Screen printing process

Coat screen with photo sensitive emulsion. This should be done in an area not well lit and while emulsion is drying keep screen out of light.

Take transparency and place on outside of screen, right side down, with clear tape. Locations on screen vary due to placement on textile. Place screen in exposure unit or in direct light to expose emulsion.

After emulsion has been exposed, remove transparency and take to wash out sink. Here gently rinse out entire screen- the emulsion where the image was will completely wash away as well as any excess emulsion that could run into image while drying. After rinse set screen aside to dry.

Take screen to press, set in, line up, centre and screw in.

Take desired ink and spread across screen below image. Take squeegee (squeegee should span just slightly larger than width of image) and pull ink through screen. Best results for pulling squeegee are at a almost a straight up and down angle.

Depending on type of ink used, curing processes will differ. Be careful removing textile from platen as ink will still be wet. Set to dry or heat cure. Curing pvc (plastisol) ink generally takes 30 seconds at 320 degrees.

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