Abstract: A method of method of controlling a pushing pressure which is applied to a printing material, such as a creamed solder, to push the material out of a printing head of a screen printing apparatus and print the material on an object, such as a printed wiring board, through at least one through-hole of a screen of the apparatus while at least one of the head and the screen is moved relative to the other of the head and the screen in a direction parallel to the screen, the method comprising the step of changing the pushing pressure applied to the printing material, while a printing operation is carried out on the object by the screen printing apparatus.

Abstract: While an insufficient lubricating effect caused by lack of lubricant is prevented and also while contamination of molten metal and insertion of molten metal caused by excessive feed of lubricant are prevented, a lubricating effect can be provided and continuous casting can be conducted over a long period of time. Molten metal is poured into a molten metal pool formed by a pair of cooling drums and side dams. The thus poured molten metal is cooled and solidified on circumferential surfaces of the cooling drums, so that a strip can be produced. In the above continuous strip casting method, the side dam is composed in such a manner that a portion of the ceramic plate on the inlet side in the rotational direction of the cooling drum is chamfered, wherein the portion comes into contact with an end surface of the cooling drum.