| Exposure unit | Max screen / image size | Light source | Screen-to-film contact | Web price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vastex E20 (E20-2024) | up to 20" x 24" | 2 LED light bars, analog timer | Pressure plate (glass sold separately) | $995.00 | Tabletop starter; small shops and hobby-to-business |
| Vastex E200-2128 | up to 21" x 28" | 3 LED light bars, one-touch control | Vacuum lid | $2,590.00 | First "real" production unit for standard screens |
| Chromaline Quick Image LED 26" x 31" | image area 26" x 31" | LED strips, digital timer | Oil-free vacuum pump | $2,625.00 | Tabletop LED unit with a larger image area |
| Vastex E200-2331 High Output | up to 23" x 31" | 3 x 30" LED light bars | Vacuum lid | $3,175.00 | Busy shops on 23" x 31" automatic-press screens |
| Vastex E2000 E2-2536 | up to 25" x 36" | High-output LED bars | Vacuum lid | $5,260.00 | Large-format and oversized screens |
| Vastex E2000 E2-5236 | one 52" x 36" or two 25" x 36" | 12 x 30" high-output LED bars, touchscreen with 10 presets | Vacuum lid | $8,220.00 | High-volume shops burning two screens at once |
Prices are today's bucketsofink.com web prices. Units ship by freight — your exact estimate shows at checkout or on your quote. See every model and accessory in the Vastex exposing units & drying cabinets category.
An exposure unit (also called a screen exposure unit, light box or burner) shines UV light through a film positive onto a screen coated with photo emulsion. Where light hits, the emulsion hardens; where the black image blocks the light, the emulsion stays soft and washes out, leaving the open stencil your ink prints through. A good unit does three jobs: even UV light across the whole screen, tight contact between film and screen, and a repeatable timer so every screen burns the same.
| Your shop | Typical screens | Good fit |
|---|---|---|
| Starting out / garage shop on a manual press | 20" x 24" and smaller | Vastex E20 + E20 tempered glass ($154.00) |
| Small production shop, spot color and some halftones | 20" x 24" to 21" x 28" | Vastex E200-2128 or Chromaline Quick Image LED |
| Shop running an automatic press | 23" x 31" | Vastex E200-2331 High Output |
| High volume or oversized prints | 25" x 36" (one or two at a time) | E2-2536 or E2-5236 |
You can build a DIY exposure unit from a box, UV or LED lights, glass and a weighted foam pad, and many printers start that way. What a commercial unit adds is even light across the whole screen, a vacuum or pressure system for consistent film contact, and an accurate timer — the things that make every screen burn the same. When a DIY box starts costing you remade screens, the Vastex E20 at $995.00 is the usual first upgrade.
Shopping used? Browse pre-owned screen printing equipment on the Buckets of Ink used equipment marketplace or our used equipment page. Building a full screen room? Ask about the screen room package — exposure unit, drying cabinet, emulsion, scoop coater, film and screens quoted together. Great financing is available on new equipment, and we can help with setup and training.
See it before you buy: equipment is on display at our Tempe showroom, 906 S Priest Dr, Suite 101, Tempe, AZ 85281 (Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–4:00 PM). Call 480-229-7806 to book a demo, ask about setup and training, or talk through the right size for your shop.
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An exposure unit is a UV light box that hardens photo emulsion on a screen everywhere except under the black areas of your film positive. The soft areas wash out and become the stencil that ink prints through.
For most shops an LED unit with a vacuum lid sized to your largest frame is the best choice. At Buckets of Ink that is the Vastex E200-2128 or E200-2331 for standard screens, the E2000 series for 25" x 36" screens, and the Vastex E20 for a budget tabletop start.
At bucketsofink.com the Vastex E20 tabletop LED unit is $995.00, the E200-2128 is $2,590.00, the Chromaline Quick Image LED 26" x 31" is $2,625.00, the E200-2331 High Output is $3,175.00, and the E2000 E2-2536 and E2-5236 are $5,260.00 and $8,220.00. Freight is quoted separately.
Vacuum gives the tightest film-to-screen contact, which matters for fine lines and halftones. For bold spot-color art a pressure-plate unit like the Vastex E20 works well.
It depends on the emulsion, mesh, coating thickness and the unit, so run an exposure step test (for example the Chromaline 10-Step Exposure Guide) and use the time that holds the finest detail while fully hardening the emulsion.
A DIY unit needs an even UV or LED light source, glass, a way to press film tight to the screen and a timer. It works for hobby use; commercial units add even light, vacuum contact and accurate timing for repeatable screens.
Visit Buckets of Ink at 906 S Priest Dr, Suite 101, Tempe, AZ 85281, Monday to Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, or call 480-229-7806 to set up a demo.
