Screen printing or silk screening is a printing technique particularly suited for flat or relatively flat surfaces. The heart of the process involves a fine mesh or screen that is tightly stretched around a rigid frame.The areas that are not to be printed are masked out on the screen, and to create the print, the framed screen is positioned over the item to be printed, along with a dollop of thick ink. A squeegee is then used to press the ink through the screen.
If more colors are desired in the final design, the process is repeated with different screens. A design that requires four different colors would, therefore, require four different screens.
Advantages
- Print High Volumes Fast & Inexpensive
- Most Cost Effective for Large Orders
- Most Traditional Method of Printing
- Ability to Print Detailed Vector Art
Disadvantages
- Labor Intensive/Expensive for Small Volumes
- Time Consuming to Complete Short Runs
- Limited on Items That Can Be Printed
- Difficult Printing on Performance Wear
- Expensive for High Color Count Jobs