False Statements in Screenprinting

We should be aware of the truth of statements we experience. Quite simply, there are many statements that may appear truthful but lack factual or logical evidence. As screenprinters, we hear or read false statements many times a day, and accept them as accurate. Some examples are:

1. We used a 75-durometer squeegee to print this job.
2. This screen has a tension of 30-N/cm²
3. I leveled the press with a bubble level and it should print accurately.

All three of these statements are inaccurate, because of the lack of factual logic.

Durometer is the test used to determine the Shore-A hardness of a squeegee blade as measured by a Shore A Hardness Gauge (originally a Shore Scleroscope) in terms of the elasticity of the material. It would have been accurate to say, “We used a 75-Shore A (75ShA) squeegee to print this job.

The tension refers to mesh tension, not the screen. It would have been accurate to say, “The mesh on this screen has a tension of 30-N/cm².”

Leveled, as used in the sentence, refers to being horizontal to the center of the earth. This implies that the press itself is level, but has no bearing on the print, which is subject to the parallel of the print mechanisms, i.e. the press bed (or platen), the mesh surface, the squeegee, and the print arm in the instance of a semi- or fully-automatic press.

Other false statements that are quite common in screenprinting include;

• It is not necessary to degrease mesh before coating with emulsion.
• An underbase is needed when screenprinting colors on black fabrics.
• You must always flash an underbase before printing top colors to achieve opacity.
• A flash unit can consistently cure plastisol ink.
• The exposure calculator will provide the proper exposure for subsequent stencils.
• An infrared thermometer pointed into a dryer will give an accurate ink temperature.

And, there are hundreds of other logically false statements used every day in screenprinting.