Registering single colours using a screen printing jig [IS30]

With your screens made you are now ready to start printing. A screen printing jig [single or multiple colour] will speed your printing and most importantly make the prints straight & accurate.

In this example we are going to print a logo onto a mouse mat as this requires a few more steps than a t-shirt, which is simply pulled over the board on the jig.

Important note before you begin

The location of your design may play an important part on how you layout and create your screens. The reach of a jig's arm combined with the frame size you use is important.

Screen can not be used as frame is too small Pictured right is a screen where the image is too low and the arm can not travel any further to reach the design area. This problem is caused by fitting a design to a frame that is too small for the outreaching areas of the jig.

By laying out your design & frames on top of the item in your jig before you begin to print you will avoid this problem.

Step 1 - Align the artwork onto the item

Step 1
Align a copy of the design [you can use the artwork you pulled off the back of the screen for this] on top of the item you are going to print.

Use a ruler, as pictured left, to ensure the design is straight. Once in place adhere the artwork onto the item with masking tape so it can not move.

Hint

When registering a design onto a t-shirt, slip the t-shirt over the board just like you would for printing and register the design. Then remove the t-shirt with the designs adhered and actually put it on and look in a mirror or have someone else look at the design to check level.

Step 2
With a aligned design on the item, place it onto the jig to begin the registration process.

For T-shirts: Pull the t-shirt onto the board with the artwork attached - this is all you need to do! Proceed to step 3.

For flat items [as per example]: To ensure the item is placed in the same position each time, we need to create corner/ side registration points on the board that the item will slot up against.

In this instance we have used 2 pieces of plastic [from the S-9112 Plastic Height Adjusters for Jigs] along the bottom & side edges - as pictured left.

The registration points should be firm [not paper] so they do not move during printing and should ALWAYS be lower than the item to be printed, or the screen will be kept raised on the edge and not travel to print the item.

Tape the registration points onto place to make firm.

Note

Jigs differ in operation between models and functions - the following is based on the NEHOC Single & 4 Arm Screen Printing Jigs. If your jig does not have adjustable arms then you may be required to move your item to a different location on the board before fine tuning the registration in the arm [this applies when using Jig Hinges].

Step 3
With your artwork in place on the item and your item in place on the jig you can now register the screen over the artwork.: In this example the screen has already been used to print another item - which in some cases actually makes registration easier as the background is blocked out and only the design can show through.

To register the first step is to loosen all the parts of the jig for easy movement.

Place your screen into the jig and move the long arm out and when in place lock in.

Now you can fine tune the registration by moving the screen over the item as pictured. When in place tighten the arm to lock the screen in place.

Hint

If you are required to print 'off contact' then insert the plastic raisers under the frame in the screen now before registration.

When using the NEHOC Single & 4 Arm Jigs, place a piece of plastic between the frame and the tightening screw - this helps stop movement of the frame when tightening.

Lift the arm of the jig then lower it again to check registration.

You can also remove the item from the board and reinsert against your registration points, then lower the arm to check again.

You are now ready to begin printing.

Details on Screen Printing Technique - click here . .
Video on Screen Printing Technique - click here . .

		*Related links* Registering multiple colours Artwork types & preparation Imaging screens Support/ request info. *Video links* Video of this process available to GOCCOclub Members - see GOCCOclub Video homepage Screen printing technique *Product links* Screen printing jigs Screen printing systems Screen printing accessories

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