Screen Print

Screen printing is a technique where a squeegee forces ink through a mesh “screen” stencil creating an image on a substrate. Unlike Offset or Flexo printing, no printing plate is used.

Images are burned into screens using film positives. A film positive is placed over the emulsion coated screen and then exposed with an ultraviolet light. The UV passes through the clear areas and creates a polymerization (hardening) of the emulsion. The screen is then washed off thoroughly. The areas of the emulsion that were not exposed to light dissolve and wash away leaving a negative stencil of the image on the mesh.

Ink is poured onto the screen and a squeegee presses the ink through the screen onto the part. After each color is applied, the ink is U.V. cured. The inks are applied thicker than dry offset inks, which gives colors more opacity and texture. Screen printing provides better results on dark substrates than Offset or Flexo printing because the opacity of the screened inks enables lighter colors to match Pantone standards without the effect of the substrate color showing through the ink.

Screen printing is a wonderful way to get your message across to the consumer. Berry has in-house capabilities to screen print on cups, tubes, overcaps, and bottles. Options may vary by part. Berry’s Creative Services department can coordinate and create your artwork to give your package an impressive shelf presence.