{"id":4298,"date":"2018-06-11T12:58:25","date_gmt":"2018-06-11T12:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anatol.com\/?p=4298"},"modified":"2023-11-15T09:04:52","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T09:04:52","slug":"a-tale-of-registration-tips-for-properly-aligning-multi-color-screen-printing-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anatol.com\/es\/a-tale-of-registration-tips-for-properly-aligning-multi-color-screen-printing-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"A Tale of Registration: Tips for Properly Aligning Multi-Color Screen Printing Jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"

A high quality multicolor screen print depends on tight registration – here are some ways to achieve it!<\/p>\n

This article was written for\u00a0Printwearmag.com\u00a0by Michael Jirasek<\/i><\/div>\n

Once upon a time…<\/p>\n

Some people viewed it as an art that could not be taught. To others it was a mystery that only a special few with \u201cthe eye\u201d could solve. For the rest, it was hours of toil and perhaps a bit of luck to get a multi-colored job properly aligned on press.<\/p>\n

As the years have passed, registration systems have been developed and refined. They are an essential tool in many screen printing shops. There are documented do-it-yourself options that work fine, and there are some systems exclusive to certain manufacturers\u2019 presses that cost thousands of dollars. These systems tout greater accuracy and speed with their use. Regardless of which system you choose, it\u2019s important to have a registration system and use it regularly and properly. There\u2019s no doubt that even basic DIY registration systems save time and money (headaches too).<\/p>\n

A registration or grid system has many pieces and steps that need to be in harmony to deliver the goods; it\u2019s necessary to help ensure efficient use of time and maximize your production. It all begins with pre-press in the art room to the proper placement of the film on the screen to be exposed, and finally the alignment of the screens on press with necessary fine tuning done with micro-adjustments. While commercially available registration systems may have some differences, they all take into consideration these fundamental steps.<\/p>\n

Do-it-Yourself Multi-Color Registration<\/h2>\n

You first must work with the separated artwork and its placement using registration marks, or a simple \u201c+\u201d on each piece of film or vellum. Make the marks large enough so they\u2019re visible after you shoot your screens. (We\u2019ll talk briefly about CTS\/DTS later.)<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s begin with a simple way to register screens for a multi-color print that won\u2019t cost you thousands of dollars. Before exposure, center your film with appropriate registration marks on the screen or\u00a0exposure unit,<\/a>\u00a0with the top of the image area about six inches down on the screen. You can use a t-square for this purpose, but eventually you\u2019ll devise a grid or template (using registration marks that best suit your needs) to maintain accuracy and speed things up. Here\u2019s a brief overview \u2013 you\u2019ll often need to double check yourself as you progress through the steps, especially at the beginning:<\/p>\n