Many often thought about how various prints get on clothes, how printing is done on mugs and other souvenirs. After all, launching a separate production line is a rather costly process. This is where screen printing comes in handy.
silkscreen is a method of screen printing on a variety of media. A characteristic advantage for this method is the ability to make images on any type of product. For example, silk-screen printing is often used to work with fabric materials (for example, scarves, T-shirts, shirts), pens, mugs and other souvenir products. Also an indisputable advantage is the low cost of printing.
How is the silkscreen printing process?
The emergence of silkscreen
Many researchers associate the emergence of silk-screen printing with craftsmen from the Middle Kingdom. After all, it was there that long before the Europeans began to use printing on fabrics. Also, the ancient Phoenicians and Greeks achieved some success in the field of applying images to clothes. They used a purple pigment extracted from various kinds shellfish. The complexity of paint production made this method very expensive. Only wealthy people could afford it.
Also, many masters in Japan applied the principles of silk-screen printing in the production of clothing for samurai. Human hair was used as the mesh threads in this process. However, the quality of image rendering and the stability of drawing in this method left much to be desired. In 1907, one of the engineers proposed new method screen printing. In this case, silk thread has already been used. Thanks to this approach, the depth of application of the paint has become much larger, the tension is more stable and more stable.
Mine modern look Silk-screen printing acquired in the fifties of the last century. As a result, nowadays this species screen printing is used very widely. Many companies began to use screen printing in the ceramic, glass and electronic industries. Often a similar method of printing is used in the automotive industry.
Screen printing - equipment for production
The development of technology continues in the field of printing. For professional silkscreen printing, a special printer is used, shown in the photo. Now the silk-screen printing process has been worked out so scrupulously that even unprepared people can do it. For self-printing you will need Personal Computer, printer, camera, special paint, film for drawing.
Screen printing at home - is it possible?
The screen printing process itself can be divided into two stages: preparing the image and applying it to the object. The first step is to draw or print the desired images through a personal computer. After that, the resulting sketch is pasted onto the screen film. After that, the prepared workpiece is placed under a special ultraviolet lamp. If there is no special lamp, just hold it under sunbeams. After that, you need to soak the sketch and remove the excess with a regular brush. The product is also dried under a lamp or direct sunlight. Then the drawing is applied to the carrier and covered with paint.
Basically, for self-fulfillment screen printing, the process is quite simple. If the goal is to earn this type printing, then here it will be necessary to purchase specialized and more expensive equipment.
Screen printing or silk screen printing at home is a method of applying a design to different surfaces by forcing paint through a special mesh. The technology provides for the transfer of images to fabrics, stationery, dishes, plastic bags, etc. No super complicated manipulations and expensive equipment are needed.
Making silkscreen at home is beneficial because it:
- handmade (always relevant and valuable);
- no restrictions on the types of images;
- brightness and brilliance of the picture;
- wide selection materials - paper, plastic, fabric;
- low cost;
- simplicity of technology;
- compact - not needed separate room and bulky equipment.
Screen printing devices take up minimal space
Screen printing mesh
The quality of silk-screen printing depends on the printed form, namely, on its base (grid). She happens:
- Polyester. It is used when printing with water, plastisol, solvent paints. The type of weaving is also different: canvas (1:1 - one thread to another) and twill (2:1 or 2:2). The former are used more often.
- Steel. It is used exclusively when working with thermoplastic paints.
Nets are available in white and dyed yellow. The latter provide maximum clarity of the picture with detailed detail.
White and yellow nets for screen printing
Notice the linework. It is on the label. For example, the marking on the grid "No. 120-34" means that the size of the lineature is 120 lines per centimeter, and 34 is the diameter of the thread. The higher the first parameter, the thinner the mesh.
Mesh fabric is divided into categories depending on the thickness of the threads. Each category is indicated by its own letter (it stands next to the number: S, M, T, HD - from light to the most severe). A fabric with a thick thread is stronger, it is pulled with great effort. The thickness of the thread affects how much paint will pass through the mesh.
When working with a thick canvas, the edges of the pattern lose their clarity. Chips may appear. Choose thin grids for small images.
Screen printing frame
Screen frames are used not only in printing houses, but also at home. They are subject to the following requirements:
- reuse - in order to reduce the cost of printing;
- chemical resistance - when washing and applying a photosensitive layer and paint, contact with the frame is inevitable;
- rigidity - the frames are made of a material that is rigid, resistant to twisting and bending deformation;
- light weight - the frame should be light, mobile.
The simplest stencil frames for screen printing are made by hand from straight-grained wood. They are light, cheap, but sensitive to moisture.
The alternative is aluminum. It is inexpensive, lightweight, allows you to achieve the required tension. The frame made of aluminum is not affected by the chemicals used in screen printing, is reusable and retains its geometry.
Ready-to-use wooden frames
Stencil without exposure and emulsion
Another way to make stencils for screen printing is using a heat press. It was developed by the Americans. Will be needed laser printer. Start by printing your desired image on plain xerox or offset paper. Print in black and white.
Now lay the printout face down on the prepared transfer paper and send it to the heat press. It will take 20 sec. at a temperature of 110 ०С - the image from the printout will be transferred to transfer paper.
It must be placed face down on the frame and put back into the heat press. This step lasts half a minute. Working temperature- 180 ०С. The stencil is ready.
This is what a heat press looks like
Drawing a pattern on fabric
You will need a mesh, frame and paint. In the presence of artistic talent, the drawing is created with a brush, in the absence of - on a computer. For beginners in screen printing, we recommend starting with large solid images, that is, without fine details and complex geometry.
Step 1. Image selection. The screen printing pattern at home can be anything: a logo, a picture, an inscription. It is drawn or found on the Internet and then printed on a printer.
Step 2 You can take a finished frame with a mesh or pull it on yourself, securing the edges with a construction stapler. It is necessary to additionally glue them with paper tape or electrical tape - the paint will not spread.
Step 3 The frame is covered with photographic emulsion. This is a light sensitive compound - you will need dark room. It is applied from top to bottom, carefully working through each area. The frame is allowed to dry in a horizontal position - approximately 1-3 hours (the time depends on the thickness of the layer).
Step 4 The dried mesh is covered with a piece of dark fabric. This is light protection. The frame with the grid is placed on a stand, facing towards the light source.
Step 5 The next stage of screen printing at home is the preparation of a sample for printing. They take the image as they need to be transferred to the product, turn it over and place it on the frame.
Step 6 Now you need transparent glass - with its help, the pattern is pressed against the grid. You can turn on the light. For a 60x60 cm grid, it will take an average of 35 minutes with a 150 W lamp 45 cm away from the image. After that, a barely noticeable imprint appears on the stencil.
Step 7 The stencil pattern must be opaque. To verify this, look at it, aiming at a light source. If the rays penetrate the picture, the quality will be lame. You will need to print another copy and overlay the first one. Another option is to paint over the sample with a marker.
Step 8 Now you need to flush the frame warm water. As the emulsion is washed out, the print will become more and more pronounced - the stencil is ready.
Step 9 The prepared stencil is placed on the product. Frame with mesh outside must be in contact with the work surface. If it is a fabric, for convenience, something solid and even is placed under the bottom.
Spread the paint on the stencil and evenly distribute it with a rubber scraper. The more you press on the scraper, the clearer the pattern will be. It should be borne in mind that after drying, the paint will acquire a darker shade.
Step 10 The finished product is dried. To fix the image, the fabric is ironed.
The paint must not destroy the stencil material. Choose one that dries no faster than the printing process.
The picture is bright and full color.
The process of silk-screen printing on fabric is shown in the video:
Results
- Silk-screen printing on fabric is possible at home: it is simple and low-cost.
- The technology is used to create unique T-shirts, souvenirs, pens, pillows, mugs.
- You can create a stencil with your own hands, what you need: fabric, mesh, frame and paint.
- Modern technologies allow you to create stencils without emulsion and exposure.
Its main feature is interesting way applying paint to the material. It is squeezed out on a stencil through small cells of a special grid.
Silkscreen - what is it? This is a widely demanded and unique technology that allows drawing patterns on any souvenir products (pillows, pens, T-shirts, etc.).
Advantages
The silk-screen printing method allows not only to create unique items. Demanded in modern conditions technology significantly expands the range of services provided. Patterns when using silk-screen printing are much juicier and brighter, colors are clearer. The main advantage of the unique method is the ability to produce products in small runs, applying images to any surface. The work is quite simple and has a low cost.
History of appearance
Silkscreen - what is it? The term "serigrafia" includes two roots. Translated from Greek, they mean "silk" and "image" (writing). The very origin of the word "silkscreen" speaks of the work that is associated with the decoration of silk fabric or its use. According to some sources, this technology is believed to have first appeared in China. The version is based on the fact that it was in this country that one thousand two hundred years BC. began to produce silk. However, no concrete confirmation of this has yet been found.
Some historical facts indicate that the basics of silk-screen printing were discovered by the Phoenicians. This people extracted purple from the secretion of the gland of one of the types of molluscs. The substance, which has a red color, served to decorate materials. The technology was not based on manual way. It was fast repetitive. The ancient method is fundamentally different from the modern one. It can be described as applying simple patterns using special stamps (matrices).
Technology improvement
Significant improvements in the silkscreen method occurred in the following centuries. The fact is that printing with a stamp had a number of disadvantages. Chief among them was the thin layer of pigment when using absorbent and thick fabrics. Approximately in the period from 1185 to 1333 in the city of Kamakura, which was at that time, craftsmen decorated decorations for horses and. Initially, a simple stencil method was used to apply patterns. Then a brilliant innovation was launched - the applied image was pasted on a special grid made in the form of a frame with human hair fixed on it. This method made it possible to completely transfer the pattern to the fabric. A human hair, pressed with a swab dipped in pigment, was completely invisible on the material.
Worldwide popularity
By the second half of the XVIII century. the unique technology of displaying the dye on the fabric has become popular in many countries. Silk-screen printing has become widespread in Europe. In France and England began to be produced unique wallpaper. American craftsmen decorated hardware, walls, furniture and fabrics.
Over time, the material for the manufacture of the "printed frame" was not human hair, but big step in the development of silk-screen printing was a patent registered in 1907 by a certain Simon. He invented a new method of screen printing. According to the new invention, the application of the pattern began to be carried out through This guaranteed greater tensile strength, dimensional stability, and also made it possible to use rubber rollers.
Screen printing technology acquired its modern look in the period from the thirties to the fifties of the last century. Since that time, silk-screen printing has been used to apply a pattern to any kind of fabric. Using a unique method, posters and postcards, labels, and even license plates for cars began to be created.
Screen printing is widely used today. The possibilities of this printing method are multifaceted. This allows screen printing to be used in printing, as well as in electronics and textiles, glass and ceramics, automotive and many other industries.
New opportunities
Silkscreen - what is it? This is a unique way to get multi-color and high-quality photos and images on metal, porcelain and fabric products. Using traditional way requires expensive, bulky equipment and sufficient great experience work.
Relatively recently, it was imported from America new technology which immediately became very popular. With this method, silk-screen printing is available, made at home with your own hands.
What will be needed?
Screen printing equipment includes computer and printer, scanner and digital camera as well as special accessories. If you are good at drawing, computer technology will not need.
drawing
The whole process consists of two stages. The first step is to prepare the negative of the image. The next step is to transfer the pattern to the product.
For the first stage technological process you need to print the desired image on the printer or draw it on a piece of paper. Then a screen film is glued onto the sketch. The workpiece prepared in this way is placed for several minutes in a special frame on sunlight or under a UV lamp.
At the next stage of the technological process, the film is placed in water, rinsed and excess coating is removed from its surface with a soft brush. The resulting wet negative is to be dried on a cloth or napkin under the rays of the sun or an ultraviolet lamp.
At the next stage, the image is transferred to the selected item. When tightly applied to the product, and with a special spatula made of plastic material paints are applied. To work, you will need to purchase a kit that includes an exposure frame, five regular A4 sheets, the same amount of paper for applying a higher resolution image, and a plastic spatula. If you want to use screen printing for profit, you will need to organize a larger scale production.
In this case, you will need to purchase special equipment. In addition to a computer and a black-and-white printer, you will have to buy a silk-screen printing machine (in order to save money, you can make it yourself), an exposure camera, and a cutter. You will also need some accessories (squeegee-ditch and frames, paints, etc.).
Print materials
Silk-screen printing inks are currently produced centrally at Russian enterprises. They are classified according to the type of film-forming and sealed material. For the nomenclature of such paints, digital and letter designations. Paint marking foreign manufacturers different from domestic. However, it is also expressed using numbers and letters. When using inks for screen printing, you should follow the recommendations given by the manufacturer.
What conditions exist for high-quality application of a unique print? Paints should flow well, but not be too runny. This will allow the material to be easily applied to the product, passing through the tissue cells. In this case, the paint must act in such a way that the process of gluing the substrate and the stencil form does not occur.
There is another important concept in screen printing. It's called paint coverage. What is meant by this? For example, when applying white paint to a black product, the original (black) color should not show through from under the picture. This concept is directly related to haze, that is, the opacity of the paint.
Silk-screen printing technique came to graphics in the 20th century from Chinese and Japanese printing on fabrics. This art began to develop in the Soviet countries in the 1930s. Silk-screen printing is distinguished by its brightness and decorative brilliance of color, allows you to obtain relief images, high-quality artistic screen printing.
We decided to present the silk-screen printing technique in hand-made conditions. Someone will definitely be interested in this. If something is not clear, ask questions.
PREPARATION
You will need:
1) Mesh (special silk), size 40-50 cm (price - approximately 12-15 USD per running meter). This is - sparse mesh, for medium quality drawings. Drawings high definition(for example, photographs) are obtained only on silk of 80 units and above (price - approximately 20-25 USD per 1 linear meter)
2) Wooden frames, best size- 40x50, 40x60 cm, preferably with very even corners (whether the mesh is stretched flatly depends on the quality of the stencil and pattern), preferably from solid wood, which will not spin from constant wetting with water
3) Light-sensitive emulsion (price approximately 25-45 USD)
There are many firms and brands that produce products for printing houses; I use recent times The product of the English company "Autotype", the emulsion is called Autotype 6000. In general, they are of 4 types, depending on the mesh, ink and material on which the pattern is printed, as well as the equipment on which everything is done. The most convenient at home is the purple emulsion, which is illuminated under a 500 W lamp from 15 to 20 minutes.
Autotype 6000 - just such a type. Emulsions are usually supplied separately with a catalyst chemical reaction, which must be mixed into it immediately before starting work. There is a secret here: the emulsion activated by the catalyst deteriorates over time (within about half a year), so it is best to activate it immediately before a large piece of work.
The emulsion is supplied in volumes of at least 1 liter (for about 50-70 average stencils), so it makes sense to divide it into parts during work, and activate only 1 part, then another one, etc. There are also non-catalyst emulsions, the shelf life of which is up to 2 years at home, but they are usually twice as expensive.
The emulsion must be stored in a cold and dark place(the bottom drawer of the refrigerator is just right) all the time until you use it. This extends its shelf life.
4) 500 W lamp, with mirror reflectors in the body (those that illuminate billboards are just right), with a 220 V plug, of course :)
5) Glass a little larger than your largest frame, preferably High Quality, without opaque stripes, thickness 5-8 mm
6) Red lamp
7) Drawing on tracing paper (or oiled paper), good quality, very black - this is important!
SEAL
1) Paint (price 10 - 25 USD)
There are many inks for printing on fabric using screens made using the silkscreen method (or simply grids), but they all differ in their properties, subsequent processing and price. Some paints simply cannot be used at home, because, for example, to fix a picture, you will need a special, very expensive infrared treatment, otherwise this picture cannot be fixed in any way. Therefore, I recommend to start with silk-screen printing inks on water based, such as Manukyan, Argon (they do not require any processing after printing, they are easily washed off and dry quickly, why the mesh after working with such paint must be washed after 5-10 passes, and very carefully, otherwise the stencil will clog with paint and deteriorate).
Then you can use plastisol paints, which give very high-quality and durable prints that allow printing more than 100 copies at a time, washable only with solvents, but requiring subsequent heat treatment (you can use an iron), the temperature and duration depend on each specific type of paint (the price depends on manufacturer and color of paint, white and black are usually the cheapest from each manufacturer, color ones are more expensive). You can also use acrylic paints, they are easy to use, although they give a dim and not very durable print, and are also processed with temperature for 5 minutes after being applied to the fabric. Such acrylic must be in a paste (because liquid, for the most part presented on our market, will spread over a stencil, it is only suitable for hand drawing). It could be bought in Poland in any store with art supplies. It is not known whether there are analogues in Belarus, there is nothing similar in the stores "All for the Artist". The price in Poland is 8-10 USD. per 1 kg
2) Squeegee - a special thick and elastic elastic band with which paint is applied (also sold together with materials for printing houses). Price - 10-12 USD for 1 running meter, you will need about 30 cm. It is better to nail a squeegee to a wooden handle, it will be more convenient to work, it is quite possible that they are sold in ready-made too
3) Material or T-shirt
MANUFACTURE OF THE Stencil
The stencil is made in dark room by the light of a red lamp. The mesh (silk) must be stretched over the frame, pulling strongly from the centers to the corners. The mesh must be pulled very tight, so that you cannot push it with your finger. the grid can be fixed on a wooden frame with a stapler or buttons. In a dark room (without direct light), under the light of a red lamp, a pre-activated emulsion is applied to the frame with a grid. You need to apply on both sides of the grid.
The best tool for applying the emulsion is the lid of the cassette box, with which the emulsion can simply be scooped out of the can.
Important! you need to try so that the emulsion is evenly distributed in a thin layer, covering the entire work surface sieves (up to inner sides wooden frame) without gaps and holes on both sides. Excess emulsion must be removed, then the emulsion on the mesh must be dried with a hair dryer on both sides.
Put something black under the frame (a T-shirt or a piece of material), then lay it with the mesh side up, put a drawing on it (on tracing paper or oiled paper), press the drawing with glass. A 500-watt lamp is fixed at a distance of 45-50 cm above the grid (it is best to prepare everything in advance). The lamp turns on for 16-20 minutes - the stencil is illuminated. Autotype 6000 emulsion cures in 16-19 minutes. It is best to try to illuminate each new emulsion, detect exact time. After the exposure time has elapsed, the stencil must be quickly washed with a shower, with a strong pressure of water, preferably cold, or slightly warm, until the pattern on the grid is fully developed.
The stencil is ready, but it is best to print it the next day (the emulsion can still be broken, holes and irregularities in the pattern may form), then it is completely fixed.
SEAL
The stencil is placed on the material with the grid down. The paint is applied to the stencil across the entire width of the pattern with a margin (do not spare the paint here, the excess can be removed later). The stencil must be pressed against the desktop as tightly as possible (ideally, it is better to print with two people: one holds the frame, the other fiddles with the paint). With a squeegee, with a sharp and strong movement, the paint is drawn through the entire drawing so that it is evenly and thickly laid in the drawing area. When the paint is distributed over the entire area of the drawing, the back of the squeegee (it is without paint) must be pushed back with pressure to remove excess paint. Then the frame is gently lifted, the material is set aside to dry.
It will take some time to learn how to type smoothly, so don't be nervous if you don't succeed right away.
You can print large print runs at once (if the paint does not clog the drawing too much). Subsequent processing of the material with a pattern - depending on the type of paint. Regardless of the type of ink, I advise you to thoroughly rinse the frame with the mesh immediately after printing is completed (if the ink remains in the mesh, the pattern may print worse later, and if it hardens there, then the frame itself can be thrown away later). The grid frame can be used multiple times.
The emulsion is washed off with a special wash (price 12-15 USD per 1 liter), and if the mesh itself remains in in perfect order(no tears, leftover paint, etc.) you can make a new stencil on this grid.
That's like everything! Good luck!
text prepared Sazska la Contra
In this article I will tell you how we assembled a carousel machine for screen printing for 8 frames with our own hands. Unlike similar articles on the Internet, we did not need the services of a turner and other specialists, because everything was done from improvised means. The machine is constantly being refined and improved, if I find a new solution, I will immediately post it in this article. If something is not clear, I will be happy to answer in the comments.
Do-it-yourself materials for a stencil machine
1) Profile pipe 50x50 mm, and 20x40 mm2) A sheet of steel with a thickness of 5 mm, 50x50 cm in size.
3) Gate hinge Ø 40 mm, length 13 cm
4) Bolts, nuts, studs, springs.
The base is made of a 50x50 mm pipe profile, when buying, be sure to make sure that it is even. We welded 2 pieces of 50 cm each to a longitudinal piece of 200 cm, measuring 30 cm from the center. Next, we weld the lower part of the loop onto the gate exactly in the center. The loop must be chosen very carefully, I traveled to several stores before buying. It should not have a backlash, I checked it by bending it in my hands from side to side, otherwise you will not have an accurate alignment. My loop is Ø 40 mm, length 13 cm.
We take steel sheet and make an 8 square out of it using a grinder. From the side to the far side of the octagon, I got 46 cm each. Next, we drilled 2 holes at each corner for Ø8 mm studs, they will be attached to the grips for the frames. It is better to do this immediately, then it will be inconvenient to drill. We also need to drill a hole in the center with a diameter of 50 mm, we drill with a crown for metal. Next, we weld this hole upper part gate hinges. You need to weld exactly, it is best to use the level. We did this, inserted the upper one into the lower part of the loop, built a “pyramid” around it from improvised materials (bricks, boards, etc.) and put an 8 coal sheet on it. Further, using the level achieved flat surface by placing or removing thin chips from under the sheet. After that, the sheet can be safely welded. And now our do-it-yourself carousel machine for silk-screen printing is already spinning.
Frame fasteners for screen printing
To make fasteners (grip) for frames, we need a pipe profile 50x50 mm 30 cm long, as well as 20x40 mm 43 cm long, there will be 8 such fasteners. With a pipe profile 50x50, we need to remove one side, you can do it with a grinder. After that, we weld the profile pipe 20x40 to 50x50 mm. We make 2 holes Ø 7.8 mm almost at the very bottom of the pipe profile 20x40 mm, they will be under the studs, and adjust to right size round needle file so that the pin goes there with a certain effort. We also make 2 holes Ø 8 mm on top in a profile pipe 50x50 mm for frame clamps, and weld nuts Ø 8 mm, it is better to plug the thread of the nut before welding so that scale does not get in. 
We weld a nut to the side of the bolt head Ø 8 mm, 12 cm long, of the same diameter, after which we drill the thread with a 7.8 drill, and also adjust it to the desired size with a round file for a stud Ø 8 mm, 9.5 cm long. By the way, there was a small rib on my studs , it must be removed with a grinder.
We take a pipe profile 20x40 mm and cut it into 8 pieces of 31 cm each, one side must be cut at an angle of 45 degrees. This is not difficult to do, mark and cut with a grinder. Next, weld the side with the angle to the 8 carbon sheet of the screen printing machine. I made the reverse mechanism from the clutch springs of the “classic” auto, for this you need to drill 4 holes with a thin 3-4 mm drill, as well as 4 holes in the grip of the frame, they will be connected by two springs. If you use 1 spring, it will stretch.
I made a catcher from the remains of a pipe profile, in which we removed one side. We take this residue, grind and level, then clamp it in a vise and make a bend. Now, for better accuracy, we collect 1 grip on a regular place, lower the studs to the very bottom. We lower the grip and measure 1-2 cm from the back, move it so that it does not interfere. We drill a hole between the marks, and weld a nut to it, or cut a thread Ø 8 mm. There will be a bolt Ø 8 mm 5 cm long, a gap regulator between the frame and the product on which the pattern will be applied. Now we weld the traps and lower the grip into them, it should enter with a little effort, if this did not happen, we knock it in the right direction with a hammer, thereby strengthening or weakening the clamp.
Assembling a silk-screen printing machine with your own hands
Assembly must be done carefully, preferably in level, although you still need to adjust the machine before printing, set the gap between the frame and the product, and adjust the countertops.Congratulations, you have made a silk-screen printing machine with your own hands, but do not forget, although a lot of work has been done, you still need to make frames, countertops, a machine for stretching the mesh on the frame, a squeegee, a cuvette, a cabinet for drying and light, and so on. All this you will find on the pages of my site.
But most importantly, you have done the main work, and then things will go faster for you, good luck in your endeavors.
