Printing on an auto is very different than printing manually. Yes, you can produce more garments faster. The flipside is that you can ruin a lot of garments very quickly with poor technique or bad press operation. Because of that risk, training is crucial.

Here’s what I wish I’d known before I started printing with a Syringe Pad Printing Machine:

Learn to print wet-on-wet. You simply can’t flash every color. It’s wasteful, unreasonable, and typically makes zero sense. A huge tip for wet-on-wet printing: you want your platens to be around 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) for the best wet-on-wet printing.

Mesh control and screen tension are really important for successful printing. These two topics are huge for automatic printers. Since the machine is so consistent, you can carefully control ink deposit and pickup. This means understanding mesh counts, keep tabs on your screen tension, and generally taking a deeper dive into the mechanics of your screens.

Two flashes is enough for one press. For most jobs, two flash dryer units can accomplish what you need.

There is help available. Don’t wing it or try to do everything by yourself. Here’s how I got up to speed:
Attend trade shows to make connections with sales reps, manufacturers, and other screen printing experts. You’ll often get tips and valuable info at the show, and you can lean on your connections afterward to get help as you need it. Here's how to get the most out of trade shows.