Recommendations to Select the correct screen printing fabric
 
Screen Printing in general
Nylon Mono, Polyester Mono

for high demands in accuracy of register :
Polyester Mono, Polyester Multi Filament, Polyester Mono Filament
 
5T - 29 T
Overprint varnish, sugar decor on cakes and pastry, sealing pastes, adhesives
 
34 T - 49 T
Sports and travelling bags, coarse fabrics, denim, etc.
 
49 T - 77 T
Rough, absorbent surfaces, prints on coarse-grained wood, flags and pennants
 
68/2 HD
Half-tone printing in large formats, up to approx. 12 lines/cm (30 dots/inch)
 
77 T - 100 T
Posters, large lettering, opaque inks, fluorescent inks, coarsely pigmented inks, textured surfaces overprint varnishing
 
100 T - 120 T
Half-tone screens up to 20 dots/cm, fine lettering and outlines, solid areas, gauges and dials, sing-printing, selfadhesive labels
over 130 T
Fine line half-tones, step printing, reduced ink deposit
 
110 HD and 120 T
Most frequently used screen printing fabrics for universal applications ; electronic printing (ESTAL MONO 'X', ESTAL MONO, ESTAL METAL)
 
over 120 T - UV
UV - fabrics with reduced colour volume, especially for printing with UV-inks, also for half-tone printing and very thin deposits with conventional inks, i.e. fine line half-tone screen.
   
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  Object printing (NYTAL)
   
100 T - 120 T
Printing on plastic bottles and cans, promotional gifts, pens, etc. For coarsely pigmented and opaque inks, i.e. white and yellow
 
120 T - 200 S
Fine line half-tone screen, reduced ink deposit for high-speed printing machinery
 
120 T-UV-180 S-UV
Especially developed to print with UV-links
   
Electronic industry (printed circuits)
 
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  a) converntional inks
 

Polyester Mono, Polyester Multi Filament, Polyester Mono Filament
 
Etch resist
 110 HD/120 T
 
Plating
 90 T/100 T/110 HD
 
Solder resis 2-comp.
 68 T/77 T                    35 pm*
55 T                          -71 pm*
43 T/49 T/49 S           +70 pm*
 
Carbon conductive lacquer
 38 T - 68 T
 
Marking print
 90 T/100 T/120 T
 
Removable solder mask
 12 M/12 T/15 T/18 T
   
* Build-up of conductor lines (height)
   
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  b) UV-inks
   
Polyester Mono, Polyester Multi Filament, Polyester Mono Filament
   
Etch resist
 140 T
 
Plating resist
 120 T
 
Solder resist
 68 T - 120 T
 
Photo sensitive solder mask
 28 T - 68 T
   
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  SMD - technique
   
Polyester Mono, Polyester Multi Filament, Polyester Mono Filament
   
 
32 SL/38 SM
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  Membrane switches
   
Polyester Mono, Polyester Multi Filament, Polyester Mono Filament
   
Decor foil 77 T - 120 T
   
Transparent windows 100 T - 120 T
   
UV-structural lacquer 77 T - 165 M
   
  depending on the structure
   
Adhesive 36 T - 49 T
   
Silver conductive paste 68 T - 100 T
   
Carbon conductive paste 49 T - 68 T
   
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  Ceramic printing
   
Theads/cm  
   
up to 20 Glaze printing, coarse, embossed effect
   
20 - 62 Glaze printing, medium fine
   
62-100 In-and under-glaze colours in direct printing
   
68-77 Metallic inks
   
77-165 In-and under-glaze colours in decalcomania
   
90-100 Burnished gold
   
100-165 Superimposed and in-glaze colours in half-tone print/especially low-colour deposit
   
120-168 Bright gold and lustre preparations
   
12-24 Covercoat (film solution)
   
24-34 Covercoat in general
   
Nylon Mono
Polyester Mono Filament		 For direct prinitng with flat screens
   
Polyester Mono Filament
Polyester Multi Filament		 flat screens
   
Polyester Mono Filament
Polyester Multi Filament		 Decalcomania
   
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  Glass printing
   
40-100 Glass printing in general
   
100-120 Ampoule, cosmetic bottles, etc.
   
43-68 Concealing borders on automobile windows (solvent based inks)
   
90-100 Concealing borders on automobile windows (UV-inks)
   
77-110 Rear window heating (silver paste)*
   
100-120 Antennas
   
40-62 Front panels for household equipment (masks)
   
77-100 Front panels for household equipment (contour/half-tone)
   
*) Special fabric : upon request Estal Vario in various types
   
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  Textile Printing
   
Polyester Mono Filament
   
19 T - 34 T Terry cloth, fur imitations, heavy decor fabrics, denim, printing of flock adhesive
   
34 T - 49 T Decor fabrics, large areas, over-prints, table cloths
   
43 T - 55 T  34 T - KS Smooth fabrics,
40/2 HD       43 T - KS large areas, over-prints
   
49 T - 62 T   34 T - KS
                  45 T - KS 		Small areas, motives without fine details, also on thick synthetic materials
   
55 T - 77 T   43 T - KS
                   55 T - KS		 Coarse half - tones and contours on coarse materials
   
55 T - 77 T    43 T - KS
                   55 T - KS		 Fine half tones and contours on smooth and light materials, especially synthetics
   
68/2 HD Recommended for the printing of very light and porous materials which absorb little colour
   
77 T - 120 T    55 T - KS
90/2 HD          90 T - KS		 For fine details, half-tones and contours on light fabrics, especially synthetics
   
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  Special applications
   
  T-Shirt printing - direct
   
Polyester Mono Filament 40 T - 55 T Main number for lettering and surfaces
   
Polyester Mono Filament  55 T - 62 T Fine contours
   
Polyester Mono Filament  55 T - 77 T Single and multi - colour half - tone jobs We recommend Polyester Mono Filament GOLDORANGE
   
Polyester Mono Filament 49 S A universal fabric
   
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  Flock printing direct 
   
Polyester Mono Filament 18 T - 32 T Flock adhesive
   
Polyester Multi Filament 32 SL or Multi - colour process
   
Polyester Mono Filament 26 S (flocking through the screen)
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  Puff-up colours
   
Polyester Mono Filament 21 T - 49 S according to the desired puff effect
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  Flock printing - Transfer
   
Polyester Mono Filament 40 T - 49 S for colour printing
   
Polyester Mono Filament 20 S - 29 T for adhesive printing
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  Plastisol printing - Direct 
   
Polyester Mono Filament 55 T - 77 T for areas and lettering
   
Polyester Mono Filament 77 T - 100 T for contours and half-tones
   
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  Plastisol printing - Transfer 
   
Polyester Mono Filament 34 T - 43 T for areas and lettering
   
Polyester Mono Filament 55 T - 77 T for contours and half - tones
   
Polyester Mono Filament 32 T - 40 T for over print
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  Transfer printing - Sublimation inks
   
Polyester Mono Filament 77 T - 100 T area printing on transfer release paper with special inks
   
Polyester Mono Filament 100 T fine lines, half - tones on transfer relesase paper
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  Glitter printing
   
Polyester Mono Filament 7 S - 26 S Printng of glitter paste (mesh number according to size of glitter particles)
   
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The difference between multifilament and monofilament screen printing fabrics
 
 
The synthetic yarns offered for the garment and upholstery trades (curtains, furnishing fabrics, carpets), as well as the cheaper stencil fabrics, used to some extent for screen printing textiles, are all of mulfifilament (multiple - stand) yarn. Similarly, the natural silk screen fabrics formerly used a almost exclusively in screen prinitng are also multifilament. The best screen printing fabrics, whether of polymide (nylon) or polyester (Terylene, Dacron, Tergal, Terital) are all woven from monofilament (single - strand) yarns.
 
 
Owing to the lower abrasion resistance and the multifilament composition, mulfifilament yarns in stencil gauzes are usually thicker than the corresponding monofilament yarns. Multifilament fabrics for stencil printing are consequently woven only to 77 or 90 threads/cm linear; for higher counts the fre printing area would be too samll and ink penetration inadequate.
 
 
Screen printing fabrics of monofilament yarns, on the other hand, can be woven up to 200 threads/cm linear ; even at these fine counts, the free printing area is still satisfactory.
 
 
In monofilament stencil fabrics ink penetrantion is better, owing to the compact surface, than in multifilament fabrics on which ink residues reamain between the individual filaments and are difficult to remove.
 
In monofilament stencil fabrics ink penetration is better owing to the compact surface, than in multifilament fabrics on which ink residues remain between the individual filaments and are difficult to remove.
 
Cleaning and re-use far easier with monofilament fabrics than with multifilament weaves. Multifilament gauzes are onluy re-useable with restriction weaves. Multifilament gauzes are only re-useable with restriction. For these reasons it is not surprising that stencil fabrics of multistrand, manmade yarns have hitherto failed to make any headway against monofilament fabrics. Screen printer clearly prefer monofilament fabrics. Screen printers clearly prefer monofilament gauzes.
 
Our monofilament screen printing fabrics are obtainable in a wide range of numbers, between 2 and 200 threads per cm.
 



No. 15 T
  


No. 200 S
(magnification approx. 30X)
The fabric number corresponds to the amount of threads per centimeter. The numbres 77 to 180 are very widely used in screen printing. The most popular number are 110 and 12.
 
Most of our monofilament fabrics are made in a lighter and in a heavier grade ; in fact many fabric number are produced in various graduations. Consequently, a thinner or thicker ink deposit can be obtained by selecting a fabrics of thinner or thicker yarn. Note the technical data in our technical data sheets and price lists.
 
In other words, the same fabric number, containing the same amount of threads per centimeter, is woven with thinner or thicker threads.
 
The screen printing fabrics, therefore, are produced in the same number in 3-4 grades or qualities.
 
 
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Stabilized screen printing fabrics of monofilament polyester ensuring and exact register
 
1. Polyester Mono Filament, the classical screen printing fabric is made of monofilament (single strand) polyester yarn. Polyester Mono Filament has a higher abrasion resistance than the multifilament polyester fabrics hitherto used in textile screen printing (e.g. Terylene, Dacron, Terital, Trevira, Diolen, etc).
 
2. Polyester Mono Filament has a very high resistance to stretching adn thus ensures and exact register.
 
3. Polyester Mono Filament remains uninfluenced either by usual temperature fluctuations or by humidity, So that the same exact register is maintained from beginning to end of the printing process.
 
4. Polyester Mono Filament is indispensable for large-size printing, in particular for half-tone printing. In very many cases, Polyester Mono Filament can replace the usual stainless steel fabrics, especially in the production of printed circuits, as well as being suitable for the printing of qualioty lablel work.
 
5. Polyester Mono Filament fabrics are made of first grade, electronically controlled polyester monofilament yarn and have the following advantages over metalwire fabrics:
 
A good abrasion resistance and appropriate elasticity despite high stretch-resistance. Metal suffers from Polyester Mono Filament allows long printing runs and permits sharp outlines down to the very last prints.
 
Unlike bronze and steel wire cloths Polyester Mono Filament is rust- and corrosion-proof and much cheaper than stainless steel wire cloth.
 
Polyester Mono Filament is highly wear-resistant and thus more economical than wire cloth. Whereas wire cloths esaily crinkle, develop bagging and other defects, Polyester Mono Filament fabrics are insensitive to impact and pressure.
 
6. Polyester Mono Filament fabrics can be repeatedly stripped and re-used in screen printing.
 
7. Due to its smooth surface Polyester Mono Filament guarantees best in penetration.
 
8. In Screen printing, ink consumption depends principally on fabric thickness and is much reduced by using Polyester Mono Filament fabrics with their finer threads. This considerably shortens the drying time. Efficient work, especially on high-speed automatic machines, urgently requires shorter drying times.
 
9. Polyester Mono Filament lifts off readily from the printing base, avoiding ink smear, and allows the press to be run at higher speeds.
 
10. Polyester Mono Filament is stretched, cleaned and further processed in the same manner as the Nylon Mono Fabrics, but allows an elongation of approx. 3% only (as against 3% to 6% for Nylon Mono), depending on the fabric numbers.
 
11.Polyester Mono Filament is available in various widths:
105 cm, 122 cm, 132 cm, 145 cm, 155 cm, 165 cm, 178 cm, 205 cm, 220 cm, 250 cm, 270 cm, 315 cm, some numbers up to 370 cm.
 
12. Polyester Mono Filament is highly acid-proof and not light sensitive.
 
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Correct stretching
 
After stretching, the screen printing fabric is mounted on a stencil frame. The permissihble tension depends on the tearing strength of the particular fabric. The resistance to stretching of a particular fabric is a second important factor in ensuring correct register and in determining the proper distance between screen and printing stock.
 
The tension is measured in Newton per cm (1 N = 0,102kp) with mechanical or electronic equipment which one places on the fabric.
 
Optimum tenisoning force for different fabrics
 
The optimum stretching force to be applied in kg/per cm of selvedge depends, as said before on the tearing strength and stretching resistance of the particular fabric. Modern, monofilament (single-strand) and multifilament (multiple-strand) synthetic weaving yarns have a higher tensile strength than for instance natural silk.
 
Nylon and polyester are nearly alike ; in the thicker yarns polyester is slightly stronger than nylon, while in the finer counts nylon is slightly stronger.
 
On the other hand, polyester yarn, and to some extent also natural silk, is more stretch-resistant than nylon, however much the nylon is per-stretched and stabilized.
 
Apart from this difference between the tearing strength and the stretching resistance of different yarn materials, for one and the same material it may be stated in principle that bothe these values will be roughly proportional to the cross-sectonal area of the yarn. The cross-sectional area of a round yarn thread is obtained by the radius or .785 X diameter squared. This means that a round thread A of double the diameter of another thread B of the same yarn material will be about four times as strong in tearing and stretching. With increasing thread diameter, therefore, the strength values increase according to their squares.
 
As we know, stencil fabrics are made in different degrees of fineness (counts).
 
 
The count represents the number of threads per cm linear. The counts most used for graphic screen printing are from No 77 to No 165; for special uses, e.g. very fine half-tone printing, up to NO 180. The standard count is No 120.
 
Consequently, the higher the fabric number, the finer the yarn to be used.
 
Moreover, in the same weave counts (same number of threads per cm linear count), fabrics can be woven of thinner or thicker yarns.
 
 
Considering any of the three fabric grades of the same count illustrated above, i.e. fabrics with the same number of threads, it is obvious that the grade HD with the thicker yarn is stronger than grades T and S with the thinner yarns. This should be taken into account when stretching on printing frames. Thicker, and consequently stronger fabrics can and should be more highly stretched than thinner and lighter fabrics. In pneumatically operated stretching appliances, the air pressure should be increased for stronger fabrics while more care is needed for the lighter fabrics.
 
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Loss of tenison
 
As mentioned before, it is a well-know fact that loss of tension of a newly stretched screen amounts to approx. 10-20% within the first few hours, depending on the type of tensioning device used, the original mesh tension, the frame stability and waiting time before gluing. For printing jobs with accurate register, therefor, it is recommended to let the screens rest for a few hours before stenciling. When stretching frames, please take into account this loss of tension.
 
We recommend to use the SST-Newtontester whenever high accuracy of registration is required.
 
For multi-colour work all screens should show the same tension. A check with the SST-Newtontester, therefore, is especially important.
 
Practical experience has shown that variations in screen tension of 1 to 2 N on the same or different screens are without noticeable influence upon precision in screen printing.
 
During long print runs of after several screen reclaimings the loss of tension can amount to several Newtons.
 
Please take care that accurate measurements can only be attained if the SST-Newtontester is placed away from the screen frame and the tensioned screen lies on a horizontal plane.
 
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Adhering screen printing fabrics onto the frame
 
1 Frames
 
Note should be taken of the preceding section on printing frames. We can summarize this as follows:
 
The side of the frame to be gued must first be cleaned. Ink and adhesive residues must be removed and sharp edges and corners of the frame rounded offf. Certain adhesives can be left on the frame if the same adhesive is to be used again and if the coating already applied is sound and flat.
 
It is always advisable to roughen the adhesive surface of metal, in particular aluminium, using an emery