Screen Print World Limited
Unit 8
Foley Business Park
Kidderminster
Worcs
DY11 7PG
VAT Nr. GB 875854076
Company Number: 05957905
Using a dip tank to reclaim screens
A regular question we get asked at Screen Print World is “Should I use a dip tank to reclaim screens?” The answer is most definitely a yes.
Why, you ask…?
There are many reasons as to why you should use a dip tank;
More cost effective, less wastage
Using a dip tank will mean that the solution is utilised to its maximum. The solution can be used over a long period of time in the tank instead of being rinsed down the drain each time a screen is reclaimed. This saves a significant amount in chemical cost. When your screens dip in the tank, you are allowing the solution to do the work for you, instead of an employee. Create a cycle process by getting employees to rinse out a screen while the next set of screens soak in the dip tanks, and repeat. This saves you a significant amount of labour and could cut your screen reclaiming costs in half and double your production .
Better control of the process
Within any screen-printing business, chemical usage should be measured and controlled. Without a dip tank, those employees reclaiming the screens would not consider the amount of chemical wastage. Liquids are applied to each screen individually with some screens and employees using more, while other screens use less chemicals yet require more washing time. Employees do not control the amount of screen chemicals used from screen to screen, but with dip tanks you can certainly control and measure the amount of chemicals used.
Simplicity
With a dip tank, you simply place your screen in the tank for 1-3 minutes to soften the ink and emulsion from the mesh enough to be sprayed with a pressure washer and liquefied enough to go down the drain safely. Simplifying the screen reclaiming procedure will make it easier to train staff and a lot less complicated job when compared to doing every step manually.
Time saving, Greater productivity
Although you can clean screens of any size, at anytime and anywhere when cleaning manually. It will take up a lot of your time and effort to do so. Using dip tanks will allow you to clean multiple screens at once. Most dip tank systems combines ink removal, emulsion removal & mesh degreasing. Combining these three steps can increase your screen through-put. In one hour you could clean and reclaim up to 30 or more screens with one person .
So why wouldn’t you move to using a dip tank I ask?
Its quicker, cheaper , safer , uses less chemicals and gives you more production ….as we say in the trade it’s a win win!
The differences in screen printing mesh count?
When looking at screens for screen printing you may notice two different numbers for the same screen. These are UK and US types of measurements. In the UK, the ‘T count’ refers to the number of threads per centimetre. In the US, the number refers to the number of threads per inch. As it’s based on a larger area, the US number is always higher.
A quick note, mesh will either be yellow or white in colour. The difference here is that the yellow mesh absorbs more light compared to white mesh. It stops light scattering, therefore helping expose intricate details in designs.
A little reminder. Different mesh counts will hold different amounts of emulsion, this is due to the size difference in the holes and variation in thread thickness on coarser mesh counts. Therefore a lower mesh count will hold a higher amount of emulsion. But don’t worry, the difference isn’t extreme. You may just need to change up exposure times ever so slightly to allow for the amount of emulsion on the screen. More emulsion on the screen, means longer exposure times
Now, let’s discuss the differences in the most commonly used mesh counts.
UK 32T / US 80
- Low mesh count.
- Useful for printing bold designs as it allows more ink to be pushed through the screen.
- Used for specialist inks such as Glitter or Flakes (this allows the larger particles to be deposited on the substrate)
- Most suited to paper printing, does NOT always give the best result on fabric
What ink can I use with 32T/80 mesh?
- Specialty inks
- White plastisol
- Low bleed
- Poly inks
UK 43T / US 110
- The most commonly used mesh
- Ideal for printing bold/solid designs on fabric
- Lay down a moderate deposit of ink
- Perfect for printing an under base
- Use with either waterbased or plastisol ink
What ink can I use with 43T/110 mesh?
- Specialty inks
- Standard plastisol
- White plastisol
- Low bleed
- Poly inks
- Glow in the dark
- Standard Waterbased
- Hybrid Wasterbased
- Discharge ink
UK 55T / US 140
- Perfect for printing on fabric when a little more detail is required
What ink can I use with 55T/140 mesh?
- Specialty inks
- Standard plastisol
- White plastisol
- Low bleed
- Poly inks
- Glow in the dark
- Hybrid Wasterbased
- Discharge ink
UK 62T / US 156
- This is a medium mesh count
- Good for printing a fine detail or halftone onto fabric.
- Can be used when printing onto paper.
What ink can I use with 62T/156 mesh?
- Standard plastisol
- Standard waterbased
- White plastisol
- Low bleed
- Poly inks
- Glow in the dark
- Hybrid Wasterbased
- Discharge ink
UK 77T / US 196
- Fantastic for finer detail
- Good for printing on lightweight garments
- Still good for printing on paper and card
What ink can I use with 77T/196 mesh?
- Standard plastisol
- Standard waterbased
- White plastisol
- Low bleed
- Poly inks
- Glow in the dark
- Hybrid Wasterbased
- Discharge ink
UK 90T / US 230
- The most common mesh used for printing higher detailed designs
- Great for top layer prints, leaving behind a thinner coat of ink
- Use for both fabric and paper printing
- Use when printing on delicate fabrics
- Used for when you need a soft hand feel
- Great when printing discharge inks
What ink can I use with 90T/230 mesh?
- Standard plastisol
- Standard waterbased
- White plastisol
- Poly inks
- Hybrid Waterbased
- Solvent Based Graphic Inks
UK 120T / US 305
- The ultimate for printing finer details
- Use for printing halftones and small-sized text
- More control over the ink deposit
- Mainly used for graphic printing
What ink can I use with 120T/305 mesh?
- Standard plastisol
- Solvent Based Graphic Inks
Now you know what screen mesh you need for the job, head to our online shop to purchase.
Which White Ink Is Best For You?
Choosing a white that’s best for you is not easy when you have lots to choose from, so today we are going to break down the whites we do and their uses, Helping you find the perfect white for you!
One of our best sellers, the Amex Flash White Extra Plastisol is a standard opaque bright white, perfect as an undebased ink. It’s Phthalate and heavy metal free and due to it’s fine milling, offers a soft feel and good elasticity. It’s a hit with all our customers with multiple 5* reviews!
Our Spot On Low Bleed White is a budget friendly press ready plastisol ink that prevents ink bleed on troublesome fabrics. It has great printability, A soft feel finish and is perfect for printing onto dark garments!
Our very affordable Spot on Polar Flash White is perfect if your on a budget but still want a great quality plastisol white that’s the perfect all rounder. Great printability, Great Value and Great washing resistance!
Amex Dye Blocking Low Bleed White
Amex dye blocking plastisol ink is perfect if your require a dye blocking/low bleed under base white. It prevents ink/dye bleed and has low flash cure times, whilst still providing good washing resistance and a bright white finish!
Amex Flex White has been designed specifically for stretchy fabrics such as sports/gym wear. As with all AMEX inks, it is phthalate and heavy metal free. It offers a soft feel, good washing resistance and a bright white finish.
AMEX Low Temp White is designed to be cured at a lower temperature compared the other whites. Perfect for garments that require a lower curing temp such as polyester, Whilst still offering a soft feel, and good matte down properties.
Spot On Universal Mixing White
As the name suggests, Our Spot On Universal Mixing White can be used successfully in most mixing systems where a mixing white is required. It’s not designed to be used as an under base white or direct printing white, but can be used as a highlight white if necessary.
If you prefer to print with water based, our AMEX Water Based White Extra is our go to water based white. It’s a ready to print water based that is Formaldehyde, PVC and heavy metal free and is perfect if you’re going down the eco-friendly route. It provides a bright opaque finish on dark garments as well as super soft feel.
Spot On Hybrid Brilliant White
Spot On Hyrbid white was specifically formulated to combine the benefits of both water based and plastisol printing. It doesn’t clog your screen like traditional water based inks, But you still get the great soft feel of water based inks once printed.
When printing any new inks, we strongly recommend testing thoroughly and wash testing before commencing with any print run.
How to print zipper hoodies – The easy way!
With the cooler weather rolling in, We’re sure you’re seeing an increased demand for hoodies, long sleeves and zipper hoodies.
When it comes to printing zipper hoodies in particular you can run into a few issues, Which is why the zipper hoodie pallet was created! Printing zipper hoodies on a standard pallet can be tricky.. The zip gets in the way and ends up getting caught on your squeegee causing all sorts of issues and can even tear your screen. The zipper hoodie pallet was made to combat this exact issue. It is engineered with a slot down the middle, allowing you to rest the zip part of the hoodie in so it is out of the way when printing.
When placing your zip into the slot, You need to make sure that it rests at the same height as your print surface. In order to help get this right, The zipper hoodie pallet has been carefully measured with many samples of hoodies, resulting in a two-tiered drop for your zipper to fit into. The first tier is for your zipper hem, while the deeper tier is for your zipper to sit in. Creating perfect zipper hoodie prints every time without wasting resources!
The Zipper hoodie pallet is available in many sizes, the most popular being 16″ x 22″ and can be ordered for your machine type.
Please call on 01562 829009 or drop us an email sales@Screenprintworld.co.uk for more information and pricing!