Tweet
Plastisol: A screen printing ink primarily for textile printing composed of the following components: PVC (polyvinyl chloride), color pigments, and plasticizers.
PMS : Pantone Matching System a system for mixing various inks to achieve the specified color as determined by Pantone.
Positive: Also known as film or film positive. Any media used to completely block out UV light in the design area during the exposure process.
Pre-Press: All processes performed prior to actual printing.
Print-Flash-Print (PFP): Screen printing technique used to achieve an opaque print result by printing, flash curing the print and then applying another print stroke.
Print Side: The side of the screen that touches the substrate being printed on.
Proof: A sample print. Also known as a test print.
Puff Ink: A special effect type of plastisol ink that “raises up” or expands dimensionally during the curing process.
Reclaim: To remove old emulsion from a screen so the screen can be reused.
Reducer: A colorless ink additive used to lower the viscosity of the ink making it easier to print.
Registration: The process of lining up the screen image to the original art and/or separations on a printing press and/or exposure unit.
Registration Mark: “Crosshair” target marks used for aligning a screen image to the source art.
Retensionable Frames: Special frames that allow the mesh to be applied over the screen without the use of adhesives or stretching equipment. The mesh is drawn tightly over the frame using either a roller or telescopic tightening system.
Safelight: A light that should be used when working with photosensitive materials like emulsion or capillary films to prevent accidental exposure to ultraviolet light. A yellow “bug light” works well for this purpose.
Scoop Coater: A metal trough used to dispense emulsion for the purpose of coating screens.
Screen: A wooden or metal frame with mesh tightly attached to it.
Solvent: A liquid that dissolves a solid.
Squeegee: Wooden or metal handled tool with a rubber blade used to drive ink through a stencil by pulling the squeegee across the screen.
Squeegee Side: The side of the screen the ink is applied to.
Spot Color: Color reproduced by an opaque, premixed, standard ink chosen from a color system such as the Pantone Matching System
Stencil: The portion of an exposed screen containing the image to be printed.
Step Wedge Test – Exposure test to determine proper exposure time with a series of stepped exposures on one screen.
Substrate: Term for the item that is being printed.
Tension: The “tightness” of the screen mesh, measured in newtons.
Underbase: A thin coating of ink printed first and cured to act as a base for which all other colors are to be printed on. Underbasing is usually required when printing multi-color designs on colored shirts.
Underexposed: Insufficient screen exposure time, resulting in a soft stencil that can break down prematurely during the print run.
Vector Art- Images that use points, lines, curves and shapes based on mathematical expressions. These images are usually created in programs such as Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Freehand to name a few.
Viscosity: Commonly perceived as the “thickness” or “thinness” of an ink.
Water Based Ink: Non plastisol inks that can be air dried.
Wash Test: Laundering a printed garment in a washing machine to determine if the print is fully cured. The ink will wash off of an undercured garment during the wash test.
Washout Booth : Booth used for washing out stencils and reclaiming screens.
PMS : Pantone Matching System a system for mixing various inks to achieve the specified color as determined by Pantone.
Positive: Also known as film or film positive. Any media used to completely block out UV light in the design area during the exposure process.
Pre-Press: All processes performed prior to actual printing.
Print-Flash-Print (PFP): Screen printing technique used to achieve an opaque print result by printing, flash curing the print and then applying another print stroke.
Print Side: The side of the screen that touches the substrate being printed on.
Proof: A sample print. Also known as a test print.
Puff Ink: A special effect type of plastisol ink that “raises up” or expands dimensionally during the curing process.
Reclaim: To remove old emulsion from a screen so the screen can be reused.
Reducer: A colorless ink additive used to lower the viscosity of the ink making it easier to print.
Registration: The process of lining up the screen image to the original art and/or separations on a printing press and/or exposure unit.
Registration Mark: “Crosshair” target marks used for aligning a screen image to the source art.
Retensionable Frames: Special frames that allow the mesh to be applied over the screen without the use of adhesives or stretching equipment. The mesh is drawn tightly over the frame using either a roller or telescopic tightening system.
Safelight: A light that should be used when working with photosensitive materials like emulsion or capillary films to prevent accidental exposure to ultraviolet light. A yellow “bug light” works well for this purpose.
Scoop Coater: A metal trough used to dispense emulsion for the purpose of coating screens.
Screen: A wooden or metal frame with mesh tightly attached to it.
Solvent: A liquid that dissolves a solid.
Squeegee: Wooden or metal handled tool with a rubber blade used to drive ink through a stencil by pulling the squeegee across the screen.
Squeegee Side: The side of the screen the ink is applied to.
Spot Color: Color reproduced by an opaque, premixed, standard ink chosen from a color system such as the Pantone Matching System
Stencil: The portion of an exposed screen containing the image to be printed.
Step Wedge Test – Exposure test to determine proper exposure time with a series of stepped exposures on one screen.
Substrate: Term for the item that is being printed.
Tension: The “tightness” of the screen mesh, measured in newtons.
Underbase: A thin coating of ink printed first and cured to act as a base for which all other colors are to be printed on. Underbasing is usually required when printing multi-color designs on colored shirts.
Underexposed: Insufficient screen exposure time, resulting in a soft stencil that can break down prematurely during the print run.
Vector Art- Images that use points, lines, curves and shapes based on mathematical expressions. These images are usually created in programs such as Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Freehand to name a few.
Viscosity: Commonly perceived as the “thickness” or “thinness” of an ink.
Water Based Ink: Non plastisol inks that can be air dried.
Wash Test: Laundering a printed garment in a washing machine to determine if the print is fully cured. The ink will wash off of an undercured garment during the wash test.
Washout Booth : Booth used for washing out stencils and reclaiming screens.
Comment