Silicone Inks for Screen Printing
Silicone Screen Printing Ink technology has been around for a while, but only recently have all the bugs and issues been worked out to where it is a viable type for screen printing.
A silicone screen printing ink does, in theory, have several advantages over standard plastisol for screen printing garments. It is a very durable and stretchable ink, offers great resistance to UV sunlight, will not crack over time when exposed to air, is virtually fireproof and offers low chemical resistance. But the introduction of the technology was not without its problems. The ink did not stick to most substrates including cotton and polyester. After printing it is easily peeled away from the surface. With technology, chemistry, and experimentation and research, manufacturers believe that they have now remedied the majority of the negative aspect and are almost ready to release these types of inks to be used in your shop.
There are adjustments that may need to be made to your typical workflow, as this type of ink can behave quite differently from your standard plastisol inks. Typical silicone inks will print best when printed through mesh ranging from 86 to 160 threads per inch. You may also need to adjust your flash time and curing time / temperatures as silicone inks typically cure at lower temperatures than do standard plastisol inks. More advantages of silicone inks include
When used under circumstances that warrant in, the use of silicone inks can offer excellent quality and durability of the print job for your customers. Though currently not available from Texsource at the time of this writing, we will soon be carrying a full line if silicone inks that can be ordered directly from our website.
Texsource Screen Printing Supply www.screenprintingsupply.com
Texsource Screen Printing Supply www.screenprintingsupply.com
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