Abstract: A drying/curing apparatus for a rotary screen printing machine includes a carriage supporting a flash curing unit. The curing unit has a height or thickness that is less than the gap between the workpiece platen of the printing machine and the printing screen. The drying apparatus includes a structure attached to a print station of the printing machine that is configured to permit reciprocation of the curing unit across a substrate supported on the workpiece platen after an ink layer has been applied to the substrate and the platen has been retracted from the print screen. The curing unit includes a plurality of heat generating elements, such as high power quartz lamps, that are directed toward the ink layer on the substrate. The curing unit includes an insulator plate disposed between the curing lamps and the printing screen of the printing machine when the curing unit travels across the workpiece platen.

Abstract: A screen printing apparatus prints on a substrate with successive strokes, which may be of different lengths. An electrically programmable controller controls the operation of a servo motor for causing relative movement between the squeegee and the print head during a printing stroke. A programming apparatus is provided at the print head for programming the programmable controller to establish the starting point, and the end points of the printing stroke as well as the velocity of movement of the print stroke travel between the starting and ending points. The programming apparatus preferably includes a data entry device and a display for allowing the adjusting of the print stroke to absolute units of speed, e.g., inches per minute, to allow the printing inks to be sheared and spread in an optimal manner.