High-resolution screen printing demystified
A complete guide to making high-resolution screen prints with minimal tools.
Notes: When applying film emulsion to the screen, the matte surface should face the screen. The glossy surface is the plastic backing, which is removed later, just before exposure.
The resolution test shown in the video actually indicates line width, not pitch. So, the 1mm sample has 1mm lines and 1mm spaces. Thus, the pitch is actually 2mm.
The Nazdar paint instructions say there is a 30 minute “induction” period that is needed for the catalyst to start working. Nope. Just weigh out the paint and catalyst, mix, and immediately apply to the screen. Print the needed items quickly, and clean it off the screen as soon as possible. Use disposable mixing cups / tools. It is *messy*!
If your emulsion is not sticking to the screen, even with very long exposure times, it probably isn’t dry. The green film may seem fairly dry after a few hours, but adhesion during the wash out process will be poor until it is really completely dry, then exposed.
Shopping list:
Pre-stretched screen: https://www.mclogan.com/shop/aluminum-12×17-p-1173-c-293_297_379_3.html
Squeegee: https://www.mclogan.com/shop/squeegees-per-inch-durometer-p-5-c-293_297_1_4.html
Epoxy paint: https://www.mclogan.com/shop/nazdar-ade-series-epoxy-screen-ink-p-1145.html
Paint cleaner: https://www.mclogan.com/shop/mclogan-graphic-press-wash-p-156.html
Emulsion remover: https://www.mclogan.com/shop/mclogan-emulsion-remover-concentrate-p-149-c-187_42_44.html
Degreaser: https://www.atlasscreensupply.com/store/p/163-ICC-858-Stain-Remover/Degreaser-Quart.aspx
Film emulsion: https://www.atlasscreensupply.com/store/p/772-DuraCap-11-x-14.aspx
Vellum paper: https://www.amazon.com/Office-Depot-Premium-Translucent-Vellum/dp/B014SBHGMQ/
Consider using 365nm LEDs instead of fluorescent tubes for exposure.
https://www.patreon.com/AppliedScience
This gives me an idea: you could print out screens with an SLA 3d printer and have it all work in one go. SLA printers can get pretty high resolution up to 8k these days.
this guy is so cool. ive been wondering about screen printing lately.
What an awesome introduction video! (Speaking as someone who has no experience in screen printing, but seen many tutorials for other crafts). Very logical sequence, straight to the point, explaining with just the right amount of detail (for a beginner) on what is important. I am sure there is much more to the craft, but this is amazing intro. Thank you!
Fantastic information sir.
man I love screen printing, it’s like printable vector graphics! oh I love it!!!
"Old Fashioned Direct Emulsion" – I’ve been screen printing for fifty years, in 1972, the "Old Fashioned" photo imaging was a gel coating on film that required a hydrogen peroxide with water for development. Back then Direct Emulsion was about 33-40% solids so the ‘sawtoothing with the fabric’ was far more distinct. Now Direct Emulsion is far more durable and about 60% solids. Xcellent video.
300 microns is 11 mils, about a factor of 100 lower resolution than PCB manufacturers typically get, but not bad for homebrew!
Your video is so good I use it to go to bed at night, 🤭 love the infos clear and to the point 🫡 I wish you also covered the exposition time as well as how to tweak design and expo to be able to print very fine details. Thanks
Masterful. Thank you.
Just found this video – wow!!!!!
I would love to see a focus on electroluminescent paint… Lo and behold, it’s the next suggested video!!
Honestly, your content is top notch. Rarely do I learn only one or two things from your presentations, usually my general knowledge is brought up in many areas, often in unrelated but relevant epiphanies.
Thanks for your excellence sir
What a great, helpful video!
Thank you!!!! <3
As shown at 7.36 in this video, what is the layer applied to the screen? i want
This is exactly what I have been looking for. I love details and this hits the mark! THANK YOU
So once you apply the photopolymer emulsion layer it just needs to dry, doesn’t need any exposure to ultraviolet before applying the print?
I’ve had pretty good results using an Elegoo Mars 3 Pro MSLA 3D Printer for exposing screenprint emulsion. Limited in size, but very high resolution and only needs about 2 minutes of exposure time. The pro has a Fresnel lens, so that might help with shadows from any deviation between the substrate and the glass, but probably not necessary if you have good contact.
It’s really nice because there is no material cost or hassle with printing masks. The UV light, the mask, the glass, it’s ALL done with software and in one compact machine.
This machine is very small, but you could do the same with a larger machine and get 18×24 inches.
I have a very simple rule, never ever-ever listen to any American’s ‘advice’ on Youtube about screen-printing… this video is the exception that proves that rule
21:20 I’m using my screens to apply solder mask to prototype PCBs. IDK if that’s epoxy, but it’s nasty sticky. It cleans up really well with acetone and I was shocked to find my emulsion layer dissolved immediately as well back to clean polyester.
2 main takeaways:
1) Two minutes might be enough exposure before cleaning, but to fully cure a design, either leave it in the sun of full UV exposure after clearing the unwanted mask for at least 15 minutes.
2) If using only once or twice, don’t cure it, and use acetone to clear the slate clean and start fresh.
Is there film emulsion reacts to 405nm light source? Thank you!
Thank you – I finally understand screen printing – at last!
Great treatment of this very complex subject. There are some really smart, and informed comments below, so I will add only this: When it comes to high resolution images on plastic or metal, match the screen to the ink first, the screen to the image second. After that, it is just attention to process, and watch out for that electrostatic discharge! Gads, the hours I spent adjusting the screen height, squeegee pressure, stroke speed, etc, etc on those damn TAAS presses to print tiny logos on smooth white and clear plastic inserts. I really began to miss the Hopkins and white cotton. The commenters below will understand.
Excellent explanation and clearly articulated. I’m anxious to see how multiple colors work.
I did this in high school printing class in the 90z… good to see it again
Hi! Thank you for the video, it helps a lot! I just wonder what parameters of the screen would determine the thickness of the screen-printed materials? Is it related to the photo-emulsion thickness?
Or you could just use Thermal Screens and get .5 type in half the time.
This is an excellent video. Thank you.
Beautiful! I was looking for this exact information
In the 70’s I worked as a press operator for a very large company (CSPI) in Oklahoma City and ran large format 4 color process and multi color jobs mostly on 4’x 8′ stock on Italian (Argon 54 x 101") and US (Americam much bigger, too darn big!) presses. We used household bleach to remove stencils and potassium hydroxide to remove the haze… many great times but it was hot by the dryers.
Far more labour intensive than I thought
Thank you sincerely
The results are horrible, though. Smeared out graphics like that used to be a hallmark of the 1950s and 1970s China.
Which mash count use for small dot print ? Sir
Isopropyl alcohol cleans epoxy paint and epoxy
Thank you 🙏 sir it’s really helpful
Never knew about the sheets you could apply. I don’t print a lot, but do some detailed 2 color work at times. will those sheets be more forgiving than liquid emulsion?
questions1. do i need to buy an emulation spreader or is there another way to accomplish this 2. is it in light that cures the emulation 3 can i just lay the screen write on the surface i want to print, or does it have to be lift a little above, to avoid in bleeding onto the print surface ? thanks
Wow this is the video I’ve been looking for since the dawn of time! You’re right, no videos on glass and metal which is what I’ve been looking for.
im an artist whos been trying to find these steps for this medium in a cohesive order, I thank you for your contribution to the community <3
Very useful thanks!
Anybody knows the DuraCap film available in Europe?
IBM makes transparencies for laser printers I’ve had pretty good luck with. It’s always good to know about other options though.
The knowledge of how to do things in the printing industry is pretty well ignored as old technology. The why’s & how’s were always rather closely held passed person to person or from supplier to customer. There were a few ad-driven trade journals but it was an old craft still working with the apprenticeship program in some cases. We saw computers as the end of all we were as printers.
Using Plexliiglas without UV blockers as a window on homemade UV sources should speed up the exposure time over most glass that is easy to source, Drawing the negative down on the silkscreen with a vacuum is how it’s done in industry. If you have a vacuum pump it isn’t that hard to do.
Motivated by your success here, I tried a variation on the technique, using a 3D resin printer as both the exposure stencil and light source. A 50 micron thick 3D model of the stencil is loaded as a print, and then the screen is simply placed atop the printer in place of the resin bed. With good screen to contact to the printer glass (as you demonstrate), I got very similar detail, if not better than you did here. Thanks for sharing your process!
I’ve watched a million videos on YouTube about the silkscreening process, and this one is by far full of the most useful and valuable information. The narrator wastes no words. Tons of knowledge gems in here. Thank you!
Great informative video. And just as a couple of other people who left the comments, I have also spent probably half of my life working in my screen printing company. I was also a chairman of teh comitee for qualification exams which were mandatory for people who wanted to open the screen printing, bt did not have the required qualifications. I also wrote several tutorials so they would have something to learn from, but never got around to writing a proper book. We were also producing screen printing machines and equipment, but that was all decades ago.
People left several good advices below which I think are worth checking. I’d just like to mention a couple of details:
– With proper technique it is posible to coat the creen with photo sensitive emulsion so that you’ll be able to achieve better results than with photo polimer film. You can apply several coats, first applying a coat or two to the bottom side, and continue applying several more from the inside. If you do this, you may consider drying the emulsion with frame in horizontal positition, so it doesn’t ooze sown the screen. This way you can get the coat thick enough to avoid the screen texture participate in the actual sharpness of the developed image. I suppose you can also buy photo sensitive films with different thicknesses, and thicker ones could give similar results. Using this approach, we were able to print extremely fine details, for etching and similar jobs.
– We were also using room heaters in a big cupboard where the screens were hung. We did kill more than a couple a year, because the cupboard was kept almost completely closed, but it shortened the drying times dramatically.
– You did not mention that the image is opened using hot water, or do you actually use cold water for this? Polymer films were usually opened using 40oC water, but we mostly used teh film which was first exposed, then developed using hydrogen peroxide and hor water, and only then applied to the screen usig a roller. There are probably many new products I don’t even know about.
– If you are using laser printer to make an artwork, you may put the printed paper in a low cardboard or plastic tray together with a bit of paper or any tissue soaked in acetone and cover it, and the acetone fumes will cause the print to be much blacker and opaque. Inkjet prints should behave the same. Edge definition is better after doing this, too.
– No other printing technique utilizes such a vast array of different inks, from two component heat treated ones for metal and glass, to the rubber based expanding ones for textile. But in my experience, the most verstile ink, which we could use on plastic, wood, textile, and pretty much anything else except metal and/or glass, was the PVC solvent based one. It was the least healthy, too, unfortunately, and I have no idea if it is still sold, but it lasted decades on t-shirts and literally everywhere.
I have liked this tutorial. Straight to the point and really informative
What surprised me most was printing the "negative" on vellum paper instead of a transparency. I have never heard of using anything other than a transparency or film negative to expose the screen. Certainly I would think that diffusing actinic light through a sheet of vellum would scatter the light and produce fuzzy edges on all the detail. No?
When Applying the Screen print to the substrate, do you need to clean ink off and start with a fresh screen for every print, or just clean the ink off with the graphic press after youve done all your prints. Does it need to be a fresh inkless screen for every print?
I wonder what the feasibility of using the light source from LCD resin printers would be for the home shop!
Normal printer paper works if you saturate it with mineral oil (after artwork is printed.)