PROCESSES

STAGES

Process: Silkscreening and Pad Printing


Silkscreening

Silkscreening

Silkscreening
Silkscreening

Silk screening is a cost effective printing method that transfers sharp images or text onto a substrate utilizing ink. The process involves the use of a screen made up of a porous, man made mesh material, typically polyester or nylon. This mesh is stretched and framed with either wood or aluminum depending on the specific application. Furthermore, precise areas of the screen are blocked off so that a stencil, or negative of the image to be printed, is formed.

Every silkscreen must be setup differently based upon the part’s shape, size and the specific location of printed graphics and/or text. This setup is essentially a template that each part is fitted into, aiding in the consistency of the finished product. Ink is then poured onto the top of the screen, and a squeegee is used to press the mesh down and spread the ink across the part. The motion of the squeegee and tension of the mesh cause the ink to be deposited onto the part resulting in the corresponding graphics, text, or a combination of both. The final step involved is to send all screened parts into the oven so that the ink can be cured. This is typically achieved at 320-340 degrees Fahrenheit.

All projects are different in that some involve the painting and silk screening of a part, while others are strictly silk screen only with no painting involved. Some projects require the use of multiple colors, while others may involve screening both sides of a part. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have regarding the general screening process, specific projects, or for a quote.

Silkscreening

(Screen is wiped clean to ensure ink can pass through)

Silkscreening

(Once the proper colored ink is poured over the screen, it is pressed down onto the part using a squeegee. This squeegee motion passing across the screen, along with the tension of the mesh, causes the ink to be placed onto the surface of the part)

Silkscreening

(All screened parts are sent into our oven to be cured, typically in the range of 320-340 degrees Fahrenheit)

Silkscreening

Silkscreening

Silkscreening

Silkscreening

Silkscreening

Silkscreening

(These two photos are the same part (front and back) of a military project coated using MIL SPEC liquid primer and paint. In addition, this job involved the silk screening of both the painted and unpainted sides of the part)

Silkscreening

(Both of these photos are examples of paint and silkscreen projects in which two colors were screened onto the part with multiple screen hits)

Silkscreening


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Pad Printing
Pad Printing

Although not as cost effective as silk screening, the pad printing process offers some advantages over silk screening. Pad printing is desirable when working with much larger volume projects, where consistency may be sacrificed by the human hand during silk screening. In addition, printing jobs can be done at much higher speeds using pad printing, with consistent, high quality. Moreover, the pad printing process allows graphic printing on otherwise impossible areas and products.

Pad Printing

In this process, a two dimensional graphic or text is transferred onto a three dimensional part. This is achieved through a combination of three major components-printing ink, image plates, and printing pads. The printing pads are three dimensional and typically made out of silicone rubber. Although they vary in shape and size depending on the specific application, their function is the always the same in that they transfer printing ink from the printing plate onto the part to be printed on. The advantage of these rubber pads is that they can be custom tailored to meet the requirements of any project.

Pad Printing

The image plates contain the specific artwork to be printed etched into their surface. The printing ink is held within these etched areas until the rubber printing pads pick up the ink and transfer it onto the part. This continuous cycle of the printing pad picking up ink and transferring it onto the substrate continues over and over until the project is completed.

Please contact us with any questions about the process or any projects you may have.

Double click the image below
to play video of Pad Printing

Pad Printing

The image above show the part from the Pad Printing video. This part required Pad Printing because the surface areas receiving the printing are not level with each other. There is a raised area where the "LAN" text appears and a depressed area where the "COM" text appears.

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