Achieving clean ink shearing, sharp halftones, and opaque underbases on automatic and manual screen printing presses depends on proper squeegee selection and floodbar maintenance. Dull, nicked squeegee edges or incorrect rubber durometers lead to excessive ink laydown, bleeding, and uneven garment prints. Sourcing high-performance screen printing squeegees, replacement blades, and aluminum floodbars ensures precise ink deposit control and long-lasting blade durability across high-speed production runs.
Calibrated Durometers & Precision Ink Application
Lawson Workhorse Group (LWG) supplies commercial squeegee rubber, complete squeegee assemblies, and precision-machined floodbars engineered for all major automatic and manual press brands:
- Single & Triple Durometer Squeegee Rubber: Choose from soft 60 durometer for heavy white underbases, 70 durometer for general textile printing, or triple durometer (70/90/70) for high-tension halftone control without blade flexing.
- Ergonomic Wooden & Aluminum Squeegee Handles: Outfit manual printing stations with comfortable, lightweight wooden or quick-clean aluminum squeegee handles built for operator comfort.
- Automatic Press Squeegees & Winged Floodbars: Maximize ink return and prevent ink spillover on automatic presses with precision aluminum floodbars and wing attachments.
- Precision Squeegee Sharpeners: Restore pristine, sharp shearing edges to worn squeegee blades right in your shop to extend rubber lifespan and maintain print consistency.
All screen printing squeegees, floodbars, and blade supplies purchased through Lawson Workhorse Group come backed by expert technical advice and fast shipping out of distribution facilities in St. Louis, MO, and Atlanta, GA.
Screen Printing Squeegees & Floodbars: FAQ
Which squeegee durometer (hardness) should I use for textile screen printing?
A 70 durometer blade is the industry standard for general garment printing. Use a softer 60 durometer blade when pushing heavy white ink underbases through low mesh counts, and select a stiffer 80 or 70/90/70 triple durometer blade for high-detail halftone prints and high mesh counts.
What is the advantage of a triple durometer squeegee blade?
Triple durometer blades (such as 70/90/70) feature a hard 90 durometer inner core sandwiched between softer 70 durometer outer edges. This prevents the squeegee blade from flexing under heavy downward press pressure while maintaining a sharp, flexible edge for clean ink shearing.
Why are aluminum floodbars preferred on automatic screen printing presses?
Aluminum floodbars are lightweight, rigid, and extremely easy to clean. They provide uniform ink coverage across the entire screen mesh during the flood stroke without gouging or dragging across the stencil surface.
How often should squeegee blades be sharpened or replaced?
Squeegee blades should be sharpened or rotated as soon as the edge becomes rounded or nicked. Rounded squeegee edges push excess ink through the mesh, leading to fuzzy print edges, ink bleeding, and slow ink curing times.
Does Lawson provide replacement squeegee blades for different press manufacturers?
Yes. Lawson Workhorse Group offers squeegee assemblies, cut-to-size rubber, and floodbars compatible with Lawson, Workhorse, M&R, Anatol, Automatic, and manual screen printing presses.
