4 Color Screen Printer Basics

4 Color Screen Printer Basics

Four color process screen printing is a technique that allows you to print a photorealistic image on a garment.4 color screen printer It uses the CMYK color printing method (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) and produces extremely detailed prints. This type of printing takes a bit more time, effort, and advance knowledge to produce but the results are amazing.

The key to successful CMYK printing is proper color separation and good registration. The color separation process can be daunting to the novice and the experienced printer alike but there are a few things you can do to make it easier. First, always use a high-quality plastisol ink like International Coatings Pro-Brite process colors to get the most vibrant and accurate color in your prints. Then follow best practices for preparing your artwork and creating opaque film positives, properly exposing your screens, and ensuring that all your tools are in good working order.

A good 4 color screen printer will have the ability to print multiple screens simultaneously. This can save a lot of time in the production process and reduce the number of touch-ups needed to create a quality print. A quality press will also have a conveyor dryer that guarantees you a perfect cure and consistent registration every time.

Finally, invest in a good screen tensioner to help keep your screens in place and allow you to lift them up and down confidently. This will keep the ink from leaking under your screens, making them sloppy and difficult to work with. A good screen tensioner will have adjustable springs to accommodate different frame weights and adjust the pressure on each squeegee to keep it consistent.

Lastly, when you are ready to register your screens, start with the darkest one up first. This will help ensure that the other colors are printed over a solid, black outline which will make them easier to line up with each other. For this, you will need to ensure that your black outline is perfectly lined up with the other screen and that you have the right screen angles, dot shape, and line count.

As mentioned earlier, this type of printing requires densely woven screens with a high mesh count. Typically, experience screen printers recommend using a mesh count of 305 or higher. The size of the dots, also known as the line count, will need to be set between 15 and 85 percent density and the dot shape should be elliptical rather than squared. This is because the elliptical dot works well with the squares of the screen mesh. The substrate, or the fabric you are printing on, needs to have a tight weave as well to prevent interference with the halftone dot details. Finally, a good 4 color screen printer will be built of solid steel with no plastic parts and brass bushings to guarantee years of trouble free performance. This will give you peace of mind that it is the right machine for your business.

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