A common printing technique is screen printing, which produces printed designs by pressing ink through a mesh screen.
It is utilized worldwide in a vast array of businesses to produce unique apparel, canvases, artwork, posters, and more. Sometimes, serigraphy or silk-screen printing are used to describe it.
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Screen printing: What is it?
Screen printing is the technique of using a mesh screen, squeegee, and ink to transfer a stenciled image onto a flat surface.
While paper and cloth are the most commonly used surfaces for screen printing, other materials such as metal, plastic, glass, and wood can also be printed on.
How is screen printing carried out?
The simplest technique for screen printing is creating a stencil on a mesh screen.
After that, use paint or ink to press through the stencil to imprint your design onto the selected material’s surface.
The several stenciling techniques available are one of the most versatile aspects of this procedure. Therefore, there are several methods for making the stencil, even if the printing process itself stays mostly the same.
Many ink tones may be used to create any design using the screen printing technique.
Nevertheless, when applying a multicolored pattern, a different stencil must be used for each hue.
What makes screen printing so well-liked?
Screen printing is a widely utilized method for a variety of reasons, the most appealing of which being the wide range of colors available. Darker textiles can also be successfully screen printed on.
In addition, the printer can rapidly print several copies of a design. A stencil is perfect for producing large quantities of clothing and accessories since it can be used to repeatedly copy a pattern.
A professional printing business will be able to create significantly more strong colors than just digital printing.
However, the amount of colors that may be employed in a design is limited because of the total intricacy of the process.
Will the ink from screen printing fade?
An item shouldn’t wash out if it is professionally screen printed by a business utilizing the appropriate washable heat-treated ink.
When all the process parameters are met, such as the ideal drying temperature and duration, the end result should be a durable product that won’t wash off.
What is the screen printing procedure?
Although screen printing techniques vary widely, they all have a common foundational process.
This is a brief rundown of the procedures needed to do screen printing.
#1 Design the pattern – The pattern is printed onto a sheet of clear acetate, which is then used to make the stencil.
#2 The screen is ready – The printer must choose the appropriate mesh screen type to complement the design’s aesthetics and the fabric’s texture. After that, a light-reactive emulsion coating is applied to the mesh screen, which will gradually solidify as it develops under the intense light.
#3 Emulsion exposure – After the acetate sheet with the design is applied to the mesh coated with emulsion, it is illuminated with a strong light. Any areas of the screen covered by the pattern will stay liquid since this light will harden the emulsion.
Every color that is utilized in the design will require its own screen if more than one color is being used. It will be necessary to precisely position each screen by hand.
#4 After the emulsion is removed, the stencil is made. All of the screen’s sections that are not covered by the design will become hard when the appropriate amount of time has passed. Rinsing away any emulsion that hasn’t solidified is necessary. As a consequence, the design will be clearly imprinted on the screen, allowing the ink to flow through.
#5 The screen is dried and touches up – After step 4 is finished, the screen will be completely dry and the printer will need to touch up or make any necessary repairs. At this point, the stencil is prepared and prepared for usage.
#6 Things ready to print – After that, the screen will be mounted on the printing press. After that, the object is positioned below the screen on the printing board.
Step 7: Inking and Squeegee – After lowering the screen onto the printing board, ink is applied on top. The ink is pulled across the entire screen using a squeegee. The design is imprinted into the goods as a consequence of this procedure pushing the ink through any gaps in the stencil.
This procedure is repeated if the order is for more than one item. Once finished, a washing fluid is used to remove the emulsion. After that, the mesh may be recycled to make another stencil.
#8 Dry, check, and finish – In this last step, a dryer will be used to dry the printed product or garment. This will guarantee a smooth finish and cure the ink. After quality checking, the finished product is cleaned to get rid of any last traces.
To sum up
Screen printing is great if you want to print on materials with deeper hues. It’s an incredibly flexible technology that lets you print on a variety of materials, including paper, cloth, metal, glass, and plastic.