Introducing Basalt: a modular, entry-level rotary screen integration (RSI) line
As the Printed Electronics market grows rapidly, finding a scalable, high-quality production solution is essential. The Basalt RSI Line by SPGPrints is designed to meet this need. Offering rotary screen printing technology in an entry-level, Basalt enables businesses to scale up production efficiently, without compromising quality or breaking the bank.
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Efficient and Versatile:
Basalt supports a wide range of substrates, from thin films to heavy paper, and delivers results at mechanical line speeds ranging from 3 to up to 100m/min.
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Innovative and Flexible:
Rotary screen technology allows for intricate designs and continuous patterns that flatbed printing simply can’t achieve. The Basalt can also be expanded with other known technologies, such as UV or NIR systems.
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Sustainable Solutions:
With reusable RotaMesh screens that last for up to 500,000 linear meters, Basalt reduces waste and supports eco-friendly production.
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Easy to Integrate:
Compact and complete, Basalt fits seamlessly into your production line, letting you expand capacity without disrupting your existing operations.
Built for Growth and Innovation
The Basalt RSI Line bridges the gap between small-scale flatbed printing and high-volume rotary production. Whether you are manufacturing RFID tags, sensors, antennas or other electronic components, Basalt empowers you to take your production to the next level:
- Affordable Scalability: Start with a compact setup and expand as your production needs growth. Basalt is the perfect entry point into rotary screen printing
- Continuous Production: Deliver consistent, high-quality results with seamless designs and uninterruptedcircuits – essential for advanced printed electronics applications.
- Minimal Downtime: The design consists of robust technologies with at the heart the SPGPrints Marble RSI unit and hot-air drying, optimizing production with minimal downtimes.
Technical specification
| Features | Description |
| Max. printing width | 508 mm (20’’) |
| Repeat sizes | 12-25.25’’ (step 1/8’’) |
| Substrate width | 350 mm - 550 mm |
| Thickness substrate | 90 μm - 350 μm |
| Max roll diameter | 600 mm (3’’ core) |
| Shaft | 3’’ and 6’’ (adapter) |
| Mechanical Line Speed | 3 - 100 m/min |
| Dryer heating source | Electrical (optional UV-curing available) |
| Dryer content | 3.6 meter |
| Dryer temperature range | 60-180 °C |
| Dimensions | 7.1 m x 1.7 m x 2.0 m (2.6 m with open lid) |
| Power supply | 3 x 400 V + N + PE, 125 A |
| Line transport | Both ways, feed-forward and feed-backward |
| Standard equipment is engineered and built in accordance with | CE |
- Power Supply
- Unwinding unit
- Slice and splice table + web steering
- Nip
- Webcleaner
- RSI unit +register sensor
- Vacuum nip
- UV-curing unit (optional)
- Control Panel
- Hot air drying unit
- Nip
- Slice and splice table
- Rewinding unit
Lowering the threshold
The Basalt RSI Line provides a cost-effective solution to smaller companies or start-ups. The concept is designed to lower the entry threshold for companies looking to transition to rotary screen printing. High-quality, consistent printed electronics are created with no compromise on output quality. This makes Basalt the ideal rotary screen print solution for conducting initial qualifications on a smaller scale at an achievable price point.
Basalt isn’t just a transitional technology, but a growth tool. Printed electronics innovators can qualify applications with precision and accuracy. Furthermore, it is just as well possible to make longer runs for final production. Rotary screen printing with Basalt can be responsive, with users able to log, track and control every stage of the process. This provides potential customers with the confidence in quality at production volumes.
Revolutionizing RFID: The potential of printed electronics
One of the earliest – and potentially largest and most lucrative – applications of printed electronics is the mass production of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. RFID tags are used across the world in their billions for inventory management and contactless payment systems and play a crucial role in inventory management for many of the world’s biggest retailers.
RFID tags are typically printed onto a thin plastic substrate. It’s strong and durable, but anything it’s applied to (from wine bottle labels to cardboard crates) isn’t recyclable. The next chapters explore the challenges and opportunities faced by a start-up developing a novel solution of RFID tags printed with silver on paper. The 100% recyclable solution could transform the RFID market – bring substantial financial benefits. But only if they can prove the technology works.
To become competitive against incumbent large-scale producers, they need a rotary production process that’s faster, more efficient and scalable – but without the premium price tag associated with large rotary screen printing technologies. We’re going to use this example to illustrate how Basalt’s rotary screen technology allows for seamless, high-volume production – enabling companies to develop its product, refine its design and capture customers in this potentially global market.
Benefit from ultimate design freedom
Design flexibility is fundamental to innovation and differentiation in printed electronics. Traditional flatbed screen printing provides designers, engineers and innovators with limited freedom when it comes to continuous designs or long, uninterrupted circuits. In contrast, rotary screen printing can produce seamless patterns that are essential for many applications, such as RFID tags or sensor networks.
It’s not only benefit. Thanks to SPGPrints full portfolio (screens, imaging equipment, software packages and machinery), Basalt enables our RFID tag creators to quickly switch between designs, materials and settings if required. This adaptation and speed is critical to printed electronics providers. Basalt can help them build a competitive advantage.
Qualify your application without disrupting current operations
Businesses understand that introducing new processes, technologies or machinery can’t come at the cost of current production. Testing new machinery often requires significant downtime, dragging engineers and operators from their duties. This can potentially lead to lost revenue, delays and unhappy customers.
The Basalt RSI line enables you to qualify your application without interrupting your current operations. It isn’t a transitional technology or simply for testing. Basalt’s modular design means that manufacturers can start with a basic setup and add more capacity as their needs (and the demands of customers) allow.
A realistic alternative to flatbed screen printing
The transition from flatbed screen printing to rotary screen printing presents several challenges– but it’s essential for companies that are serious about scaling up to tackle them confidently. For those companies who want flexibility, control and resilience, Basalt RSI is a cost-effective and efficient solution. It enables you to qualify printed electronics applications, particularly for applications where seamless design and high-volume production are critical. When it comes time to scale, the speed, precision, and flexibility or rotary screen printing are unrivalled.
Basalt RSI bridges the gap between small-scale, flatbed screen printing and full-scale rotary production. It’s a lower cost machine but with no compromises on quality. The easy-to-manage, modular enables companies to test designs and qualify applications without disrupting your existing operations or breaking the bank. Whether you’re working on RFID tags, sensors, or other printed electronics, Basalt provides the flexibility, precision, and cost-effectiveness needed to scale up production and meet the growing demands of the market.
Applications for printed electronics
The potential for printed electronics is incredible, with applications in wearable technologies, smart devices, retail, automotive, and sustainability sectors. In this section, we explore three mainstream applications of printed electronics – radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on paper, battery management systems, and flexible solar panels. These technologies are ready to scale and provide case studies for businesses considering similar transitions of technology from innovation to real-world applications.
