Making a screen for screen printing seems simple and easy, but it is one of the most complicated procedures of screen printing. If you are new to the business, you must be aware of how to make a screen for screen printing so that you can provide your clients with the best value for their money and time. Here is how you can do so with ease and perfection.
At first, whether your screen is new or used, degrease it with a high-quality degreaser. It will help you remove every kind of dust, oil, and dirt from its mesh. All these impurities cause issues in the adhesion of the emulsion. For instance, if dirt or rubbish is on your screen when you smear emulsion, the pinholes will take place. You can commonly identify them by holding the screen up to the light source and observing for light holes. Similarly, another issue that you might face is the appearance of the fisheyes that take place if, before applying the emulsion, oil is not removed from the screen. And separating them from the mesh can cause small holes in the covered screen. So, to avoid such issues, degreasing the screen is a must.
To go forward to apply the emulsion, your screen must be dried thoroughly. If you have a screen rack, place it on the rack and also place a fan in front of the screen to dry it.
Make the righteous selection of the emulsion, considering the ink you are going to use for printing, as every type of printing ink has some constraints that can cause issues for the emulsion if it is used without considering the ink type. Now, once your screen is dried completely, you should apply a thin coat of emulsion on both sides of the screen with the help of a squeegee and ensure that no part of the screen is left uncoated. Once you are done with emulsion coating, keep your screen in the darkroom or box horizontally to let it dry completely. To keep the moisture out of the air, you can use a dehumidifier. It may take an hour to a complete day, depending on the size of your screen and the environment, too.
Once you are done with drying the coated screen, it is time to activate the emulsion. For that, you need to place the screen on the exposure table in front of UV lights for an appropriate amount of time, which must be not less than 30 to 45 minutes. Following all the steps in a procedural way will not only help you learn how to make a screen for screen printing effectively, but also get the best printing results.
After the screen exposure, it is time to wash it. To do so, make sure that you have removed the film positives from the burned screen, and most importantly, it is not underexposed. To wash, place it on the wash booth in a standing position. Give it a comprehensive rinse with low-pressure water on each side to start the procedure of transgression of the unexposed emulsion in the template area. Do not expose the screen to water for a long time, as it will ultimately collapse the emulsion and water-log your stencils.
This is how to make a screen for screen printing, and following these steps accurately will help you get the best results.
