New at silk screening. Help!!!!!

Submitted by paulettepoole on Thu, 07/15/2021 - 10:34
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How long does emulsion last. After I burn a screen, go to print with it and after my first, or second wash with screen cleaner, my screen becomes tacky and starts to break down. I'm using the same burn time as usual. Please help. I work for a company that screens on aluminum clipboard's.

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United States

jwshirt@yahoo.com

Thu, 07/15/2021 - 18:30

Not enough information, your best answers will come from the emulation manufacturers representative. I’m going to guess the emulsion is not fully exposed, does your exposure unit have a light integrator to adjust the exposure as the bulb ages. Unless you’re using LED lamps degrade over time and even though they still seem good after approximately 1000 hours of use they need to be replaced. I’ve been making screens for nearly 3 decades if you wish to talk I can be reached at 18434786417 hope something helps Jeff Smith.

screenprinting-...

Wed, 08/04/2021 - 13:10

I think you mean to ask how long does ink last.

To answer that question, I will put up a page on print longevity soon. It's more complicated than one might think. There are so many variables involved, several of which the printer may not even be aware of yet!

It's pretty easy to make an emulsion break down though... just keep printing with it and don't clean the screens between jobs. Inks can sometimes last a few decades if properly stored and dried out between use but most inks run their course after a few years due to oxidation and other chemical reactions that happen regardless of what we do for lightfastness measures.