Screen Printing Equipment Requirements

To print high top quality images and be as productive as you can, our equipment must be in peak form. Screen printing gear has unique specifications.

I print caps, plus the very first maintenance products I look at will be the screen and squeegee. The situation of these two products will decline quicker than other aspects of printing equipment that I also monitor. A few of these other aspects will surprise any person who prints, regardless of no matter whether you print caps, shirts, sweats, signs or other things, but first let's look at cap screens and squeegees.

Screen

Cap screens are unique from shirt screens, since 1 side should be a thin bar to print the image close to the bill on the cap. The image might be as close as 1/16" towards the inside on the thin bar instead of out in the center in the screen like a T-shirt screen.

When the tension on a screen is minimal, the mesh could possibly shift out of registration in the course of printing along with the ink likely are going to be driven down in to the fabric. The colour in the fabric can then be seen. So a flash remedy and second print are required. That double perform may be avoided with tight screens and by taking other methods.

Low tension screens result in ink to develop up under the screen. Then the screens require to become cleaned periodically through a print run. The tension will probably be even lower close to the thin side of the frame, which can be the image location, than in other regions from the screen. A tip off to this low tension at the bottom on the image location is really a greater level of ink getting deposited.

On the list of most significant actions to generating prime high-quality pictures and being productive is working with high tension screens. Tension is extra essential for cap screens than shirt screens, since components made use of to make caps, particularly foam front caps, are softer than T-shirts, signs and many other items

Stretch and glue screens, that is definitely, those exactly where the mesh is glued to the frame, probably will have to have to become re-stretched and glued before a job of any size. A retensionable frame might be utilized to tighten the mesh without the need of removing the mesh. An aluminum tubular frame will hold much more tension than wood.

When the frame is not retensionable, then the thin bar must be steel as an alternative to aluminum, or worse, wood, Tension can be improved by deflecting the thin bar side from the screen in towards the center of the screen just before attaching the mesh. Steel should we wiped down with mineral spirits or alcohol to remove the oil so super glue will hold the mesh beneath tension even by way of the bar is only 1/8" thick. When the glue is dry on all 4 sides, then mesh may be laid over the flat side in the thin bar and glued towards the flat side with super glue. (doable exhibit is photo showing deflection of steel bar on cap frame with rapid clamp)

Having mesh tension to a level just brief of breaking the mesh is a critical upkeep step to prevent issues that impact top quality and productivity. The screen and squeegee are like two blades of scissors that has to be sharp to cut ink off and deposit that ink around the surface of a cap.

Squeegee

Cap squeegees are also uniquely diverse from shirt squeegees. Usually only 4" lengthy, cap squeegee blades will deflect more than shirt squeegee blades, and particularly in the corners. When the image is being printed by a soft corner of the squeegee blade a diverse quantity of ink might be deposited than by the center from the blade.

Deciding on a stiffer blade or triple durometer blade like 75-95-75 instead of the 70 durometer blade frequently employed for shirts will promote high-quality and productivity. Changing the blade within the handle might be the very best choice. Selecting a squeegee with an aluminum deal with with bolts by way of the handle, but not the blade, or wood deal with together with the blade glued into the manage will give far better support to the blade than a wood handle with bolts by way of the blade. Bolts that undergo a blade are pressure points that will warp a blade over time.

A squeegee should be stood straight up on a flat surface like glass to view if the blade is straight. If there is light under the blade, then the blade will will need to be sharpened. If there are nicks inside the blade, or the cutting edge just isn't square and sharp, then the blade should be sharpened. Rounded edges will push ink by way of the mesh rather than reduce the ink off so ink could be laid around the surface from the fabric. When a blade is sharp, the square edges ought to be polished having a homemade polishing device just before every job to keep the edges sharp. (possible exhibit)

When printing has been completed, ink must be wiped off right away. If ink is left on the blade for days, the blades over time will turn out to be challenging plus the material will chip. If chemicals are utilised around the blade, the blade should be flushed with water prior to storing the squeegee. Squeegees should be stored without the need of resting on the blade, simply because that would warp the blade.

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