There are multiple reasons to use manual presses in an automated shop.
Shops will commonly run manuals for smaller, accent prints on larger orders. Things like small crest prints, sleeve prints, pocket prints, can all be quickly set up and run manually. Manual presses are often easier to use when addressing alternative location printing such as over a seam or on a shoulder or collar of a garment.
Additionally, many shops will test setups for larger runs manually, although there are some issues with consistency, to pre-proof jobs. Printing names and numbers on shirts is often easier to do on a manual press when there are many screens to swap out quickly, or if stencils are used. Another common use for manual presses is to print custom branded tag prints onto garments.
To summarize, having a manual press even in a larger automatic shop allows for fast and flexible printing options on smaller print sizes, alternative locations, and custom orders that are smaller in volume and number of colors per shirt. Manual presses are also helpful for printing replacement pieces for anything damaged on the original print run.
—The M&R Companies
