MAISHI GROUP provides different screen printing mesh types that are used for different applications in production. Mesh type is measured by how many threads of mesh there are crossing per square inch. For instance, a 110 mesh screen has 110 threads crossing per square inch. The higher the mesh count, the finer the threads and holes are in the screen. The type of the mesh has a lot to do with how detailed our image is and how thick the ink we are using is. If we have an image with extremely high detail, a lower mesh screen won't hold the high detail. The fine lines or dots in the image will simply fall through the holes in the mesh not giving us a correct representation of what our image should be. Also if we are using thinner ink, the ink will also flood through the larger holes and soak onto our shirt or substrate making our image blurry as the ink bleeds. On the other hand, if we are trying to print a thicker ink (such as white) through to a fine mesh screen, barely any ink will print through the mesh.
If the mesh count is fairly close, such as the difference between 155 vs. 156, 196 vs. 200, or 81 vs. 86, the difference is so negligible and small that it will not matter in our final results. Since there are many variables involved in silk screen printing we can't tell us exactly what mesh types are used for what applications. However, we can give a general outline of what types to use for certain types of printing.
our basic and most standard mesh types are 110 and 156. 110 mesh lays a fairly thick layer of ink down. It's great for block text letters and larger spot color designs. It's also a recommended mesh for white flash plates because many times we will only have to make one print impression which speeds up production time. 156 mesh also lays down a little thicker layer of screen printing ink but offers us some higher detail ability in our image due to the finer mesh. Also if we are printing with a little thinner viscosity colors of inks, we may want to use the 156 mesh so not too much ink is passed through our screen. Lower mesh counts like 40-86 are used for shimmer and glitter inks. These inks have particles in them that will not pass through the typical mesh types. Therefore we need a lower mesh count with large holes in order for all the particles to pass through properly. Shimmer plastisol inks have finer particles in them so we could probably use an 86 mesh while glitter inks have much larger particles so it would be recommended to use a 40 or 60 mesh screen. 200 and 230 mesh are used for finer detailed images and thinner inks. These mesh types can hold larger half-tone dots but are not recommended for four-color process prints or fine detail half-tone printing. Also graphic and solvent-based silk screening inks that are much thinner should be used with these mesh types. Also if we would like a softer feel to the ink on our shirts can print through these higher mesh counts which will let less ink through the screen giving us a much softer feel on the shirt. This can get tricky, however, many times a duller distressed look is wanted for the artwork but if bright vibrant colors are desired (especially white) we will have a hard time getting the opacity thick enough using these higher meshes. 305 mesh is used for extremely high detail textile printing and fine halftone four-color process and simulated process prints. Fine half-tone dots need high fine detail mesh in order to hold and expose on. Higher meshes such as 355, 380, and 400 are used mainly for graphic printing with UV inks. UV inks are extremely thin and many times are used for high detail printing on signs, banners, or CD's. Using a higher mesh allows the automatic printers used in UV printing to regulate the amount of ink passed through the screen.
Exposure Notes: Different mesh types hold different amounts of emulsion, due to how big the holes in the mesh are. For instance, a 110 mesh screen will hold much more emulsion than a 305 mesh screen. While the difference isn't extreme, we will have to vary our exposure times slightly for different mesh types. A finer mesh screen that holds less emulsion will expose faster than a lower mesh screen that holds more emulsion. However, the difference is small so we may have to only vary as slightly as 5-10% in either direction and depending on mesh type in order to get maximum exposure performance.
Usually, different companies have different screen printing mesh types available. Here MAISHI GROUP can produce all the types according to our requirements.
If the mesh count is fairly close, such as the difference between 155 vs. 156, 196 vs. 200, or 81 vs. 86, the difference is so negligible and small that it will not matter in our final results. Since there are many variables involved in silk screen printing we can't tell us exactly what mesh types are used for what applications. However, we can give a general outline of what types to use for certain types of printing.
our basic and most standard mesh types are 110 and 156. 110 mesh lays a fairly thick layer of ink down. It's great for block text letters and larger spot color designs. It's also a recommended mesh for white flash plates because many times we will only have to make one print impression which speeds up production time. 156 mesh also lays down a little thicker layer of screen printing ink but offers us some higher detail ability in our image due to the finer mesh. Also if we are printing with a little thinner viscosity colors of inks, we may want to use the 156 mesh so not too much ink is passed through our screen. Lower mesh counts like 40-86 are used for shimmer and glitter inks. These inks have particles in them that will not pass through the typical mesh types. Therefore we need a lower mesh count with large holes in order for all the particles to pass through properly. Shimmer plastisol inks have finer particles in them so we could probably use an 86 mesh while glitter inks have much larger particles so it would be recommended to use a 40 or 60 mesh screen. 200 and 230 mesh are used for finer detailed images and thinner inks. These mesh types can hold larger half-tone dots but are not recommended for four-color process prints or fine detail half-tone printing. Also graphic and solvent-based silk screening inks that are much thinner should be used with these mesh types. Also if we would like a softer feel to the ink on our shirts can print through these higher mesh counts which will let less ink through the screen giving us a much softer feel on the shirt. This can get tricky, however, many times a duller distressed look is wanted for the artwork but if bright vibrant colors are desired (especially white) we will have a hard time getting the opacity thick enough using these higher meshes. 305 mesh is used for extremely high detail textile printing and fine halftone four-color process and simulated process prints. Fine half-tone dots need high fine detail mesh in order to hold and expose on. Higher meshes such as 355, 380, and 400 are used mainly for graphic printing with UV inks. UV inks are extremely thin and many times are used for high detail printing on signs, banners, or CD's. Using a higher mesh allows the automatic printers used in UV printing to regulate the amount of ink passed through the screen.
Exposure Notes: Different mesh types hold different amounts of emulsion, due to how big the holes in the mesh are. For instance, a 110 mesh screen will hold much more emulsion than a 305 mesh screen. While the difference isn't extreme, we will have to vary our exposure times slightly for different mesh types. A finer mesh screen that holds less emulsion will expose faster than a lower mesh screen that holds more emulsion. However, the difference is small so we may have to only vary as slightly as 5-10% in either direction and depending on mesh type in order to get maximum exposure performance.
Usually, different companies have different screen printing mesh types available. Here MAISHI GROUP can produce all the types according to our requirements.
PREVIOUS： What are the factors affecting clothes printing of polyester printing mesh
NEXT：Last
