Basic Principles and Process of Screen Printing Plate Making

                                       Basic Principles and Process of Screen Printing Plate Making

The printing plates used in stencil printing are mainly divided into two types: mimeograph stencils and screen printing plates.

· The mimeograph stencil is made by engraving text and images on specially coated wax paper with a stylus, typing with a typewriter, or producing the plate through an electric spark scanning process. It is commonly known as "spirit duplication printing" and is mainly used for reproducing office documents.

· Screen printing plates are classified into photographic screen making and digital direct imaging screen making according to different methods of forming the stencil layer.

Direct screen plate making method: The direct method is the most widely used screen plate making process.

It features low cost, simple processing procedures, and good print durability. However, it is mostly operated manually, resulting in lower quality and requiring certain technical expertise.

Process flow: Stretching the screen mesh - Screen cleaning treatment - Coating with photosensitive emulsion - Exposure - Developing - Drying - Plate retouching

※ Indirect screen plate making method: The indirect method first creates the stencil on a film coated with photosensitive emulsion, and then transfers it onto the screen mesh.

Process flow: Exposure - Activation treatment - Developing - Image transfer - Adhesive coating - Removal of the film base