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    Screen Printing

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    thomasjosephwelsh
    Screen printing involves a multi-step process. First, a mesh screen is coated with photo emulsion and exposed to UV light to harden the emulsion in the negative space of the pattern. Then, the unhardened emulsion is rinsed away, leaving the screen ready to print. Ink is applied to the screen and spread over the garment below using a squeegee. For multiple colors, the process is repeated. The garment is then dried to cure the ink. Larger scale production uses semi-automated or rotary processes to speed up screen printing.

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    Screen Printing

    Uploaded by

    thomasjosephwelsh
    18 views2 pages
    Screen printing involves a multi-step process. First, a mesh screen is coated with photo emulsion and exposed to UV light to harden the emulsion in the negative space of the pattern. Then, the unhardened emulsion is rinsed away, leaving the screen ready to print. Ink is applied to the screen and spread over the garment below using a squeegee. For multiple colors, the process is repeated. The garment is then dried to cure the ink. Larger scale production uses semi-automated or rotary processes to speed up screen printing.

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    Screen printing

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    Screen printing involves a multi-step process. First, a mesh screen is coated with photo emulsion and exposed to UV light to harden the emulsion in the negative space of the pattern. Then, the unhardened emulsion is rinsed away, leaving the screen ready to print. Ink is applied to the screen and spread over the garment below using a squeegee. For multiple colors, the process is repeated. The garment is then dried to cure the ink. Larger scale production uses semi-automated or rotary processes to speed up screen printing.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    18 views2 pages

    Screen Printing

    Uploaded by

    thomasjosephwelsh
    Screen printing involves a multi-step process. First, a mesh screen is coated with photo emulsion and exposed to UV light to harden the emulsion in the negative space of the pattern. Then, the unhardened emulsion is rinsed away, leaving the screen ready to print. Ink is applied to the screen and spread over the garment below using a squeegee. For multiple colors, the process is repeated. The garment is then dried to cure the ink. Larger scale production uses semi-automated or rotary processes to speed up screen printing.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    Screen printing

    The basics of screen printing

    Step 1
    A mesh screen is used that will allow ink to pass through and create a chosen pattern on the garment below.
    In order to get an accurate pattern, you must first cover the screen entirely with light-reactive emulsion (photo
    emulsion), which will harden when left under a bright light.

    Step 2
    The pattern, usually printed onto acetate, can then be laid onto the emulsion coated screen. This is then
    exposed to bright UV light, which hardens the emulsion so that only the emulsion hidden by the pattern
    remains a liquid. A vacuum machine may be used during this process to prevent any imperfections.

    Step 3
    Any liquid emulsion is then rinsed away this leaves a clear area that the ink can pass through. After the screen
    is dried, the printer can check for any errors and make the necessary corrections. The screen can now be used.

    Step 4
    The screen is then placed on the printing press and the garment being printed underneath the screen.

    Step 5
    The screen is then lowered down onto the garment. Ink is then added to the top of the screen, which is then
    spread evenly across the full length of the screen using the squeegee. This causes the ink to be pressed
    through the area of the screen that is not covered by the hardened emulsion leading to the pattern being
    printed onto the garment underneath.

    Step 6
    If multiple layers of different colours are required, repeat all previous steps with the different colours.

    Step 7
    The garment is then dried which cures the ink giving a smooth, permanent finish.

    n
    The basic screen-printing process is effective however for larger scale production it will become tedious and
    time consuming. This is why there are other methods that are quicker than normal screen printing while still
    using the same premise. Two of these are called Carousel screen printing and Roller screen printing.

    Carousel screen printing

    Carousel screen printing uses the same method as basic screen printing while allowing for greater speed of
    production. This increase is caused by the process being semi-automated. The only human interaction is the
    placement of the garment at the beginning of the process and the removal of it at the end.

    Rotary screen printing

    Rotary screen printing uses the same premise of regular screen printing but reshapes it in a way that allows
    production on a larger scale. The process uses a screen that has been shaped into a cylinder with jets on the
    inside shooting the ink out onto it. A metal rod held in place by electromagnets takes the place of the
    squeegee, spreading the ink evenly along the inside of the cylinder printing onto the fabric underneath it.

    An example of a carousel screen printer The process of rotary screen


    printing

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