Fundamentals of Textile Design 3(2+1)

Lesson 29: Printing methods

Roller printing

It is a machine counterpart of block printing in which the rate of production of printed cloth is around 1000-4000 yards per hour. Instead of block, the design is engraved or etched on the metal cylinders which are placed sequentially on the machine depending on the number of colours used in a design. Each engraved cylinder is provided with a separate dye trough which supplies dye paste to the engraved cylinder. All the cylinders are placed around a big cylinder covered with thick material as padding. When fabric is passed between the big roller and the carved rollers, the carved cylinder takes up the dye paste and presses onto the cloth creating the design. As the fabric moves to the next cylinder, the second colour is printed. The process continues until all colours in the design are completed. The wrong side of the fabric seldom has any penetration of design.