Tube Silk Screen Printing Machine

Categories Multi Decoration Machines, Tube silk screen printing machine

✓ Ultra-High Production Speed: 4000-5000 tubes per hour printing capacity – maximize output and ROI
✓ Multi-Color Printing Capability: 1-7 color optional configurations with perfect color registration accuracy ±0.1mm
✓ Wide Material Compatibility: PE, PP, ABL aluminum-plastic laminate, metal tubes, Ø16-90mm diameter range
✓ Instant UV Curing: 5KW UV curing system with instant drying and no waiting time
✓ Intelligent Automation: PLC touchscreen control, flame treatment, static elimination, automatic loading/unloading integration
✓ Exceptional Print Quality: Thick ink coverage, vibrant and durable, scratch-resistant and chemical-resistant

Additional information

🌟 Tube Silk Screen Printing Machine: High-Precision and High-Speed Printing for Cosmetic, Pharmaceutical, and Personal Care Packaging

Revolutionizing Tube Printing with Advanced Silk Screen Technology

The Tube Silk Screen Printing Machine is a state-of-the-art solution designed for precise, high-quality silk screen printing on a wide variety of tube materials, including plastic (PE, PP), aluminum, and composite tubes. This machine combines advanced printing technology, user-friendly automation, and eco-friendly features to meet the growing demands of modern packaging industries. Whether for cosmetic packaging, pharmaceutical products, or personal care items, this machine ensures vibrant, durable prints with exceptional speed and efficiency.

Transform your tube decoration capabilities with our advanced fully automatic tube silk screen printing machine. This system combines precision servo drive technology, multi-color registration systems, and instant UV curing to deliver high-speed, high-quality, and accurate surface printing on plastic tubes, aluminum-plastic laminate (ABL) tubes, metal tubes, and various materials. Whether you’re producing cosmetic tubes, pharmaceutical tubes, food packaging, or industrial applications, our silk screen printing machine provides exceptional print results, stable production efficiency, and outstanding color performance to meet all the demands your brand requires in today’s competitive marketplace.

🔧 Product Overview

The Tube Silk Screen Printing Machine offers high-speed, high-precision printing with silk screen technology, making it the ideal choice for manufacturers looking for consistent print quality at large production volumes. It integrates cutting-edge features, such as UV ink printing, intelligent drying systems, and fully automated operation, providing an efficient and eco-friendly solution for tube printing.

Key Features:

High-Speed Production: Capable of printing up to 75–90 pcs/min, increasing productivity and reducing lead times.
Versatile Material Compatibility: Suitable for PE, PP, aluminum, and composite tubes, ensuring broad application possibilities.
Eco-Friendly UV Ink: Utilizes UV ink, which is both environmentally friendly and long-lasting, offering a durable print resistant to fading and abrasion.
Fully Automated System: The one-click touchscreen interface ensures easy operation and full control of printing parameters with minimal user input.
Efficient Drying System: The intelligent digital ink drying system guarantees fast curing times, improving overall production efficiency.
Energy-Saving Features: Equipped with a full-frequency power-saving system that helps reduce operational costs and energy consumption.

🛠️ How It Works

The Tube Silk Screen Printing Machine operates through an automated process that delivers high-speed, high-quality prints on various tube materials. The key steps include:

Feeding Materials: Tubes are fed into the system, either manually or automatically, ensuring accurate alignment for printing.
Printing Process: The machine uses round press silk screen printing (transfer through a rubber blanket) to apply UV ink onto the tubes. This method ensures vivid, long-lasting prints with minimal distortion.
Ink Drying: The intelligent drying system quickly cures the UV ink to ensure high-quality results without delays.
Discharge and Packaging: After printing, the tubes are discharged for packing or further processing.

WHY CHOOSE OUR TUBE SILK SCREEN PRINTING MACHINE

Unmatched Print Quality That Creates Premium Brand Image

In the cosmetic and pharmaceutical packaging industry, tube decoration quality directly influences consumer perception of brands and purchasing intent. Most cosmetic squeeze tube wholesalers use screen printing methods to label cosmetic squeeze tubes because there are many benefits: printing quality is much better than any other printing method, and all letters on cosmetic squeeze tube labels can be clearly read. Our fully automatic tube silk screen printing machine employs advanced round-pressure silk screen printing technology, capable of delivering thick, vibrant, and durable printing effects on tube surfaces.

This versatile machine is widely used for printing patterns and text on cosmetic containers, pharmaceutical packaging, food containers, electronics, toys, and more. Its compact layout and powerful ink coverage make it an ideal choice for diverse printing needs. The ink layer thickness in screen printing is typically 3-5 times greater than other printing methods, meaning more saturated colors, stronger visual impact, and better opacity – particularly suitable for printing vibrant brand colors on dark or transparent tubes.

Our system is equipped with high-precision registration systems ensuring color-to-color alignment accuracy of ±0.1mm during multi-color printing. This precision registration capability is crucial for complex multi-color patterns, fine text overprinting, and premium photographic images. The tube silk screen printing machine is driven by Japan SANKYO rotary positioning drive system. This high-precision positioning system ensures accurate position control of each tube during the printing process, eliminating registration errors and achieving perfect multi-color overprinting effects.

UV LED curing technology is very suitable for screen printing in applications such as printing on glass, plastic bottles and caps. UV LED offers significant advantages for screen printing compared to traditional UV curing, including smaller, lighter fixtures, less maintenance and downtime, which translates to higher productivity, better adhesion on pigmented products, fewer rejects, and a higher quality end product at a lower cost. Our UV curing system provides excellent ink adhesion and durability, ensuring printed patterns can withstand various tests during transportation, storage, and final use.

Exceptional Production Speed and Efficiency

Time is money, and our tube silk screen printing machine is designed to maximize your production throughput. High printing speed up to 4000 pieces per hour will bring you high productivity. For oval tubes, the production speed can even reach 5000 pieces per hour. This exceptional production speed represents a significant capacity advantage, directly impacting your profitability and ability to meet urgent delivery schedules.

The DT-175S automatic UV screen printer is designed for high-speed, precision printing of rigid and flexible plastic tubes, vials, jars, caps, and other cylindrical parts up to 75mm in diameter. The system includes a 12-station rotary indexing table driven by a premium Transtechno AC motor that supports smooth, synchronized movement of parts through each stage of the print cycle. This precision mechanical design ensures stable print quality and accurate registration accuracy even at high-speed production.

Fully automated workflows dramatically reduce manual intervention requirements. Fully automatic printing is suitable for printing on various cylindrical, oval, and flat workpieces; equipped with automatic workpiece feeding and loading systems. From tube loading, flame treatment, static elimination, multi-color printing, UV curing to automatic unloading, the entire process requires no manual contact with tubes – not only improving production efficiency but also ensuring print quality consistency and reducing quality fluctuations caused by human factors.

Convenient and quick fixture adjustment and replacement saves you valuable time. Quick changeover systems enable rapid switching between different tube diameters and lengths, typically requiring only 15-30 minutes to complete changeovers. This flexibility is invaluable for businesses requiring frequent product specification changes or small-batch, multi-variety production, enabling you to respond quickly to market demands, accept rush orders, and maintain competitive advantages.

Comprehensive Multi-Color Printing Capability

JX-SP310R Woolley tube silk screen printing machine, 1~7 color stations optional, with high degree of automation, can transfer template designs to surfaces through screens, inks, and squeegees (rubber blades). This flexible configuration choice enables you to select the most appropriate system based on product requirements and budget.

Single-Color Printing Configuration:
For simple text, logos, or single-color pattern printing, single-color configuration provides the most economical and efficient solution. Suitable for pharmaceutical tubes, industrial tubes, or budget-constrained applications. Single-color systems still maintain high-speed production capacity and exceptional print quality, with limitations only in color complexity.

Two-Color and Three-Color Configurations:
Two-color and three-color systems are the most popular configurations, meeting most cosmetic and personal care product printing needs. Can print combinations of brand primary colors plus secondary colors, or achieve simple gradients and color overlays. This configuration achieves the best balance between performance and investment cost.

Four-Color CMYK Configuration:
Four-color systems use standard CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) process color separation printing, capable of reproducing almost any color and complex patterns. While screen printing’s four-color separation effects are not as suitable for photographic images as offset printing, for illustration-style patterns, complex gradient effects, and designs requiring extensive color ranges, four-color systems provide tremendous creative freedom.

Five-Color, Six-Color, and Seven-Color Configurations:
High-end systems can be configured with 5-7 printing stations for printing CMYK four-color plus brand spot colors, metallic colors, or special effect inks. For example, CMYK four-color for pattern body, fifth color using Pantone spot color for precise brand identity color matching, sixth color using gold or silver to create premium metallic luster effects, and seventh color using varnish or tactile inks to add surface effects.

Screen printing is the process of digitally printing logos on cosmetic squeeze tubes. The more attractive the design printed on cosmetic squeeze tubes, the more people will buy them. Multi-color printing capability enables you to create eye-catching visual effects, stand out on crowded retail shelves, attract consumer attention, and communicate brand premium positioning.

Advanced UV Curing Technology for Instant Production

Curing inks with traditional UV lamps on heat-sensitive substrates such as plastic cosmetic items can cause distortion. UV LED allows high adhesion on overlying inks and strong colors on more difficult substrates. Due to the narrow, high UV-A wavelength, UV LEDs generate significantly less heat. The UV-A wavelength also allows for more penetrative curing, which is an advantage when facing thicker sections.

Our system is equipped with a 5KW high-intensity UV curing device capable of complete ink polymerization instantly as tubes pass through the curing zone. Because UV inks can cure almost instantaneously, this can make UV-printed work faster and easier to produce, depending on how many colors you need to print and the curing units available. This instant curing capability delivers multiple advantages:

Eliminates Drying Time:
Traditional solvent-based inks require minutes to hours of natural drying time or need to pass through long oven tunnels for heat curing. UV curing completely eliminates these waiting times and equipment requirements, allowing printed tubes to immediately enter subsequent production processes such as shoulder injection, filling and sealing, dramatically shortening overall production cycles.

Superior Ink Performance:
UV inks form highly cross-linked polymer structures after curing, with exceptional mechanical and chemical resistance properties. Printed patterns can withstand friction during transportation, repeated squeezing during consumer use, and possible contact with various cosmetic ingredients or chemicals, maintaining long-lasting visual appeal.

Environmental Advantages:
Unlike their solvent-based counterparts, UV inks do not emit volatile organic compounds during the curing process, making them a more environmentally friendly and worker-friendly ink choice. Zero VOC emissions not only comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations but also create healthier, safer working environments for operators, reducing occupational health risks and ventilation system requirements.

Energy Efficiency:
Due to rapid curing under UV lamps, screen printing shops using UV inks typically use less energy than those using solvent or water-based inks requiring large conveyor dryers. The energy required for UV inks may continue to decrease as new lighting technologies such as LED lamps are used to cure UV inks. Our optional LED-UV curing system further reduces energy consumption by 40-50% while generating less heat, improving printing stability for thin-walled tubes.

Intelligent Automation Systems Ensure Stable Quality

Modern tube printing requires precision technology yet maintains operational simplicity. Electric sensors create “no workpiece, no printing,” achieving intelligent monitoring and intelligent control. This intelligent detection system ensures printing actions execute only when tubes are correctly positioned at printing stations, avoiding printing waste and equipment contamination caused by material shortage or improper positioning.

PLC Touchscreen Control System:
Advanced programmable logic controllers equipped with color touchscreens provide intuitive human-machine interfaces. Operators can easily set printing parameters including print speed, print pressure, print stroke, curing intensity, and can save recipes for different products for one-click recall. Real-time monitoring displays production quantities, operating status, fault diagnostics, and other information, enabling operators to promptly discover and resolve issues.

Full Servo Drive System:
The machine is fully servo controlled, including 8 sets of servo systems for flame treatment control, tooling fixture control, host operation control, fixture rotation control, tooling group bracket control and scraper control, ink blade control, etc. Servo motors provide precise speed control, position control, and force control, ensuring every aspect of the printing process achieves optimal state. Compared to traditional pneumatic or mechanical drives, servo systems respond faster, with higher accuracy and better repeatability, greatly improving print quality consistency.

Flame Surface Treatment System:
PE or PP workpieces are reprocessed with flame treatment devices to obtain optimal ink adhesion. PE and PP polyolefin materials have low surface energy, with poor direct printing adhesion. Flame treatment increases material surface energy through high-temperature oxidation reactions, forming polar groups that enable ink to adhere firmly. Our system integrates precisely controlled flame treatment devices that automatically perform surface activation treatment on each tube, ensuring ink adhesion reliability.

Static Elimination and Dust Removal Systems:
The silk screen printing machine system also includes: 1) flame pretreatment station, 2) de-ionization station, 3) mechanically indexed screen printing station, 4) ALPHA-CURE UV curing station, and 5) automatic discharge conveyor. Static elimination systems remove electrostatic charges from tube surfaces, preventing static attraction of dust and affecting print quality. Dust removal systems further clean tube surfaces, removing particles that might affect ink adhesion or cause printing defects. These pretreatment steps are critical for achieving perfect print results.

Pre-Alignment Function:
Built-in workpiece pre-placement function for cylindrical or oval printing. For tubes with orientation requirements (such as tubes with flat shoulders or specific orientation requirements), pre-alignment systems automatically detect tube orientation and adjust to correct positions, ensuring printed patterns align precisely with tube features. This intelligent alignment function greatly simplifies operations and improves printing consistency.

Comprehensive Material Compatibility

Applicable products: tubes, cream round jars, caps, etc. Our tube silk screen printing machine is designed to handle various types of tubes and containers, providing tremendous application flexibility.

Plastic Tubes:

PE (polyethylene) tubes: Most common cosmetic and personal care tube material, soft and squeezable
PP (polypropylene) tubes: Better barrier properties and heat resistance, suitable for certain cosmetics and pharmaceuticals
PET tubes: Transparent or translucent, suitable for displaying product contents
Multi-layer co-extruded tubes: Excellent barrier properties protecting sensitive formulations

Aluminum-Plastic Laminate (ABL) Tubes:

Aluminum layer provides complete light barrier and oxygen barrier
Suitable for premium cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and products requiring long shelf life
Excellent printing effects with vibrant, durable colors

All-Aluminum Tubes:

Metal material provides premium texture and excellent barrier properties
Good recyclability, aligning with environmental trends
Requires special inks and printing processes

Tube Diameter Range:
Printing diameter: 25mm-90mm. This wide diameter adaptation range enables you to print tubes from small travel-size to large family-size on the same equipment, providing tremendous production flexibility. By changing fixtures and adjusting printing parameters, you can quickly adapt to different sized tubes.

Special Shapes:
Beyond standard cylindrical tubes, the system can also handle oval, flat, and even certain irregular-shaped tubes. This multi-shape compatibility enables you to offer customers more innovative packaging options, creating unique shelf visual effects.

COMPREHENSIVE APPLICATION SOLUTIONS

Diverse Industry Applications

Applicable industries: cosmetics, daily chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, health products, baby products, automotive products, cleaning products, alcohol, glass glue, toys, sports goods, etc. Our tube silk screen printing machine excels across multiple packaging sectors, each with unique quality standards, production capabilities, and technical performance requirements.

Cosmetics and Beauty Products:

The cosmetics industry has extremely high requirements for packaging visual appeal and brand presentation. Our silk screen printing machine produces high-quality tube decoration for the following applications:

Facial Skincare Tubes: Facial cleansers, serums, face creams, eye creams, masks, etc.
Body Care Tubes: Body lotions, hand creams, sunscreens, body scrubs, etc.
Hair Care Tubes: Conditioners, hair masks, hair dyes, styling products, etc.
Color Cosmetic Tubes: BB creams, CC creams, liquid foundations, primers, lip products, etc.
Men’s Care Tubes: Shaving creams, aftershaves, men’s face creams, cleansing products, etc.
Luxury Premium Brands: High-end tubes requiring metallic colors, special effects, and refined details

The more attractive the design printed on cosmetic squeeze tubes, the more people will buy them. Labels are another important step in beautifying cosmetic tubes. Most companies write down every detail on packaging labels because buyers read everything before purchasing cosmetics for themselves. Screen printing’s thick ink layers can create vibrant colors, refined gradient effects, and premium metallic luster, making your products stand out on crowded retail shelves.

White ink’s opaque coverage enables you to print vibrant patterns on transparent or dark tubes. Gold and silver metallic inks create luxurious visual effects. Varnish or matte finishes provide different surface tactile sensations and visual textures. These special effects are easily achieved through screen printing, while other printing methods either cannot achieve them or are cost-prohibitive.

Pharmaceutical and Health Products:

Pharmaceutical packaging labels must meet the strictest regulatory requirements while maintaining clarity, readability, and durability. Our silk screen printing machine produces compliant tube decoration for the following applications:

Prescription Drug Tubes: Topical ointments, creams, gels, etc.
OTC Non-Prescription Drugs: Pain relief creams, anti-itch creams, hemorrhoid creams, antifungal ointments, etc.
Dermatological Medications: Acne treatments, eczema medications, psoriasis treatments, etc.
Wound Care: Healing ointments, scar treatments, burn care, etc.
Ophthalmic Preparations: Eye ointments and other products requiring special packaging
Dental Products: Prescription toothpastes, fluoride gels, etc.

Pharmaceutical tube printing must use inks complying with pharmaceutical contact requirements. Ruco 955LED-LM is a low-migration, silicone-free formulation for exterior printing of plastic tubes and hollow bodies packaging food or cosmetics. Low-migration inks ensure ink components don’t migrate into pharmaceuticals, meeting FDA and other regulatory agency safety standards.

Screen printing inks have excellent chemical resistance, withstanding corrosion or dissolution potentially caused by pharmaceutical ingredients. Printed text remains clear and readable, ensuring patients can correctly understand critical information such as usage instructions, warning information, and expiration dates. Batch numbers, expiration dates, and traceability information can be clearly printed, supporting quality control and regulatory compliance.

Food and Beverage Products:

Food packaging must meet strict safety standards while attracting consumer attention. Our system produces compliant and eye-catching decoration for:

Condiment Tubes: Mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, specialty sauces, gourmet spreads, spice pastes
Cooking Ingredients: Tomato paste, curry pastes, garlic paste, ginger paste, concentrated flavors
Dairy Products: Condensed milk tubes, yogurt tubes, cheese spreads
Nutritional Supplements: Vitamin pastes, protein gels, energy supplements
Baby Food: Pureed food tubes, infant formula applications
Beverages: Concentrated drink mixes, flavor enhancers

Food-contact printing requires specialized inks meeting regulatory requirements. Low-migration UV inks ensure no ink components migrate into food products, complying with FDA, EU, and other food safety standards. Screen printing’s thick ink layer provides excellent coverage and vibrant colors that attract consumer attention while meeting safety requirements.

Clear ingredient lists, nutritional information, allergen warnings, and usage instructions can be precisely printed with excellent readability. Variable information such as production dates, best-by dates, and batch codes can be clearly marked for traceability and quality management.

Personal Care and Oral Hygiene:

Personal care products require packaging that combines functionality, attractiveness, and regulatory compliance. Our system excels at:

Toothpaste Tubes: Family brands, specialty dental care, children’s toothpaste, whitening products, natural formulations
Oral Care Products: Denture adhesives, mouth gel treatments, lip care, cold sore treatments
Shaving Products: Shaving creams, gels, pre-shave preparations, aftershave balms
Depilatories: Hair removal creams, soothing post-treatment products
Personal Hygiene: Various personal care tubes requiring discreet packaging and clear usage instructions

High-volume toothpaste production benefits from screen printing’s speed and cost-effectiveness. The ability to print white ink on colored tubes enables design flexibility. Metallic inks create premium shelf appeal. Matte and gloss varnish combinations add visual interest and tactile differentiation.

Industrial and Household Products:

Industrial applications require durable, clear, and functional tube decoration:

Adhesives & Sealants: Household glues, epoxies, sealants, repair compounds, construction adhesives
Lubricants: Automotive greases, industrial lubricants, specialty oils, anti-seize compounds
Cleaning Products: Concentrated cleaners, polishes, specialty cleaning compounds, automotive care
Automotive Products: Hand cleaners, repair compounds, polishing compounds, protective coatings
Craft & Hobby: Craft glues, artist materials, specialty adhesives, modeling compounds

Industrial applications benefit from screen printing’s thick ink coverage providing excellent outdoor durability, chemical resistance, and abrasion resistance. Warning symbols, safety information, and technical data can be printed with excellent clarity and permanence. Multi-language printing accommodates global distribution requirements.

Complete Tube Decoration Production Line Integration

Our tube silk screen printing machine integrates seamlessly into complete tube manufacturing workflows, working harmoniously with upstream and downstream equipment to create efficient production systems.

Upstream Integration:

Tube Extrusion: Receives extruded and cut tubes from tube-making equipment
Quality Inspection: Pre-print inspection removes defective tubes before decoration
Surface Treatment: Integrated or inline flame/corona treatment for optimal adhesion
Alignment: Orientation systems for tubes requiring specific rotational positioning

Printing Process: The screen printing process transforms plain tubes into branded packaging through precisely controlled steps:

Automatic Loading: Conveyor systems feed tubes to printing machine
Pre-Alignment: Orientation systems rotate tubes to correct position (if required)
Flame Treatment: LPG flame treatment activates tube surface for ink adhesion
Static Elimination: Ion wind removes electrostatic charges
Dust Removal: Air jets remove particulates from tube surface
Multi-Color Printing: Sequential color application through precision-indexed stations
UV Curing: Instant UV curing solidifies ink immediately after printing
Quality Inspection: Vision systems verify print quality (optional)
Automatic Unloading: Printed tubes discharge to next process

Downstream Integration:

Cooling: Brief cooling period if needed after UV curing
Quality Sorting: Automated or manual defect removal
Shoulder Injection: Head-forming equipment adds caps and shoulders
Filling & Sealing: Product filling and tube sealing complete packaging
Cap Assembly: Automated capping systems close finished tubes
Final Inspection: Complete quality verification before packaging
Packaging: Tubes counted, boxed, and prepared for shipment

This integrated approach eliminates handling between operations, reduces labor costs, minimizes damage risk, and accelerates production throughput. Fully automated lines from tube extrusion through final packaging can produce completed, filled tubes at rates exceeding 100 units per minute.

TECHNICAL INNOVATION & COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

Advanced Screen Printing Technology

Round-Pressure Screen Printing Method:

Screen printing technology has been refined over decades to achieve exceptional quality and reliability. Screen printing technology uses screens, inks, and squeegees (rubber blades) to transfer template designs to surfaces. Our round-pressure configuration optimizes this process specifically for cylindrical tube printing.

The tube rotates beneath a stationary flat screen while the squeegee reciprocates across the screen surface, forcing ink through the mesh openings onto the tube. This method provides several advantages:

Thick Ink Deposits: Screen printing naturally creates ink layers 3-5 times thicker than offset or digital printing, delivering superior opacity, color saturation, and visual impact
Excellent Coverage: Thick ink films completely cover underlying colors or substrate variations, essential for printing on dark or transparent materials
Special Effect Capability: Can print metallic inks, fluorescent colors, textures, and other specialty inks difficult or impossible with other methods
Durability: Thick, fully-cured ink films provide superior scratch resistance, chemical resistance, and weatherability

Precision Registration Systems:

Multi-color registration accuracy of ±0.1mm ensures perfect color alignment across all printed colors. This precision enables:

Complex Multi-Color Designs: Intricate patterns with multiple colors, fine details, and tight tolerances
Text Overprinting: Sharp text printed over background colors or images
Process Color Printing: CMYK separations requiring precise alignment
Special Effects: Metallic highlights, spot varnishes, and other multi-layer effects

The Japan SANKYO rotary positioning drive system provides the foundation for this precision. High-resolution encoders continuously monitor tube position, while servo motors make micro-adjustments maintaining perfect alignment throughout production runs. This closed-loop control compensates for mechanical wear, thermal expansion, and production speed variations.

Advanced UV Curing Systems:

Our UV curing technology delivers multiple critical advantages:

Instant Curing:
UV LED curing technology is very suitable for screen printing. UV LED offers significant advantages for screen printing compared to traditional UV curing, including smaller, lighter fixtures, less maintenance and downtime, which translates to higher productivity, better adhesion on pigmented products, fewer rejects, and a higher quality end product at a lower cost.

Photochemical polymerization occurs within fractions of a second as tubes pass under UV lamps. This eliminates hours of drying time required by solvent-based inks, enabling immediate progress to downstream operations without risk of smudging or incomplete curing.

Superior Ink Properties:
UV-cured inks form highly cross-linked polymer networks with exceptional properties:

Chemical Resistance: Withstands contact with cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, cleaning agents, and industrial chemicals
Scratch Resistance: Maintains appearance through distribution and consumer use
Adhesion: Forms strong chemical bonds to properly treated substrates
Color Stability: Resists fading from UV exposure, heat, or environmental conditions
Flexibility: Maintains adhesion through repeated tube flexing and squeezing

Environmental Benefits:
Unlike their solvent-based counterparts, UV inks do not emit volatile organic compounds during the curing process, making them a more environmentally friendly and worker-friendly ink choice.

Zero VOC emissions eliminate air pollution, reduce regulatory compliance burdens, and create healthier working environments. No solvent recovery or incineration systems are required, reducing capital investment and operating costs.

Our optional LED-UV systems further reduce energy consumption by 40-50% while generating minimal heat – particularly beneficial for thin-walled tubes sensitive to thermal distortion.

Intelligent Automation Features

Full Servo Control Systems:

The machine is fully servo controlled, including 8 sets of servo systems for flame treatment control, tooling fixture control, host operation control, fixture rotation control, tooling group bracket control and scraper control, ink blade control, etc.

Servo technology provides multiple advantages over traditional pneumatic or mechanical systems:

Precision Control: Exact positioning, speed, and force control for every motion
Repeatability: Consistent performance across millions of cycles
Programmability: Different motions for different products stored in recipes
Diagnostics: Real-time monitoring of performance and predictive maintenance
Energy Efficiency: Power consumption matched precisely to actual requirements

Intelligent Sensor Systems:

Electric sensors create “no workpiece, no printing,” achieving intelligent monitoring and intelligent control. Multiple sensor types work together:

Presence Detection: Verifies tube present before printing action
Position Sensing: Confirms proper tube alignment and orientation
Quality Monitoring: Detects defects, foreign objects, or abnormal conditions
Process Verification: Confirms flame treatment, UV curing, and other critical steps
Safety Interlocks: Protects operators and equipment from unsafe conditions

This comprehensive sensor network prevents waste, protects equipment, ensures quality, and enables fully automatic operation with minimal supervision.

Integrated Surface Treatment:

PE or PP workpieces are reprocessed with flame treatment devices to obtain optimal ink adhesion. Polyolefin materials like PE and PP have inherently low surface energy, making direct ink printing challenging. Our integrated flame treatment system addresses this through controlled oxidation:

Flame Treatment Process:

Precise Temperature Control: LPG flame controlled to optimal temperature for surface activation
Consistent Coverage: Automated positioning ensures complete surface treatment
Activation Verification: Surface tension testing confirms adequate treatment level
Safety Systems: Flame failure detection and automatic shutdown protection

The flame treatment increases surface energy from typical 30-32 dynes/cm to 44-50 dynes/cm, enabling excellent ink wetting and adhesion. This treatment is automatically applied to each tube immediately before printing, ensuring consistent results.

Static Elimination Technology:

Static charges on plastic tubes attract dust, cause handling issues, and can interfere with print quality. Our integrated ion wind systems neutralize static electricity:

Balanced Ionization: Positive and negative ions neutralize charges effectively
Strategic Placement: Ion bars positioned for optimal effectiveness
Continuous Operation: Maintains static-free conditions throughout production
Low Maintenance: Solid-state design with minimal service requirements

Combined with dust removal air jets, these systems ensure tubes arrive at print stations perfectly clean and charge-free for optimal print quality.

Operational Excellence Features

PLC Touchscreen Control:

Advanced programmable logic controller with full-color touchscreen provides comprehensive control and monitoring:

User-Friendly Interface:

Intuitive Navigation: Icon-based menus, logical organization, minimal training required
Real-Time Monitoring: Production count, speed, fault status, all critical parameters
Recipe Management: Store unlimited product configurations for instant recall
Multi-Language Support: Available in English, Chinese, Spanish, and other languages
Help System: Built-in troubleshooting guides and maintenance procedures

Production Management:

Batch Tracking: Record production quantities, start/stop times, operator identification
Quality Logging: Document quality checks, defects found, corrective actions
Maintenance Scheduling: Track runtime, trigger preventive maintenance reminders
Performance Analysis: Historical data for efficiency improvement initiatives

Quick Changeover Systems:

Convenient and quick fixture adjustment and replacement saves you valuable time. Our changeover procedures are optimized for minimum downtime:

Fixture Changeover:

Quick-Release Mechanisms: Tool-free fixture removal and installation
Indexed Positioning: Automatic alignment to correct positions
Size Adjustment: Simple mechanical adjustments for diameter changes
Storage System: Organized fixture storage for fast access

Screen Changeover:

Magnetic Mounting: Screens attach/detach quickly without tools
Registration Pins: Automatic screen positioning and alignment
Screen Inventory: Multiple screen frames enable pre-setup while machine runs
Cleaning Stations: Dedicated areas for used screen cleaning

Parameter Transfer:

Recipe Recall: All mechanical positions, speeds, pressures stored digitally
Automatic Setup: System moves to correct positions automatically
Verification: Checklist ensures all steps completed before production

Typical changeover times of 15-30 minutes enable efficient handling of multiple products daily, supporting flexible production scheduling and fast response to customer demands.

COST EFFICIENCY & RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Superior Operating Economics

Screen printing technology, when properly implemented with modern automation and UV curing, delivers compelling economic advantages across material costs, labor efficiency, energy consumption, and production flexibility.

Lower Cost Per Tube:

Screen printing’s thick ink deposits might initially seem to consume more ink than thinner-layer methods, but several factors create favorable economics:

Ink Coverage Efficiency:

Single-Pass Opacity: Thick ink layers achieve complete coverage in single pass, while thin-layer methods may require multiple passes or undercoating
Special Effect Economy: Metallic and specialty inks that would be prohibitively expensive in digital or offset printing are economical in screen printing
Color Intensity: Higher pigment concentration in thick films means less ink required for equivalent visual impact

Quality Yield Advantages:

Higher first-pass quality directly impacts profitability:

Quality Metrics:

Registration Accuracy: ±0.1mm precision reduces defect rates from misalignment
Curing Consistency: UV curing eliminates under-cure or over-cure defects
Automated Monitoring: Sensors detect issues before significant waste occurs
Typical Yield: 98-99% first-pass yield vs. 93-95% for manual systems

Return on Investment Analysis

Typical ROI for tube silk screen printing machines ranges from 12-24 months depending on production volumes, current equipment capabilities, and product mix.

This remarkably fast payback demonstrates the compelling economics of automation. Even conservative scenarios with lower volume or partial automation show payback periods of 12-18 months.

Strategic Benefits:

Beyond direct financial returns, the system enables strategic advantages:

Market Positioning:

Premium Quality: Superior print quality commands premium pricing
Quick Response: Fast turnaround attracts time-sensitive customers
Small Run Capability: Serve customers others can’t accommodate profitably
Technical Leadership: Advanced capabilities differentiate from competitors

Business Growth:

Capacity Expansion: 3-5x throughput increase enables business growth without proportional headcount
New Markets: Quality and speed open doors to premium brand customers
Competitive Wins: Ability to underbid competitors while maintaining margins
Reputation Building: Consistent quality and delivery builds customer loyalty

COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE & SUPPORT

Complete Partnership Throughout Equipment Lifecycle

Our commitment extends far beyond equipment delivery. We provide comprehensive service and support ensuring your tube silk screen printing machine delivers optimal performance throughout its operational life.

Pre-Installation Consultation:

Application Analysis:
Our technical team conducts thorough analysis of your tube specifications, decoration requirements, production volumes, quality standards, and facility constraints. This assessment ensures system configuration precisely matches your needs.

Sample Testing:
Pre-purchase sample production validates print quality, adhesion, durability, and curing performance on your specific tubes and inks. Testing prevents surprises and confirms suitability before commitment.

Site Preparation:
Detailed site requirements cover electrical capacity, compressed air supply, LPG connection (if flame treatment used), environmental controls, floor space, and workflow layout. Comprehensive drawings enable efficient installation planning.

Installation & Commissioning:

Professional Installation:
Factory-trained technicians perform complete system installation including mechanical assembly, electrical connections, pneumatic systems, gas connections, and software configuration. Installation typically completes within 3-5 days.

System Calibration:
Comprehensive calibration optimizes performance including screen alignment, registration accuracy, print pressure, flame treatment intensity, UV curing power, and substrate handling. Calibration establishes baseline parameters.

Performance Validation:
Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) verify all systems meet specifications. Formal testing protocols document performance for quality assurance.

Operator Training:

Comprehensive Training Program:
Structured curriculum covers:

System operation and touchscreen interface
Job setup and parameter optimization
Screen installation and alignment procedures
Tube loading and fixture adjustment
Color management and ink preparation
UV curing system operation and safety
Quality monitoring and inspection
Routine maintenance and cleaning
Troubleshooting and problem resolution
Safety procedures and emergency protocols

Hands-On Practice:
Operators receive extensive hands-on training with actual production runs, ensuring confidence and competence before independent operation. Training typically spans 3-5 days.

Documentation:
Complete operations manuals, maintenance procedures, troubleshooting guides, and quick-reference materials provided in English and local language.

Ongoing Technical Support:

24/7 Remote Support:
Technical support team provides round-the-clock assistance via phone, email, and remote diagnostic connection where available. Remote access enables real-time troubleshooting and parameter optimization.

Rapid Response:
Critical issues receive immediate attention with target response times of 4 hours for remote support and 24-48 hours for on-site service (where service centers available).

Preventive Maintenance:
Scheduled maintenance programs maximize uptime and equipment longevity. Comprehensive protocols cover mechanical systems, electrical components, pneumatic systems, and consumable replacement.

Spare Parts Availability:

Strategic Inventory:
Critical spare parts stocked for immediate shipment. Common wear items and consumables typically ship same-day. Specialized components ship within 24-72 hours.

Genuine Parts:
All spare parts are genuine OEM components ensuring compatibility, quality, and optimal performance. Genuine parts protect warranty coverage.

Long-Term Availability:
We maintain spare parts throughout equipment operational life, typically 15+ years, ensuring your investment remains serviceable long-term.

Application Support:

Ink Recommendations:
Expert guidance on ink selection for different tube materials and applications, including standard colors, metallic inks, specialty effects, and low-migration options.

Screen Specifications:
Recommendations on screen mesh counts, emulsion types, and stencil techniques optimizing print quality for specific applications.

Process Optimization:
Ongoing support for process improvement including speed enhancement, quality initiatives, and efficiency projects maximizing ROI.

SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP

Eco-Friendly Printing Solutions

The tube silk screen printing machine incorporates environmental considerations throughout its design, helping your business reduce environmental impact while improving operational efficiency.

UV Curing Environmental Advantages:

Unlike their solvent-based counterparts, UV inks do not emit volatile organic compounds during the curing process, making them a more environmentally friendly and worker-friendly ink choice.

Zero VOC Emissions:

No solvent evaporation during printing or curing
Eliminates air pollution and odor issues
No solvent recovery or incineration equipment required
Complies with stringent air quality regulations
Creates healthier working environment for operators

Reduced Energy Consumption:

Due to rapid curing under UV lamps, screen printing shops using UV inks typically use less energy than those using solvent or water-based inks requiring large conveyor dryers.

Energy Comparison:

UV Curing: 5KW during production, instant on/off capability
Hot Air Drying: 20-30KW continuous operation including preheat
Annual Savings: 50,000+ kWh for typical production volumes
LED-UV Option: Further 40-50% energy reduction

Lower Carbon Footprint:

Reduced energy consumption decreases greenhouse gas emissions
No fossil fuel combustion for thermal drying
Efficient production reduces per-unit environmental impact
Supports corporate sustainability initiatives

Reduced Material Waste:

High First-Pass Yield:

98-99% good tubes vs. 93-95% for manual systems
Fewer defective tubes mean less raw material waste
Reduced tube production, printing, and disposal environmental impact

Minimal Setup Waste:

Typically 20-50 tubes setup waste vs. 500-1000+ for offset
Quick changeover enables small-batch production without waste
Automated consistency reduces trial-and-error adjustments

Efficient Ink Usage:

Precise squeegee control optimizes ink deposit
Automated ink replenishment prevents overflow waste
Sealed ink systems reduce drying and skinning losses

Durable Screen Technology:

Extended Screen Life:

Properly maintained screens last 50,000-100,000+ impressions
Significantly longer than offset plates (5,000-20,000 impressions)
Reduced manufacturing environmental impact through longevity
Lower disposal burden from reduced replacement frequency

Recyclable Components:

Aluminum screen frames fully recyclable
Mesh materials recyclable through specialized programs
Emulsion removable enabling screen frame reuse

Equipment Longevity:

Durable Construction:

Robust design ensures 15-20+ year operational life with proper maintenance
Extended equipment life reduces manufacturing environmental impact
Lower replacement frequency reduces disposal burden

Upgrade Capability:

Modular design enables system upgrades without complete replacement
Control system updates extend technological relevance
Mechanical refurbishment restores like-new performance

End-of-Life Recycling:

Equipment designed for disassembly at end-of-life
Most components recyclable through industrial recycling streams
Hazardous materials minimized and properly managed

Sustainable Operations Support:

Environmental Documentation:

Comprehensive data supports environmental certifications
Energy consumption monitoring enables carbon footprint calculation
Waste tracking identifies optimization opportunities
Compliance documentation for environmental reporting

Operator Safety:

Zero VOC emissions protect operator health
UV safety interlocks prevent exposure
Ergonomic design reduces injury risk
Comprehensive safety training and procedures

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Q1: What tube sizes can the machine print?
A: Standard configuration handles tubes from Ø25mm to Ø90mm diameter. Custom configurations can accommodate smaller (down to Ø16mm) or larger tubes (up to Ø120mm+). Length capacity typically 50-250mm, adjustable based on tube specifications. Quick-change fixtures enable rapid diameter changes within 15-30 minutes.

Q2: How many colors can be printed simultaneously?
A: Systems available in 1-7 color configurations. Most popular are 2-3 color systems for basic designs, 4-color CMYK for complex graphics, and 5-7 color systems adding spot colors, metallics, or special effects. Additional colors can often be added to existing systems through modular expansion.

Q3: What materials can be printed?
A: Prints on PE, PP, PET plastic tubes, ABL (aluminum-plastic laminate) tubes, and aluminum tubes. Compatible with both flexible squeeze tubes and rigid containers. Flame or corona treatment enables excellent adhesion on difficult materials. Surface treatment integrated into system for optimal results.

Q4: What is actual production speed?
A: Cylindrical tubes: 4000 pieces/hour (67/minute). Oval tubes: 5000 pieces/hour (83/minute). Speed depends on tube size, design complexity, number of colors, and curing requirements. Speeds quoted are sustained production rates, not theoretical maximums.

Q5: How long does UV curing take?
A: UV curing is instantaneous – tubes are fully cured as they pass under UV lamps (typically 2-3 seconds exposure). No additional drying time required. Tubes can proceed immediately to downstream operations. LED-UV options cure even faster with lower energy consumption.

Q6: What maintenance is required?
A: Daily: Basic cleaning, ink level checks (15-20 minutes). Weekly: Thorough cleaning, lubrication, inspection (1-2 hours). Monthly: Detailed maintenance, calibration verification (2-4 hours). Annual: Comprehensive service inspection. Automated systems minimize maintenance burden compared to manual equipment.

Q7: How long does screen changeover take?
A: Screen changes typically 5-10 minutes with magnetic mounting systems. Complete job changeover including screens, fixtures, and parameter setup: 15-30 minutes depending on complexity. Quick-change systems and recipe memory minimize downtime.

Q8: What training is required for operators?
A: Comprehensive training provided: 3-5 days hands-on training covers all aspects of operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Prior printing experience helpful but not required. Intuitive touchscreen interface minimizes learning curve. Ongoing support available for questions or issues.

Q9: Can the system integrate with existing production lines?
A: Yes, designed for seamless integration with upstream tube manufacturing and downstream filling/assembly equipment. Standard conveyor interfaces, configurable loading/unloading systems, and communication protocols enable complete automation. Our team provides integration support.

Q10: What is typical return on investment timeline?
A: ROI typically 12-24 months depending on production volume, current equipment capabilities, and labor costs. High-volume producers replacing manual systems often achieve payback in 6-12 months through labor savings alone. Conservative scenarios show 18-24 month payback including all benefits.

Complete Your Tube Production with Professional Heading Technology

Our experts are ready to detail how our Laminating, Extruding, and Printing machines can integrate seamlessly into your production line. Request a tailored proposal today.