The Complete Guide On Silk Screen Printing

Silkscreen printing, also called screen printing is an ancient method of using ink through a stenciled mesh to create printed designs. It is often known by the name; Serigraph, which is a blend of two Greek words. Seicos, which means silk, and graphos, meaning writing.

Silk screen printing is a famous technique, used in almost all industries today. The shirt you are wearing or the mug you drink your coffee in might have a print created by this method.

Silk screen printing is most commonly used for fabrics, canvases, and posters but with special inks, it has been used for printing all sorts of things like wood, glass, and ceramic, etc. Silk screen printing may use just one or multiple colors of ink for printing.

For multicolored prints, a separate stencil is used for each ink in an individual layer. The silk screen process can be distinguished by the way stencils are created for prints. Different materials used for making stencils include vinyl, polish and light-sensitive emulsions.

Silk Screen Printing Process

The silk screen process can be explained in detail using the following steps:

Step 1: The first thing needed in the silk screen process is an original image from where the printer copies the design. The design or pattern selected is then printed onto a transparent acetate film by the printer.

Step 2: Next, the mesh screen is chosen, according to the difficulty of the design and the type of fabric or other material used for printing. The suitable mesh screen is then covered with a layer of light-sensitive emulsion.

Step 3: The acetate sheet with the design is placed on the mesh screen and both are exposed to a bright light, which makes the emulsion hard.  If the design has different colors, a separate mesh screen is used for each color ink.

Step 4: After a certain time, the portions on the screen not covered by the design turn hard. Any area of the emulsion that was not hardened by the light is washed away. That creates a perfect imprint of the required design on the mesh screen which is later used for silk printing. The screen is completely dried after the wash-up and the stencil is prepared to be used.

Step 5: The mesh screen with the design is set up on the printing press with screws. In the modern process, there are many different types of printing presses used, some are automatic, some manual. For multicolor printing, an automatic printing press works best as it can apply individual color coats quickly. The fabric or the paper which is to be printed is placed on a printing board, below the screen.

Step 6: The screen is lowered to come in contact with the fabric and ink is poured on the screen. A squeegee is then used to press the ink from the screen onto the item. When the ink is pushed from the screen, it creates the imprints of the design onto the fabric. For printing multiple items, a new item is placed underneath the screen and the process is repeated.

Step 7: After transferring the ink onto the item, it is completely dried up using a dryer. The final product is washed and checked for residue before sending out into the market. The mesh screen is washed off with special chemicals before the next use.

Silk Screen Printing Materials

For complete silk screen production, there are several different tools ad materials needed. Here is a list of all the materials used in silk screen printing:

● Printer and Films

The first thing that you need in custom silk screen printing is a printer that can be used to create designs on the stencils. The required design is taken out onto a transparent film called acetate film. For each color, different acetate films are used and they are later on used for creating stencils.

● Mesh Screen

The most important material in silkscreen printing is a mesh screen. The transplant film is placed on the mesh screen to imprint the stencil. Originally the mesh screens were made from silk thread, hence the name. But nowadays, there are many options; commonly crafted from polyester fabric. The thickness, texture, and thread count of the mesh screen determine the quality of the final print.

● The Inks

Ink is poured onto the mesh and pressed down on the item being printed. The pigments or the inks used for silkscreening play an important role as there are so many options to choose from. For fine screen printing, there are specialized inks that create excellent effects on the final product. Printing companies may use glittery inks, puff inks, or texturized inks to give their silk screen production a unique look.

● Printing Press

The printing press is a useful tool, it holds the mesh screen firmly between prints. It lets you change the item being printed easily underneath the mesh screen.

● Squeegees

Squeegees are rubber blades attached with a handle, made of wood or plastic. They are used to press ink through the mesh screen onto the item being printed. There are plenty of different designs of squeegees used in the silkscreen technique. Usually, a squeegee is picked according to the frame of the mesh screen.

● Belt Dryer

The belt dryer is used to heat the ink to a temperature that will make the print last longer and prevent it from cracking or fading.

Cost of Screen Printing

The cost of screen printing depends mostly on the number of colors used and the quantity of the items to be printed. Almost all printing companies provide a basic screen-printing price list. On average, most companies/shops charge around $10 to $30 for one color silkscreening.

However, there are often some additional charges apart from the original cost of the silkscreening. So, it’s best to compare different printing companies` rates before choosing the one that suits you best.

Silk Screen Machines

Silk screen machines come in different sizes, durability, color stations, prices, and weight, depending on the need of the printing companies. Based on functioning, they are categorized into three major types; automatic, semi-automatic, and manual.

• An Automatic machine completely operates on its own and requires no labor.
• A Semi-automatic machine is somewhat mechanized, which means it involves some human labor to change the items being printed.
• A Manual machine is totally functioned by hand, meaning it needs proper labor for its operation.