How Is A Squeegee Used In The Silkscreen Process?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Ink is poured into the screen and forced through the image areas using a rubber or plastic squeegee

. The ink is deposited into the substrate, additional colors and prints are made by repeating the action. Medium use squeegee durometer number.

What is a squeegee in screen printing?

What is a squeegee? A squeegee is

used in screen printing for pushing ink through a mesh screen

. There are few different types of inks such as plastisol ink, water-based ink and discharge ink that need different squeegees to push ink through the mesh.

Which printing technique is used using a squeegee?


Screen printing

is the process of transferring a stencilled design onto a flat surface using a mesh screen, ink and a squeegee. Fabric and paper are the most commonly screen-printed surfaces, but with specialised inks it’s also possible to print onto wood, metal, plastic, and even glass.

Do you need a squeegee for screen printing?

Squeegees are one of the most important parts of screen printing. Without a squeegee,

you can’t screen print

. They flood the screen, push or pull the ink, and help transfer the design from the stencil to the garment.

What material is used in silkscreen?

Currently, synthetic threads are commonly used in the screen printing process. The most popular mesh in general use is made of

polyester

. There are special-use mesh materials of nylon and stainless steel available to the screen-printer.

How is silkscreen printing done?

The basic printing process is the forcing of ink through a stencil onto paper with a squeegee. … The screen printer

pulls ink across the printing frame

, which has been placed above a sheet of paper that will hold the art work. The ink is then forced through the screen and onto the paper below.

What is the maintenance of squeegee?

A squeegee should

always be wiped clean and dry following removal from the press and stored in a dry environment at room temperature

. The blade should be allowed to recover from the ink and solvent attack and rest for a period of 24 hours.

What paint do you use for screen printing?

We went through multiple brands of glass paint and came to the conclusion that

Liquitex Professional Acrylic Paint

work the best and can be found relatively easily. Other store brand acrylic or enamel paints will leave bubbles or bleed under the stencil during printing.

At what temperature does plastisol cure?

Plastisol ink will not dry, or cure, at normal temperatures. They must be exposed at a temperature

around 300 – 330o F (143-166o C)

to be properly cured (dried). Plastisol ink can be printed on many items that can withstand the heat required to cure the ink and is porous enough to permit good ink adhesion.

What are the 5 Basic materials used in screen printing?

  • Film Positives. After the artwork has been finalized, the design needs to be separated into various of layers each with one color of the design. …
  • Mesh Screens. …
  • Squeegee. …
  • Flash Cure Unit. …
  • Belt Dryer.

What is the best material to screen print on?


Natural fabrics

are the ultimate choice for screen printing, as they tend to absorb the ink more readily than man-made fabrics do. Cotton and cotton blends are the most popular choice for most printers and customers as they are soft and permeable, and organic cotton can be even softer again.

What are the steps in screen printing?

  1. Step 1: Supplies: Screen printing screen: Speedball – can be found at Hobby Lobby, or online. …
  2. Step 2: Preparing Your Screen. …
  3. Step 3: Emulsion. …
  4. Step 4: Spreading Emulsion. …
  5. Step 5: Drying Screen. …
  6. Step 6: Print Your Transparency. …
  7. Step 7: Exposing Your Screen. …
  8. Step 8: Checking Your Screen.

How can you tell if a print is silkscreen?

To identify whether you have a silkscreen on your hands,

look closely with a magnifying glass or loupe at where the colours meet at the edges

. You should be able to see miniscule overlapping of colours in certain areas. ‘Registration’ is the alignment of one colour of artwork with another.

What will remain blank in screen printing?

A printing process by which areas are blocked out to keep ink from non-image areas. 7. … What will remain blank in screen printing?

The acid-resistant “ground”

.

Is screen printing hard?

DIY screen printing is actually pretty easy and absolutely CRUCIAL for your DIY cred. It’s like the gold standard or DIYers. … You’re just going to need a strong lightbulb, a couple of pieces of glass and some screen printing ink for you to try out this t shirt printing technique yourself at home.

How long do squeegee rubbers last?

Often I get asked the question about how long squeegee rubbers will last when stored. It is hard to say with certainty, but if stored correctly, they should last

about a year

. Correct storage means some place cool, dark, dry, and particularly away from direct sunlight.

Jasmine Sibley
Author
Jasmine Sibley
Jasmine is a DIY enthusiast with a passion for crafting and design. She has written several blog posts on crafting and has been featured in various DIY websites. Jasmine's expertise in sewing, knitting, and woodworking will help you create beautiful and unique projects.