How Does Screen Printing Transform Tees? Learn the Steps
Understanding the process involved in printing a screen is essential for achieving high-quality results. As practitioners, we recognize that each step, from preparing the screens to curing the prints, plays a critical role in the outcome of our projects. Appreciating this complexity develops our technique and ensures that each piece we create meets our standards of excellence. This is especially true for those of us involved in screen printing in OKC & Norman, OK, where the craft is both an art and a business.
Step-by-Step Guide to Starting the Screen Printing Business
Printing screen is a dynamic and versatile art form, perfect for creating custom T-shirts that showcase personal style or brand identity. Ideal for hobbyists, aspiring entrepreneurs, or those recognizing a local market need, it offers a unique way to express creativity and join a venture. This art allows you to bring your visions to life on fabric. We make ordinary tees into wearable art. It also presents a commercially viable opportunity. With the necessary steps that we follow, we focus on simplifying the screen printing process with major techniques and innovations.
Essential Tools and Materials That We Use
Choosing the Right Frame- Opt for a frame that matches the scale of your project. Common frame sizes include 20" x 24" OD and 23" x 31" OD, which are cost-effective options. However, for manual T-shirt printing, the 20" x 24" size is widely favored in the industry.
Selecting the Ink- We generally opt for high-quality inks that dry quickly, like low-cure inks set around 285 degrees. Through these, we ensure to avoid burning shirts, particularly when using a flash unit or small conveyor dryer.
Choosing a Squeegee- In screen printing in Norman, OK, a 70 Durometer squeegee is considered to be most suitable due to its versatility.
Preparing with Emulsion- We use emulsion to create and emulsion remover to clean stencils on screens.
Lighting for Exposure- An exposure unit is essential for precise stencils, ideal for halftones & fine lines.
Creating Designs- We create or print designs on transparencies for effective exposure.
Selecting T-Shirts- We always opt for high-quality blank tees to ensure the best screen printing results.
Preparing the Workspace for Screen Printing Success
Setting up your workspace is vital for an effective screen printing process. It's important to work in a well-ventilated area with enough space to move freely. Printing the screen can get messy, so we always wear clothes that we will be okay with staining. We keep our tools & materials organized within easy reach to simplify the workflow. We always ensure the space is brightly lit to improve precision during printing the screen. A tidy and well-arranged workspace boosts efficiency and significantly improves the quality of our screen prints.
Steps Of Preparing the Stencil
Applying the Emulsion- We evenly coat the screen with emulsion and allow it to dry in a dark area. Drying times can vary from 20 minutes to overnight, depending on the storage conditions. It's crucial to ensure the emulsion is completely dry before the next step in the process of screen printing.
Exposing the Design- We then position our transparency with the design on the emulsion-coated screen and expose it to light. The light hardens the emulsion everywhere except where the design shields it.
Developing the Image- After exposure, we rinse the screen under water to remove the unhardened emulsion. This allows the ink to pass through the now-open areas of the screen mesh onto the shirt.
Executing the Printing Process
Preparing the T-Shirt- We lay the T-shirt flat on the platen, securing it with either aerosol or liquid adhesive to ensure it stays in place during the process of printing screens.
Aligning the Screen- We carefully position the screen over the T-shirt, making sure the design is correctly aligned.
Inking the Design- Initially, we flood the screen with ink by lifting it slightly off the shirt to apply an even coat across the entire design area. Then, we lower the screen and firmly press down with the squeegee, transferring the ink through the screen onto the T-shirt.
Quality Check and Repeat- After each print, we lift the screen to inspect the outcome. We repeat the inking and pressing steps for each T-shirt. This helps in adjusting the ink amount and pressure as necessary to ensure perfect results.
Curing the Screen Printing
Curing our screen-printed T-shirts is crucial to ensure their durability & longevity. For curing plastisol inks, we typically use a conveyor dryer set to the appropriate temperature and time. While a flash unit is an alternative, it tends to be slower and requires careful evaluation to avoid burning the fabric. Heat is essential for curing as T-shirt ink does not air dry. For ease, we opt for low-cure inks, which are set around 285 degrees, lower than the usual 320 degrees. These inks need less heat, facilitating quicker and easier drying.
Screen Printing Clean-Up
After a screen printing session, it's crucial to clean and organize the workspace. We start by storing any unused ink in airtight containers to extend its life. Excess ink from the screens is scooped back into containers for reuse. Next, we clean the squeegees and screens using an ink degradent. This is followed by applying a stencil remover to the screens. A pressure wash then removes any remaining emulsion. We also wipe down all work surfaces to clear ink splatters and spills and reorganize tools and equipment. Disposing of all disposable materials responsibly, as per local regulations, helps maintain our workspace and prepares us for future projects.
Start Your Screen Printing Journey with Us
Join us at University Silkscreen, where your creativity meets our expertise. Whether you're starting a new project or improving your brand, our screen printing in OKC offers unmatched quality and service. Let's bring your visions to life together. Contact us today to get started!
