Impressions - Digital Decorator - Summer 2015 - 24

digital format ready to access when they
are ready to re-order.
Another caveat associated with computerto-screen-imaging is the fact that the screen
exposure unit no longer needs a glass top,
vacuum pump or rubber blanket to hold the
films against the screen during the exposure
process. This fact speeds up exposure times
and saves on blanket replacement costs and
overall maintenance of the exposure unit.
Digital technologies have affected all areas of
the screen-print shop including the addition
of digital touch-pad controls on the exposure
unit. Also, some units are equipped with digitally controlled light integrators.
Light Integrator: A light integrator is a
device that uses an optic photocell to collect and measure how many units of light are
delivered to the surface of the screen during
exposure. For example: The light integrator
will compensate for weak bulbs by making
sure that a setting of 200 units of light today
will be 200 units of light a year from now, no
matter how old and weak the exposure bulbs
get. (Very precise exposures every time!)
Digital Quality Control Tools: In the
past, screen printers had to rely on experience when it came to checking if a screen was
dry enough for exposure or if the textile dryer
was up to temperature and ready to be loaded
with garments for the final cure. Today there
are a variety of digital tools from moisture
meters to digital thermal probes that are used
in shops to ensure that quality conditions

are maintained. In screen making, the No. 1
problem associated with exposing a screen is
the failure to properly remove the moisture
from the screen prior to exposure. I recommend that every shop should get a digital
hygrometer for the screen room to measure
humidity and 30% relative humidity is ideal
to maintain in the screen prep room.
Moisture Meter: Moisture can get trapped
under the skin of dried emulsion causing
poor washout, loss of detail and poor edge
definition. This digital device will indicate
if the screen is totally dried and ready for
exposure.
Digital Stencil Th ickness Gauge: The
thickness gauge works on the principal of
magnetic conduction. The coated mesh is
placed between the measuring probe and
a test plate. A digital display will immediately give a stencil thickness reading in
mils or microns.
The biggest digital advancement of all
for today's screen-print shop has to be the
introduction of the direct-to-garment or
DTG printers that can eliminate the need to
screen print garments altogether. However,
it is important to note that most high-volume garment decorators still use automatic
screen-printing machinery due to the high
print speeds and lower ink costs per garment.
Having said that, DTG printing continues to
be one of the most transforming digital innovations in the garment printing industry and
is considered a viable and reliable garment

printing process. DTG printing continues to
grow by leaps and bounds and the process is
recognized as the future of garment printing.

WHAT DOES "DIGITAL"
MEAN FOR THE HEATTRANSFER DECORATING
PROCESS?
Digital CLC Transfers: The term CLC is an
acronym for color laser copier. To produce a
CLC transfer all that is needed is a computer,
laser printer (or color copier), special coated
CLC papers and a heat press. CLC papers are
easy to use and work on a variety of fabrics
from 100% cotton to cotton/poly blends. Many
shops use a color laser printer to make CLC
transfers due to the lower cost on the front end
when acquiring the printing equipment. CLC
papers have advanced in terms of providing
better colorfastness on garments and producing a soft-hand feel to the print.
Digital Inkjet Transfers: These are made
with a standard inkjet printer. Use the same
steps as outlined above for CLC transfers and
print the design as a mirror image onto the
coated side of the inkjet transfer paper. After
heat pressing the transfer to the garment, the
coating on the paper traps the ink between the
clear coating and the garment. Some inkjet
papers are cold-peel systems, so it is recommended to peel paper after it cools in these
cases.
Digital Sublimation Transfers: These have
been around for decades but the introduc-

Computer-to-screen imaging is one the
most signiﬁ cant digital advancements
in the area of screen preparation for
textile screen printing.
Photo courtesy of M&R Co., Glen Ellyn, Ill. 

The biggest digital advancement 
for garment decorators is DTG or
direct-to-garment printing. DTG
continues to be one of the fastestgrowing segments of the garment decorating industry.
24 § SUMMER 2015
Impressions - Digital Decorator - Summer 2015

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