Screen printing method and screen printing apparatus

Abstract

A screen printing method and apparatus for printing a circuit pattern corresponding to that of a stencil ( ), onto a print-object article ( ) placed on an ascendable/descendable positioning stage ( ), through moving a squeegee ( ) horizontally while the squeegee is pushed in on the stencil so that print paste ( ) is printed to the article via the stencil. The squeegee is lifted to an extent of a push-in stroke, to which the squeegee has been pushed in on the stencil, and thereafter the article is separated away from the stencil by moving the stage downward. The board is classified into first and second areas ( ) where values of opening sizes of the stencil along a squeegee moving direction are smaller than and not smaller than a threshold, and a speed of the squeegee at the first area is made slower than that at the second area. Upon an occurrence of print standby time during a printing operation, the print standby time is measured, and at a resumption of printing with the print standby canceled, the paste placed on the stencil during the standby time is screen-printed, by moving the squeegee at an adjusted print speed lower than the reference print speed based on a relationship between the print standby time and a print time due to the adjusted print speed after the resumption of printing.