Screen Printing - December 2019/January 2020 - 28

GET TO
KNOW
YOUR
SCREEN
PRINTING
TOOLS

Why adjusting your production process can
lead to a more profitable business.
KIETH STEVENS

Y

ou must have the proper tools to do a proper job. Seems
simple, but I write about this often because it's incredibly
important for shops to know and remember. Familiarity with
the correct tools will allow you to create better prints at a
faster rate, which will ultimately improve your bottom line. I
visit some very large shops every month, and one thing they
have in common is they all must keep their production
streamlined. It's a tough world at the top, and in order to be
profitable, you simply can't be guessing all the time. Yes,
there's some artistry involved in making a print look better,
but the simple stuff must remain just that: simple.
At International Coatings, we print many samples in-house
to keep a ready supply for display and sales purposes. When a
new design comes in, the sales and printing staff review it for
the following parameters:
* How detailed is the art (this determines the screen selection)?
* What type of garment is it to be printed on (ink selection)?
* Are any specialty inks to be included (gel gloss, glitter,
puff, etc.)?
* If there are specialties, does the emulsion need to be
thicker (capillary film)?
* Further considerations depending on the special effect
inks to be used:
° Thicker inks typically need a longer dwell time in
the dryer; is your dryer long enough?
° Can it be slowed down enough?
° Will it scorch the garment if it is in the dryer longer?
° Can the heat be reduced while still curing the
ink completely?
* How many flashes will it take to produce a great image?
28

SCREENPRINTING

FIGURE 1

If you don't take everything under consideration (and
there's a lot to consider), you may find yourself with an image
that isn't what you expected. But even if the image isn't up to
snuff, with the proper tools and some experience, you may be
able to salvage the project and come out with a great image
you can be proud of.
Take a look at Figure 1, a photo of a recent print. You
can see what the print initially looked like after selecting the
screens, picking Pantone colors, and choosing the squeegee
durometer, angle, and pressure. Flood pressure and stroke
speed were adjusted, but even after all the educated guesswork,
the print still wasn't quite right. The overall print looked very
pixelated and "rough." Some of the colors were too strong and
dominated the print. So, how do you print less ink without
changing the separation or the screen mesh, when both options
cost additional time and money? Less squeegee angle, less
squeegee pressure, a harder durometer, a faster print stroke,
less flood pressure, and faster flood speed. All of these tweaks
can help in reducing the amount of ink deposited.
Figure 2 shows the print after we made more adjustments.
You can see a marked improvement in the colors and details.
We made alterations to the flood and stroke speed as well as
squeegee pressure, angle (straightened to allow less ink to pass,
but with increased pressure), and print speeds (slightly slower).
We also adjusted the squeegee durometer on one of the squeegees
(orange red ink) to a harder one to allow less ink to penetrate,
therefore less of the color to dominate. We then reduced the black
ink and the orange red ink with 50 percent clear reducer. This
allowed for the burgundy tones in the hair color to show through
while also creating a more realistic flesh-tone on the face.
Screen Printing - December 2019/January 2020

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