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SCREENPRINTING
• INK TROULE SHOOTING GUIDE
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INK TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE
ISSUE POSSIBLE CAUSES POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Colors merging or blurring
together Ink buildup on bottom of screens excessive
• Use ink formulated for wet on wet printing.
• Use sharper squeegee
• Minimize print strokes
• Hold squeegee at a higher angle
• Wipe back of screens as needed to reduce buildup
Ink deposit has poor opacity
or looks washed out
Ink selection incorrect
• Check the off contact on the press. Should have a distance between garment
and back of screen of 1/8’’-1/4’’
• Use high opacity inks on dark garments
• Use low bleed ink on dark polyester garments
Garment dye color bleeding into ink
(dye migration)
• Use low bleed ink on dark polyester garments
• Cure ink longer at lower temperature
• Use a barrier base grey or clear to “seal” the garment
• Use 100% cotton garments when ever possible
Ghost image in print Mesh reclained incorrrectly • Redo stencil and try using a haze/ghost remover
Print is blurred at the top
of design only
Screen tension insufficient • Use properly tensioned screens
Squeegee angle too low at end of print stroke • Use higher squeegee angle at end of print stroke
Excessive ink in screen well or when doing
the flood stroke
• Reduce the amount of ink in the screen to avoid flow back onto image
Off contact uneven • Check the level of the pallets to back of screen making sure it is even.
Flood stroke too short • Extend length of flood stroke to go past image
Print losing detail/sharpness
Screen tension insufficient • Use properly tensioned screens
Mesh too course for image detail • Use finer mesh count for detailed images
Stencil to thin
• Increase number of emulsion coats for a thicker stencil on print side of screen
and use the round edge of the coater.
Squeegee edge to dull • Sharpen or replace the worn squeegees blades.
Multicolor image difficult
to register
Screen tension insufficient
• Use screens that are tensioned to proper levels and all screens in set up are
around same tension.
Off contact uneven
• Level pallets to same height in relation to one another
• Adjust off contact to be consistent
• Check for warped pallets
Artwork films are not registered properly • Remake films to register properly
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