Printer Guidebook---Screen Mesh 5
Mesh tension: A measure of mesh deflection expressed in terms of Newtons per centimeter (N/cm).
Tension should be looked at in two ways: the initial stretching and re-tensioning of mesh on your frames, and the ways in which tension interacts with other variables during printing. It's difficult to understand its dynamics without looking at tension relative to off-contact distance and squeegee-blade pressure, so be sure to visit those variables after you've read about this one.
The twofold job of mesh tension is to provide resistance for the blade-to be overcome only at the point where the blade forces mesh-to-substrate contact-and to pull the mesh out of the ink film after the blade passes.
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