Screen printing apparatus

A screen printing apparatus configured to receive, from a prescribed board entry position, a board conveyed along a prescribed conveyance direction, to carry out screen printing, and to transport the board after printing from a single board exit position set on a downstream side in terms of the conveyance direction, the screen printing apparatus comprising:

• a first printing unit and a second printing unit respectively configured to execute a printing process for the screen printing including steps of receiving the board from the board entry position to be provided for the screen printing, carrying out the screen printing, and conveying the board after screen printing so as to transport the board from the board exit position;
• a control unit for controlling operation of the first printing unit and the second printing unit so that one of the first printing unit and the second printing unit functions as a printing unit for a working system that carries out the printing process, while the other printing unit functioning as a printing unit for a standby system that is available for a set-up task for a next process;
• a print program memory section configured to store transaction data;
• operating buttons configured to convey information from a user to the control unit;
• and
• a display unit configured to display a state of processing,
• wherein
• the board entry position being configured to set a pair of board conveyance unit each constituting the working and standby systems corresponding to the respective printing units,
• the control unit being configured to:
• acquire existing unprocessed data from the print program memory section while the working system is conducting the printing in order to prepare next printing process for the standby system;
• display set-up instruction information on the display unit in order for a user to execute set-up of the printing process relating to the unprocessed data;
• detect information through the display unit when the user operates the display unit to report the completion of a task;
• and
• switch the printing unit for the working system to a printing unit for the standby system and the printing unit for the standby system to a printing unit for the working system when processing is completed in both the working system and the standby system.