Remember: screens are made up of woven threads. Mesh numbers help us describe the exact details of how thin or dense this weave is. Let's use a screen that's listed as to explain mesh count numbers. This is one of the most common mesh numbers that you'll see in any screen printing shop. Mesh count per inch, a simple and standard term and mesh diameter , a secondary metric that can help you further understand what each screen can do, are both listed here.
In our example, the mesh count per inch is The first number corresponds to how many openings are in a 1-inch square area. This means a screen has openings in a 1" by 1" area. Lower mesh numbers, like 80, have 80 openings for the ink to go through for each square inch. Higher mesh numbers have many more spots for the ink to pass through during the screen printing process.
A mesh count per inch of is a versatile screen for both fonts and images with a moderate amount of detail. Mesh diameter is expressed in microns, an extremely small measurement. For scale, a typical human hair is about microns across — so the size of a single thread on a screen is similar to the size of a single hair.
Mesh diameters are usually listed as the second number in a mesh count. They're not always listed. Did you guess that the screen will deposit more ink, since it has a higher mesh count?
There are two low-count mesh standards that are used in screen printing shops: 30 to 61 mesh and 80 to 86 mesh. These low-count screens are ideal for simple text, big logos, and other images that don't really require much detail.
Important: lower mesh screens hold more emulsion than higher mesh — meaning that you'll need to expose these screens longer to allow the emulsion to set properly. These inks contain larger particles. That means the ink needs a large opening to pass through: imagine pushing a piece of glitter through a very small opening!
High density inks are another popular use for coarse mesh screens. This ink is spectacularly thick and leaves a pronounced raised surface on the garment. You'll want to use a thick underbase to prevent dye migration and ink bleeds on materials like polyesters.
Metallic inks also may require an 80 to 86 mesh count based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Medium mesh count screens are the most commonly used and widely available screens in screen printing. Water based inks are best used on medium-mesh screens. Another common mesh in screen printing shops, mesh count screens are a perfect balance of quality and ink deposit.
You can print images, text, and other details with mesh count screens or cover large areas adequately. This finer medium-mesh count is a great choice to capture details, fine lines, and smaller text like neck tags. This is because the mesh openings are so small that they only allow a tiny amount of ink to be deposited. Printing your neck tags with this mesh is ideal. You could also use this mesh when printing lighter inks on dark fabric, since you don't need to deposit much ink.
If you print complex halftones, simulated process imagery, or simply want to get photorealistic detail out of your prints, you'll want to consider very high mesh screens.
Very thin inks like UV inks or very thin water based and discharge inks also do well on high mesh counts. A post shared by Tonic Studios tonicstudioscolumbus. To capture each dot, you'll need adequate space on the screen and the substrate. That means choosing an exceptionally high mesh count. Prints made with fine mesh counts often have a much softer hand feel than prints made with a lower count mesh.
But the downside of this is that the limited ink deposit isn't as bright or vibrant of an image. When printing halftone images, the emulsion may break down after repeated printing and cause something called dot gain. This means that the first print will look sharp, while the th print will look blurry. This is because the dots have gained size , making the image less visible.
The image will appear too dark, too bright, or otherwise "washed out. Some dot gain is unavoidable and can be compensated for , but it can be almost completely eliminated if the right steps are taken. If you know the LPI lines per inch of any given piece of artwork, you can easily calculate the mesh count you'll need.
Here's how to calculate the mesh count you'll need to use:. The mesh count indicates how many fibers there are in one square inch of the screen, so a mesh count screen has fibers in one square inch of the screen.
Lower mesh count screens have larger openings that allow more ink to flow through, while higher mesh count screens allow for finer details in your printing but with less of a coating of ink. Experience will help you determine which mesh counts you prefer to use on individual projects, but there are some guidelines that will help you get started with using different mesh counts. First, screens of different densities will hold varying amounts of emulsion, with lower mesh counts holding more.
To combine that, you might want to add a retarder to your water-based ink to keep the ink transferring and your job moving. While there are guidelines for which screen mesh counts are best suited to which jobs, the decision of which mesh count to use ultimately lies with you.
Tags: screen printing inks , screen printing methods. We are long table screen printer and our table length is 20 meter and 72 inches wide. Can you give us suggestions to overcome this problem.?. I screen-print wallpaper, and envy you your long table! A couple of years ago UK paint manufacturers Farrow and Ball — who also print wallpaper using their own emulsion pigments- advised me to use Fluotrol, which increases the paint flow without reducing the viscosity. It works, and I pass on their recommendation!
Depending on what your design looks like, you will probably want to choose a higher mesh count screen for capturing fine details like text. I wouod like to start screen printing signs instead of stenciling. They are not very detailed and in larger font size.
What size mesh and would a thinner or thicker ink be best? Thanks bunches! What material would the signs be made of? UV or air-dry inks are good choices for signs. UV ink is thinner and typically requires a higher mesh count. The amount of detail in your design also plays a role in determining the ideal mesh count. Would the designs be simple or complex?
Hi Alex, I am planning to start tshirt screen printing business, and have no experience in about it, can you suggest one standard mesh count that can be used for fine detailed CYMK graphics as well as bold logo type designs. Hi Alex I am planning to start non woven bag screen printing business, and have no experience in about it, can you suggest one standard mesh count and what kind of ink that can be used for.
Hi Ojit, these will be nylon bags? The mesh count will depend heavily on how detailed your designs are. What size would you suggest for printing on throw pillow covers? They are white or cream and canvas like fabric.. Thanks, Kaitlin. I want to print on t-shirts and I want a very detailed design, what mesh count should I use? And what do I have to keep in mind?
Hello Im trying to make a print on a black canvas bag for a reunion. The letters are small but block. Im having a problem with washing out. Some letters are perfect but some arent.
Could the emulsion not be applied properly or is it the screen Im using..? Please help have 5 days to produce 50 bags. Good day admin, Do you have a discussion about right eposure time,height from the lamp to the screen,and what is the most effective light source flourescent,flood light, and etc. Get out a calendar and list EVERY event and holiday you can think of - so you can be ready and ahead of time to sell and take orders for screen printing.
Get your shirt and design ideas ready to sell. List every sporting season that will need uniforms and team support items like t-shirt, caps and pennants. Sports teams always wait until the last minute and have trouble organizing sizes, printed images and how team members will pay. You organize it ahead of time, deliver on time and you will get the order now and in years to come.
Hand tag every shirt with a business card that guarantees quality. That card will eventually get into the hands of buyers. How much does it cost to start a screen printing business? How to market a screen printing business? Every person you meet is a potential customer. You must reach these people and get them to buy.
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