Laser and Silk Screening
Using a Laser in Silkscreening
A clean, repeatable workflow where a diode laser replaces film printers by producing precise negatives for photo-emulsion exposure.
LASER cuts the negative
EMULSION holds the stencil
UV / SUN hardens the image
WATER develops it
Procedure
compressed · repeatable · proven01
Prep the screen
Degrease, rinse clean, and dry completely.
02
Coat with emulsion
One thin coat per side. Dry flat in darkness.
03
Laser-cut the negative
Black blocks light. Cut openings define the print.
04
Expose
Negative tight to screen. UV or sunlight.
05
Wash out
Rinse until the image opens cleanly.
Longer Ray5 Cutting Settings
tune once · repeat forever
Starting points
do a 20mm test square first
BLACK CARDSTOCK (200–250 gsm) Mode: Vector cut Power: 85–95% Speed: 250–350 mm/min Passes: 1 MYLAR (0.003–0.005") Mode: Vector cut Power: 90–100% Speed: 300–450 mm/min Passes: 1 HALFTONE DOTS Material: Mylar Min dot size: 0.20–0.25 mm
Artwork Prep Notes
cut clean · expose sharpVectors
- Use SVG or PDF vectors
- Add bridges for islands
- Minimum line ≥ 0.20 mm
Photos
- Convert to halftones before cutting
- Use larger dots for 110 mesh
- Test strips save time
