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many centuries, Chinese and Japanese artisans used this technique to print
patterns onto silk fabric and leather.
The process involves using
a fine fabric mesh which has been stretched and glued to a frame to form a
screen. A stencil is attached to the surface of the screen, and a squeegee
is used to push ink across the screen and down through the open areas of the
stencil, which has been laid onto fabric, paper, plastic, metal etc. This is
an over simplification but it's the basic principle. Since the 1960s silk
has been replaced by hi-tech polyesters as the screen mesh.
Our motto: “If it is flat, we can print it”. Wood, metal, glass, plastic
and paper are a few of the substrates that can be printed. The screens are
made the same, just the ink types change.
There are two basic inks
for the substrate of cloth: water-based and oil- based. The generic term for
oil-based ink is plastisol. Image Wizard provides decorated apparel using
both water-based and plastisol inks. The differences between the inks are:
Water-Based Inks
Water-based inks have change drastically over the last few years. They have
improved to rival plastisols for color, lasting on the items and in their
overall use. Water-based inks work like dye. The strands of the fabric are
dyed. They are made to penetrate the fibers of the garment. The consistency
of the ink tends to be a little thinner than plastisol ink and, because the
resulting print feels soft like the fabric, water-based inks are said to
have a "soft hand."
Plastisol Inks
Plastisol ink is oil-based. The first plastisol inks were made from the same
substance that forms the rubbery covers on your tools. Plastisol ink does
not dye the fibers of a garment; rather, it is at its best when applied to
the surface of the garment. Produced from oil, it will never dry, it cures.
It cures with heat. The approximate heat required to cure it is 330 degrees
F (166 degrees C.). If it does not reach the proper temperature, through the
entire body of the ink, it will not cure and will wash out.
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General Pros/Cons
One of the advantages of screen printing is that almost any
material, rigid or flexible, that can be laid out flat, can be printed -
including large or irregular shaped objects. Another
advantage is that screen inks are applied are more durable than any other
ink system. Screen inks last for years, and are suited to outdoor use, and a
wide variety of ink systems have been developed for almost any type of
textile, plastic or surface coating. Because of set-up costs,
screen printing is best for large quantities.
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