Silk Screening Machines

Silk screening is the process of creating prints on a wide variety of materials such as ceramics, paper, wood, glass, fabric, etc. It is better known as silk printing or serigraphy. It can be applied to flat surfaces. Silk screening is commercially popular as it is cheap, easy, and results in a high-quality print. T-shirts with silk screened prints are high in demand. This technique is quite easy to learn and many people pursue it as a hobby.

Silk Screening Process: Silk screening follows a simple technique. A very fine mesh of silk, nylon, or polyester is stretched on a frame. The frame is usually made of wood or aluminum. A negative design is created on the screen by using photographic methods. Holes are cut at the places where color is to be filled. Nowadays, ultraviolet light is used to create the holes. Photosensitive screens are used for screen printing. A light-sensitive emulsion or film covers the mesh. The emulsion, when dry, jams the holes in the mesh. The film positive (of the desired image) and the mesh are sandwiched together.

The combination is then exposed to ultraviolet light. This is accomplished by using a device known as a print-down frame. Then, a jet of water cleans the screen. So any light emulsion not hardened by the ultraviolet light gets washed away. A stencil corresponding to the image supplied on the screen is formed. The frame is pressed on the object to be printed. The ink is rolled on or sponged so that it flows to the object. The ink is filled from the lightest color first to the darkest last. Many printers use a squeegee to press the ink on the printed product. A stencil made of plastic or paper can be used as a reusable screen.

The process of silk printing is easy but time-consuming. There are silk screen printing machines available that save time and energy. They come in three types - manual, semi-automatic, and automatic.

Manual: Manual silk screening machines make the work faster. But every step has to be carried out manually. Manual silk screen machines are the cheapest of all the types of silk screening machines.

Semi-automatic: The semi-automatic machines use a low level of manual labor. They work, to a great extent, automatically. Generally, pneumatic methods are made to fix the screens. Some silk printing steps like transporting of the fabric to the printing area is fully automated. Some work like loading and unloading of the printable object has to be done manually. Semi-automatic silk screen machines run on electricity. They are able to work on a wide variety of objects.

Automatic: As the name suggests, the entire process of silk screening is done automatically. These machines work quite fast and are best suited for those who want to start a silk screening business. Automatic silk screen machines are a little costlier than other types of silk printing machines.

Hobbyists prefer to own a personal silk screen printing machine. The silk printing machines come in an affordable range. You can either buy a brand new machine or go for a used one. You can get the required information on silk screen machine sales on websites, in magazines, and in the classifieds in local newspapers. In fact, it would be even more economical if you build one yourself.

Silk screening is easy to do, and gives excellent results, when done well. It also requires very less equipment. Except for light-sensitive emulsions needed to make the screens, all other equipment is quite cheap. This is also a good idea for a business. Hobbyists can print the designs on t-shirts, bed-sheets, pillow-covers, mouse-pads, and many other things. Silk screening is fun and becomes a lot more easy when done with the help of silk screening machines. Try it yourself and have fun.