean off the print paste from the engraved
portion, leaves the print paste inside the etched
copper.
4. Printed cloth is drawn and guided between
the Cylinder Roller and Engraved Copper Roller
A. The pressure created at the point of contact
causes the print paste to be transferred from
inside the etched copper to the cloth.
5. Roller A continues in rotation and comes in
contact with D, a steel blade which comes in
contact with Roller A and removes any lint
picked up from the fabric being printed.

6. Cloth being printed continues its path around

the Cylinder Roller. If a 2nd, 3rd or 4th colour is
to be printed on the same fabric,
7. The printed cloth on leaving the machine
immediately dried, fabric can be touched
without smudging the print. Than the fabric
transferred to steam chamber where moisture
and heat will set the dyes.

8. 'The Back Grey is a fabric being printed. Its

function is to absorb the excess print paste
which may strike through and stain the Roller
cover.
 Defects in roller
•  Scratches
•  Snappers
•  Lifts
•  Streaks
•  Scumming
•  Lobbing
 Advantages
 1. Higher production without rotary screen
printing machine.
 2. 14 colors can be used for printing.
 3. Medium design can be produced.
 4. Can be used for printing any style.
 5. Any color is used for printing without higher
alkali or conc. acid.
 6. Repeats do not exist as printing is continuous.
 7. Higher production by using single color.
 8. Complex design is possible.
 Disadvantages

1. Large design is not possible.

2. Generally, shedding fault is found.
3. Higher coloring effect is not possible as like
block printing.
4. Lower production by using more than one
color.
5. Changing time is high. 
6. Engraving the printing roller is expensive
Operation
Thank You