Question: Our shop is covered with a fine layer of lint. We have tried to clean on a regular basis but when the lint gets mixed with the spray glue in the air, it settles on every surface in the shop and is extremely difficult...
Apparently lots of people think that starting a business is easy. In the U.S. alone, some 800,000 individuals start a new business each year, and 80-percent fail within a year. The ratio of failures in the screenprinting technologies is even higher, perhaps due to the...
Price is one of the "Four P's" - along with product, place (i.e., distribution), and promotion - of the market mix. And as with each of its siblings, getting the price right contributes mightily to business success or failure. Too high a price reduces unit...
Some screenprinting companies are experiencing good growth and margins, while others are struggling to keep the doors open. The question is what are the successful firms doing that those who are struggling are not doing. After some research, we have arrived at the following conclusion,...
Local zoning ordinances and regulations are important considerations when choosing your screenprinting business location. Zoning laws impact several critical business decisions such as purchasing property or making improvements to your existing property, so it is important to understand the laws before you commit to anything,...
This low-budget hobbyist shop requires a minimal investment. It is basically a one-person shop for those with little money, seeking a part-time venture. It will require a lot of work to turn this into a full-time business, as it will be difficult to move up...
This set-up relies on less homemade equipment and more professionally manufactured items. It also offers the capability of handling baseball caps and nylon jackets along with multicolor prints on shirts. The quality of the prints will be better with professional equipment because it is manufactured to...
You should never open a business without having insurance! If you are confused about which types of insurance you need, here are some that you shouldn't overlook. Running any business comes with risks. So it's important that you protect both your business and your personal assets....
Over the years, I have noted many inconsistencies in the various pricing matrices that are in use in the screenprinting technologies, especially in the textile segment. It is standard business practice to set a margin that will meet the costs and produce an amount of...
We frequently stress the critical importance of being able to compare your key financial ratios/percentages against other similar size firms. However, in order to do that it is necessary that everyone be on the same page when comparing percentages for categories such as cost of...
The purpose of any training is to assure that the trainee has a thorough understanding of a task. Upon completion of the training, the trainee should know how to accomplish a given task, but more importantly why they should perform the task in a particular...
There are many reasons why businesses don’t make it. Having started and sold many businesses in my lifetime I have found that the most common reason is a lack of profitable clients. Yes, this sounds obvious, but unfortunately, many people do not consider this factor...
When attempting to print large areas of ink onto a substrate, the mesh often adheres to the printed surface. This can become problematic, especially in the instance of printing on textile materials. The ink will adhere to the mesh, and as the mesh pulls away,...
Do you ever feel like simply taking the phone off the hook, so you can get some work done? Are you spending more time on the phone updating customers about their job, or answering questions about how the job is coming along? It is not...
How many times have you had to make two or more strokes to achieve opacity? How many times have you exposed a stencil only to realize that the squeegee side was slimy and had that sinking feeling that the screen was underexposed and would probably...
It is quite common for an ink to penetrate absorbent substrates leading to a waste of ink and time needed to clean the ink from the platen or press bed. The cost of excessive ink transferred through the absorbent material can effectively double (or more)...
Registration can be one of the most nerve wreaking tasks in the screenprinting technologies for anyone who has to print multiple colors or produce a print that must register on the substrate perfectly with each print. You may be surprised that the downtime you experience...
The gears turn and indeed those of the screenprinting technologies turn as we solve the problems of our clients. Yes, as screenprinters, we are in the problem-solving business. And, just like the gears on a fine Patek Philippe watch must turn exquisitely, so must the gears...
Surveys confirm what our guts already know: We are enduring a “time famine”unknown to previous generations. Faced with urgent work, urgent errands, urgent texts, urgent emails, and a slew of other supposedly urgent tasks, we’re increasingly squandering our finite lives on the urgent at the...
Everywhere you look in your search for those diamonds of information about the screenprinting technologies; you seemingly have two choices; free and cost-based information. Stop for a moment and consider the truth of that statement. Imagine for a moment a glass of water, a commodity that...
Facilities that have comprehensive safety programs in place and that self-audit those programs regularly are typically well-prepared for a surprise government inspection. While there is no guarantee that inspectors won’t find something, it’s far less likely that the inspectors will find multiple problems during their...
What is an Entrepreneur? It is different things to different people. The Entrepreneur’s Journey was a collaborative film project produced by BIZNIK. The project began on May 6, 2009 when 12 video crews and over 400 entrepreneurs gathered in Seattle’s largest film production studio to...
Management By Objectives (MBO), also known as Management By Results (MBR), is a performance management approach in which a balance is sought between the objectives of employees and the objectives of an organization. The essence of Peter Drucker ’s basic principle: Management By Objectives is to...
With the New Year approaching, most of us start thinking about setting goals. While I won't disagree that setting goals are important, it is more important that you set goals that achievable and that won't be lost in the first few months of the year....
Business managers are responsible for setting a company's mission and goals and creating a strategic plan to guide the company to achieve its goals. Managers use a variety of tools and methods to inform decisions during the planning process including SWOT analysis and TOWS analysis,...
Payroll and project time-keeping paperwork is arguably the least favorite task for most owners and managers. Yet, if you don't keep up with it daily, the paperwork simply piles up and becomes an even bigger chore. The reality, however, is employees sometimes forget to clock in...
The gears of industry and indeed those of the screenprinting industry turn as we solve the problems of our clients. Yes, as screenprinters, we are in the problem solving business. But, many are not very good at solving their own problems of how to gain...
Have you ever attended a seminar on business where the talk turned to accounting practices and realized that you have no ideas of what most of the terms being used actually mean? You probably spent most of your time smiling and trying to fake your...
In this simple tutorial you will learn how to increase the resolution of a 72-dpi gif that is only 2.75-inches to a clean illustration that is 300-dpi and 8-inches. Watch this video!...
A few years ago, a screenprinter in the textile segment of the screenprinting technologies asked me if he could achieve automatic press quality on a manual press. This is my answer to him...
Boldly facing each day with a passion-packed purpose is the shield that stands between you and the negative chants “it can’t be done,” or “what makes you think you can start your own business.” It’s your weapon against the daily grind. A clearly defined purpose...
It should come as no surprise that your online business existence is being controlled to a huge extent by others; the myriad review services, your clients with their ability to post poor reviews, the search engines, your internet hosting service, and now the U.S.A. government....
Who hasn't been faced with a client standing at the front desk with a 1-inch high, 72-pixel per inch inch and asking them to enlarge it to 12-inches? Of course, they don't understand art, pixels, enlarging and the subsequent loss of data that will produce...
The selection of durometer, which is measure of the hardness of the polyurethane squeegee blade expressed in terms of the Mohs Scale. This article shows the results of different squeegee durometers....
MARKET ANALYSIS Developing a Market Analysis for a new business or new product provides an entrepreneur a better understanding of the size and specific segments of a market, as well as an evaluation to determine if the target market will support the business’ growth plans. The...
Everyone Makes Mistakes in Business The trick is not making those mistakes that put you out of business. As a consultant, I see a lot of mistakes made by business owners. Many of the calls I receive for help come at the last minute, right before...
In performance management, when speaking of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) we often talk about “lagging” and “leading” indicators. But what do they mean exactly? Lagging indicators are typical “output” oriented, easy to measure but hard to improve or influence while leading indicators are typically input oriented,...
1. Stop Selling The secret to making consistent sales is to stop selling. No one likes being sold. Nor do they like pushy salespeople. Instead of pushing for a transaction, salespeople should ask questions, make statements and suggest value propositions that help customers realize they have a...
It should come as no shock to any screenprint business owner that the organization can only be as effective as the team members. However, there is a big difference in knowing this and actually doing something about it. In this article, we will learn about...
While there are some excellent pre-registration systems on the market today, that work well to reduce the press setup times — such as the Stretch Devices Pin-Lock Registration System or the M&R Tri-Lock System — they each have their shortcomings, as one device will not...
Whether one is the Owner, CEO, office manager, plant manager, or production manager, all good leaders require a number of soft skills to help them positively interact with the team and staff members. Employers seek these skills in the candidates they hire for leadership roles....
If you learned how to coat mesh with liquid direct emulsion from an old book, or by listening to other novices (and a few experienced screenmakers) on social media, you are probably having problems. And the bad news is that you may not even know...
I am a serial entrepreneur, having started more businesses than most. It helps that I am a serious workaholic, arising as early as 4:30 a.m. and often working until 1:00 a.m. the following morning. At present, I own and operate ten businesses and all are...
This article was originally written in 2001 but is updated and republished annually as the information is seasonal and important to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the successful operation of a shop. As the temperature drops during cold weather, there are some considerations that need...
There are perhaps as many ways to coat mesh as there are screenmakers. Unfortunately, most of the techniques fall apart at some point. No two screens are seldom the same thickness and this effect exposure, resolution, color hue of the printed ink and much more....
Nylobond is a bonding agent that is added to most low-temperature curing (285-300F (140 to 149C)) plastisol inks to help the ink adhere tightly woven nylon. It will not, however, work well with low-bleed plastisol inks. Basically, the product allows the plastisol to bond to...
The pros of using capillary film far outweigh the cons. So, why are more people using capillary film, rather than direct liquid emulsion? It all comes down to the simple fact, that when people first start out in the screenprinting technologies, they are all too...
There are several problems with attracting customers. The primary problem with attracting customers is that most screenprinters cast a wide net attempting to attract anyone that well sort of needs what they do. The second problem is that sometimes casting a wide net is that it...
The goal is to do everything better than previously done. In order to do this, you must constantly learn from each task in the stencil making process. There are three things that are absolutely necessary to hold detail in the final printed piece. Film Positive The most...
Textile screenprinters and decorators should pre-test before printing an entire order to avoid potential problems. If you plan on using a heat cured ink on any color of fabric other than white, you risk the chance of dye migration that may not be visible until...
Most of us have seen those microscopic photos that are taken of mesh threads and emulsion edges, and even details on printed substrates accompanying articles on screenprinting. Most are taken with USB digital microscopes. They are excellent tools for researchers, engineers, teachers, students, technicians, and hobbyists. Some...
Of all the free business tools available on the Internet, Google My Business is an absolute necessity for any screenprinting business. This tool helps you to attract new customers with a free Google listing. Your listing appears right when people are searching for your business...
There is a fallacy existent in the screenprinting industry that ink must be kept at a temperature for a set time in order to cure. With a little knowledge, anyone can see that this statement could not possibly be true. Time actually has little to do...
The myth of post-exposure continues to haunt the screenprinting technologies. Post-exposure is the theory that if you underexpose your stencil, and find that during the stencil development the emulsion feels slimy on the squeegee side, that you can allow it to dry then return it...
Screenprinting is unique in being the only printing process to use off-contact to transfer the ink. Off-contact distance is needed to keep the screen from staying in contact with the substrate after printing and to control proper snap-off. While off-contact is not the only variable in...
The curing process of plastisol ink is simple. During the curing process, the plastic resin is heated and opens up to absorb the liquid plasticizer. As the resin cools it once again retains its plastic form, with the plasticizer inside. However the curing has to...
As an International Consultant in the Screenprinting Technologies, I receive a lot of email from would-be screenprinters who are trying to get started in screenprinting. Because I make my email address public, it’s pretty easy to connect with me. However, by the time I hear from...
Most screenmakers in the textile segment of the screenprinting technologies apply tape to the inside edges of most, if not all, of their screens to block the flow of ink between the edge of the emulsion and point where the mesh is attached to the...
You may think that the question is silly at first, but there are businesses who do burn money. In accounting, there is a term called "Burn Rate," and you do need to know the meaning of the term to help you better understand your finances....
While many consider the least expensive way or the fastest way, I have observed that the most successful usually consider the best way to accomplish a task. Yesterday, I watched from my desk as my housekeeper cleaned my home, dusting, sweeping, mopping the tile floors, changing...
During my work as a consultant in the screenprinting technologies over the past 40+ years, I have traveled to shops throughout the world and in every phase of the industry. My work is to effectively find and present comprehensive solutions to bring control over the...
Getting Squeegee Pressure Correct It is not necessary to push the ink through the mesh openings. Excessive pressure is counter-intuitive to the ink transfer process. The majority of screenprinters are using excessive squeegee pressure under the misguided concept that we push ink through the mesh. This belief...
Many thermoplastics are flexible materials that are used as coatings on manufactured items that are meant to be touched, such as handles, keypads, knobs, and levers. They are also currently popular for manufacturing of protective cell phone cases and tablet covers, as well as molded...
For many, screenprinting is a messy business. But, the consumers are responsible for much of the mess when it comes to the environment. The expectations of the consumers have created huge problems for ink companies and screenprinters alike. The consumer want vibrant colors that hold...
By Tance Hughes Screen reclamation tends to be most screen printers’ least favorite part. Removing ink, emulsion, haze, and the tape isn’t near as much fun as creating artwork or printing the t-shirt. What many printers don’t realize is that there is a much easier, quicker,...
Today, I received an email from a past student at the School of Screenprinting and client. He stated that while he was able to produce a One Hit White™, he was not consistent in his efforts: Bill, I achieved a one hit white today on black...
The Atkins Donut Probe is the only accurate way to measure the temperature of the ink deposit. If you are using a thermal temperature gun, or paper temperature strips you should reconsider that neither of these actually work to measure the ink temperature. You have...
Everyone knows that the sun is the perfect ultraviolet energy source and there is a growing number of screenprinters who are choosing to use the sun to expose the emulsion on their stencils. Many screenprinters have found using the sun as an exposure unit, saving...
If you are a relative newcomer to screenprinting with less than say 35 years in the industry, you probably learned most of what you know from a book. This has no doubt proven to be problematic for you, as you have fought the myriad variables...
Every screenprinter is faced with myriad problems each day. They come on an almost hourly basis - so often that we don't have time to come up with a proper solution, so we tend to push them aside hoping that they will go away -...
Creating beautiful prints on t-shirts is an art that can be learned. It becomes more difficult if one does not invest in the right software, and lose the enthusiasm for attempting to save a few dollars up front. And, we need the right tools and...
You know the old adage – the customer is king, well there’s a new king and every business today they must shift their focus to the much broader world of the user. A large segment of this user community may never buy from you, but...
While the Specialty Graphics Imaging Association (SGIA) has chosen to become much more of a digital show, decreasing the number of graphic screenprinting and textile decoration exhibits each year, I will be attending this year. I have several meetings lined up already, but I still...
The FESPA Mexico exhibition, 15-17 August 2013, is a unique event that provides print service providers with the opportunity to see the latest product developments and innovations in screenprinting, both graphic and textile, garment decoration, signage, wide format digital printing to keep your business moving. Print...
Achieving outstanding detail on stencils that hold up well on press are on the wish list for screenprinters worldwide. You may be surprised to learn that humidity has a lot to do with achieving your goals and more....
Cleaning the shop can be a chore that few envy. But clean we must and on a regular basis or be faced with a greater potential of time and materials. This article discusses one product that should be in every screenprinter’s arsenal....
One of the most common questions we hear is, "How do I find a screenprinter in Mexico to handle my large orders?" This usually comes after an exhaustive search of the Internet and finding that contract screenprinters and even textile manufacturers do not exist in...
A few days ago I noted a thread on one of the novice forums about achieving a sufficient deposit of black plastisol ink on a white shirt when printing halftones. Yes, you read that right, the poster was having trouble getting a nice lay down...
A Glossary of Terms used in the Screenprinting Technologies. There are 6,900 entries currently in the glossary and it is still under construction. Your help is appreciated in correcting any misspellings or improving the definitions. You can use your browser's search tool to locate an...
Let's face it we all must clean or reclaim screens on a daily basis. I know most of you put it off as you see it as perhaps the most unglamorous job in the shop. It may surprise you to know that it doesn’t have...
Are you currently using an electronic thickness gauge? If not, you may want to considering adding this tool to your arsenal. The use of an electronic thickness gauge will prove handy for determining many useful factors in screenmaking. For the high-end screenprinter needing to achieve...
The Internet is full of mistruths as anyone with access to a free computer in a coffee shop can become an instant guru in the eyes of the misinformed. Learn some of the most prominent errors made on YouTube and the real truth!...
Question: Why is it that most of the replies on [a particular] forum go directly to the person who asked the question instead of coming through the list so we can all learn and participate. I feel like I've been missing a lot lately. Solution: There...
Saving money is possibly the most important issue of the day for screenprinters. There are far too many ways to save money than can be discussed in one article. In fact, most of the articles on this site will address reducing costs. In this short...
How is anyone, or indeed the world, going to improve if we continue to do what seems to work best for us. Are we only as intelligent as we think? Hmmm? Man would have never become intelligent, and indeed some did not if it were...
While those of us in the screenprinting technologies are accustomed to seeing screenprinting every day in our shops, many are unaware of the myriad uses of screenprinting outside of their particular segment of screenprinting. During a recent golf tournament in which I was coupled with two...