Abstract: A screen printing apparatus comprising a plurality of print stations arranged in a circle and an equal plurality of platens carrying objects to be printed by the print stations. Objects to be printed are placed on platens at a loading/unloading one of the stations and the platens are indexed around the circle of print stations for printing. A control unit controls the printing at the print stations and selectively inhibits printing at individual ones of the print stations. During start up, the control unit activates print stations, one at a time, in synchronism with the indexing of the platens. A skip mode is available in which printing at a given platen is inhibited by the control unit at each print station, when the given platen is at that print station. The control unit also successively inhibits print stations, one at a time, in synchronism with platen indexing to provide a controlled stop of the apparatus.