Thursday, January 14, 2010

Screen Printing Tshirts So You Can Use As A Corporate Gift

By Judy Wong

Printing is a process of producing images and text, normally utilizing ink, paper and a printing press. Printing has changed considerably and improved over time. Screen printing is among the most common printing techniques.

Screen-printing, also referred to as silk screening, is a method that is best for surfaces that are comparatively flat. In this process, fine mesh or a screen is tightly stretched over a rigid frame, with the screen masking areas which will not be printed. In order to make a print, the screen is placed atop the item that is to be printed; then a blob of thick ink is applied. Next the ink is pressed through the screen with the assistance of a squeegee. The ink sticks to the unmasked area, thereby creating the print, and the masked area is shielded from ink incursion. After this, the printed item goes through a heated tunnel that dries the ink so that items can be stacked or put into packages.

When a multi-color print is made, the procedure is performed again, changing screens. Thus, multi-color prints necessitate multiple screens positioned on a rotary press or performed manually, aligning the various colored prints in conjunction.

There are different methods of masking a screen. The easiest thing to do is to apply masking fluid right onto the screen. This process works very well for two-color graphics, while a photosensitive emulsion process is utilized for jobs involving multiple colors.

Screen-printed T-shirts using plastic inks are often stiflingly hot if you aren't sure of what you're getting as you order. For more subdued and vintage-looking screen-printed apparel, inks with a water base might be preferable. For a bold and heavy printing, application of plastic-based inks using heat might be a wise choice.

Inks containing plastics are used by many screen printers because often they last longer, are richer, heavier and more easily seen, not to mention being easier on the screen printing equipment. Within a short time frame, plastic inks can begin to crack up, though. Natural inks last longer and they look best too.

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