Bracket the unknown
Turn a base guess and interval into clearly labeled zones on one coated screen.
Screen room calibration, without the guesswork
Screen printing
exposure calculator.
Build a bracketed step test, turn a 21-step wedge reading into a corrected time, or recalculate after moving a lamp. This browser tool plans the test and does the correction math; it does not replace a calibrated exposure film.
Build a test plan ↓- No sign-up
- Print-ready worksheet
- Latest setup saved
- Formula shown
Classic masked strip test
Bracket one educated guess across 3–10 zones.After the base exposure, begin with only zone 1 uncovered. Reveal one more numbered zone for each added interval; the final zone stays at the base time.
Optional print detailsPrefill the worksheet, or leave these blank to write by hand.
Test range30 sec–1 min 10 sec
5 zones · 4 card moves
Zone 11 min 10 sec
Zone 21 min
Zone 350 sec
Zone 440 sec
Zone 530 sec
- Expose every zone for 30 sec.
- For each added 10 sec pass, expose:zone 1 · zones 1–2 · zones 1–3 · zones 1–4Keep every higher-numbered zone masked during that pass.
- Keep zone 5 masked during every added pass so it stays at 30 sec. Zone 1 receives every pass and reaches 1 min 10 sec.
- Wash out and dry normally. Choose the sharpest zone that is fully hardened without closing detail.
Setup details
New exposure test ·
Emulsion: Mesh:
Light: Coating:
After washout — fill by hand
Best zone: Final exposure:
Notes:
Latest setup saved only in this browser. No account, upload, or remote calculation.
One tool, three honest calculations.
Exposure depends on the whole screen-making system. Exposure Bench starts from a time you already have, then helps you test around it or adjust one controlled variable. It never claims that mesh count alone can predict the answer.
Read a real wedge
Use the target from your emulsion process and the observed solid step to calculate a repeatable correction.
Change one variable
Apply the inverse-square starting adjustment when a point-like lamp moves, then confirm with a new test.
Method boundary: manufacturers say exposure varies with equipment, emulsion, mesh, coating, contact, and shop conditions. See the primary guidance from Chromaline,Ulano, and theStouffer step-wedge factor table.
Learn the test before you trust the time.
Three short field guides explain what the calculator can prove, how to run the exposure, and where a retest is safer than another formula.
6 min
Run a masked step test
Expose several useful times on one screen with your own artwork and an opaque card.
Read guide →5 minRead a 21-step wedge
Translate a solid-step result into a correction without treating one target as universal.
Read guide →5 minWhy exposure times change
Separate lamp, distance, mesh, emulsion, coating, film, contact, and process drift.
Read guide →Questions worth answering before washout.
Can a calculator tell me one universal exposure time?
No. Start from the emulsion maker's guidance or your last working time, then run a physical test on your own screen-making setup.
Do I need a 21-step wedge?
Only for the 21-step correction mode. The classic masked test works with your normal positive and an opaque card.
Is this a downloadable exposure calculator film?
No. Exposure Bench plans a manual masked test and calculates corrections from your observations. It does not replace a calibrated neutral-density film or imitate a proprietary test positive.
Where are my notes stored?
The latest setup stays in this browser's local storage. Print the result if you need a durable bench record, test history, or a copy for another device.