Screen Print Glossary

Capillary Film: A pre-sensitized film used for screen exposure, offering more uniform thickness than direct emulsion.
Choke: A technique used in color separation where the edge of one color is slightly reduced to help it fit better with another color, preventing gaps.
Color Separation: The process of breaking down a multi-colored image into individual color components for printing.
Curing: The process of fully drying or setting the ink on the substrate, typically done with a conveyor dryer.
Degreasing: The process of cleaning the screen mesh with a special solution to remove oils and contaminants before applying emulsion.
Direct to Garment (DTG): A printing method where a printer directly applies ink to the substrate with inkjet technology. Not traditional screen printing but often discussed in the same context.
Discharge Ink: Used on dyed fabrics, this ink removes the shirt’s dye in the printed area, replacing it with the ink color.
Durometer: A measure of the hardness of the squeegee’s rubber blade, affecting ink application.
Drying Cabinet: A heated cabinet used to speed up the drying of screens coated with emulsion or washed screens.
Emulsion: A light-sensitive liquid coating applied to the screen mesh to create a stencil. It hardens when exposed to light, blocking ink in areas not part of the design.
Exposure Unit: A device that emits light to harden the emulsion and create the stencil on the screen.
Film Positive: A transparent sheet with a black print used to block out light during the exposure process, creating the stencil.
Flash Curing: A process of partially curing plastisol ink with a flash dryer between color layers, allowing for the application of additional colors without smearing.
Flocking: A printing process where fibers are applied to an adhesive-coated surface to create a textured design.
Floodbar: A tool used to spread ink over the screen before the squeegee pushes the ink through the mesh.
Four-Color Process: A printing technique that uses four ink colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) to create a full-color image.
Ghost Image: A faint image left on a screen after reclaiming, caused by ink or emulsion stains.
Halftone: A technique that simulates shading and gradients by using dots of varying sizes and spacing.
High Density (HD) Printing: A screen printing technique that creates a raised texture on the print for a three-dimensional effect.
Ink Well: The area of the screen where ink is placed before being pushed through the mesh with a squeegee.
Mesh Count: The number of threads per square inch in the screen mesh, determining the detail and ink deposit.
Off-Contact: A small gap between the screen mesh and the substrate, which helps to achieve a clean print by allowing the screen to snap off the substrate after the squeegee has passed.
Overprinting: Printing one color on top of another, which can create a new color where the two overlap.
Pantone Matching System (PMS): A standardized color reproduction system, allowing screen printers to match specific colors with precision.
Pinholes: Small holes in the emulsion that allow ink to pass through in areas where it shouldn’t, often caused by dust or incomplete exposure.
Plastisol Ink: A popular type of screen printing ink that is easy to use and cures (hardens) when heated.
Platen Adhesive: The adhesive applied to the platen to hold substrates in place during printing.
Pressure Washer: A high-powered water spray used for cleaning screens during the reclaiming process.
Pull Stroke vs. Push Stroke: Techniques used when operating the squeegee; pull stroke is pulling the squeegee towards you, while push stroke is pushing it away. Each has its own benefits depending on the ink and design.
Reclaiming: The process of removing ink and emulsion from a screen to make it reusable for new designs.
Registration: The act of aligning the screens in a multi-color print so that colors are printed in the correct position and match up perfectly.
RIP Software: Stands for Raster Image Processor. Software used to convert images into a format that a printer can print, often used in DTG or when creating film positives for screen printing.
Screen Coater: A tool used to apply an even coat of emulsion onto the screen mesh.
Screen Frame: The frame that holds the mesh tight, can be made of wood or metal, and comes in various sizes.
Screen Mesh: The net-like fabric stretched over the screen frame, with different mesh counts used for different types of prints.
Screen Printing: A printing technique where ink is pushed through a mesh screen onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil.
Screen Tension: The tightness of the screen mesh on the frame, which affects print quality and ink deposit.
Spot Color: Printing using a separate screen for each color, often used for vibrant and accurate color matching.
Stencil Hardness: The measure of how well the emulsion has cured, affecting the durability and resolution of the print.
Substrate: The material or surface on which the printing is done, such as a t-shirt, tote bag, poster, etc.
Squeegee: A tool used to push ink through the mesh screen onto the substrate. It has a rubber blade and comes in various hardnesses (durometer).
Tension Meter: A device used to measure the tension of the screen mesh, ensuring it is within optimal range for quality printing.
Trap: The opposite of choke, where an edge is slightly extended to overlap a little with another color, ensuring no gaps.
Underbase: A layer of ink (usually white) printed as a base for other colors on dark substrates to ensure they appear vibrant.
Water-Based Ink: An ink that is absorbed into the fabric, leaving a softer feel. It air dries and can also be heat cured.
Waterproof Film: Used in the creation of film positives, this film ensures that black areas block light completely during exposure.
Wet-on-Wet Printing: Applying multiple layers of ink without flash curing in between, used for creating blends or when minimal color mixing is acceptable.