Thesis Abstract

This research investigated the problems encountered in textile printing, screen printing process. Printing is a very complex type of fabric design it needs careful preparation and execution as any mistake would affect the printed work. A major determinant of the outcome of a printed fabric is the printing table. A table without a good guide for registration would produce a poorly finished product, as a result of imperfect registration of impressions. This is the problem the students have to contend with in the textile studio. The aim of this study is to construct a standard printing table, that would solve the difficulties faced by students while printing, proffering a solution to the issues of registration, with the introduction of a stop system for accuracy and efficiency. The researcher carried out research using the visual reference of the printing table in Yaba College of Technology and also interview of a lecturer in the same institution. The construction of the printing table was done with wooden and metal materials. The researcher has been able to proffer a solution of imperfect registration in screen printing by the construction of printing table with a guide with the use of stops to actualize accuracy of registration.

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTION

The first actual textiles as opposed to skin sewed together is probably felt Textiles can be felt or spun fibers made into yarn and subsequently melted looped, knit or woven to make fabrics , there are different methods of creating fabrics from textiles, weaving is performed with the use of a loom, knitting involves interlacing strands of yarns with the use of a needle and it is typically done by hand, lacing is done backing piece to create finer fabrics with open holes throughout the piece, interlacing a yarn through an existing piece of woven cloth result in a layer known as pile which is prominent in the manufacture of carpets and velvet, the last is the oldest technique which is known as felting which involves squeezing a mat of fibbers together in a liquid to create a tangled flat material.

Textile can be designed using variety of techniques which includes weaving together fibers of different colours, bleaching to create a pure white look, tie dye resist method, batik resist method, starch resist method printing on already made fabrics, stitching coloured yarns through existing fabrics.

The main focus of this project is screen printing as a method of fabric design Textile printing is the process of applying colours to fabric in defined patterns or designs. The need for precision in printing makes textile printing one of the most complex of textile operations. In proper printed fabrics the colour are bonded to the fiber so as to resist washing and friction, with the aid of a binder added to the ink. The print could be in one or several colours. The need for proper registration of impression becomes more desirable when printing more than one colour.

Textile printing is related to dyeing, but in dyeing the whole fabric is being dyed while in printing one or more colours are applied in certain parts and in shapely defined patterns . According to Arthur M. Hind, p, Houghton Mifflin in “An Introduction to a History of Woodcut, Co. 1935 (in USA), reprinted Dover Publications,” Textile printing was known in Europe via the Islamic world from the 12th century and widely used. However the European dyes tend to liquefy which restricted the use of printed patterns, there are different types of printing techniques, which includes block printing which are usually made of wood and the design is carved so it stands as a relief against the surface, there is also the roller printing screen printing, Bota printing, Burn out printing, Direct printing, Discharge printing Duplex printing.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

From my personal research and experience I have observed that the production of a good printed fabric free from misprint is dependent on a good and standard printing table especially in screen printing. But a defective printing table would produce a poorly finished product as a result of imperfect registration of impressions.

This prompted the researcher in embarking on the construction of a standardized printing table, for the enhancement of quality, precision of prints and also to complement inadequate textile printing table in the textile Studio University of Benin. This is with the intent to cater for the ever increasing population of textile design students.

AIM, AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to construct a durable standard printing table that would be made of metal. Also to solve the difficulties students face in having to take turns to use the only available printing table, and to proffer solution to the issue of registration with the introduction of the rail and stop system at the edge of the table, to enable accuracy and efficiency in printing. It is hoped that this study will help make the task of printing less stressful and more precise for the textile students of university of Benin.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The major limitation of this study is hinged on the fact that the researcher lacks the knowledge and skill required for the construction of the table. The lack of the technical knowledge to weld and cut metal pipes and also the knowledge and materials to construct the wooden part of the table, this placed the researcher at a detrimental position. The researcher had to rely on the competence of the carpenter and the welder. Another area that presented difficulties in this research is getting the right dimensions of boards for the wooden surface and the fitting dimensions of foam to cover the wooden surface. The researcher had to contend with the task of effectively joining the boards and foam together.