Screen Printing FAQ
Check out some of our most frequently asked questions about screen printing. If you have a question that you don’t see below, contact one of our representatives today.
What is Stencil Profile vs. Print Quality?
Check out this detailed graphic for more information on stencil profile vs. print quality.
How do I read your lot numbers?
Example Lot # J27401
- J - Year the product was manufactured: J=2015, K=2016, L=2017, M=2018, N=2019, etc.
- 274 - Julian Date (day of the year) that the product was produced (274 represents October 1)
- 01 - Internal Code Only
How can I tell if my screen is underexposed?
Touch the inside of the screen during washout. If the stencil is slimy or you get color on your finger, it is a sure bet that it is underexposed. Use an exposure calculator to determine your proper exposure calculator. For more information, watch these videos from Mick Orr about how to use an exposure calculator.
Dual Exposure Calculator Part 1: Step Test
Dual Exposure Calculator Part 2: Exposure Calculator
Dual Exposure Calculator Part 1: Step Test
Dual Exposure Calculator Part 2: Exposure Calculator
Why does my dual cure emulsion break down with water-based ink?
Many people in our industry believe the "dual" in dual cure means that this emulsion is resistant to both solvent and water-based inks. Although many dual cure emulsions are resistant to both inks, this statement is not correct. The "dual" in dual cure means that the emulsion uses two sensitizers. One is already in the emulsion before mixing, and the other is usually a Diazo that is added to the emulsion by the user. For example our UDC-HV dual cure emulsion is not recommended for water-based inks, but our UDC-2 and UDC-ACE are recommended for both water and solvent-based inks.
Where can I find distributors of your products?
Chromaline products are found through our world-wide network of distributor partners.
- United States and Canada distributor list: click here
- International distributor list: click here
Can I buy direct?
Yes! You can now buy Chromaline products direct online. Click here to shop our products.
Which stencil system is better, capillary film or direct emulsion?
They both work very well. What's important is what will work best for your application. Direct emulsions are generally more resistant to rough treatment due to abrasion and solvent resistance. Films will usually yield sharper line edge definition.
ACCU Products FAQ
Check out some of our most frequently asked questions about our line of Accu products, including: AccuArt, AccuJet, AccuBlack and AccuInk.
What side of the film do I print on?
You must print on the coated side of the polyester film. The coated side will have a slightly matte finish. On rolls of film the coated side is always on the outside of the roll. When in doubt just wet your finger and touch the film. The coated side will cause your finger to immediately stick to the film. If your finger doesn’t stick to the surface, then you are touching the polyester side of the film.
What types of printers are recommended?
All of our Accu films are to be used exclusively in water-based ink jet printers.
Do I need any special software to use these films?
We highly recommend using Wasatch Softrip or FilmMaker. These RIPs are designed to maximize image quality and ink deposit to ensure the best possible positives.
Why kind of ink should be used with these films?
All of our films will accept dye or pigment water-based inks.
What are the advantages of making positives using an ink jet printer over laser printers or thermal printers?
There are several advantages using ink jet printers.
- Cost. Ink jet printers are inexpensive compared to thermal and laser printers.
- Size ink jet printers can come in sizes that will fit on a desk or are stand alone and handle 60 inch wide material.
- Ink jet printers when using a RIP deliver excellent positives with very dense blacks.
- Professional ink jet printers utilize large ink cartridges which mean less down time when making positives.
- Ink jet printers can be placed anywhere in the shop. However, please keep it away from high humidity areas such as the washout area in the screen making room. Ideal place is in the art room.
Are my positives reusable?
Absolutely. After using them to make a stencil place them in a clean, dry environment. Interleafing them with clean newsprint is recommended. If they get damaged, just reprint them. Accufilms are inexpensive compared to image setters.
I tried printing out a positive and the image quality is not good. What am I doing wrong?
This could be caused by a number of factors:
- Check to see that digital artwork is of adequate resolution. Line art should be at a resolution of 1200 dpi. Color or grayscale art should be at a minimum of 300 dpi.
- Check to see that you are printing at a proper resolution. Positives should be printed at a minimum of 720 dpi. 1440 dpi is recommended.
- Be sure to choose a film media from your printer properties menu. This tells the printer what type of media is going through the printer.
- Are you using a RIP? The RIP typically will improve print quality, resulting in smoother line edges and clean halftone dots if you’re doing separations. The AccuArt films can handle halftones up to 65 lpi.
I tried printing out a positive and it’s not very dense. Why?
This could be caused by a number of things:
- Make sure that you printed on the coated side of the film.
- Did you use the proper print settings? For best results, print at a resolution of 1440 dpi and use a print setting for film media. You may need to experiment to find the best media setting for your printer.
- If you’re doing positives/negatives, print with black ink only versus color. If you’re in color mode, sometimes the printer will mix the colors to make black opposed to getting a pure black ink print.
- Make sure that you’re using dye-based inks. The dye-based inks penetrate into the film, yielding better density. Pigment based inks will remain on the surface which will typically yield less density.