Stretching S and LX Mesh

How to Handle thinner Thread Mesh

Murakami’s new LX Mesh and standard S Mesh can print base plates and white highlight hits like no other mesh available. It’s unique mesh structure allows ink to print with minimal squeegee pressure and lay down consistent opaque base plates at standard squeegee speeds. The base plate is often the slowest printing head in a design. Speeding up the base plate print yields more pieces per hour and justifies the investment in a better base plate mesh.

Murakami Thin Threads and LX Mesh have made a significant impact on how an image is recreated and printed accurately on a shirt. We have demonstrated that printing with a 150/48 micron standard ‘S’ thread or LX Mesh will yield a better white base plate that is more opaque with less ink than any other mesh count currently available. The hand is softer and reproduction of the image is more accurate dot to dot. Our 80/71 micron and LX80SS/54 micron have made printing gels and high density inks a breeze. Our 225/40 micron is a smash hit for detailed water base prints and plastisol halftones instead of using a standard 230 mesh.

First, Thin Threads and LX Mesh requires changing screen handling procedures.

The most important thing to remember about using either our Thin Threads or LX Mesh is that the screen process must be adjusted to handle these threads properly:

Mesh Tension:

• The thinner the thread diameter the lower the optimum tension levels. 

• The thicker the thread diameter the higher the optimum tension level. 

• The point is each mesh has it’s own workable tension level, which will vary by mesh count and thread diameter. You don’t need high tension to achieve superior prints with these mesh counts.

Note that the thinner the thread in microns the lower the tension needs to be. In the beginning choose a tension in the lower to middle tension levels to preserve screen life in your shop. Base plate print quality and registration will still be excellent at these lower tensions because the mesh stablizes quickly and retains tension better than any mesh available.

Safe Handling:

S-Thread and LX Meshes require safe handling procedures. If your screen room is a pile of screens leaning against the wall with corners of screens resting on the mesh of its’ neighbor, or if your personnel toss screens into the reclaim booth and bang them around, your shop may not be ready for better mesh without reviewing procedures. Stick with conventional mesh thread like our T or HD to prevent screens from popping. Finer mesh requires special handling.

Equipment: 

1. Rolling Racks - as mentioned above screens placed in racks last longer. A single worker can push 25 around at once without banging corners or accidentally dropping them, all poor handling of quality mesh.

If racks are unavailable make sure to handle screens gently. When placing screens on the ground or in the sink use minimal impact force, avoid dropping frames to the ground in the reclaiming area, avoid stacking the frames against each other haphazardly where corners of one screen rest on the mesh of its neighbor. 

2. Newman Rollers - tape the frames with white Pelikan tape or split liner tape from Newman along all bars to protect the mesh that is exposed on the bottom of each roller.