|
This glossary of printing terms was
created by people working in today's printing industry and
is brought to you by the team at E.M.P.
Accordion fold: Bindery term, two or more parallel
folds which open like an accordion.
Against the grain: At right angles to direction of
paper grain.
Alteration: Change in copy of specifications after
production has begun.
Artboard: Alternate term for mechanical art.
Author's corrections: Also know as "AC's". Changed
and additions in copy after it has been typeset.
Back up: Printing the second side of a sheet already
printed on one side.
Banding: Method of packaging printed pieces of paper
using rubber or paper bands.
Basis weight: Weight in pounds of a ream of paper cut
to the basic size for its grade.
Bind: To fasten sheets or signatures with wire,
thread, glue. or by other means.
Bindery: The finishing department of a print shop or
firm specializing in finishing printed products.
Blanket: The thick rubber mat on a printing press
that transfers ink from the plate to paper.
Bleed: Printing that goes to the edge of the sheet
after trimming.
Blind embossing: An image pressed into a sheet
without ink or foil.
Blueline: A blue photographic proof used to check
position of all image elements.
Board: Alternate term for mechanical.
Bond & carbon: Business form with paper and carbon
paper.
Bond paper: Strong durable paper grade used for
letterheads and business forms.
Break for color: Also known as a color break. To
separate mechanically or by software the parts to be printed
in different colors.
Brightness: The brilliance or reflectance of paper.
Bulk: Thickness of paper stock in thousandths of an
inch or number of pages per inch.
Bulk pack: Boxing printed product without wrapping or
banding.
Burn: Exposing a printing plate to high intensity
light or placing an image on a printing plate by light.
Butt: Joining images without overlapping.
Butt fit: Printed colors that overlap one row of dots
so they appear to butt.
Carbonless: Pressure sensitive writing paper that
does not use carbon.
Caliper: Paper thickness in thousandths of an inch.
Camera-ready copy: Print ready mechanical art.
Carload: A truck load of paper weighing 40000 pounds.
Case bind: A type of binding used in making hard
cover books using glue.
Cast coated: Coated paper with a high gloss
reflective finish.
Chrome: A term for a transparency.
Coated paper: A clay coated printing paper with a
smooth finish.
Collate: A finishing term for gathering paper in a
precise order.
Color bar: A quality control term regarding the spots
of ink color on the tail of a sheet.
Color correction: Methods of improving color
separations.
Color filter: Filters uses in making color
separations, red, blue, green.
Color key: Color proofs in layers of acetate:
Color matching system: A system of formulated ink
colors used for communicating color.
Color separations: The process of preparing artwork,
photographs, transparencies, or computer generated art for
printing by separating into the four primary printing colors.
Comb bind: To plastic comb bind by inserting the comb
into punched holes.
Composite film: Combining two or more images on one
or more pieces of film.
Continuous-tone copy: Illustrations, photographs or
computer files that contain gradient tones from black to
white or light to dark.
Contrast: The tonal change in color from light to
dark.
Copy: All furnished material or disc used in the
production of a printed product.
Cover paper: A heavy printing paper used to cover
books, make presentation folders, etc.
Crash number: Numbering paper by pressing an image on
the first sheet which is transferred to all parts of the
printed set.
Crimping: Puncture marks holding business forms
together.
Cromalin: Trade name for DuPont color proofs.
Crop: To cut off parts of a picture or image.
Crop marks: Printed lines showing where to trim a
printed sheet.
Crossover: Printing across the gutter or from one
page to the facing page of a publication.
Cyan: One of four standard process colors. The blue
color.
Densitometer: A quality control devise to measure the
density of printing ink.
Density: The degree of color or darkness of an image
or photograph.
Diazo: A light sensitive coating used on printing
plates.
Die: Metal rule or imaged block used to cut or place
an image on paper in the finishing process.
Die cutting: Curing images in or out of paper.
Dot: An element of halftones. Using a loupe you will
see that printed pictures are made many dots.
Dot gain or spread: A term used to explain the
difference in size between the dot on film v paper.
Double burn: Exposing a plate to multiple images.
Draw-down: A sample of ink and paper used to evaluate
ink colors.
Drop-out: Portions of artwork that do not print.
Dummy: A rough layout of a printed piece showing
position and finished size.
Duotone: A halftone picture made up of two printed
colors.
Dylux: Photographic paper made by DuPont and used for
bluelines.
Emboss: Pressing an image into paper so that it will
create a raised relief.
Emulsion: Light sensitive coating found on printing
plates and film.
Eurobind: A patented method of binding perfect bound
books so they will open and lay flatter.
Facsimile transmission: The process of converting
graphic images into electronic signals.
Flat: An assembly of negatives taped to masking
materials for platemaking.
Flood: To cover a printed page with ink, varnish, or
plastic coating.
Flop: The reverse side of an image.
Foil: A metallic or pigmented coating on plastic
sheets or rolls used in foil stamping and foil embossing.
Foil emboss: Foil stamping and embossing a image on
paper with a die.
Foil stamping: Using a die to place a metallic or
pigmented image on paper.
4-color-process: The process of combining four basic
colors to create a printed color picture or colors composed
from the basic four colors.
French fold: Two folds at right angles to each other.
Galley proof: Text copy before it is put into a
mechanical layout or desktop layout.
Gang: Getting the most out of a printing press by
using the maximum sheet size to print multiple images or
jobs on the same sheet. A way to save money.
Generation: Stages of reproduction from original
copy. A first generation reproduction yields the best
quality.
Ghost bars: A quality control method used to reduce
ghosted image created by heat or chemical contamination.
Ghosting: A faint printed image that appears on a
printed sheet where it was not intended. More often than not
this problem is a function of graphical design. It is hard
to tell when or where ghosting will occur. Sometimes you can
see the problem developing immediately after printing the
sheet, other times the problem occurs while drying. However
the problem occurs it is costly to fix, if it can be fixed.
Occasionally it can be eliminated by changing the color
sequence, the inks, the paper, changing to a press with a
drier, printing the problem area in a separate pass through
the press or changing the racking (reducing the number of
sheets on the drying racks). Since it is a function of
graphical design, the buyer pays for the increased cost.
Gloss: A shiny look reflecting light.
Grain: The direction in which the paper fiber lie.
Grippers: The metal fingers on a printing press that
hold the paper as it passes through the press.
Hairline: A very thin line or gap about the width of
a hair or 1/100 inch.
Halftone: Converting a continuous tone to dots for
printing.
Hard copy: The output of a computer printer, or typed
text sent for typesetting.
Hickey: Reoccurring unplanned spots that appear in
the printed image from dust, lint, dried ink.
High-bulk paper: A paper made thicker than its
standard basis weight.
Highlight: The lightest areas in a picture or
halftone.
Image area: Portion of paper on which ink can appear.
Imposition: Positioning printed pages so they will
fold in the proper order.
Impression: Putting an image on paper.
Imprint: Adding copy to a previously printed page.
Indicia: Postal information place on a printed
product.
Ink fountain: The reservoir on a printing press that
hold the ink.
Keylines: Lines on mechanical art that show position
of photographs or illustrations.
Kiss die cut: To cut the top layer of a pressure
sensitive sheet and not the backing.
Knock out: To mask out an image.
Laid finish: Simulating the surface of handmade
paper.
Laminate: To cover with film, to bond or glue one
surface to another.
Layflat: See Eurobind.
Line copy: High contrast copy not requiring a
halftone.
Lines per inch: The number of rows of dots per inch
in a halftone.
Loupe: A magnifying glass used to review a printed
image, plate and position film.
Magenta: Process red, one of the basic colors in
process color.
Makeready: All the activities required to prepare a
press for printing.
Marginal words: Call outs for directions on various
parts of a business form.
Mask: Blocking light from reaching parts of a
printing plate.
Matchprint: Trade name for 3M integral color proof.
Matte finish: Dull paper or ink finish.
Mechanical: Camera ready art all contained on one
board.
Mechanical separation: Mechanical art overlay for
each color to be printed.
Micrometer: Instrument used to measure the thickness
of different papers.
Middle tones: The tones in a photograph that are
approximately half as dark as the shadow area.
Moire: Occurs when screen angles are wrong causing
odd patterns in photographs.
Negative: The image on film that makes the white
areas of originals black and black areas white.
Non-reproducing blue: A blue color the camera cannot
see. Used in marking up artwork.
Offsetting: Using an intermediate surface used to
transfer ink. Also, an unpleasant happening when the images
of freshly printed sheets transfer images to each other.
Offset paper: Term for uncoated book paper.
Ok sheet: Final approved color inking sheet before
production begins.
Opacity: The amount of show-through on a printed
sheet. The more opacity or the thicker the paper the less
show-through. (The thicker/heavier the paper the higher the
cost.)
Outline halftone: Removing the background of a
picture or silhouetting an image in a picture.
Overlay: The transparent cover sheet on artwork often
used for instructions.
Overrun or overs: Copies printed in excess of the
specified quantity. (Printing trade terms allow for + - 10 %
to represent a completed order.)
"Ozalid" is the name of a company that markets diazo
process products and equipment that makes diazo blueline
prints used primarily in the US by engineering and
architectual firms. However diazo or "Ozalid" proofs are
most often used in England, other European, Hong Kong,
Korean, and Singapore by printers as the proofing means
comparable to our Dylux, or Blueline proof. Submitted by
Ernie Engle EEErnesto@aol.com Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998
15:15:14 EDT
Page count: Total number of pages in a book including
blanks.
Pattern carbon: Special carbon paper used in business
forms that only transfers in certain areas.
Perfect bind: A type of binding that glues the edge
of sheets to a cover like a telephone book, Microsoft
software manual, or Country Living Magazine.
Perfecting press: A sheet fed printing press that
prints both sides of a sheet in one pass.
Pica: Unit of measure in typesetting. One pica = 1/6
inch.
Picking: Printers nightmare that occurs as the
surface of a sheet lifts off during printing. Generally a
paper manufactures quality control problem.
Pin register: A standard used to fit film to film and
film to plates and plates to press to assure the proper
registration of printer colors.
Plate gap: Gripper space. The area where the grippers
hold the sheet as it passes through the press.
PMS: The abbreviated name of the Pantone Color
Matching System.
PMT: Abbreviated name for photomechanical transfer.
Often used to make position prints.
Point: For paper, a unit of thickness equaling 1/1000
inch. for typesetting, a unit of height equaling 1/72 inch.
PostScript: The computer language most recognized by
printing devices.
Press number: A method of numbering manufacturing
business forms or tickets.
Pressure-sensitive paper: Paper material with self
sticking adhesive covered by a backing sheet.
Process blue: The blue or cyan color in process
printing.
Process colors: Cyan (blue), magenta (process red),
yellow (process yellow), black (process black).
Ragged left: Type that is justified to the right
margin and the line lengths vary on the left.
Ragged right: Type that is justified to the left
margin and the line lengths vary on the right.
Ream: Five hundred sheets of paper.
Recto: Right-hand page of an open book.
Reflective copy: Copy that is not transparent.
Register: To position print in the proper position in
relation to the edge of the sheet and to other printing on
the same sheet.
Register marks: Cross-hair lines or marks on film,
plates, and paper that guide strippers, platemakers,
pressmen, and bindery personnel in processing a print order
from start to finish.
Reverse: The opposite of what you see. Printing the
background of an image. For example; type your name on a
piece of paper. The reverse of this would be a black piece
of paper with a white name.
Rip film: A method of making printing negatives from
PostScript files created by desktop publishing.
Saddle stitch: Binding a booklet or magazine with
staples in the seam where it folds.
Scanner: Device used to make color separations,
halftones, duo tones and tri tones. Also a device used to
scan art, pictures or drawings in desktop publishing.
Score: A crease put on paper to help it fold better.
Screen angles: Frequently a desktop publishers
nightmare. The angles at which halftone, duo tones, tri
tones, and color separation printing films are placed to
make them look right.
Self-cover: Using the same paper as the text for the
cover.
Shadow: The darkest areas of a photograph.
Show-through: Printing on one side of a sheet that
can be seen on the other side of the sheet.
Side guide: The mechanical register unit on a
printing press that positions a sheet from the side.
Side stitch: Binding by stapling along one side of a
sheet.
Signature: A sheet of printed pages which when folded
become a part of a book or publication.
Silhouette halftone: A term used for an outline
halftone.
Skid: A pallet used for a pile of cut sheets.
Specifications: A precise description of a print
order.
Spine: The binding edge of a book or publication.
Split fountain: Putting more than one ink in a
printing fountain to achieve special color affects.
Spoilage: Planned paper waste for all printing
operations.
Spot varnish: Varnish used to hilight a specific part
of the printed sheet.
Stamping: Term for foil stamping.
Stat: Term for inexpensive print of line copy or
halftone.
Step-and-repeat: A procedure for placing the same
image on plates in multiple places.
Stet: A proof mark meaning let the original copy
stand.
Stock: The material to be printed.
Stripping: The positioning of film on a flat prior to
platemaking.
Substance weight: A term of basis weight when
referring to bond papers.
Substrate: Any surface on which printing is done.
Text paper: Grades of uncoated paper with textured
surfaces.
Tints: A shade of a single color or combined colors.
Tissue overlay: Usually a thin transparent paper
placed over artwork for protection uses for marking color
breaks and other printer instructions.
Transfer tape: A peel and stick tape used in business
forms.
Transparency: A positive photographic slide on film
allowing light to pass through.
Transparent copy: A film that light must pass through
for it to be seen or reproduced.
Transparent ink: A printing ink that does not conceal
the color under it.
Trapping: The ability to print one ink over the
other.
Trim marks: Similar to crop or register marks. These
marks show where to trim the printed sheet.
Trim size: The final size of one printed image after
the last trim is made.
Under-run: Production of fewer copies than ordered.
See over run.
Up: Printing two or three up means printing multiple
copies of the same image on the same sheet.
UV coating: Liquid laminate bonded and cured with
ultraviolet light. Environmentally friendly.
Varnish: A clear liquid applied to printed surfaces
for looks and protection. (UV coating looks better.)
Verso: The left hand page of an open book.
Vignette halftone: A halftone whose background
gradually fades to white.
Washup: Removing printing ink from a press, washing
the rollers and blanket. Certain ink colors require multiple
washups to avoid ink and chemical contamination.
Waste: A term for planned spoilage.
Watermark: A distinctive design created in paper at
the time of manufacture that can be easily seen by holding
the paper up to a light.
Web: A roll of printing paper.
Web press: The name of a type of presses that print
from rolls of paper.
Wire O: A bindery trade name for mechanical binding
using double loops of wire through a hole.
Wire-O binding: A method of wire binding books along
the binding edge that will allow the book to lay flat using
double loops. See Wire O.
With the grain: Folding or feeding paper into the
press or folder parallel to the grain of the paper.
Work and tumble: Printing one side of a sheet and
turning it over from the gripper to the tail to print the
second side using the same side guide and plate for the
second side.
Work and turn: Printing one side of a sheet and
turning it over from left to right using the same side
guides and plate for the second side.
Wove paper: A paper having a uniform unlined surface
with a smooth finish.
|