SCREEN PRINTING

There are a lot of variables that go into exposing a screen for screen printing. The opacity of your film positive, your emulsion, the type of exposure unit you’re using and even the age of your exposure unit all will affect the amount of time you need to expose your screens and the success of your stencil.

You want your employees to be safe while working in your screen printing shop. While OSHA regulations can occasionally feel burdensome, they are designed to do just that. And on top of keeping employees safe, following OSHA regulations makes good business sense.

Before you can create high quality prints, you have to create high quality stencils. However, this is often easier said than done. There are many, many variables that go into creating the right stencil for the job, and some of these factors are easy to overlook. First, you need to right emulsion, then you need to apply it correctly.

Color separations are part of the daily grind in any screen printing shop. If you’re finding that your manual separations are taking up too much of your time, or if you’re ready to graduate to more intricate prints that require more complicated separations, it might be time to invest in color separation software for your shop.

Nearly all printers begin with simple, color-blocked prints, laying down one to three colors at a time. While there’s certainly plenty of money to be made, and plenty of designs to be made, by printing spot colors, many screen printers look to advance their skills and try new techniques.

Designing artwork for screen printing is not always a straightforward job. In order to create a great-looking print, you need art that’s up to the task. Making an effort to use vector images whenever possible can help keep you avoid some headaches throughout the screen printing process.

Every winter — when the moisture in the air drops outside and furnaces further dry the indoor air — static electricity abounds. Unfortunately for printers, print shops create the perfect environment for the generation of static electricity.

Loading shirts onto the screen printing press the right way — that is, with the shirt straight and properly positioned for the print — can be a challenge, especially for novice screen printers. Screen printers have to master the skill of loading shirts the right way. Your press-loading technique impacts how quickly you can print, as well as the amount of discarded prints you’ll have due to crooked or off-center prints.

If you have mastered printing on sweatshirts, t-shirts and polos, it’s time to consider what other items you could offer to help expand your screen printing business. Screen printed sweatpants, yoga pants and athletic pants are perennial favorites for athletic teams and clubs, and as spirit wear and promotional items.

Most screen prints involve laying down simple designs with finite borders, one color at a time. But every screen printer has to deal with more complex prints from time to time, whether it’s a four-color process job or a print with gradient tones for special effects.

If you’re reading this, it’s time to move up to a larger manual screen printing press, add one to your screen printing arsenal, or replace an older, worn out model.

When shopping for a screen printing press, there are many variables you’ll have to take into account. One of the most important decisions to make is how many colors and stations you want.