SCREEN PRINTING
Screen printing, also known as silk screening or silkscreen printing, is the process of transferring a stenciled design onto a surface using a mesh screen, ink, and a squeegee (a rubber blade). The basic process of screen printing involves creating a stencil on a mesh screen and then pushing the ink to create and imprint the design on the below surface. The most common surface used in screen printing is paper and fabric, but metal, wood, and plastic can also be used.
Step One: Design Process ​
The first step in the process of screen printing is to create the design. Once a design has been decided upon, it is printed onto a transparent acetate film, which will then be used to create the screen or stencil.​
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Step Two: Selecting and Preparing the Screen​
When the design is all set to go, it is time to select the screen and mesh count. Mesh count is the total number of fibers in one square inch. Which mesh count you need will depend on the design being printed:
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A higher mesh count can print finer details while preserving a fair coating of ink
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Screens with a low mesh count let the ink flow through due to wider openings
After the mesh screen is selected, it is coated with a light-reactive emulsion layer.
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Step Three: Exposing the Emulsion
The transparent acetate film is placed on the emulsion-coated mesh screen carefully under a bright light which causes the emulsion to harden and develop. It must be noted that when multiple colors are involved in the design, separate screens must be used for different colors.
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Step Four: Stencil Creation
Exposing the screen for a specific time will harden the uncovered areas of the screen, and the remaining unhardened emulsion, if any, will be rinsed away to leave a clear imprint on the screen. The screen is then dried.
Step Five: Applying the Design
In this step, the printed design will come to life. The screen is lowered down to the printing board. The desired color ink is added to the top of the screen. A squeegee will evenly distribute the ink along the length of the screen. The ink presses through the open areas of the stencil and transfers on the underlying silk, consequently printing the design on the product.
Step Six: Curing and Finishing
Lastly, the printed product is heat-cured by passing through a dryer, creating a smooth design. This is done so that the design does not fade away.