How glass screen printing works
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What is glass screen printing and where is it used? Find out all about this versatile method in our guide.
For as long as people have been producing glass, artists and designers have seen its decorative potential.
The museums of the world are filled with ancient examples of painted glass, while cathedrals across Europe showcase Biblical scenes in stained glass.
Today, decorative glass is a world unto itself. And we should know: here at ToughGlaze, we offer a range of
decorative glass products so wide it surprises even us.
Among these is
glass screen printing. At its most basic, this is a kind of stencilling where ink is pushed through a mesh screen onto a pane of glass.
These days, machines are used to apply the ink. The glass is then placed in a furnace, where the ink is baked into the surface.
The result is an impressively durable, weather-resistant and beautiful design, whether you're printing a sign for an office or a custom splashback for your kitchen.
Want to know more? You've come to the right place. Before we dive into the manufacturing process, let's take a look at some of the many applications of glass screen printing.
What are some applications of glass screen printing?
Like many decorative glass products, glass screen printing is versatile. Stellar examples can be found in signage, decorative art and domestic features the world over.
In offices, banks and other commercial premises, glass screen printing is a great way to literally bake the business's branding into the doors, windows and partitions.
Out and about, you might see glass screen printing on a bus shelter, shopfront or display kiosk. The fact the ink is fused with the glass means it's highly weather-resistant – no amount of rain will make the design streak.
In the transportation and industrial sectors, glass screen printing is used for signage, while the automotive industry uses it to print designs on vehicle windows.
Wherever it's used, glass screen printing combines aesthetic appeal with high levels of durability. When used with toughened glass, it can also create glass for installation in locations where safety is paramount.
What machines are used for glass screen printing?
Several different kinds of machines are used for glass screen printing. The main two are automatic screen-printing machines and manual screen-printing units.
Automatic screen-printing machines are used for large-scale industrial production. They can quickly print a design onto a piece of glass in one go – and they can also print designs onto cylinders and other irregular shapes.
Finally, there are manual screen-printing units. These are typically used by artists and small-batch producers.
Here at ToughGlaze, we use a high-end glass screen-printing machine. This allows us to screen print glass at scale with no compromise on quality. The resulting glass product is astonishingly tough and able to withstand all weather conditions.
What inks are used for glass screen printing?
Different inks are used for different purposes. Glass screen printing tends to use two-part epoxy inks and frit inks. Some manufacturers, however, use UV-curable inks and solvent-based inks.
Epoxy inks are used for their durability and ease of application. Meanwhile, frit inks are known for their high resistance to temperature and abrasion.
Here at ToughGlaze, our
TG SP solution uses special ceramic inks. These last as long as the glass itself – a sentence that applies even when the glass is installed outdoors.
Ceramic inks can withstand high levels of heat – and they can also be applied precisely. This makes them ideal for screen printing on glass.
Our process goes a little like this. We print your design onto glass using silkscreens. The glass is then passed through a heat dryer and heated to a high temperature in our state-of-the-art toughening plant.
Our TG SP products are beautiful, functional and extremely long-lasting. They're also versatile: we've provided screen-printed glass to all manner of clients – including Heathrow Airport. You can see our work throughout Terminal 2.
Like all our products, TG SP can be cut to meet your exact requirements.
How has glass screen printing changed over the years?
Like many aspects of glass manufacturing – and manufacturing in general – glass screen printing has changed dramatically over the years. This is primarily because of a general shift from manual processes to automation.
Once upon a time, designers would cut stencils by hand and create mesh screens out of coarse materials like organdie and cheesecloth. They would then use manual machines to press the ink into the glass or other material.
Over time, new processes were developed. Photo emulsions, synthetic meshes and automated equipment all combined to lead to faster production times, higher-quality prints and a wider range of applications.
A facility like ours is dramatically different from the glass-making workshops of the past. Yet despite these centuries-long changes, our priorities are pretty much the same. Glass products should be functional, beautiful and safe – and our screen-printed glass products are no exception.
What's the difference between glass digital printing and glass screen printing?
Screen printing uses stencils to build an image, layer by layer, onto glass. Digital glass printing, meanwhile, uses a large flatbed printer to print a multicoloured image onto a piece of glass in one pass.
At this point, you may be imagining a low-resolution photo slapped onto a glass pane. In fact, digital printing has advanced to the point where high-resolution photorealistic images can be used.
In another example of glass's versatility, a piece of glass can be simultaneously digitally printed and screen printed. This can be a good idea if you want a photo to be included in your design.
Want to explore the possibilities of
ceramic screen printing on glass? Whatever your project, we'd love to hear from you.
Get in touch with ToughGlaze today for a quick, competitive quote.
