The Making of a T-Shirt Print: From Design to Final Screen Print

You start with a design, prepare screens, coat and expose them, then print and cure the ink to make a T-shirt print. Automation has changed the industry. Modern equipment, like Cnding’s full-servo machines, helps you produce shirts faster and with better quality. Companies now scale production quickly and save costs by using automated systems.

T-Shirt Print Design

Concept Ideas

You begin with a good idea for your shirt. Inspiration can come from many places. You might get ideas from family or special events. Shirts can say things like “World’s Greatest Mom” or “Best Dad Ever.” Traveling can give you new design ideas. You might use quotes about hiking or camping. Holidays like Christmas or Halloween inspire fun prints. Some people pick statements about their hobbies or social issues. Funny sayings like “I can’t adult today” are very popular. You can find ideas on sites like Pinterest and Behance. Art, food, and famous cities also give you ideas.

Tip: Keep a notebook or a digital folder for your best ideas. Inspiration can come at any time!

Digital Tools

You use digital tools to make your ideas into art. Many designers like Canva because it is easy to use. Canva has templates and can remove backgrounds. DALL-E 3 and Midjourney make images from words you type. Artbreeder lets you mix pictures to make new ones. Playground, Stockimg, and Recraft help you edit and remove backgrounds. Adobe Firefly gives you cool text effects and images. Leonardo AI, Designs.ai, Vexels, and NightCafe offer more ways to make unique designs. These tools help you make great artwork fast.

• Canva
• DALL-E 3
• Artbreeder
• Playground
• Stockimg
• Recraft
• Midjourney
• Adobe Firefly
• Leonardo AI
• Designs.ai
• Vexels
• NightCafe

File Setup

You must set up your files the right way to get the best print. Pictures from the internet are often low quality. They can look blurry or pixelated. Good color is important, so use the RGB color space. Vector files are best because you can make them bigger or smaller without losing quality. If you use raster files, make sure they have high resolution and little compression. Always check your file type and resolution before you print. Setting up your files the right way helps you get sharp and bright T-shirt prints every time.

Note: Knowing the difference between vector and raster files helps you avoid problems when printing.

Screen Preparation

Color Separation

You start by splitting your design into single colors. Each color needs its own screen for printing. Color separation lets you print one color at a time. This stops colors from mixing and keeps lines sharp. If you plan your colors well, you use fewer screens. This saves both time and money.

• Color separation makes a stencil for every color.
• Each stencil helps you print bright and clear images.
• Designs with many colors look best when colors are separated correctly.

Film Positives

Next, you make film positives after separating colors. These are clear sheets with your design printed in black ink. Film positives are important for making detailed prints.

Film positives block UV light during the exposure step. The black parts stop the light, but clear parts let it pass. This hardens the emulsion only where you want, making a sharp stencil.

• Film positives help move your design onto the screen.
• They make sure only the right parts of your design show up on the shirt.

Mesh Selection

Picking the right mesh is key to good prints. Mesh count means how many threads are in one inch of the screen. Lower mesh counts (110-156) are good for bold designs and thick ink. Higher mesh counts (230 and up) work best for small details and thin ink.

Keeping the mesh tight, around 20-25 N/cm, helps your screens stay steady and your prints look the same each time.

Cnding’s new automation machines, like the H9PRO Series, make screen setup faster and more exact. Automation gives you even coating, fewer mistakes, and less waiting time—up to 24% less. You get better quality and faster work, which helps your business do well.

Emulsion & Exposure

Coating Screens

You need to coat your screens with emulsion before you expose your design. Start with a clean, dry screen. Avoid touching the mesh to keep oil away. Begin coating on the substrate side. Hold the frame steady and apply even pressure as you move the coater. Go slow to prevent pinholes. For larger screens, take extra time. Finish on the squeegee side. Dry the screen in the right position so the ink channel forms well.

Tip: Consistent coating helps you get sharp prints and reduces mistakes.

Best Practices for Coating Screens:

1. Clean and dry the screen completely.
2. Coat the substrate side first with steady pressure.
3. Move slowly to avoid pinholes.
4. Finish on the squeegee side and dry properly.

Exposing Design

You expose your design onto the emulsion-coated screen using a film positive and a strong light source. A dark film print blocks light and keeps your design details crisp. The right exposure time is important. Too much or too little light can ruin your stencil. Uneven coating, light source problems, or mistakes during exposure can affect quality.

Cnding’s CTS-1015M Laser Exposure Machine makes this step faster and more precise. You get high resolution, quick scanning, and repeatable accuracy. The machine uses a laser array and adjustable power to expose your design in less than five minutes.

Note: Using advanced equipment like the CTS-1015M helps you avoid common exposure errors and saves time.

Washing Out

After exposure, you need to wash out the screen to reveal your stencil. Keep the screen away from bright windows or UV light. Soak your stencil in warm water for about one minute. Use water that feels warm to the touch. Spray with good water pressure to speed up the process. Support your stencil with a frame or a clipboard. Move the nozzle steadily for an even washout.

Recommended Washout Steps:

1. Avoid bright light during washout.
2. Soak the stencil in warm water.
3. Use a sprayer with steady pressure.
4. Support the screen to prevent damage.
5. Move the nozzle for even cleaning.

Tip: Careful washing helps you get a clean stencil and better prints.

Print Setup

Aligning Screens

You must line up your screens very carefully. This helps you get sharp prints. It is important when you use more than one color. Good alignment stops colors from mixing or leaving empty spots. Many printers use marks and clamps to help with this. Here are some steps you can follow for better results:

1. Put your film in the center using marks on the screen or unit.
2. Match your screen with the film on the pallet and hold it in place.
3. Line up each screen using marks on every color layer.
4. Lock your screens with clamps after lining them up.
5. Check all screens again and fix them if needed.
6. Print on scrap fabric to test and make changes.

Tip: Always do a test print before you start printing shirts. This helps you find problems with alignment early.

Automation makes lining up screens much easier. The H9PRO Series Full-Servo Oval Printing Machine from Cnding uses a micro-registration system. It has ±0.01mm accuracy. Servo motors move the screens smoothly and exactly. This machine meets ISO 9001 and CE safety rules. You get safe and steady operation.

Ink Mixing

Mixing ink the right way is very important. It helps you keep colors the same and prints looking good. When you mix the ink well, every shirt looks the same. You can also make special colors for your customers. Mixing ink correctly stops problems like color changes or messy prints.

Good ink mixing systems and color matching tools help you get great results. Pick inks made for steady color. Use Pantone standards for exact colors. Check your colors with swatch books. These steps help you make high-quality T-shirt prints every time.

T-Shirt Print Process

Printing

First, get your supplies ready. Put your T-shirt flat on the pallet. Place the screen over the shirt. Make sure it matches your design. Pour ink onto the screen. Use a squeegee to push ink through the mesh. Lift the screen to see your print.

Machines like Cnding’s H9PRO Series help you print faster. The servo motors move screens smoothly. They keep everything lined up. You can print more shirts quickly. Your prints have sharp images and bright colors.

Here is an easy guide for printing:

1. Get screens, ink, squeegee, and T-shirts.
2. Put your T-shirt on the pallet.
3. Line up the screen with the design spot.
4. Pour ink onto the screen.
5. Pull ink across the screen with the squeegee.
6. Lift the screen to see your print.
7. Do these steps for each shirt.

Tip: Check your screen for dust or lint before printing. Clean screens help you get better prints.

Curing Ink

You must cure the ink so your print lasts. Curing means heating the ink to stick it to the fabric. If you skip curing, your print may crack or fade.

There are different ways to cure ink. Each way uses its own heat and time. Conveyor dryers work best for big orders. Heat presses give you good control. You can use a heat gun or an iron for small batches.

Pre-heat your heat press or dryer. Lay the shirt flat and use a protective sheet. Press evenly and follow the ink maker’s time rules.

Note: Good curing keeps your print bright and strong after many washes.

Quality Check

Check your prints to make sure they look good. Look for even ink, sharp edges, and correct colors. Make sure the ink is cured and does not wash off. Check each shirt for smudges or missed spots.

Machines like the H9PRO Series help you make fewer mistakes. The system keeps printing the same strokes and checks each step. You can watch production and find problems early. Test your prints by washing them and checking for fading or cracks.

Here are some ways to check quality:

Tip: Use a checklist for quality control. This helps you find mistakes before shirts go to customers.

Automated equipment helps you make high-quality T-shirt prints. You get more shirts with fewer mistakes and happy customers.

Finishing Steps

Cleaning

You need to clean your equipment after printing T-shirts. Good cleaning keeps your machines working well and helps you get high-quality prints every time. If you follow the right steps, you can avoid problems like ink clogs or dust on your prints. Here is a simple cleaning routine you can use:

1. Cover your machine with a dust cover when you finish printing.
2. Read and follow the manufacturer’s manual for cleaning and maintenance.
3. Use high-quality inks and papers to keep your printer running smoothly.
4. Clean your workspace often to keep dust away from your equipment.
5. Unplug your machines when you are not using them.
6. Wipe the bottom of the print head to stop ink from building up.
7. Check your ink levels before you start printing.
8. Clean the spit tray to help ink flow properly.
9. Do a nozzle check every day to make sure all nozzles work.
10. Watch the waste tank level so it does not overflow.

Tip: Regular cleaning helps you avoid costly repairs and keeps your prints looking sharp.

Packaging

You want your T-shirt prints to arrive safely and look professional. Good packaging protects your shirts from damage during shipping. You can choose different methods depending on your needs. Here are two popular options:

Cnding cares about secure packaging. The company tests every machine and uses strong materials to protect your orders. You also get after-sales support, so you can ask for help if you have questions or need advice. This commitment helps you feel confident when you choose Cnding for your printing needs.

Note: Careful packaging and support make sure your T-shirt prints reach customers in perfect condition.

You now know how every step makes your T-shirt print. New machines, like Cnding’s, help you work fast and keep prints looking good. You can control your work better and avoid many mistakes. If you want to begin or improve, pick machines that are simple, safe, and work well.

Picking good equipment helps you help more people and build your business with trust.