Abstract: An apparatus and method for vacuum printing inks onto a substrate in which the printing screen is mounted in a pivotable screen holder. The substrate is positioned on a printing platen and adhered to the platen during the printing operation by a vacuum hold-down system. The platen rests upon a product carrier which may be moved in a direction normal to the surface of the printing platen in order to adjust the spacing between the substrate and printing screen. The printing screen may be registered with the substrate by adjusting the position of the screen holder along two axes defining the screen plane and about a third axis normal to the screen plane. During printing the screen is deflected into contact with the substrate by a vacuum hold-down system. The system is configured to minimize the volume of air which must be evacuated during the printing operation.

Abstract: A package contains conductive inks or slurries adapted for attachment to a screen printer for applying the inks to a substrate for firing into printed circuit boards. The bag interior containing the ink is formed between a liquid and gaseous impermeable top wall connected along its periphery to a bottom wall formed with openings through which the ink is adapted to migrate towards the print screen under vacuum. A seal member extends around the entire periphery of the bag and is adapted to sealingly mate with a corresponding fastening element attached to the print frame to form an air seal between the bag and print frame in operative position. A removable, peel-away cover normally covers the screen bottom wall to allow the bag to have a long shelf life.