The selection of inks is one of the most important aspects of screen printing. The ink selection will determine the permanency of the screen print. It is also important to note that ink manufacturers will produce inks of varying types and consistency for specific applications.
A "substrate" is a printing surface. Screen printing is one of the most versatile types of printing processes. It is adaptable to many types of materials and surfaces. Ink selection is based on the type of surface to be printed. For example, the ink that is used to print on a piece of glass will not work properly for printing on a t-shirt.
One other extremely important aspect of ink selection is what is referred to as "ink-solvent-stencil compatibility". This simply means that certain inks and certain solvents will dissolve your stencil. Therefore, it is imperative that the screen printer select his inks carefully to insure that the ink will not only work on the "substrate", but will not dissolve the stencil as the printing takes place.
Below is a table of inks and their applications. Read over the table and become familiar with these inks. It will enhance your chances of becoming a successful screen printer.
INK TYPE |
SUBSTRATE |
SOLVENT TYPE |
FINISH / CHARACTERISITICS |
MESH SELECTION |
CURING |
Acrylic Poster |
Paper |
Water |
Matte Finish, Waterproof When Dry |
Fine |
Air |
Acrylic Textile |
T-Shirts, Other Cloth Items |
Water |
Matte Finish, Heat Set |
Medium to Coarse |
Heat Set or Iron |
Air-Dry Epoxy |
Metal, Glass, Nylon |
Mineral Spirits |
Gloss Finish, Mixed with Chemical Catalyst, Dispose of Extra Ink |
Medium to Coarse |
Chemical Dries, Air Sets |
Air-Dry Textile |
T-Shirts, Other Cloth Items |
Mineral Spirits |
Matte Finish |
Fine |
Air |
Enamel |
Wood, Plastic, Glass, Metal |
Mineral Spirits |
Matte, Gloss |
Fine |
Air |
Flock Adhesive |
T-Shirts, Other Cloth Items |
Mineral Spirits |
Used for Flocking, (Fuzzy Lettering) |
Coarse |
Air Dry |
Plastisol (Water) |
T-Shirts, Other Cloth Items |
Water |
Matte Finish, Use with Specific Stencil Materials |
Medium to Coarse |
Heat, Convection Belt Dryer |
Plastisol (Solvent) |
T-Shirts, Other Cloth Items |
Mineral Spirits |
Matte Finish, Direct Print or Heat Transfer |
Medium to Coarse |
Heat, Convection Belt Dryer |
Poster Ink |
Paper, Wood | Mineral Spirits |
Matte, Gloss |
Fine |
Air |
Use the table to select the inks that you will need for each specific job. Since you will basically be printing textiles in this course, concentrate specifically on those inks.
Review the page again to be sure that you understand the material. REMEMBER, YOU WILL BE TESTED ON THIS MATERIAL!
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