Inks

Screen printing inks need to undergo a heat curing procedure and in most screen printing shops, inks are cured with the use of conveyor belt dryer. Usually, screen printing inks need to be heated about three hundred and twenty degrees for sixty to ninety seconds. Curing is a necessary part of screen printing to ensure the durability of the material. If the ink is not cured properly, it may result to falling off or cracking in the washing machine. It is recommended to use thermometers for conveyor dryers to guarantee an accurate cure.

In addition, it is ideal to use a heat probe for garment testing for a full ink cure. Make sure to choose an accurate device that can guarantee the right measurement. The heat probe looks like a donut that has cross-wires to measure temperature.

Screen printing inks do not need much care or maintenance, compared to air-dry sign inks, screen printer inks do not dry immediately in the screen mesh after printing. Garment printing inks will be in a creamy consistency until exposed to sunlight or excessive heat.

Many screen printing shops use water-based textile inks because it is safer and do not have harmful effects to the environment. However, water-based textile inks are also made of industrial chemicals and these inks also need to follow the same regional, local and federal rules and regulations related to employee storage, training, disposal and training.

The good thing about water-based garment inks is that is can be easily cleaned up using water. In addition, some water-based screen printing inks have volatile organic compounds that can evaporate when the ink dries.