We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Hardware

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is Digital Screen Printing?

By Jan Fletcher
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 11,058
Share

Digital screen printing imprints a design onto fabric, or other substrates using computer aided design. Substrates may be composed of foam, fabric, vinyl or other materials. Traditional screen printing is a mechanical technique in which ink is applied to a substrate through a mesh screen, or series of mesh screens.

The method has an ancient history. It is sometimes referred to as silkscreen printing, as silk was historically used in the origins of the process in Asia thousands of years ago. A substrate is the surface to which the ink is applied.

The process is automated through the use of piezo electric print heads. The same technology is also used in desktop color inkjet printers. The computer aided design employed in digital screen printing technology has vastly increased the potential for this method of printing.

Intricate, elaborate designs may be created using a computer design program, then these designs may be output in an automated fashion. Since the digital screen printing process uses inkjet inks, the durability of the finished product is not as high, typically, as it would be using traditional screen printing methods. Digital garment printing is often used to personalize items for sports teams, clubs, associations, and other similar applications. Shorter print runs are generally used in this technology. For longer runs, traditional screen printing is typically used, as it is more cost effective.

Full color graphic reproduction on a substrate is achieved using a four color ink process, in which each ink color is pressed through a design cut out of a mesh material. Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks are used in four color printing, as virtually any color can be reproduced using varying amounts of each of these colors. As the ink goes through the small holes, a pattern is formed through the merging of the different layers of ink. Heat is typically applied to fix the design onto the substrate. Digital screen printing automates what was previously an expensive and tedious process that required a setup, and is not economically practical for small press runs.

Commercial grade digital screen printing machines are several feet wide, and can accommodate jobs that involve custom printing rolls of fabric for fashion designers, or printing large signs. Smaller machines are available for hobbyists or small-scale enterprises selling customized clothing or other articles. Products that are created through digital screen printing are used in signage, and the manufacturing of designs printed on clothing and textiles.

Share
EasyTechJunkie is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By ZsaZsa56 — On Jan 30, 2012

Digital screen printing really makes the coloration process easier. In the past, with a traditional screen print, working out your colors and making sure that inks and dyes interacted correctly with each other was one of the easiest things to screw up.

But today's digital screen printers combines with advances in fabric inks mean that t-shirts can feature literally hundreds of colors if a designer chose. Custom screen printing is such a big industry these days because you have more creative possibilities than ever.

By tigers88 — On Jan 29, 2012

Digital screen printing has done wonders for the t-shirt printing industry. Anyone with even a passing familiarity of the internet probably knows that there are literally tens of thousands of t-shits available with any conceivable image.

In the past screen printing was a pretty laborious process from the image preparation even through the printing. But digital screen printing allows printers to print an image basically on demand. It is easy to do once you have been trained and you can produce dozens of different t-shirts ever day.

Not to be too grandiose, but this has done a lot to democratize the fashion industry. Now you don't have to tailor your image to the clothes that designers have offered to you. You can make any kind of shirt you want, project any look that you choose.

Share
https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-digital-screen-printing.htm
Copy this link
EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.