![]() ![]() This allows printing companies (like ours) to crank out high-volume orders with the highest quality in the business. Newer automatic machines (like we have) can easily print over 100 T-shirts per hour. Each color of ink is pushed through a different stencil (screen) and layered onto the surface of the textile (fabric), then cured (heated) to set the ink. Screen printing (aka silkscreen) is the most widely known and widely used form of decorating apparel, a traditional technique dating back thousands of years. This article will point out the key differences to be aware of and help you understand what’s best for your particular needs.įirst, let’s define the two print methods, then get into the details of the comparison. ![]() But like anything, there are pros and cons to each of them. The short answer: We use both of these techniques all day every day, and you can count on either one as an excellent and reliable option for customizing apparel. What everyone wants to know is: How exactly do the two print methods compare, and which one is better than the other? ![]() Once a newcomer to the custom apparel industry, it now rivals traditional screen printing in quality and affordability. We arrive at this constant through experimentation and it may be different for other printers.DTG (Direct-To-Garment), also known as digital printing, has come a long way in the last couple of decades. So, let’s say a 200 mesh screen and the constant we use is 4. To calculate the proper LPI for a particular screen count you take the count and you divide by a constant, usually between 3 and 5. You must also take into account what screen count (see next question) you plan to use. Likewise, if you view a 45 lpi t-shirt print from 3-4 feet you won’t notice the halftone dots. ![]() When reading a magazine, the 100 lpi halftones will be invisible at 12 “. The correct lpi to use is a function of the detail you want to produce and the distance from which a print will be viewed. When we are using halftones for screen printing we use 45 lpi for basic designs and 65 lpi for detailed and process type designs. Magazine pictures may have 100-130 lpi, newsprint is typically 85 lpi, a 300 dpi laser printer is around 55 lpi, and billboards might be 3-6 lpi. Various lpi numbers are used for different types of printing. Depending on the design, 3 to 9 or more ink colors may be needed to accurately reproduce all subtle color variations. We generally use 305 mesh and 65 lpi seperations. Simulated process requires relatively high mesh counts and screen frequencies. Once the adjustments are finished, the separations are printed out as usual. This is the part that takes skill and applied experience from our art department. Now, we must adjust these chanels so that the final print on the shirt will match the original artwork. We will end up with 7 or 11 color channels to work with. Currently, we use a plugin for Photoshop called T-seps (formerly FastFilms). Once in the computer at the correct size and resolution, we process the design through a special program that automates the difficult separation process. The image can range from something that is photo-realistic to a line drawing or illustration. When working with simulated process, we start with a design created digitaly or one that is scanned into the computer. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |