What kind of light do you use for photo emulsion?

The best way to work with the photo emulsion is in safe light conditions. A darkroom safe light lets you work with the photo emulsion in safe light conditions so that you can see what you’re doing when mixing the emulsion and coating the screen without exposing it to UV light (sunlight, light from light bulbs).

Why should a coated screen be dried in a dark room?

When drying a coated screen, the drying area or cabinet must be completely dark, because any light–specifically UV wavelengths–that strikes the coated screens can cause the emulsion to begin crosslinking and pre-expose the stencil.

Can you use any light for screen printing?

To summarize, if you are building your own exposure unit, the type of exposure lamp that you use is not that critical if you are going to be printing “easy to expose” art and your screens are coated with photopolymer emulsion. Yes, fluorescent, halogen bulbs and LED lights will work.

How does screen printing emulsion work?

Screen printing emulsion works much like plastisol ink. Just as plastisol ink cures when exposed to heat, emulsion cures when exposed to UV light. When light hits the emulsion, the emulsion’s photosensitizers within create a strong bond with the emulsion’s resins, hardening the emulsion and making it hold fast to your screens.

What are the advantages of photopolymer emulsions?

It exposes very quickly and has a wide exposure time range. Manufacturers developed photopolymer emulsion products because they know that many screen printers use an exposure light source that is less than ideal. Photopolymer liquid emulsions (and photopolymer capillary film) work well even with poor light sources.

What type of emulsions should I use in my printer?

Printers using a UV Exposure Bulb , an X1620 LED Exposure Unit , or an exposure unit without LED bulbs, use diazo-mixed emulsions. If you have an exposure unit with a lid (especially a vacuum-seal lid) and it has LED bulbs, you could use either diazo or presensitized emulsions.

How does UV light affect plastisol ink?

Just as plastisol ink cures when exposed to heat, emulsion cures when exposed to UV light. When light hits the emulsion, the emulsion’s photosensitizers within create a strong bond with the emulsion’s resins, hardening the emulsion and making it hold fast to your screens.