Silk screening or screen printing is a method of printing especially appropriate for a flat or a virtually flat surface. The core of the technique includes a screen or fine mesh which is stretched around the frame. The spaces which aren’t printed are masked out upon the screen; to make the print, a framed screen will be positioned on top of the object to be printed, alongside some thick ink. Then, a squeegee is utilized to press ink through a screen.
Masked areas will prevent the ink from getting through, yet the unmasked spaces permit the ink to become imprinted upon the item. The item then is sent onto a conveyor belt via a heat tunnel. The process of curing will ensure the inks quickly dries so the materials are able to be packages or stacked. Correctly cured inks are going to stay on the printed substrate even beneath harsh conditions.
More colors
If more color is wanted within the finalized design, the process will be repeated with various screens. The design requiring 4 different colors therefore, would require 4 separate screens. Usually, screens are put onto a rotary press which enables the color prints to be correctly aligned or registered with one another. A few screen-printers will have a fully automatic press which doesn’t need any manual labor other than setting up and unloading/loading.
There will include a number of ways the screen may be masked. The best method is to apply masking fluid right onto the screen. The method is appropriate for simplistic 1- 2 color graphics yet isn’t effective for more complicated prints. For multicolor print designs, screen printers oftentimes utilize photosensitive emulsions. Firstly, the design is made upon a clear plastic film. A photosensitive coating will be applied to the whole screen’s surface then dried. Film is put on the screen and exposed to light. After a while, the exposed spaces may be washed off of the screen using water, making the screen prepared to print.
What is screen printing used for?
Screen printing will be more typically utilized for garments, t-shirts, and additional fabrics, yet it also is used upon all types of additional substrates that range from metal to plastic. Even though intricate and small details may be captured, the method is perfectly suited for graphic and bold designs.
