What is an automatic silk screen machine?

An automatic silk screen machine (automatic screen printing press) is a servo- or pneumatically-driven carousel press that indexes garments through multiple print heads automatically. The operator loads and unloads garments while the machine controls squeegee strokes, registration, and rotation. Automatic presses print 400-700+ garments per hour versus 20-40 per hour on a manual press, with more consistent print quality on long runs.

How much does an automatic screen printing machine cost?

Automatic screen printing presses are custom-configured and quote-based. Entry-level compact automatics like the ROQ Nano and ROQ Fit represent the lowest investment tier; mid-range presses like the ROQ You series are the most common first automatic; premium and oval presses like the ROQ Next and ROQ Oval Pro scale to the highest production tiers. Total cost depends on station count, color count, platen size, flash cure units, and compressor requirements. Call Buckets of Ink at (480) 229-7806 for a configured quote.

What is the difference between manual and automatic screen printing presses?

Manual presses rely on the operator to rotate the carousel and pull every squeegee stroke — low cost, small footprint, ideal for startups, sampling, and short runs. Automatic presses use servo or pneumatic drive to index pallets and execute print strokes with identical pressure and speed every cycle — higher throughput, better consistency, and lower per-piece labor on runs above roughly 50-100 pieces. Most shops start manual and add an automatic when volume justifies it.

What power does an automatic screen printing press require?

Most automatic presses, including the ROQ line, require three-phase 220V power (3x220V). Shops also need compressed air for pneumatic functions and adequate clearance for the carousel diameter plus loading area. Flash cure units add significant electrical load — 9,000W to 25,500W each on the ROQ line. Buckets of Ink can review your shop's electrical capacity and floor plan before you order.

What automatic press brands does Buckets of Ink carry?

Buckets of Ink is an authorized ROQ dealer carrying the complete ROQ automatic line — Nano, Fit, E, You M/XL, Next M/XL, ECO L/XL+, and Oval Evolution/Pro — plus Vastex manual presses and shop equipment, Workhorse products, direct-to-screen systems, platens for every press, and shop-inspected used equipment.

Is ROQ or Vastex better for my shop?

They serve different stages: Vastex builds American-made manual presses, dryers, and exposure units ideal for startups, samples, and shops under roughly 100 pieces per day. ROQ builds automatic carousel and oval presses for production shops running hundreds to thousands of pieces daily. Many successful shops run both — Vastex manual stations for samples and short runs alongside a ROQ automatic for production.

Does Buckets of Ink sell used screen printing equipment?

Yes. Buckets of Ink offers shop-inspected used screen printing equipment — presses, dryers, flash units, and exposure systems. Used inventory changes weekly; call (480) 229-7806 to hear what is currently available or to be notified when specific equipment arrives.

What is a direct-to-screen (DTS) system?

A direct-to-screen system images your artwork directly onto the emulsion-coated screen using inkjet-deposited blocking fluid — eliminating film positives entirely. DTS speeds up screen making, improves registration accuracy, and reduces consumable costs for shops burning ten or more screens daily.

Can I see automatic screen printing equipment in Arizona before buying?

Yes. Buckets of Ink is located at 906 S Priest Dr #101, Tempe, AZ 85281, open Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-4:00 PM. We arrange equipment consultations, configuration reviews, and demos for shops across Arizona and the Southwest. Call (480) 229-7806 or email amber.bucketsofink@gmail.com to schedule.

What equipment do I need to start screen printing?

Core items include a press, exposure unit, screens and squeegees, flash dryer, conveyor dryer, washout booth, chemistry for stencil making, and registration tools. Add a darkroom space with light-safe storage.

Manual vs automatic press—how should I choose?

Manual presses suit short runs and frequent art changes. Automatics excel at higher volumes with consistent prints and reduced labor per shirt. Choose by throughput, crew size, and budget.

LED exposure vs metal halide—what’s the difference?

LED units are energy efficient with fast, repeatable exposures and cool operation. Metal halide offers broad spectrum power but runs hotter and needs longer warm-up. Most shops now prefer LED for stability.

Do I need both a flash and a conveyor dryer?

A flash gels underbases and intermediate colors; a conveyor dryer completes cure with controlled dwell and temperature. For production reliability, a conveyor dryer is strongly recommended.

How do I keep prints consistent day to day?

Calibrate off-contact and squeegee durometer, maintain mesh tension, control room humidity, verify exposure times, and log dryer temperature and dwell. Consistency across these variables protects color and hand.

Automatic Silk Screen Machine | Screen Printing Equipment | Buckets of Ink

Home/ Screen Printing/ Equipment/ Automatic Silk Screen Machine

Screen Printing Equipment — From First Press to Full Production

Automatic
Silk Screen
Machines

Q: How many shirts per hour can an automatic press print?

A well-run automatic screen printing press typically produces 400-700+ prints per hour depending on colors, flash requirements, and operator loading speed. High-capacity oval presses with multiple flash stations can exceed 1,000 pieces per hour on simple designs. By comparison, a skilled manual printer sustains roughly 20-40 prints per hour. The automatic advantage grows with color count, since all colors print in one rotation.

From your first Vastex manual to a 44-station ROQ oval — Buckets of Ink configures, quotes, and supports the complete range of screen printing equipment. Every press we sell is matched to your shop's volume, power, and floor space by people who have actually run them.

Browse Equipment Manual vs Automatic Get a Quote

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ROQ and Vastex screen printing equipment at Buckets of Ink, Tempe AZ

ROQ & Vastex screen printing equipment — in stock at Buckets of Ink

Shop by category

Screen Printing Equipment

Six equipment categories cover everything a screen printing shop runs on — automatics, manuals, screen imaging, platens, shop machinery, and inspected used gear.

ROQ US automatic screen printing presses at Buckets of Ink

Automatic Presses ROQ US

Portuguese-engineered automatic carousel and oval presses — 11 models from the compact Nano to the 44-station Oval Pro. Servo registration, 2–20 colors, and the production standard in 80+ countries.

Explore ROQ

Vastex manual screen printing presses and equipment at Buckets of Ink

Manual Presses & Shop Gear Vastex

American-made manual presses, conveyor dryers, flash units, and exposure systems. The proven path for startups, samples, and short-run stations alongside your automatic.

Explore Vastex

Direct to screen imaging system at Buckets of Ink

Screen Imaging Direct To Screen

Computer-to-screen systems that image artwork straight onto coated screens — no film positives, faster screen rooms, tighter registration for shops burning 10+ screens a day.

Explore DTS

Screen printing platens and pallets at Buckets of Ink

Press Accessories Platens

Standard, sleeve, youth, cap, and oversized platens for ROQ, Vastex, and other press brands — plus quick-change systems that cut changeover time between jobs.

Explore Platens

Workhorse Products screen printing equipment at Buckets of Ink

Shop Machinery Workhorse Products

Workhorse presses, conveyor dryers, flash cures, and shop equipment — a trusted American equipment line for growing production floors.

Explore Workhorse

Used screen printing equipment at Buckets of Ink

Value Buys Used Equipment

Shop-inspected used presses, dryers, and exposure units. Inventory rotates weekly — call to hear what is on the floor right now or to be alerted when specific gear arrives.

Ask About Inventory

The core decision

Manual vs Automatic Silk Screen Machines

The honest comparison shops actually need. A skilled printer sustains 20–40 prints per hour on a manual press; an automatic runs 400–700+ with one loader. The break-even is volume.

Typical
Production

20–40/hrManual — Per Operator

400–700+/hrAutomatic Carousel

1,000+/hrOval — Simple Designs

~50–100 pcsRun Size Where Auto Wins

Factor	Manual Press Vastex	Automatic Press ROQ
Production Rate	20–40 prints/hr per skilled operator	400–700+ prints/hr with one loader; ovals 1,000+ on simple work
Print Consistency	Varies with operator fatigue and stroke technique	Servo-controlled stroke — identical pressure, speed, and angle every print
Crew Required	1 printer per press	1–2 (loader + catcher); machine does the printing
Investment Tier	Lowest — startup friendly	Quote-based; entry automatics (ROQ Nano/Fit) to industrial ovals
Power & Air	None — human powered	3×220V three-phase + compressed air; flash units add 9,000–25,500W each
Floor Space	Compact — fits small shops and garages	Carousel diameter + loading zone; ovals need dedicated bays
Best For	Startups, samples, short runs, art proofing	Contract printing, teamwear, retail programs, 100+ piece runs
Typical Path	First press for most shops	Added when weekly volume outgrows manual capacity

Under the hood

How an Automatic Press Cycle Works

One rotation, every color. Here is the cycle an automatic silk screen machine executes hundreds of times per hour.

Load the Garment

The operator smooths the garment onto an adhesive-coated pallet at the load station. On dual-loader ovals, two operators alternate for continuous feed.

Servo Indexing

The carousel indexes each pallet to the next head with servo motor registration — the precision that keeps multi-color art aligned print after print.

Print Stroke

At each color head, the machine executes a flood and squeegee stroke with identical pressure, angle, and speed — the consistency manual printing cannot match at volume.

Flash Cure Between Colors

Inline flash units gel the underbase (and wet-sensitive colors) mid-rotation. Smart flashes like the ROQ Evolution probe surface temperature and self-adjust.

Unload

The finished print returns to the unload station. Automatic unloaders like the ROQ Pull can lift garments off the pallet and feed the dryer belt directly.

Tunnel Cure

Garments ride a conveyor dryer — like the ROQ Sahara line, 30"–90" belts — where plastisol reaches full cure (typically 320°F through the ink film).

What we carry

The Equipment Lineups

Both dealer lines, summarized. Every configuration is quote-based and matched to your volume, power, and floor plan.

ROQ Nano & Fit

Entry Automatics

Compact 8–10 station automatics with 2–4 colors — the lowest-investment path from manual to automatic production.

ROQ You M / XL

The Production Standard

23 configurations, 8–22 stations, 4–20 colors on M (18"×26") or XL (20"×30") platens — the most deployed ROQ in US contract shops.

ROQ Next M / XL

Premium Precision

Enhanced servo registration and build quality for shops where repeatability and uptime are the business model.

ROQ ECO L / XL+

High-Output Production

Large and oversized platen automatics — 21 configurations up to 20 stations and 18 colors for long-run production.

ROQ Oval Evolution & Pro

Industrial Ovals

Oval-track presses to 44 stations and 20 colors with multiple flash points — the highest-volume tier ROQ builds.

Sahara Dryers + Flash

Curing Ecosystem

Sahara tunnel dryers in 30"–90" belts, electric and gas, plus Run and Evolution Smart flash units 9,000–25,500W.

Full ROQ Catalog

Manual Presses

Tabletop to Floor

American-made manual carousels from single-station tabletops to multi-color floor presses — micro-registration standard on pro models.

Conveyor Dryers

Infrared Curing

Compact infrared conveyor dryers sized for manual shops through mid-volume production — full plastisol cure in a small footprint.

Exposure Units

Screen Room

LED exposure systems for fast, consistent stencils with excellent detail hold on halftones and fine type.

Flash Cure Units

Spot Curing

Stand-mounted flash cures for underbase gelling on manual presses and sample stations.

Full Vastex Catalog

Before you buy

Automatic Press Buying Checklist

The six questions our equipment team walks every buyer through — answer these and the right configuration picks itself.

01

Daily Volume

Pieces per day, not per order. Under ~100/day a manual holds; 100–500 points to an entry or You-class automatic; 500+ justifies premium or oval configurations.

02

Color Count

Your typical art drives head count. Buy for the jobs you quote weekly, not the once-a-year 12-color job — but leave 2+ heads of headroom for underbases and flashes.

03

Platen Size

M (~18"×26") covers standard adult apparel; XL (~20"×30") handles 2XL+, all-over, and large-format teamwear. Oversize once — replatening later costs more.

04

Power & Air

Automatics need 3×220V three-phase and compressed air. Each flash adds 9,000–25,500W. We review your panel capacity before you commit.

05

Floor Plan

Carousel diameter plus loading clearance plus dryer inline. Ovals trade circular footprint for length — send us your floor dimensions and we CAD-check the fit.

06

Growth Path

Match the press to where you will be in 24 months. Many shops run Vastex manual stations for samples beside a ROQ automatic for production — plan both lanes.

Quick answers

Automatic Silk Screen Machine FAQ

The questions equipment buyers ask us most.

An automatic silk screen machine (automatic screen printing press) is a servo- or pneumatically-driven carousel press that indexes garments through multiple print heads automatically. The operator loads and unloads while the machine controls squeegee strokes, registration, and rotation — producing 400–700+ garments per hour versus 20–40 on a manual press, with more consistent quality on long runs.

Automatic presses are custom-configured and quote-based. Entry compacts like the ROQ Nano and Fit are the lowest tier; the ROQ You series is the most common first automatic; Next and Oval configurations scale to the highest production tiers. Cost depends on stations, colors, platen size, flash units, and compressor needs. Call (480) 229-7806 for a configured quote.

A well-run automatic typically produces 400–700+ prints per hour depending on colors, flashes, and loading speed. High-capacity ovals with multiple flash stations can exceed 1,000 pieces per hour on simple designs. A skilled manual printer sustains roughly 20–40 per hour — and the automatic advantage grows with color count, since every color prints in one rotation.

Manual presses rely on the operator for every rotation and squeegee stroke — low cost, small footprint, ideal for startups and short runs. Automatics use servo or pneumatic drive for identical strokes every cycle — higher throughput, better consistency, lower per-piece labor above roughly 50–100 pieces. Most shops start manual and add an automatic when volume justifies it. See the full comparison table above.

Most automatics, including the ROQ line, require three-phase 220V (3×220V) plus compressed air. Flash cure units add 9,000–25,500W each. Buckets of Ink reviews your shop's electrical capacity and floor plan before you order — send panel photos and floor dimensions with your quote request.

Different stages: Vastex builds American-made manual presses, dryers, and exposure units ideal for startups and shops under ~100 pieces/day. ROQ builds automatics for production shops running hundreds to thousands daily. Many successful shops run both — Vastex stations for samples and short runs beside a ROQ automatic for production.

Yes — shop-inspected used presses, dryers, flash units, and exposure systems. Inventory rotates weekly; call (480) 229-7806 to hear what's currently on the floor or to be notified when specific equipment arrives.

A DTS system images artwork directly onto the emulsion-coated screen with inkjet-deposited blocking fluid — eliminating film positives. Faster screen rooms, tighter registration, and lower consumable cost for shops burning 10+ screens daily.

Yes. We're at 906 S Priest Dr #101, Tempe, AZ 85281, open Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–4:00 PM. We arrange consultations, configuration reviews, and demos for shops across Arizona and the Southwest — email amber.bucketsofink@gmail.com to schedule.

Yes. Buckets of Ink ships equipment, coordinates installation, and trains operators with practical checks for exposure, registration, flash timing, and tunnel cure — so your crew prints at spec from week one.

Configure Your Press

Send your daily volume, typical color counts, and floor dimensions — we'll spec the machine and quote it.

Call (480) 229-7806 Email a Quote Request

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Screen Printing Equipment | Silk Screen Printing Equipment

Pro-Grade Tools for Consistent, Scalable Printing

Build a shop that performs with screen printing equipment selected for accuracy, repeatability, and throughput. From manual and automatic presses to LED exposure units, flash and conveyor dryers, and washout solutions, Buckets of Ink outfits your production with gear that protects registration, cure, and finish.

Presses that Match Your Volume and Art Mix

Manual presses deliver nimble setup and tactile control for short runs, sampling, and frequent changeovers. Automatic presses apply steady squeegee speed and pressure across the print area for long runs and tight deadlines. Align head count, palette size, and micro-registration features to your average art size and daily targets, then standardize pallets and off-contact to keep edges sharp.

LED Exposure Units for Fast, Repeatable Stencils

Modern LED exposure delivers rapid, cool, and consistent stencil making with excellent detail and less undercutting. Pair an LED unit with quality dual-cure or pure photopolymer emulsion, maintain a light-safe coating room, and track exposure time with a step wedge so halftones and micro-type hold during long runs.

Flash Dryers and Conveyor Dryers that Cure with Confidence

A reliable flash stabilizes underbases and traps colors without scorching. A tuned conveyor dryer completes cure with controlled belt speed and temperature, ensuring hand remains soft and wash performance stays strong. Verify core temperature with test strips or a probe and log dwell times to keep garments leaving the tunnel consistent.

Washout Booths, Screens, and Registration that Protect Detail

Clean, well-lit washout areas make reclaim predictable, while proper filtration keeps drains compliant and spray safe. Choose high-tension mesh for edge acuity, match squeegee durometer to ink and mesh, and use registration systems that position screens quickly so operators can focus on ink control and print cadence.

Integrated Workflow from Darkroom to Dryer

Consistent results come from a tuned stack. Start with coated and dried screens, expose to spec, verify tension and off-contact, and manage ink viscosity and flood cadence on press. Move through a flash and tunnel with stable parameters, then evaluate prints for cure, gloss, and stretch. With a repeatable routine, proofs turn into profitable orders that feel and look premium.

Supplies that Support Professional Output

Round out your equipment with plastisol inks, water-based inks, emulsions and reclaim chemistry, squeegees, and pre-stretched screens. Standardized materials keep profiles steady across teams and shifts.

Anchored Paths to Buy and Learn

Shop screen printing presses, compare exposure units, dial finishing with conveyor dryers, and maintain clarity with washout booths. For specialty effects and apparel-ready looks, explore specialty inks that add value without slowing cadence.

Nationwide Supply, Setup Guidance, and Real-Shop Support

Buckets of Ink ships equipment, installs workflows, and trains operators with practical checks for exposure, registration, flash timing, and tunnel cure. We align gear to your art sizes, fabric mix, and deadlines so crews print faster, waste less, and maintain the finish your clients expect.

Business Listing and Contact

Buckets of Ink, 906 S. Priest Dr, Suite 101, Tempe, AZ 85281. Phone: +1-888-704-INKS. Website: www.bucketsofink.com. Talk with our team to size presses, dryers, and exposure units to your throughput goals and budget.