Company Blog

Mesh preparation
Abrasion and degreasing to make the mesh more receptive to stencil adhesion.

This variable precedes the discussion of other stencil variables because it is the source of various common stencil-breakdown problems-pinholes, fisheyes or poor stencil adhesion to the mesh-often blamed on the emulsion itself. The screen mesh must be prepared for stencil application by, in some cases, abrading and, in all cases, degreasing.

Mesh tension: A measure of mesh deflection expressed in terms of Newtons per centimeter (N/cm). 

Tension should be looked at in two ways: the initial stretching and re-tensioning of mesh on your frames, and the ways in which tension interacts with other variables during printing. It's difficult to understand its dynamics without looking at tension relative to off-contact distance and squeegee-blade pressure, so be sure to visit those variables after you've read about this one.

The twofold job of mesh tension is to provide resistance for the blade-to be overcome only at the point where the blade forces mesh-to-substrate contact-and to pull the mesh out of the ink film after the blade passes.

Weave structure

Plain weave versus twill weave.

With plain weave, each thread goes under one perpendicular thread and over the next. With twill weave, a given thread follows an under-one/over-two pattern.

Mesh counts higher than 305 may be woven with plain or twill patterns. Twill mesh typically deposits more ink than the same or even a lower mesh count of plain weave.

Mesh opening

The dimensions of the mesh openings affect stencil support, meter ink flow and contribute to the print's appearance.

The best mesh for screen printing is commonly woven out of monofilament polyester and it functions both as support for the stencil and to meter the amount of ink deposited on the substrate. The dimensions of the mesh count, percentage of open area and thread thickness all contribute to the appearance of the end product. You will find that accurate measurements of these mesh specifications are supplied by the manufacturer. Poor image registration, image elongation and uneven ink deposits can result from the improper selection or preparation of the mesh fabric.

Thread structure

The differences between multi-filament and mono-filament screen-printing mesh.

Here is an easy choice: when faced with multi-filament and monofilament polyester mesh, pick high-quality monofilament. Man-made fibers are made with either multiple or single filaments. Monofilament is a single smooth round fiber used in weaving mesh.