In a nutshell, screen printing is a process that uses a mesh screen coated with light-sensitive emulsion. Then, a film with the design is placed over the screen and exposed to light. When the light hits the screen, the emulsion that is blocked from the film hardens and leaves the screen with a stencil-like image of the design, which can then be used to print on fabric.
When the operator places an item like a t-shirt underneath the screen, ink is then pushed through the open areas of the stencil. The squeegee then presses the ink onto the shirt. This leaves a beautiful, colorful imprint of the design on the garment. The same process is repeated for every order. And when the job is complete, the emulsion on the screen is washed away to allow operators to reuse that particular screen for other orders.
One of the key benefits of this type of printing is that it is incredibly cost-effective. Decorators are able to charge much lower rates than other types of printing for the same product because they don’t have the overhead and setup costs associated with other processes. This is especially true for large volume orders.
Another benefit of screen printing is that it allows for a very wide variety of colors to be printed on the same product. Other methods, such as digital printing, can only produce certain shades of ink and cannot reproduce the same nuances that are achieved with screen printing.
The specialized inks that are used for screen printing also add to the beauty and appeal of the finished product. From glow in the dark to discharge inks, there are some amazing options available that can really make a piece stand out. These inks are also great for adding texture to a print.
Once the intake department has finalized a quote and the customer has approved the art, it’s time for the next step in the process – making the screens. After isolating the layers of color from the visual, it’s time to create a screen for each color in the design.
To do this, the screen room will prepare a screen. This involves creating a screen from a tough piece of mesh stretched tightly on a frame, then coating it with emulsion. This is done with a scoop coater – which can be expensive but will produce the best results.
After the emulsion is applied, the screen is wiped off so that only the open areas are left. It’s then positioned over the fabric to be printed on and, using a fill blade (or squeegee), ink is pressed into the open areas of the screen. The squeegee pushes the ink through the open areas of the stencil, leaving an impression of the design on the fabric below. If the composition requires more than one color, the operator will repeat this process with a different screen for each additional color. If you are looking for a Minneapolis screen printing company make sure you work with the best custom printing company.