Pad Printing Solutions
Automated Pad Printing Systems
We provide the RIGHT SOLUTION…
We work closely with you to develop automated pad printing equipment & automated UV screen printing systems that meet or exceed your requirements & expectations. We listen carefully to your needs, wants, concerns and your real-world experiences with printing your product. Once we fully understand your needs, then we go about designing the right turn-key automated printing solution that fits your budget.
One way we keep you happy (and on-budget) is by utilizing a series of standard automation components that are custom tailored to your application. With our 21 years of experience in automating pad printing and screen printing systems we have created a systematic automation program called MAX™.
MAX™ stands for Modular Automation Xcessories and with this systematic automation building block system we can quickly provide you with a conceptual sketch, calculate the costs and quote a turn-key pad print or screen print system.
Once we've been awarded the automation contract, we then create a CAD system design and together we'll thoroughly review the systems design to get your approval and then we'll fabricate a sophisticated (yet simple to operate) automated printing solution to your precise specs.
Our MAX™ automated printing systems are available with;
- LINEAR INDEXING SHUTTLE - microPrint stepper, linear or servo
- ROTARY INDEXING TABLE - Weiss, Camco or Ferguson indexers
- PALLETIZED TRANSPORT SYSTEM - with modular pallets that are "docked and locked"
These transport systems above are useful for many functions including; screen printing or pad printing stations, UV or Hot Air curing stations, corona pre-treatment stations and loading/ unloading stations.
We also offer a host of other MAX™ auxiliary components that are easily integrated including; SICATECH brand corona treating systems, pick-n-place robots for loading or unloading, drying conveyors or ovens (linear or modular), static elimination equipment and much more. We also specialize in building innovative UV pad printing machinery and UV screen printing systems for a variety of needs and applications.
Every MAX™ automated printing system we build is fabricated with your operators safety in mind and we build equipment with safety guards and safety relays and were fond of using light curtains to protect machine operators and allow for easy system clean-up.
For automation consultation please give us a call at (800) 300-DECO or contact your local DECO TECH representative.
See examples below of MAX™ automated printing solutions we've built.
- Transport Systems
- CAMCO or WEISS electro-Mechanical Rotary Index Table
- Programmable Linear Shuttle (servo, stepper and linear motor)
- Mechanical Over and Under linear indexer (tank track type)
- Modular Palletized conveyor systems (dock and lock)
- Robotics for parts handling
- Pneumatic Pick-n-Place stations
- Servo Pick-n-Place units (dual or multi-axis)
- Mechanical grippers or suction cups
- Part Rake off devices
- Stack feeders for flat parts
- Pre & Post Printing Stations
- Drying conveyors - Hot Air with convection heat
- Modular UV curing systems (with light safety guarding)
- De-ionizing / anti-static equipment & dust removal
- Flame pre or post treating modules
- Corona discharge or corona pre-treating systems
- Other Accessories & Safety Features
- X/Y/R table for fast print head alignment
- Print head mounting clamps (60 or 80mm square)
- Out-feed conveyor systems
- Light curtain safety guards
- Plexiglas safety enclosures with interlocked doors
- Dual palm button controls
This Swiss precision built automated microPrint 4 station rotary table pad printing system is shown above with 2 print heads; model MS-130 and model MSS-130 that are printing interior graphics on an automotive turn signal arm for BMW. There are white graphics printed on both the top and the side of the turn-signal part and the MSS-130 can pivot the pad 90° to print in a horizontal axis. This automated system also features automatic machine cycle incorporating the light curtain safety guards, so the operator does not need to use a foot switch to active the system each time. The touch screen is also very user friendly with graphic icons that are easy to understand and are not language specific. Both machines are controlled via a PROFIBUS interface on the Beckhoff PLC. For fast set ups, each print head is equipped with an XYR adjustable cliché holder (pin-registered) that can hold the correct print position day in and day out… adjust it once and you never have to adjust it again. Furthermore this microPrint automated pad printing system features Viscomatic ink viscosity controls and automatic tape pad cleaning device on each pad printing unit. Give us a call at (800) 300-DECO to discuss your automation needs.
Automated Solutions
Our DT-200 Series multi-color pad printer has been equipped with automation accessories including; programmable servo driven part shuttle, integrated flame treating device (with sputter free on/off to save on gas consumption), automatic servo indexed part rotation and Heraeus Fusion brand F300 UV curing unit with complete guarding package around the flame treater and UV unit. This DT-200-3C is equipped with three closed ink colors for wet-on-wet UV pad printing. The linear part shuttle is very precise and is outfitted with a ball screw device for speed and accuracy and it is fully programmable in the Y axis and values are punched into the 10 key-pad on the touch screen. Job set-ups are extremely fast & easy to program, and this unit was built for our customer to handle various size products and to run various print jobs.
microPrint MODUL-200 automated pad printing system is shown above with 4 print modules (also available with 5 print heads) which are all independently controllable and they allow for on-screen programming of X/Y artwork positioning. The MODUL series of machines are dual axis motor driven (linear and stepper motors) for precise pad printing onto large products such as injection molded tool boxes, power tool housings, construction hard hats, etc. (parts are not shown at customers request). The race track indexer is servo motor driven and features a CAM locking device in each printing station to provide highly accurate color to color registration.
Furthermore this MODUL system features Viscomatic ink viscosity controls and it also includes a light curtain safety guard package & hot air drying station for drying of inks. Ink cup size is 180mm diameter.
microPrint model LCN-130 pad printer designed to print a graphic on two opposite sides of a plastic drill motor housing. The VISCOMATIC™ ink viscosity control system is included along with light curtain safety guards.
Here is the Hilti Hammer Drill that was pad printed on two opposite sides.
microPrint 5 STAR is a 5 color automated servo driven pad printing system. Here it's equipped with a stepper driven programmable linear indexing shuttle system. The application is to pad print multiple graphics onto injection molded television fascia's or TV bezels in five various locations.
microPrint LCN 130 pad printer is used to pad print decorate cosmetic caps in two up configuration. The operator manually loads the parts onto the precision dial and the cosmetic lids are automatically printed, dried and ejected.
Close up view of DECO TECH built 8 station CAMCO rotary table pad printing system with forced air drying station and automatic eject station into bulk bin.
Two-color rotary table pad printing machine with two microPrint LCN-130's. This rotary table pad printing automation is for decorating medical devices... the Braun ThermoScan housings.
Shown here is a 180° part rotation station that is positioned between the 2 pad printers. The part is flipped via a pneumatic rotary cylinder that engages with the fixture and automatically turns the part over to pad print the opposite side.
Corona pre-treatment system that was engineered to corona treat both sides of this medical device simultaneously.
De-ionizing station is also used to neutralize the static energy of the part prior to printing. This eliminates a common defect called "spider webbing".
This microPrint 5-STAR is shown here automated with a programmable X/Y stepper-motor part shuttle. This dual axis X/Y indexing (plotting) system can be programmed directly from the pad printers touch screen. This automated pad transfer printing machine system was built to pad print decorate onto automotive interior components, like radio bezels and center console control panels. This particular system was engineered to travel 300 mm in both X & Y directions.
Close up view of the programmable X/Y shuttle table showing the ball screw mechanism for accuracy and repeatability. It also shows the light curtain safety guards for safe operation. Once a part is loaded (a sensor detects proper loading) and the operators hands are clear of the light curtains, the machine will automatically cycle and print without the operator actually "starting" the machine. If the pad printed car radio bezel was miss-loaded the 5-STAR will not cycle because of a built in sensor to ensure that parts are loaded correctly.
This simple yet efficient MS-250 pad printing system was designed so that two different part types could be printed automatically without the operator needing to decide which part to load. Two optical sensors aimed at the part (below the fixture) automatically determine which part type was loaded, and accordingly the microPrint pad printer will print with either one pad or with two pads.
Close up view of custom fixture we built for this automotive interior part (for an American built Toyota Sienna). You can see 2 sensors that determine the part type to be printed. One part has a thru hole and the other version does not. Also notice the tape pad cleaning station, which is fully programmable and it automatically cleans off any excess ink that was not transferred from the pad. Note: the left pad is shown in the "no-print" position.
Here is the Toyota automotive interior panel that was decorated. This unit goes into the new Sienna Van from Toyota Motors. This assembly is decorated using microPrint pad transfer machinery.