All screen printing machine users usually like to use two main type ink: water-based ink and plastisol ink. Water-based ink is the mixture of pigment or dye with water. Here water works as a solvent. It keeps the dye or pigment liquid. PVC based ink is plastisol ink and it hasn't any solvent. At a high temperature, enough heat is required for the printed plastisol ink to cross-link and solidify.
In screen printing, there is a clear difference between two main ink- Plastisol and water-based. Both the inks are popular similarly among the screen printing birds, but they have pros and corns. Choosing the right ink can bring an ultimate success in screen printing business.
Water-Based Ink
In screen printing, water based ink is a remarkable ink. Water based ink mixes deeply with the fabric. The best advantage of this ink is that it goes easily inside the fabric while printing instead of hardening. For the high-speed screen printing machine, yardage printing, water based in is an ideal ink. It also a good for vintage looking screen print. While you pass your hands over the surface of the fabric, you won’t feel the ink as it has a semi-transparent look. In addition, it is environment-friendly.
The bad side of the water based in is: it dries soon. If you keep the ink in open mesh for a little time, it gets clogged and ruins the screen. Water based ink isn’t as thick as plastisol. For the best result, you need to use the water based ink for the high mesh count. Curing the water-based ink is harder than the plastisol ink. To remove water from the ink, water based ink requires larger dryers than the plastisol. Besides, the temperature for curing needs to maintain until the water removes fully. On the other hand, ink film of plastisol needs to reach cure temperature for a while.
Water based ink needs a large space to cure though it will air dry. It only acceptable for craft level printing. Water based ink is time-consuming and it is more expensive. For the dark garment, it doesn’t work well. You will face problems if you want to use layering different color of water based ink.
Before leaving the waste water into the sewer, you can clean up the screens, squeegees and other screen printing equipment with the water of water based ink. You can use such a screen cleaning system that can capture solids. While you discarding the ink, you need to dry it out as catalyzed ink is harmful. You can reuse the water based ink as it is not catalyzed.
Plastisol Ink
If you want have durability, excellent color, and good coverage, you can choose the plastisol ink. It doesn’t clog screens and easy to use. Plastisol ink is thick, rubbery and heavy while water based is thinner. It is such rubbery as if it were on the fabric's top. After using the plastisol ink in screen printing machine for a design, you can re-use the remaining ink. You also return remaining ink back in the container and store it safely to use further without adverse effect. As plastisol ink doesn’t mix with others color, your ink quality in screen printing gets no difference.
You can’t use plastisol ink directly from the container for screen printing machine as you need to measure the viscosity and adjust its strength. Plastisol ink has different strength and it ranges from transparent to opaque. It may be a concern for you to use plastisol ink as the curing of this ink has to do with flash cure or on the oven. The plastisol ink melts when it touches with a very hot thing as the plastisol ink is thermoplastic.
Check the plastisol ink whether in is cured or not by the local regulatory agencies. Uncured plastisol ink is considered hazardous waste. To remove plastisol ink from the screens, squeegees, and work surface, you need to use different solvent. To prevent environment effect, you must dispose of the waste ink and solvent. Now a day, environment-friendly sensitive solvent are found as the alternative to petroleum based solvent. On the other hand, you can minimize the solids discharge into the sewage by filtering and cleaning system.
A very important element for screen printing machine is ink. You have to think of the use of the ink, application of it, its eco friendliness, and cost before choosing the ink that you need. As both water based and plastisol ink are a chemical compound, you need to be sure that you can handle them properly. You can have industrial consultancy expert free to manage it.
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