- EZ-Film for plastisol on 86-156 t/i(33-61 t/cm) mesh
EZ-Film-30
Traditional CDF - The original capillary film relatively mild general purpose solvent inks
Matrix - total solvent resistance
QT Thick Films - SBQ sensitized thick films 30µ up to 400µ
QSR - complete solvent resistance dual-cure
LX - 40µ dual-cure with some water resistance

	CDF/Matrix-UV	CDF/Matrix-20	CDF/Matrix-30	CDF/Matrix-40
Mesh count/IN	419+	305-419	280-419	196-305 tpi
Mesh count/CM	165+ cm	120-165 cm	110-165 cm	77-120 cm

Available Rolls
• 10 micron film Matrix UV 419 tpi or finer (165 tpc)
  26" x 300" MXUV26300
  42" x 300" MXUV713
  52" x 300" MXUV513
• 20 micron film Matrix 20 for 305 tpi or finer (120/cm+)
  26" x 300" MX2026300
  42" x 300" MX20713
  52" x 300" MX20513
  
• 30 micron film Matrix 30 for 230 – 420 tpi (90 – 165/cm)
  26" x 300" MX3026300
  42 "x 300" MX30713
  52" x 300" MX30513
  26" x 36" MX302636T Free test sheets (3 per tube)
  
• 40 micron film Matrix 40 for 196 – 305 tpi (77 – 120/cm)
  26" x 300" MX4026300
  42" x 300" MX40713
  52" x 300" MX40513

Rolls 0.66 X 10+m, 1.06 X 10+m, and 1.32 X 10+m. are available outside North America.

Plastisol and Limited Water Resistance CDF^®/QT

Color	Solids	Viscosity	Shelf Life
Rubine Red	94%	none	18 months in cool dry storage - Coated Screen Life 4 weeks

Product Fact Sheet Technical Data Sheet MSDS

Intended for printing with plastisol inks on t-shirts and imprinted sportswear items. Extremely fast exposure times make the QT series suited for use with low power light sources. SBQ sensitized, pink colored films available in 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 and 400µ thicknesses. Adherable with water or QTX^® emulsion.

CDF/QT Thick-Film is ideal for the production of thick stencils for specialty printing needs, including high density, puff, and lenticular effects for imprinted sportswear; peelable solder masks in the electronics industry; false mosaic and leading effects for glass and ceramic decorating; screen printed gaskets and seals; and many other manufacturing and decorating applications requiring ultra-thick ink deposits with non-aggressive solvent inks and pastes.

CDF/QT Thick-Film is a precisely coated, capillary film version of Ulano’s best-selling QTX® direct emulsion. Like QTX, CDF/QT Thick-Film utilizes pure photopolymer (SBQ) technology to assure extended shelf life and minimal influences from heat and humidity, the fastest possible exposure speed, good imaging properties, and on-press durability. Generally, CDF/QT Thick-Film is adhered to fabric with QTX using the direct/indirect application technique. CDF/QT Thick-Films can be laminated to produce unlimited stencil thickness variations.

The use of CDF/QT Thick-Film offers significant savings in labor and production time over the use of direct emulsion to produce stencils of similar thicknesses.

Product Features Benefits
• Consistent stencil thickness -Control of ink deposit—and ink costs
• Fast exposure and processing -Significantly less labor and production time
• High contrast/transparent pink color -Easy inspection and registration
• “Pre-coated” stencils -No mess or waste
• Availabe in your size custom-cut sheets

AVAILABILITY Rolls
• CDF/QT30 CDF/QT3026300 26"x300"
• CDF/QT50 CDF/QT5026300 26"x300"
• Larger rolls available upon request

AVAILABILITY in sheets (they're thick, they don't roll)
• Thicknesses of 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400 microns
• Custom-cut sheets (minimum order: 25 sheets of any one size and thickness)

Packages of mostly 10 Pre-Cut Sheets
CDF/QT-30 50 sheets PCDF/QT301414 14"x14" PCDF/QT301618 16"x18" CDF/QT-50 50 sheets PCDF/QT501414 14"x14" PCDF/QT501618 16"x18" CDF/QT-100 PCDFQT100810-X     8"x10" PCDFQT1001414-X 14"x14" CDF/QT-150 PCDFQT150810-X     8"x10" PCDFQT1501414-X 14"x14"	CDF/QT-200 PCDFQT200810-X     8"x10" PCDFQT2001414-X 14"x14" CDF/QT-250 PCDFQT250810-X     8"x10" PCDFQT2501414-X 14"x14" CDF/QT-300 PCDFQT300810-X     8"x10" PCDFQT3001414-X 14"x14" CDFQT3001414-214" × 14" 2 test sheets/li> CDF/QT-400 PCDFQT400810-X     8"x10" PCDFQT4001414-X 14"x14" CDFQT4002026-5     20" × 26" 5 test sheets

CDF/QT Exposure Chart

	QT-30	QT-50	QT-100	QT-150	QT-200	QT-250	QT-300	QT-350	QT-400
Mesh count/IN	200-400	60 - 180	30 - 160 / inch
Mesh count/CM			10 - 75 / cm

CDF^®/QSR - Complete Solvent Resistance - Dual Cure

Color	Solids	Viscosity	Shelf Life
Magenta	94%	none	1 year in cool dry storage - Coated Screen Life 4 weeks

Product Fact Sheet Technical Data Sheet MSDS

Fast exposing SBQ/diazo sensitized films intended for use with all solvent-based inks. Magenta colored films adherable with water or QFX^® emulsion.

The CDF/QSR series (available in thicknesses of 15, 20, 30, and 40 microns, and in rolls or custom-cut sheets) is formulated using pure photopolymer (SBQ), technology in combination with a special diazo resin. This combination yields very fast exposure times, excellent storage properties (conservatively speaking, 1 year shelf life; three weeks adhesion to mesh time but unexposed), a minimal influence of temperature and humidity on exposure speed, minimal changes in solubility with age (for consistent EOM), virtually universal solvent resistance, superb durability, and effortless stencil removal.

CDF/QSR is manufactured to the highest quality control standards in the industry: ± 1 micron. This high degree of control, in combination with the emulsion formulation, permits a repeatable low and defined stencil profile and a low Rz value with excellent resolution and ink transfer. Similarly, mesh bridging is superb.

CDF/QSR has a special backing sheet with a special matte-surfaced polyester that imparts slight irregularity to the bottom of the stencil. This has no consequential effect on the Rz value, yet provides special benefits under extremes of humidity. When the humidity is high and the substrate is smooth, CDF®/QSR releases easily from the substrate after the print stroke. Under low humidity conditions, the CDF®/QSR stencil has minimal hydrostatic attraction to the substrate, minimizing ink "feathering" or "whiskering."

CDF/QSR is produced with a special magenta colour that reduces light transmission under the edges of the positives, offers contrast for easier stencil inspection, yet permits the see-through registration of multi-screen jobs. This colour is environmentally safe and contains no heavy metals or other ecologically-damaging components in the formulation.

CDF/QSR is ideal for the reproduction of the finest details and for thin ink deposits applications on fine screen meshes. It is recommended for such higher quality screen making applications as: graphics, printed circuit boards, compact discs, membrane switches, ceramic decals, glass (automotive, architectural, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, hollowware, slot machines), and high resolution textile requirements.

AVAILABILITY in sheets
• Thicknesses of 15, 20, 30 and 40 microns
• Custom-cut sheets (minimum order: 25 sheets of any one size and thickness)

AVAILABILITY Rolls
• 15 micron film CDF/QSR-15 for 419 tpi or finer (165/cm)
  26" x 300" CDF/QSR1526300
  42" x 300" CDF/QSR1542300
  
• 20 micron film CDF/QSR-20 for 305 tpi or finer (120/cm+)
  26" x 300" CDF/QSR2026300
  42" x 300" CDF/QSR20713
  
• 30 micron film CDF/QSR-30 for 230 – 420 tpi (90 – 165/cm)
  26" x 300" CDF/QSR3026300
  42" x 300" CDF/QSR30713
  52" x 300" CDF/QSR30513
  
• 40 micron film CDF/QSR-40 for 196 – 305 tpi (77 – 120/cm)
  26" x 300" CDF/QSR4026300
  52" x 300" CDF/QSR40513
  

CDF/LX Dual Cure - some water resistance

Color	Solids	Viscosity	Shelf Life
Violet	94%	none	18 months in cool dry storage - Coated Screen Life 4 weeks

Technical Data Sheet MSDS

Diazo-acrylic (dual-cure) film intended for use with most solvent-based, some water-based or co-solvent inks for point-of-purchase displays, industrial graphics and sportswear printing, using 196-305 tpi/inch (77-120/cm) mesh.

CDF/LX's violet colored emulsion is coated on a textured polyester which leaves a slight texture on the surface of the stencil, minimizing hydrostatic attraction to printing stock. Capillary films adhere with water or Ulano dual-cure emulsions.

Available only in 40µ thicknesses.
• CUSTOM-CUT SHEETS in 50 sheet increments only
• 26" x 300"  CDF/LX4026300   22 LBS
• 52" x 300"  CDF/LX40513        30 LBS

Evaluating Light Sources

Fiat lux! (“Let there be light!”), one of the earliest proclamations in the Book of Genesis, should be one of your first considerations in the creation of photographic stencils. Light sources have three main attributes. Insofar as a light source optimizes each attribute or not, it will produce stencils ranging from superb to poor.

SPECTRAL OUTPUT

The wavelengths of light, or spectral output, of an exposure source should match closely the spectral sensitivity of photo stencil materials. The closer the match-up, the more efficient the light source, and the better it will “cure” or cross-link the molecules of the stencil material, so that the stencil will be more durable. The common sensitizers used in photo films and emulsions have specific sensitivity ranges, as shown on the “Sensitizer Absorption Chart” (below). It’s a common misconception that photographic stencil materials are “UV-sensitive.” In fact, they are sensitive to light ranging from upper-ultra-violet through the visible blue part of the spectrum. (That’s why yellow lights make good safelights, because photo stencil materials don’t react to the longer wavelengths of yellow.)

LIGHT INTENSITY

Photo stencil materials, even those comparatively fast ones formulated for projection exposure, are not nearly as fast exposing or sensitive as camera film. If photographic stencil materials were made that fast, they would be virtually impossible to protect from “pre-exposure.” Thus, light sources need the power, the intensity, to expose stencils in a reasonably productive amount of time.

LIGHT GEOMETRY

Light geometry concerns the angle of incidence of light rays as they strike the artwork and pass through its “clear” portions into the photo stencil material. Light rays emitted from a small area or “point source”--at a minimum distance of 1½ times the diagonal of the stencil--are more nearly perpendicular as they meet the artwork and stencil (“Perpendicular Light Incidence,” back page). This affords better transfer of image and non-image information from the artwork into the photo stencil material.

By contrast, with a widely dispersed light source such as fluorescent tubes, light rays enter the stencil material at oblique angles, quite literally angled behind the dark edges of the artwork, reducing the fine detail or resolution of the stencil (“Wide Angle Incidence”).

We categorize light sources according to how well they provide the three key exposure attributes. The highest quality light sources are metal halide or carbon arc. Mercury vapor and pulsed xenon are of medium quality. Quartz lamps, fluorescent tubes. Grolites®, fotoflood bulbs, etc. have problematic deficiencies, though they can be quite adequate for low resolution work, or in shops that don’t need high stencil throughput.

"Perpendicular" Light Incidence
Wide Angle Incidence (fluorescent tube unit, top)

All is not lost if you have a poor light source, but you will have to work smart to compensate for it, and understand and accept the limitations imposed by it. For help in making the most of your light source, contact Ulano Technical Services, Brooklyn, at 1-800-221-0616. Fiat lux!

D-max, D-min, and De-lineation: Evaluating Artwork

By “artwork,” we mean any imaged media placed between a light source and photo-stencil film or emulsion during exposure. Most photographic stencils are contact exposed in a vacuum frame, so the dimensions of the artwork are the same as those of the stencil and the final print. Image setter-exposed silver film (right-reading photographic positives*), laser toner (usually on vellum), inkjet on inkjet film, thermal images, and knifecut masking film (Rubylith® brand)—all are commercial media used for contact exposure.**

The essence of screen printing is a stencil that blocks the flow of ink to non-image areas of the print and is “open” in image areas, allowing ink to flow freely through the fabric. The integrity of the stencil material and the uncompromised openness of the image areas are equally essential. In addition, there should be a clear demarcation between image and non-image areas. These attributes originate with the artwork.

Photo stencils can never be better than the artwork used to generate them, nor can the final print be better than the stencil. If the “dark” areas of the artwork lack sufficient density*** to block light during exposure, or if they contain pinholes or ‘thin spots,” stencil material will harden in what should be the open, image areas of the stencil, and ink will not flow readily through the image areas of the stencil during printing. Similarly, if “clear” areas of the artwork are, at best, translucent rather than transparent, or contain “artifacts” such as dirt or dust, light energy will be filtered or blocked before it reaches the stencil material; non-image areas of the stencil won’t be fully “cured” or cross-linked and may break down during the printing run. Finally, if the delineation of image and non-image areas is pixilated, fuzzy, or lacking in acutance (edge sharpness or “definition”), so will the image edges on the final print.

*Any text or other information should be on the emulsion side of the positive and appear as you will want it to look on the final print; the emulsion side of the positive is placed against the stencil material during exposure.

**Projection exposure requires silver film positives that are considerably smaller than the final size of the print. Such positives must be of very good quality, as projection by its nature enlarges imperfections. “Computer-to-screen” systems don’t use “artwork” as we’ve defined it here. These systems either apply an image in inkjet wax directly to the stencil material (“inkjet CTS”) or utilize Texas Instruments’ digital light processing (DLP®) system to expose a screen “pixel by pixel” (“digital direct exposure”).

***The “dark” and “clear” areas of artwork can be measured on a densitometer. The opacity of the dark areas is referred to as D-max (maximum density) followed by the numeric densitometer reading. D-min refers to the minimum density—which is a measure of the clarity of the artwork. D-max 4.0 is ideal for stencil making, as it allows full exposure of non-image areas even if the artwork medium is cloudy or fogged.

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