High Density Photosensitive Emulsion – Pick Your Flavors

The Alchemist’s Stencil: Why Your 3D Prints Live or Die by High Density Photosensitive Emulsion Listen to me for a second. I have spent twenty years smelling plastisol and I love every bit of it. If you spend enough time in a darkroom you start to see things differently. I have seen printers buy the most expensive machines but they still get bad results. Why? Because they forget the foundation. They forget the stencil. At Shaliteink we treat screen printing like a science. I am a textile chemist and I have spent my life making specialized inks. I know that a great print starts with a great Photosensitive Emulsion. If you want your prints to stand up tall and look sharp you need to understand High Density (HD) Photosensitive Emulsion. 1. The Physics of the “Thick” Stencil Most people think emulsion is just a glue that holds the image. That is wrong. The emulsion is a mold. It is a wall. If that wall is thin your print will be flat. If that wall is thick and strong your print will be a masterpiece. We talk about “solids content” a lot at Shaliteink. Standard emulsions are mostly water and they shrink when they dry. But a High Density Photosensitive Emulsion has high solids. This means it stays thick even after the water is gone. You get a stencil that is 200 or 400 microns thick. That is how you get that 3D look that customers love. Table 1: Emulsion Type Comparison Feature Standard Emulsion Shaliteink HD Emulsion Solids Content 30% – 35% 45% – 55% Viscosity Thin like milk Thick like honey Best For T-shirt logos 3D / Braille / Industrial Edge Detail Good Superior Sharpness 2. Why Shaliteink is Changing the Game I have a confession. For a long time my company only worked with big factories. We were a B2B giant. But I realized that small shops and boutique brands want high quality too. So we are transforming from B2B to B2C. We want to give you the same tools the big guys use. Whether you are a huge factory or a small shop you need to care about compliance. I am talking about OEKO-TEX and ZDHC. You don’t want toxins in your ink and your customers don’t want them either. That is why we focus on eco-friendly options. For example you should Shop PVC Free Plastisol Ink Yellow Printing to see what I mean. It is bright and it is safe. It works perfectly with our High Resolution Photosensitive Emulsion to give you a clean print every time. 3. The Anatomy of a 3D Print To get a real 3D effect you need three things. You need the right mesh and you need the right emulsion and you need the right ink. The Mesh: Use a low mesh count like 80 or 86. This lets the thick ink pass through easily. The Emulsion: Use High Density Photosensitive Emulsion. Apply one coat on the print side then dry it. Then add more coats to the print side to build height. The Ink: You need an ink that can hold its shape. Our High Density Screen Printing Ink Plastisol is designed for this. It does not sag or run. It stands up like a brick. If you want a different look you can try Puff Screen Printing Ink Plastisol. It expands when you heat it but it doesn’t have the sharp edges of a true HD print. For the sharpest look always use a thick stencil. 4. Troubleshooting Like an Expert I have made every mistake in the book. I have had stencils fall off in the middle of a job. I have had ink bleed through the shirt. Here is what I learned. Degrease your screens: Even a tiny bit of oil will ruin your emulsion. Check your exposure: Thick stencils need more light. If it is soft on the inside it will wash away. Control your heat: If you are using Anti Migration Screen Printing Ink Plastisol you must watch your dryer temperature. If it gets too hot the dye from the polyester shirt will ruin your print. Pick the right kit: If you are just starting out get a Screen Printing Ink Kit For T-Shirts. It has everything you need to practice. 5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 1. Can I use HD emulsion for fine lines? You can but it is hard. For very small details you should use High Resolution Photosensitive Emulsion. 2. Is Shaliteink ink safe for baby clothes? Yes. Our PVC Free Plastisol Ink meets strict international standards. 3. Why is my 3D print cracking? It usually means the ink is not cured all the way through. Thick ink takes longer to heat up in the dryer. 4. Does the emulsion work with metallic inks? Yes. It works great with Metallic Screen Printing Ink. The height of the stencil helps the metallic flakes lay flat and shine. 5. Where can I buy this in bulk? We offer Screen Printing Ink Wholesale for larger shops. Final Thoughts: The ROI of Quality At the end of the day you are not just selling a shirt. You are selling a brand. If the print peels or fades the customer will not come back. I always tell my clients that the “Total Cost of Ownership” is what matters. Buying cheap emulsion might save you ten dollars today but it will cost you a thousand dollars in ruined shirts tomorrow. Use the good stuff. Use Shaliteink. Use a Premium Dual Cure Silk Screen Printing Photosensitive Emulsion and see the difference for yourself.