Screen Printing – Exposure Options

Let’s go back to basics. Screen printing is also a stencil method of print making in which a design is imposed on a screen of polyester or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance, and ink is forced into the mesh openings of the mesh by the fill blade or squeegee and onto the printing surface during the squeegee stroke.

Emulsion is the means of making impermeable substance. Light sensitive, thick liquid which coats the screen. When the screen is exposed the emulsion hardens and unexposed areas drop out to leave the stencil.

So you have your positive artwork

Now this process is one of the most tricky in screen printing and needs to be done thoroughly and carefully.

We can offer a huge range of exposure solutions exposure lamps and units, digital screen makers, kits, accessories. Together with helpful tips

 

But if you dont want to the emulsion route there are other solutions

Designed for the medium size print screen printing market the FREEstyler DTS is breaking new ground, using inkjet technology it will introduce Direct to Screen capabilities to the medium sized screen printers

Wicked Printing Stuff ‘art to screen’ exposure service. You send us your artwork and we send back the perfect screen so you can get printing straight away.

The GOCCOPRO 100 is a digital screen maker that will take single or multi-coloured artwork and digitally turn it into a stencil ready to attach to your frame for screen printing

Exposure Units from WPS

We sell a range of  traditional ‘all in one’  self contained Exposure Units suitable for mid to large sized screen printing shops.  The Actinic, WPS Mini Exposure units and the fantastic WPS LED Mini Exposure Units are ideal for educational and medium sized screen printing businesses. The WPS Compact Pro and heavy duty units ideal for busy print studios and larger screen printing businesses – check out our buyers guide for more info.

 Digital Screen Makers, allowing you to transfer the artwork directly to the screen without the need for emulsion, exposure units, washout equipment and film positives.

• Goccopro 100 – Ideal for small printers requiring quick production of screens
• QS200 – Ideal for professional screen printers with both manual and automatic presses – creates screens up to A2 in size. Click here to see our QS200 promotional video.

Direct to Screen Systems, allowing you to print the artwork directly to an emulsioned screen without the need for a printed film positive.  Take a look at our Blog article to understand the differences between Digital Screen Makers and Direct to Screen.

• FreeStyler DTS – Ideal for mid market printers who might have an automatic carousel or several manuals
• Spyder II – Ideal for the large commercial textiles who might have a number of automatic carousels.

For beginners, smaller businesses and home printers we manufacture the Wicked Exposure Unit , very cost effective.

Additional foam base sizes can be purchased as extras for other sized screens if you require.  Check out our screen printing tutorial (Step 4 –  7mins 10 seconds if you want to skip to the relevant section)  which shows how you use the Wicked Exposure Unit to transfer your artwork to the screen.

Please contact us if you need any advice on which option is right for you.