Screen printing mainly includes three steps: mount the screen, engrave the screen, and print the design. You can use xTool S1 to engrave the screen for printing.

1. Mount the screen and place it in the working area

(1) Follow the instructions in “Step-by-step Guide: (1) Mount a Screen” to mount the screen on the frame.

(2) Turn over the screen assembly, with the back of the screen facing up.

(3) Open the lid of xTool S1, and place the screen assembly stably on the baseplate.

2. Open or create a project

You can open a project to start processing or create a new project. If you create a new project, you need to design patterns and set parameters from scratch.

Open a project

On the home screen of xTool Creative Space (XCS), click Open from computer. In the pop-up window, select a file of the xTool Creative Space Project (. xcs) type and click Open.

Create a new project

On the home screen of XCS, click + New project.

3. Select the processing mode and material name

(1) On the top of XCS, click the name of the current processing mode, and then select Screen preparation as the processing mode.

(2) In the top-right corner, click User-defined material. Then, depending on the material you have purchased, select either a 100 Mesh or 200 Mesh Coated Screen. And click Confirm.

(3) Turn on or off Laser module position based on your need.

4. Set the laser focus

xTool S1 has a distance sensor, which can measure the distance between the laser module and the material surface. You can also manually measure and calculate the distance between the laser module and the material surface, and input the obtained values into XCS. 

During processing, xTool S1 will perform auto-focus based on the Distance parameter.

• Auto measure

(1) Move the laser module over the material. Ensure that the locating spot falls on the surface of the material.

(2) In the top-right corner of XCS, click the Auto-measure icon, and xTool S1 will automatically measure the distance from the laser module to the material surface.

Note: Before auto-measure, ensure that the probe of the distance sensor is not extending.

• Manual measure

(1) Use a ruler to measure the distance from the surface of the material to the top of the laser module.

(2) Subtract 100 mm (3.937 inches) from the measured value from step (1), and input the calculated value as Distance in the top-right corner of XCS.

5. Mark the position of the screen on the canvas

Note: If you use the frame fixing piece to fix the frame on the working area, you do not need to mark the processing area. Select the size of your screen, and XCS will display the best processing area on the canvas with a green rectangular.

(1) In the top-right corner of XCS, click the Mark processing area icon.

(2) Select Rectangle and click Start marking.

(3) Manually move the laser module to make the red cross spot fall at the upper-left vertex of the screen, and press the button on the device to record the position. Then, move the laser module again until the red cross spot falls at the bottom-right vertex of the screen and press the button on the device.

(4) Click End marking > Done, and then the target processing area will be marked out on the canvas.

6. Design objects for processing

(1) Use the tools to the left side of the canvas to create objects. You can import images, insert shapes, enter text, or draw vector graphics.

(2) Reflect the pattern horizontally or vertically. 
xTool S1 will engrave on the back of the screen, so you need to reflect the pattern horizontally or vertically.

Note: You may need to rotate the pattern depending on how you will place the material to be printed. 
For example, a T-shirt is usually slid onto the working platform for printing, so you need to rotate the pattern by 90 degrees. The rotating direction depends on how you place the screen assembly in the working area of xTool S1.

7.Set the processing path

In the bottom-right corner of XCS, click theicon next to Process.

(1) Setting the Scanning path for engraving, which applies only to vector engraving.

• All together: Engraves multiple objects at the same time in the set sequence and direction. The laser module travels a longer distance since it needs to travel across the empty space between each object over and over again. Therefore, the processing time is usually longer.
  

• One by one: Engraves objects one by one in the set sequence and direction. The laser module travels a shorter distance since it can finish engraving one object before moving to the next. Therefore, the processing time is usually shorter.
  

(2) Turn on or off engraving by layer.

• By layer: If this feature is turned on, xTool S1 will engrave the objects layer by layer.
• Divided into subtasks: If this feature is turned on, XCS will pause processing each time when xTool S1 finishes engraving a layer and remind you to replace the screen for the processing of next layer.

(3) Set the Scanning way, which applies to vector and bitmap engraving.

• From top to bottom: Engrave a pattern from the top to the bottom.
  

• From bottom to top: Engraves a pattern from the bottom to the top.
  

8. Preview the processing area

You can preview the processing area on the material by framing. Framing means laser dots walk along the border of the processing objects on the material. Take the following steps to start framing:

(1) In the bottom-right corner of the software, click theicon next to the Framing button to set the speed for framing.

(2) Close the lid of xTool S1, and then click Framing in the software. Press the button on xTool S1 to start framing. The laser spot will move along the boundary of the processing pattern on the material so that you can preview the processing area.

(3) After you confirm that the processing area is proper, click Framing completed in XCS. If the area is not ideal, you can adjust the material position or adjust the element positions in the software, and then preview the processing area again.

9. Start processing

(1) In the bottom-right corner of the software, click Process.

(2) Preview the processing pattern and path.

On the bottom-left corner, click thebutton, and XCS will show you the processing path.

(3) In the upper-right corner of XCS, click Start. 

(4) Close the lid of xTool S1. Then, press the button on xTool S1 to start processing.