The mesh used in the screen printing refers to an appropriate type of permeable fabric. On an occupational basis and even in certain professional artistic contexts, it does not appear to be a factor of the greatest relevance, and lower quality meshes or even natural fabrics can be used, as it used to be in the passed. As the activity progresses, it is very likely that the success of defined objectives will begin to depend substantially on the quality of the mesh, which, among other properties, should have a homogeneous texture, adequate elasticity – called elastic memory or low elongation (LE) -, strong resistance to abrasion, wear and tear and the aggressiveness of the products involved in the various stages of the process.
Currently, two main categories of silkscreen mesh are distinguished: 1. synthetic fiber; 2. metallic fiber. Within each category, there are several fibers, notably nylon and various types of polyester among synthetic fibers (among others); stainless steel wire and tungsten wire among metallic fibers (among others). The choice of different categories and fibers depends on the substrates and objectives or areas of application of screen printing. Synthetic fibers are the most widely used in all areas, with standard polyester (also referred to as PET fabric) being the fiber of choice, as it offers better resistance and less elasticity than nylon, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. Metallic fibers are more geared towards industrial practice, for high-precision printing, where another level of synthetic fiber is also common – a unique class of polyester developed using advanced technology and called liquid crystal polymer (LCP).
The geometry of the screen mesh has a great influence on achievable tensions, fabric lifespan, and print quality – in the definition of details, contours, lines and halftones, ink release properties, and printing speed in relation to its viscosity, flow, and profitability. All variations multiply the number of options, with more than 400 different screens resulting from combinations of geometry and fiber material factors. In any case, in a general context, reference screens are the most versatile, offering the widest range of applications and, therefore, the best-selling in the direct market – which uses polyester as standard and varies between white and dyed screen, in a limited range of line counts and average diameters.
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