Off Contact Screen Printing

When trying to maintain the pristine condition of a product or material during screen printing, off contact is an important skill to have under your belt. If an ink you are using penetrates or is absorbed by the surface you are printing on, it is very easy to smear and smudge a design.

Off contact screen printing refers to a method of printing in which a certain distance is maintained between the screen and the substrate throughout the process. This off contact distance prevents the screen from being in direct contact with the substrate before the printing action, avoiding smearing or ghosting. It also allows the tightly stretched mesh to rise from the substrate immediately following the squeegee stroke, consequently resulting in a more consistent ink deposit due to an improvement in the shear factor between the squeegee, ink, and the substrate.

In order to successfully utilize this method of printing, it's extremely important that you are meticulous during the procedure. A slight lack of precision in regard to the distance of the screen to the substrate during the print can result in a blurring or smearing of your image. For example, if the screen is too low, it will not rise from the substrate while the squeegee continues to move. This may result in a blur or smudge and ultimately ruining your design. Keep in mind that the slightest vibration may cause a blur of your print.

Therefore, it is important that you maintain a distance of about 3-5 mm between the screen and your substrate to create the off contact style. The aim is to elevate the screen above the substrate to a point just before the edges of the design cannot be pressed down onto the item without stretching the screen.

An important note to keep in mind is that 'off contact' is an intricate and advanced practice. However, with the correct tools at your disposal it can become as simple as fabric printing. Instead of printing by sight and hand registration, eliminate human error by investing in a screen printing jig.