Proell P-SCF – Self-Coated Fabric – Automated Screen Coating
For nearly 20 years, the Pröll Services branch in Munich processed pre-coated PCF fabric for industrial screen printing applications. Over the years, several hundred thousand screen printing stencils were produced and delivered.
Many satisfied screen printing companies still value the high-quality print stencils and their consistent, reproducible quality.
With the discontinuation of PCF fabric production, the goal of the Proell Services Group was to offer its customers a reliable, high-quality alternative printing stencil for high-volume print runs.
In addition to the previously introduced P-PCM stencils (Proell Pre-Coated Mesh), a second screen printing stencil alternative was developed at the Proell Services branch in Munich.
Modern Automated Coating Solutions for Screen Printing Stencils
In industrial screen printing production, the demand for reproducible, high-quality, and at the same time flexibly adaptable stencil solutions is steadily increasing. At the same time, automated manufacturing processes and controlled production environments are becoming increasingly important.
Against this backdrop, a new concept for producing coated screen printing stencils was developed, one designed for standardized, automated, and highly flexible production. The development was also driven by the goal of providing a high-performance alternative to established coating systems and to the previously used PCF-FC material.
The Proell P-SCF – Self-Coated Fabric Concept of Automated Stencil Production
The process is based on a continuous, controlled production approach that takes place entirely under cleanroom conditions. This ensures consistently high and reproducible coating quality, making it especially suitable for demanding industrial applications.
A key feature of the system is the flexible adaptability of stencil properties to different customer and application requirements. As a result, both standard applications and highly specialized requirements can be reliably covered.
Material and Quality Concept
A specially developed, ultra-pure, light-sensitive emulsion optimized for industrial screen printing applications is used for the coating. Designed as a fine-line emulsion, it enables particularly precise detail reproduction, even for very fine images. At the same time, it offers high process stability during subsequent printing.
The stencil quality can be specifically tailored to various requirements. The emulsion, along with the resulting coating properties, can be flexibly selected. The EOM value represents the defined stencil thickness, while the Rz value describes the resulting surface roughness. Both parameters are flexibly adjustable and can be set to suit specific applications.
Another advantage is the broad material compatibility: all common polyester and stainless steel mesh types—from very coarse to very fine—can be processed and coated, covering a very wide range of applications in industrial screen printing.
Combined with the coating technology, the finished stencils are characterized by high mechanical and chemical resistance. This results in very long stencil service life and therefore cost savings in ongoing production operations.
To ensure consistently uniform quality, customer-specific parameters such as EOM, Rz values, and mesh tension (N/cm) are checked and documented after every batch. This ensures high process reliability and durably reproducible product quality. As part of our quality management system in accordance with ISO 9001-2015, complete batch traceability is available at all times through detailed documentation.
Technical Performance and Application
The solution is designed in particular for the cost-effective production of large quantities, making it well suited for industrial series applications.
The stencils can be designed for a maximum frame format of 1,200 × 1,200 mm. In addition, a maximum profile depth of up to 50 mm can be achieved, allowing even demanding applications in industrial environments to be covered.
The combination of high flexibility, stable process quality, and scalability makes the system particularly attractive for modern production environments with varying requirements.
Integrated Prepress
If required, the entire prepress process, including the screen stretching service, can be handled in-house. First, the screen printing stencils are coated using the automated system, and then imaged via an integrated, fully automatic computer-to-screen inline unit.
This makes it possible to supply customers directly with ready-to-print stencils on request and to provide the entire process—from stencil production to the finished printing form—from a single source.
Use in Industrial Practice
The coated Proell P-SCF screen printing stencils are already being used successfully in industrial settings. Since fall 2025, several thousand stencils have been delivered and tested in a variety of applications.
Feedback from the field confirms a high level of satisfaction in terms of quality, reproducibility, adaptability, long service life, and stable performance in production operations.
Conclusion
With the new Proell P-SCF approach to automated and flexible stencil coating, the industry now has a solution that combines high quality standards under cleanroom conditions with maximum adaptability.
In particular, the combination of reproducible quality, fine-line capability, high durability, long service life, documented quality assurance, batch traceability, integrated prepress, a broad material range, and suitability for large quantities represents a significant advance for modern screen printing applications. At the same time, the system was developed as a modern alternative to previous coating solutions and to the established PCF-FC material.
