How to choose a mesh

Contents

1. Priorities for printing
2. Line smoothness
3. Ink deposit
4. Correlation diagram between ink and mesh count
5. Summary

Priorities for printing

When performing screen printing, the selection process is carried out in the order of material＞ink＞screen master

①Material：
Select what materials want to print on
(T-shirts, wooden coasters, plastic bottles, etc.)
②Ink：
Select an ink that adheres well to the material and meets the desired functionality (including appearance).
(Inks that adhere to plastic, inks with glitter, etc.)
③Screen master：
Select the screen master that is suitable for the material and ink you want to use.

Line smoothness

The diagram of Screen Master

This illustration shows an enlarged view of the pre-printed screen masters #100 (54μm thread diameter) and #300 (34μm thread diameter).
RISO’s digital screen master has a structure that laminating mesh and film.

Print above the Master and remove it. The image is the red color portion.

After squeezing it several times, it will be pushed through the holes sufficiently and will spread horizontally and sticking to the ink near the liquid.
The actual print result will look like this illustration.

Actual printing result

The edges where the ink spread will be a wavy finish.
However, the size of the waves varies depending on the coarseness of the mesh.
Compared to #100, #300 produced a smoother finish on the printing edges.

The ink deposit

The diagram of Screen Master

The #300 has mesh threads passing through divide the #100 mesh holes into thirds vertically and horizontally. Therefore, if ink is applied to the same area, the surface area of ​​the ink will be #100 > #300.The ink thickness is a little smaller than twice the thickness of the thread, so #100 is about 100μm, #300 is about 60μm, and the thickness will be #100>#300.

Since area x thickness = volume, the amount of ink transferred is #100>#300.

Actual printing result

The letters printed on matte film, #100 produces a thick, bumpy finish, while #300 produces a thin, uniform finish.
The text printed on the fabric with #100 had a bold and clear print due to the sufficient amount of ink, while with #300, the ink was insufficient, resulting in a slightly lighter finish.

Correlation diagram between ink and mesh count

Correlation diagram between ink and mesh count

This is a correlation diagram showing the mesh count suitable for ink and printing material.
The mesh count affects the smoothness of the print and the thickness of the ink.
However, which mesh count produces the best print results depends on the material and ink you use, and the type of print you want to make.
Try to test the finished product referring this correlation diagram when printing.

Print sample

Summary

When performing screen printing, it is important to select in the following order: material > ink > screen master. By preparing a screen master with an appropriate mesh count for the intended use, you can achieve high-quality printing results.