Silicone based ink is becoming increasingly popular in the printing industry due to its many advantages over traditional ink. This type of ink is specially formulated to adhere to a range of surfaces, including fabric, plastic, and metal, making it ideal for use on t-shirts, hoodies, and other clothing items.
When it comes to printing on clothing, silicone based ink offers a number of benefits. Not only is it highly durable, but it is also long-lasting, making it perfect for creating designs that will stand up to repeated washing and wear. Additionally, silicone based ink is highly versatile, and can be used to create a wide range of different effects, from bright, vibrant colors to subtle, textured prints.
The process of using silicone based ink to print on clothing is relatively simple. The first step is to choose the appropriate ink for the fabric or surface you will be using. For example, if you are printing on a synthetic fabric like nylon or polyester, you will need to select an ink that is specifically designed for use on these materials.It's well-known that the nylon and polyester are very difficulty to print silicone ink.You must print undercoating to get higher stick force on the fabric before screen printing silicone ink.You can add more catalyst to improve the stick force too.Please add catalyst above 12% by the weight of ink base.
How to avoid the bubbles for silicone ink printing on fabric?
-During baking the silicone ink layer,please bake it at 80℃ in the begining.When the silicone is slow surface dry,the bubbles will have enough time to go out.Hence,you avoid bubbles.
-Add less catalyst,in hot day,please add 2% catalyst by the weight of silicone ink base.
-Baking the silicone with high speed.You'd better increase the baking speed of oven.
Next, you will need to prepare the screen for printing. This involves coating the surface of the screen with a thin layer of emulsion, which will act as a resist to prevent the ink from bleeding through. Once the emulsion has dried, you can place your design onto the screen, and then expose it to a light source to create the stencil.
Now it is time to apply the silicone ink to the fabric. Using a squeegee-rubber with beveled angle or similar tool, you will need to apply the ink to the screen and then pass it over the fabric, ensuring that the ink is evenly distributed across the surface. You may need to repeat this process several times to build up the desired thickness and intensity of color.
Finally, you will need to cure the ink to ensure that it sets properly. This typically involves placing the printed garment into a heat press or oven, where it will be subjected to high temperatures for a specified period of time. This process will help to ensure that the ink bonds to the fabric, creating a long-lasting, durable print.Nowadays,the screen printing factory uses the automatic oven to bake the silicone after printing.It's high productivity.You can control the baking temperature.Hence,you can improve the screen printing quality.
While there are a few key steps involved in using silicone based ink to print on clothing, the process is relatively straightforward, and can be easily mastered with a little bit of practice. With its many benefits over traditional ink, this type of ink is increasingly becoming the go-to choice for printing on both t-shirts and hoodies. So if you are looking to create high-quality, long-lasting prints on your clothing, silicone based ink is definitely worth considering.
