Rolling out the print with the help of screen printing is not an easy task. You may find issues to turn a print into a perfect picture. Even the experts face such challenges related to ink, screen, and stencil in the beginning.
Here are some common challenges you might encounter while doing screen printing. Have a look at it and come up with a bright and clear quality print.
- Lines appear in the emulsion while coating the screen
- Screen Image doesn’t wash out properly
- Ink dries quickly on the screen
- Image bleeding at the edges
- Fix Stencil Problems
Lines appear in the emulsion while coating the screen
If the lines imperfectly appear in your amalgamation as an attempt to print your screen, this issue might happen when the blade of coating is dirty or damaged. Also, have a look at the edge and the tough, you will see a small mark or dried emulsion.
To avoid such situations, clean your blades properly as it dries over time.
Screen Image doesn’t wash out properly
This drawback occurs when the screen coated with the amalgamation dries overtime. Additionally, light pollutes the screen before its exposure. In such a situation, you may strip the screen and start again.
Similar will occur when you print the garment with fine imagery or on an incorrect mesh. Moreover, when the exposure time is too long. Hence you should ensure that you are using a mesh with fine imagery with correct exposure time.
Ink dries quickly on the screen
The drying of ink quickly on the screen can affect your print quality. You might take it to the washing booth, then give it a good washout and start it again. The rapid drying happens when you put too much ink with the print channel. It can also happen when you leave the screen to dry instead of flooding.
In such situations, add a retarder with the ink to lower the risk of ink drying on the screen. Sometimes white ink dries more quickly than other pigments. Therefore you must use a retarder to prevent such problems while using white ink or other colors.
Image bleeding at the edges
When you pass too much ink through the screen then bleeding of the image takes place. Make sure you are utilizing a squeegee that is approximately a 45-degree angle to the screen. Pulling the ink more than once causes bleeding.
The solution to this issue is to clean the access ink from the screen and squeegee. Haul the squeegee over the screen without using extra ink onto a low-cost paper like newsprint.
Repeat this process till you find no excess ink on the newsprint. It might take up to 3-4 pulls. However, you still have an option to wash out your screen and start again.
Fix Stencil Problems
If you have set up your machine properly, then it’s time to check the stencil. If the amalgamation is not exposed properly, the edges of the stencil may weaken and washout during printing.
The too-thin amalgamation that does not roll out across the screen adequately causes the blocks on the edges of your screen print.
