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How Long Does it Take to Make an Exposure on a Screen?

1/13/2020

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It depends.  Answer these two questions first...
  1. What type of emulsion or capillary film are you using?
  2. What type of light source does your exposure unit have?
If you are using a commercially made exposure unit, the manufacturer will typically provide some guidelines for screen exposure times.  If you are using "home-made" exposure unit, you will be on your own.  Your best bet is read over the documentation from the manufacturer of the emulsion or capillary film that you are using.  This will put you in the ball park.  A exposure time calculator is available from many screen printing supply vendors but they have a limited usefulness as they are dependent on the type of emulsion that you use.  Do some testing by burning a series of test exposures to determine the optimum time for your particular exposure set-up. If the stencil "blows away" during the washout, you're screen is underexposed.  If it is very difficult (or impossible) to wash out the stencil, you're overexposed.  The ideal exposure time is somewhere in between.  Keep some notes in a little book of your exposure tests and refer to it for future reference as needed.

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How Long Does a Screen Print on T-shirts Last?

1/13/2020

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A question from Lucknow, India:
Assuming the t-shirt was printed with plastisol ink, the screen printed image should outlast the shirt itself.  Plastisol ink is very durable. The image color may eventually fade, but the printing will not come off.
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Where to Rent Silkscreen Equipment

1/12/2020

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Whether you are planning on creating custom t-shirts or producing a fine piece of art, silkscreen (a printing technique using a stencil) may be a viable option. Silkscreen equipment can be very expensive to purchase, especially if you are only planning on using it for a specified time or specific project. Renting the equipment can be a cheaper alternative, but finding a place that offers silkscreen equipment rentals can prove to be challenging. The following suggestions could save you both precious time and money by directing you in your search for rental silkscreen equipment. 


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Can I use any Plastisol Ink to make Custom Heat Transfers?

1/12/2020

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Yes and no.  If you want to make screen printed transfers for a cold peel application, you can use almost any standard plastisol ink.  This is assuming that the plastisol ink that you want to use has a formulation that has enough opacity to give you a acceptable print result. Cold peel transfers have a thicker, rubbery feel that is O.K. for substrates like ball caps or non-apparel items like pennants, flags, etc. But cold peel transfers are less than ideal for t-shirts or other wearables because of the heavy ink deposit that many people find objectionable.

If you want a "direct screen printed" look with a "soft hand" feel, you will need to use a specially formulated hot split transfer plastisol ink.
When applying a heat transfer using transfers printed with hot split plastisol ink, a portion of the ink remains on the paper and the remainder is transferred to the garment--thus the name the "hot-split." Hot split plastisol inks come in regular opacity as well as high opacity formulations.

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What Print Jobs are Best for Direct to Garment (DTG) Printing?

1/12/2020

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DTG printing stands for direct to garment printing. It may also be called digital apparel printing. It's a process which consists of printing onto fabrics, such as (but not limited to) garments, via inkjet printing technology which has been modified to print apparel.

In the article, we're going to be talking about the types of printing jobs which are best suited to the DTG printing process.


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How long do screens last for screen printing?

1/11/2020

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A question from Flagstaff, AZ.
QUESTION: How long do screens last for screen printing?

ANSWER: If screens are taken care of properly, they can last a lifetime. This is especially true of retensionable screens. The mesh on retensionable screens can be tightened as necessary, essentially making them "new" again.

Rigid frame screens (wooden and aluminum frames) can also last for a very long time if just a few simple precautions are taken with them.

You should adopt the following practices to increase screen longevity:
  • Clean them carefully and thoroughly after each print job.
  • Reclaim them as soon as is practical. (removing old emulsion can be difficult).
  • For long term storage of unused wooden screens, store them in air-tight containers (such as heavy duty trash bags) because wooden screen frames can warp from humidity.
  • Most importantly, handle all screens with great care. Once you get a rip or tear in the mesh, the longevity of the screen will decrease substantially. To increase the life of screens with small mesh tears, tape over the ripped portion with durable screen tape.

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How can I avoid undercured emulsion?

1/10/2020

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A question from El Paso, TX.
QUESTION: How do I avoid undercured emulsion?

ANSWER: Once your screens are coated with emulsion (or capillary film), allow ample time for the emulsion to fully dry. A period of 12 hours is usually sufficient. Dry your just coated screens in a warm, dark area to ensure proper drying. 

Screen drying cabinets can also be used to speed up the drying process. They are available from screen printing equipment suppliers. 

After you have exposed a screen and washed out the stencil, allow the screen to dry to for at least an hour before printing with it. Running a fan over the screen will speed up the drying process.

Post exposing a newly-imaged screen on your exposure unit will harden the emulsion and make it more durable.

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Are there apprentice programs for screen printing?

1/9/2020

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A question from Beachwood, OH.
QUESTION: Do you know of any apprenticeship programs in screen printing?

ANSWER: Many screen printing shops offer on-the-job screen printing training for new employees. In fact, many screen printers obtain their training by learning on the job. ASPA has business member print shops that use the ASPA Certified Screen Printer (CSP) certification program as part of their training for new hires. Being ASPA certified can strengthen your prospects of getting a screen printing job.

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I am new to screen printing.  What mesh counts should I use?

1/7/2020

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Here's a screen printing related question from Torreagüera, Murcia, Spain.
QUESTION: I'm new at screen printing.  What are the mesh counts that I should use?

Here is a practical chart for choosing mesh counts:

MESH COUNT CHART (Common Mesh Counts and Typical Applications)
(Your supplier may offer mesh counts that are slightly different that those indicated below. Small deviations from these numbers is not critical.  Purchase the next closest size that is available.)

24 Mesh – Glitter inks 
30 Mesh – Shimmer/Crystalina inks
60 Mesh – Team Wear, player numbers, puff inks, metallic inks.
83 Mesh – Cold Peel & Hot Split transfers, heavy white underbase.
109 Mesh – Regular artwork with average details, no very fine lines or halftones
125 Mesh – Regular artwork with average details, no very fine lines or halftones
140 Mesh – Regular artwork with average details, no very fine lines or halftones
162 Mesh – Semi-detailed artwork, large halftones.
200 Mesh – Underbase for detailed prints and artwork, halftones, index color.
230 Mesh – Very detailed artwork, halftones, index color
305 Mesh – 4 color process color printing, overprint colors for simulated-process, fine halftones, very detailed art.

These mesh counts apply to textile and hard goods as well.  For printing with solvent based inks on ad specialty products,  mesh counts of 230-305 will usually produce desired results as a thin ink deposit is usually indicated.

TIP: You do not need to have all of the mesh counts indicated on hand in your shop.  If you are just starting out as a typical textile screen printer, a good starting point would be to order a mix of 83's, 109's, 162's, 200's and 305's.


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What is the Right Amount of "Off-Contact" for Screen Printing?

1/6/2020

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"Off-contact," for those who don't know, is the gap between the
bottom of the screen and the substrate (the item being printed), its
purpose is to improve printability during screen printing process.
For screen printing plastics, paper, and t-shirts (as well as other
light weight apparel), the "thickness of a dime" is a good starting
point for the off-contact gap. When you are printing thick apparel (like
sweatshirts) start with an off-contact gap of the "thickness of a
nickel" and increase or decrease as necessary. The goal of off-contact
screen printing is to obtain a good "snap-off" when the squeegee passes
over the stencil in the screen, resulting in a sharp printed image.

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    ASPA Staff

    Archives

    January 2020

    Categories

    All
    Burning A Screen
    Choosing Mesh Counts
    Cmyk Screen Printing
    Cold Peel Transfer
    Colored Screen Mesh
    Creen Printing On The Seat Of Sweatpants
    Curing A Print On Sweatshirts
    Custom Heat Transfers
    Digital Apparel Printing
    Direct To Garment Printing
    DTG Printing
    Exposing A Screen
    Flash Curing Odors
    Flash Curing Smoke
    Full Color Process Screen Printing
    Fumes When Flash Curing
    Hot Split Transfer
    How Long Do Screens Last
    How Long To Burn A Screen
    How To Dry Coated Screens
    How To Screen Print Hoodies
    How To Screen Print Sweatpants
    Jobs In Screen Printing
    Lifespan Of Screen Printing Screens
    Off-contact Screen Printing
    Plastisol Ink
    Plastisol Ink Removal
    Plastisol Ink Transfer
    Post Exposing A Screen
    Rent Screen Printing Equipment
    Rent Silk Screen Equipment
    Screen Burning Time
    Screen Drying Cabinet
    Screen Exposure Times
    Screen Mesh
    Screen Mesh Count
    Screen Mesh Count Chart
    Screen Print Equipment Rental
    Screen Printer Apprentice
    Screen Printer Apprenticeship
    Screen Printing Angles
    Screen Printing Dot Shapes
    Screen Printing Fumes
    Screen Storage
    Simulated Process Screen Printing
    Storing Coated Screens
    Storing Screens For Screen Printing
    Tshirt Transfers
    Where To Rent Printing Equipment

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