![]() The second sheet contains progressively darker boxes of ink. One film contains various detailed printed images: small text, curves, and even halftones. This simple technique is easy to explain. Most exposure calculators work by using something called the step wedge technique. This is often a slightly more durable version of the transparent films that screen printers already use in their shops to make screens, though many screen printers simply make their own exposure calculators. How an exposure calculator worksĮxposure calculators are usually made of two durable printed transparent films. This semi-solid emulsion is perfect for screen printing: it isn’t too soft or too hard, and ink easily passes through it while retaining a sharp printed edge.Īn exposure calculator helps screen printers determine exactly how much light they need to use to harden their emulsion. When you apply UV light to the emulsion, it goes from a liquid into a semi-solid state. “Light-sensitive” refers to the fact that screen printing emulsion is hardened by light. Then, a screen printer pushes ink through that stencil onto whatever they’re printing on – whether t-shirt or circuit board. Light is applied to the screen, the printed film blocks the light, and the screen printer washes out the screen. This image is printed onto transparent film. When you screen print, you use a light-sensitive emulsion to create a stencil of an image. What is an exposure calculator? KIWO’s exposure calculator (showing both transparencies). Keeping a notebook (or dry erase board) in your screen room is an easy way to ensure accurate exposure. This will ensure your exposure calculations are repeatable and can be compared with later results. At a minimum, you’ll want to keep track of your: Since exposure calculations are a time consuming (but high-value) activity with lots of details, it’s important to take good notes. This is because exposure time varies with mesh count. Mesh count mattersĭon’t assume you can use one exposure time for every mesh count.You will want to use your exposure calculator multiple times on each mesh count that you utilize in your shop. If it’s still “sticky” to the touch, it’s not dry enough for an exposure test. Only attempt to use your exposure calculator on fully dried and coated screens. Screens dried correctly A drying rack for screen printing.ĭrying your screens once you’ve applied emulsion is a simple process, but you want to provide the right environment for your screens to dry. If you’re still struggling with coating screens, you can learn how to coat your screens here. “Correctly coated screens” means: applying an even coat of emulsion and achieving the glossy-matte surface that is the sign of a perfectly coated screen. This step is usually where new screen printers have trouble with their exposure calculator: their screens are not coated correctly. You have to correctly coat your screens to use an exposure calculator. Screens coated correctly Coating a screen for screen printing. Spend the time to clean your screens…or else. ![]() Failing to properly clean your screens can have a ripple effect in the process, causing a variety of problems down the line. This means you shouldn’t have any ghost images, chemicals, or ink left on your screen. Clean screensĪlways clean your screens thoroughly during each reclaim. So it’s worth your time to understand and investigate exposure, emulsion, and more – basic fluency with an exposure calculator is a foundational skill for getting better prints.īefore you dive into exposure, make sure that you have the basics of preparing your screens dialed in. Your exposure time is one of the most powerful print variables you can control. How you prepare your screens determines how useful your exposure calculator can be. ![]() Before you ever use an exposure calculator, you need to get a few things straight!
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