Technical Thursday-Trouble With Ink Gelling In The Screen? Let's Fix It!

A couple of days late, but this weeks article revolves around a common problem that has popped up more with low cure inks. If you’ve ever had ink start curing in your screen during a long run, you know how frustrating it can be. This problem isn’t usually caused by the ink itself—it’s the heat.

Why It Happens

• Excessive flash times & temps: Running your flash unit too hot or too long causes heat to build up.
• Pallet heat retention: Over time, pallets can climb well above 120°, turning them into a hot plate under your screen.
• No cooling station: Without airflow or a break between flashes, that heat has nowhere to go.
• Ink sensitivity: Low-cure inks (especially blacks) gel faster than standard cure inks when pallets get too hot.

The Fix: Keep Pallets Cool​
The sweet spot for pallet temp is about 120°F. Here’s how to maintain it:

• Add airflow – Place a fan under the pallet to push out heat after each flash.
• Slow your flood stroke – A deliberate flood stroke helps cool ink in the screen before the next print stroke.
• Dial in flash settings – Reduce flash temp and shorten times as your pallets naturally heat up during a run.
• Stage cooling – Rotate pallets or introduce a cool-down step to avoid runaway heat.

By managing heat carefully, you’ll keep your screens open, your ink flowing, and your prints consistent—even on long production runs.