Mesh Application Guide

I was looking to understand what mesh to use for what type of printing .
I managed to find on the interweb, this application guide Now it is based on the American mesh count system and I hope to work out the UK alternatives in due course. BUT in the mean time I thought someone might like to know this info as well and offer opinions if anything is wrong?

Of course Catspit may wish to alter it if he chooses to do so
Thanks.

Mesh Recommendations by Application
Graphics printing
• Line artwork 230 –305
• Halftone screens up to 70 lines/in. 305–380
• Halftone screens from 70-133 lines/in. 380 –420
• Objects (plastics, etc.)
• Opaque areas 255–305
• Halftone and fine lines 305–420
Garment printing
• Glitter 25–60
• Flock adhesive 45–125
• Puff-up colors 55–125
• Overprint 80 –110
• Pigment ink printing,areas/lines 110 –175
• Plastisol transfer 125–305
• Universal fabric 125
• Plastisol direct 125–305
• Pigment inks, half-tone 155–255
• Sublimation transfer 195–305
Textiles, flat films
• Heavy décor fabrics (terry cloth, denim) 45–123
• Smooth, dense fabrics (table cloths, curtains) 110–155
• Light, porous material 195–305
Ceramics
• Glaze printing, coarse, embossed effect 15–55
• Glaze printing, medium to fine 55–155
• In and under-glaze (direct printing) 110–255
Decals
• Areas/lines 195–380
• Fine lines/half-tone 255–420
• Gold and luster inks 305–420
Glass
• Automotive glass
• Black surrounds for rear/side windows 125–195
• Antennas 195–255
• Silver paste (defroster) 195–255
Architectural glass
• Windows, doors 55–195
• Mirrors 195–305
Cosmetic bottles
• Inks 195–305
• Precious metals 305–380
Beverage
• Bottles, glasses 125–305
Household
• Ovens, etc. (masks) 110 –175
• Ovens, etc. (lines and half-tones) 195–255
• Lampshades, furniture 125–255
Advertising
• Shop signs 110 –195
Printed circuit boards
• Overlay solder mask 30 –45
• Photosensitive solder mask 60 –175
Membrane keypads and overlays
• Insulation lacquer 90 –175
• Silver conductive paste 125–175
• Adhesive 125–195
• Transparent windows 305

to convert it to metric divide the mesh count by 2.54

Very nice chart Boyd. It’s pretty cool and as you can see even some of the suggestions still leave you with a decent mesh range to choose from. It’s very difficult to create a guide like this with any real exactitude or final answer. It will first depend on which type of ink you are using.

Plastisol inks are most often much thicker than water based so we tend to use more open mesh counts with plastisol inks. Now with water based inks which tend to be on the thinner side we use higher mesh counts.

In the end the decision will be made upon your experience with your inks and a few factors such as ink type, substrate being printed, detail in the artwork, and desired coverage in the final print result as well as detail.

With porous and absorbent substrates like tee shirts we can lay more ink down on the fabric as opposed to printing a poster which would “flood” out all the detail with the same mesh count. Paper substrates will be more forgiving than plastic or vinyl too.

With any specialty ink I suggest checking with the manufacturer for the correct mesh count to use on garments. Glitters and other specialty inks will need specific information from the vendor in order to work properly.

And believe it or not your squeegee choice will also need to be looked at as you pair all of these factors up with the mesh count. The correct squeegee will also help out.

Very cool information to start from for sure. Thanks for posting