Ink Jet Printing
Ink jet printing is a non-contact printing process. No printing surface such as type, plates made by photographic means, or film is needed.
Copy to be printed is prepared by computer. A minicomputer in the ink, jet printer controls ink jets in the printing head. On command, microscopic droplets of ink emerge from the jets to print characters and images. The printing head is a series of single jets. The most common used printing head has up to 1280jets spaced at 0.0083 in.
The ink droplets are created in the system. They are either permitted to impact on the moving web of paper, or are deflected into a reservoir when no printing is desired. Deflected ink is reused. Printing is done in one pass of the
paper under the ink jets.
The process, as developed by one company, is known as DIJIT (direct image by jet ink transfer). However, the most common name for it appears to be ink jet printing. Its greatest use is in direct mail printing, personalized book publishing, addressing system and proofing.
When printing text or image onto flags or banners, ink jet printing enables rapid prototype production of complex three-dimensional shapes directly from computer software, which usually could not be achieved by screen printing.
Screen Process Printing
Printing Screens
A stencil with open areas representing the desired image must be adhered to a screen. A screen is a piece of woven material, such as silk, nylon, dacron or stainless steel mesh, stretched tightly over a wooden or mental frame. The frame serves as the printing press in screen-process printing.
The Printing Process
Screen printing is easy to understand. After paper is placed under the printing screen, ink with a paint-like consistency is applied to the top of the screen. Finally, the ink is spread and forced through stencil openings onto the paper below the screen. This is done by pulling a rubber squeegee over the screen.
The idea of applying decorations to objects by stenciling is very old. Evidence shows that stenciling techniques were widely used in China to decorate pottery and other objects.
Screen-process printing developed rapidly during the early twentieth century. A wide variety of stencil materials has been developed over the years. Today, just about any surface of any shape or size can be printed using screen-process methods. Especially for our large order canopy tents, screen printing is the best way to produce vivid graphic.
