Screen printing method and apparatus including two squeegees with different lengths and pressures

A screen printing method whereby a printing paste is printed on a printed board, the printing paste being applied on a screen printing plate where openings corresponding to a pattern to be printed are formed, the screen printing method comprising the steps of:

• advancing and pressing downward a first squeegee so that the printing paste is pushed into the openings of the screen printing plate;
• and
• advancing a second squeegee situated in the vicinity of the rear of the first squeegee and being more flexible than the first squeegee, in parallel with the first squeegee, the second squeegee having a length greater than a length of the first squeegee,
• wherein a printing paste remaining on the screen printing plate due to printing with the first squeegee is removed by the second squeegee;
• and
• a downward printing pressure of the second squeegee is a value in the range of one fifth through one tenth of a downward printing pressure of the first squeegee.

A screen printing device configured to print a printing paste on a printed board, the printing paste being applied on a screen printing plate where openings corresponding to a pattern to be printed are formed, the screen printing device comprising:

• a first squeegee advanced and pressed downward so that the printing paste is pushed on the printed board corresponding to the openings of the screen printing plate;
• and
• a second squeegee situated in the vicinity of the rear of the first squeegee, the second squeegee having a length greater than a length of the first squeegee, the second squeegee being more flexible than the first squeegee, the second squeegee being configured to provide pressure forward and downward, the pressure having properties different from properties of a pressure provided by the first squeegee,
• wherein a printing operation by the second squeegee is performed right after a printing operation by the first squeegee;
• the first squeegee has a rigid structure having a thickness;
• the second squeegee has a flexible structure having a thickness less than the thickness of the first squeegee;
• printing paste remaining on the screen printing plate after the printing paste is printed by the first squeegee is removed by the second squeegee;
• the first squeegee is provided attached to a first squeegee supporting part and the second squeegee is provided attached to a second squeegee supporting part;
• the first squeegee supporting part is connected to a first squeegee printing pressure driving mechanism and the second squeegee supporting part is connected to a second squeegee printing pressure driving mechanism;
• the first squeegee printing pressure driving mechanism and the second squeegee printing pressure driving mechanism are provided attached to a common squeegee driving block so that the second squeegee is positioned right behind the first squeegee;
• and
• a pressure by the first squeegee printing pressure driving mechanism and a pressure by the second squeegee printing pressure driving mechanism are individually controlled.