| Hardness / Structure | Ideal Application Scope | Ink Transfer Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| 60 – 65 ShA (Soft - Red) | Textured fabrics, heavy solid backgrounds, high-viscosity inks, manual printing. | High ink laydown, heavy blade deflection, lower edge resolution. |
| 70 – 75 ShA (Medium - Green) | Universal textile printing, standard line art, Plastisol and Water-based inks. | Balanced deposit, excellent edge stability, moderate deflection. |
| 80 – 85 ShA (Hard - Blue) | Four-color process (CMYK), high-LPI halftones, flat rigid substrates, high-speed presses. | Thin, controlled deposit, maximum dot sharpness, minimal blade flex. |
| 75/90/75 ShA (Triple Layer) | High-speed automatic presses and large formats requiring zero blade bending. | Rigid 90 ShA core prevents flex; 75 ShA outer lips maintain clean shearing. |
| Print Defect | Root Selection Error | Corrective Action |
|---|---|---|
| Insufficient Ink Deposit / Pale Print | Squeegee too hard (e.g. 85 ShA) or attack angle too steep. | Switch to softer durometer (65-70 ShA) or decrease printing angle. |
| Blurry Edges / Image Gain | Squeegee too soft (e.g. 60 ShA) bending excessively under pressure. | Replace with 75 ShA blade or triple-durometer (75/90/75 ShA) squeegee. |
| Wavy Pattern along Edge Profile | Single-layer soft blade used on high-pressure automatic press. | Upgrade to triple-layer squeegee to stabilize blade core during stroke. |
Many printers try to solve opacity problems by cranking up squeegee pressure on press. That is a critical mistake: if you apply excessive downward force on a soft 65 Shore single-layer blade, the edge rolls over, the blade drags instead of shearing, and you end up smashing ink into the garment with complete loss of detail.
When you need to push ink through the matrix without losing crispness, don't add pneumatic pressure: switch to a **75/90/75 ShA triple-layer squeegee**. The hard 90 Shore inner core keeps the blade perfectly upright, while the 75 Shore outer lips shear the ink cleanly and evenly.