The Force Behind The Squeegee

Benefits for the textile screen printer

In the process of screen printing, the best printing equipment in the world can do no better than the screens it holds. A good frame must be stable enough to maintain its squareness and flatness under the force of the highest fabric tension. Even if a frame is stable and does not change, however, the fabric does. The fibers of the best fabrics, including low elongation fabrics (Le, Ht, Sr), begin to relax soon after the force of the squeegee is applied. Anyone who has tried to tune a new guitar string knows about this. The Newman Roller Frame meets the rigidity and stability requirements, being so strong, that it can print with butt registration without needing side clamps for support. The frame then goes further, actually strengthening the characteristics of the fabric with each retensioning between print runs, after reclaiming.

Change is the printer's biggest enemy. Loss in screen tension causes image distortion, misregistration, blurred edges, color shifts, ink penetration through the garment, and ink build-up on the bottom of screens. Change in tension will require ink, squeegee, and press adjustments-notably off-contact and re-registration. Change in tension produces loss of quality, productivity, and control.

*We also provide custom sized frames to meet your shops needs.