How To Avoid Unwanted Marks While Screen Printing

There are many important steps that screen printers must go through while screen printing to ensure a perfect product. Unfortunately, all screen printers occasionally get unwanted marks or ghost images on their textiles.

Here's some mandatory steps that you might be forgetting that will mess up any job.

• Screens must be replaced. When Franmar D-Haze Remover Gel is used it is so strong that it will actually weaken the mesh. When your mesh is distorted, or in some way damaged then it is time to replace your screen and this will depend on how much you are printing. Aluminum screens are also recommended over wooden screens since the aluminum screens will not warp.
• Periodically replace your squeegees. Your squeegee is one of the most important tools to successfully screen print. Any deformities in the squeegee blade can relate back to an unwanted mark or uneven print. Anyways have extra squeegees on hand in your shop in case something happens to the one you are using while printing.
• Mesh tightness and consistency with screen printing. When you push or pull your squeegee you want the mesh to slightly come into contact with your garment. As you move the squeegee the tight mesh should spring back to it's original tightness. When setting up your screen you want the screen to be about an 1/8th of an inch away from the textile, and this is what screen printers call off contact printing. If your mesh is too loose then you will have problems with the ink pooling and creating a ring/halo around your design.
• Clean your silk-screen. At the end of your silk-screening job your what to take your Mclogan Emulsion Remover Concentrate to remove the image. Then take your Franmar D-Haze Remover to remove the ghost image. Make sure before you begin your next screen printing job that you use the Mclogan Degreaser, or the Ulano #3 Screen Degreaser to ensure that your screen is ready for your emulsion. Having a screen that is not properly cleaned or prepared will make it harder for your emulsion set the mesh.

If you've experienced any of the problems shown below while screen printing then hopefully this will help with your next job. Make sure to stop by our website to purchase your Mclogan Emulsion Remover Concentrate and McLogan Degreaser.