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Screen printing uses a stencilled mesh screen and ink to create a printed design that is commonly used in many industries for various purposes. Even though very few people know exactly how the screen printing process works, almost everyone has likely owned and used a product that has been branded using it. 

How Does Screen Printing Work?

Screen printing works by transferring a stencilled design onto a flat surface using a mesh screen, ink and a squeegee. These designs can be made using several techniques and can include many colours.

There are several steps in the screen printing process:

•  Step 1: Creating the Design. In this step, the design is decided upon and printed onto a transparent acetate film, which will be used to create the screen or stencil.

• Step 2: Preparing the Screen. Secondly, you must select the screen and mesh count (the total number of fibres/inch). Different designs may require higher or lower mesh counts as a higher mesh count can print finer details while preserving the ink. The chosen mesh is then coated with a light-reactive layer of emulsion. There are also different types of emulsion that will provide different results.

• Step 3: Exposing the Emulsion. After the design has been printed on the acetate sheet, the entire thing is exposed to bright light. The light hardens emulsion so that the design-covered parts of the screen remain liquid. If you plan to use more than one colour in the final design, a separate screen is required to apply each layer. Multi-coloured products can only be created by a printer that can perfectly design and align each stencil.

•  Step 4: Washing off the Emulsion. After exposing the screen for a specific time, the screen will become hardened. Any remaining unhardened oil will be rinsed away to create a clear imprint. After drying, the screen is cleaned, and the printer does any necessary touch-ups. The stencil is now ready for use.

• Step 5: Preparing the Item and Print. Place the material to be printed flat on the printing board, then place the screen with the design on top of the material in the desired position. From here, you can apply the design by lowering the screen down to the printing board and adding the desired colour ink to the top of the screen. A squeegee is then used to evenly distribute the ink along the length of the screen, pressing it through the stencil and transferring it to the material below, printing the design. The stencil can then be washed to use again. 

• Step 6: Drying, Checking and Finishing the Product. After printing, the product is dried in a dryer. This 'cure' the ink, creating a smooth and colourfast finish. Before being handed to the new owner, the final product must be thoroughly washed to remove any residue. 
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What Can Screen Printing Be Used For?

Screen printing can be applied to materials of any shape o size, and even thickness. This also means that it can be used for various applications, such as:

1. Canvases, posters and artwork.
2. Clothing designs.
3. Decals and stickers.
4. Signage.
5. Branded sports products.
6. Promotional merchandise.
7. Textile fabric designs.
8. Balloons and decorations.
9. Product labels and packaging.

To learn more about how we can use screen printing to help you promote your business, contact Minuteman Press Hatfield today!