The printing business seems to have it’s own language. To help you understand what some of that language means, we have provided frequently used terms in this glossary.
Accordion Fold:
Parallel folds, alternating in direction
Backing Up:
Printing the reverse side of a sheet that is already printed on one side
Blueline:
A proof made from film
CMYK:
Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black; the inks used in color process printing
Collate:
To gather pages in a particular order for binding
Crossover:
Occurs when a graphic element carries over from a page to the one facing it
Deckle Edge:
The naturally ragged edge of untrimmed paper
Die:
A stamping tool used in embossing and cutting
Dot Gain:
The spread of dots during the stages of printing or platemaking, as measured by the increase in size of a midtone dot —if, for some reason such as paper absorbency, a 50% dot expands to a 60% dot, the gain is 10%
Duplex Stock:
Paper with its two sides colored or finished differently
Embossing:
Producing a raised image in paper by means of a die striking from the back of the paper into a recessed counter die at the front
Fountain:
The supply of ink for a lithographic press
Grain:
In a sheet of paper, the direction in which most fibers lie, the easy tearing or folding direction
Gripper Edge:
Leading edge of a sheet of paper which is grasped mechanically and drawn into the press
Gripper:
margin Unprinted space allowed along the gripper edge
Gutter:
The inner margins where two pages meet
Hickey:
An imperfection caused by dirt, paper particles, etc.
Imagesetting:
When digital document files are transferred to film which will be used to produce plates for printing
Makeready:
The steps or time needed for preparing the press, may also include the preparation of folding and binding equipment
Multilith:
Small format offset lithographic press used to print individual pages
Offset:
Printing that uses an intermediary surface called a blanket to transfer the image from the primary inked surface of the paper
Pantone Matching System (PMS):
The printing industry standard color matching system
Perfect Binding:
An unsewn, flat-spined binding made with glue
Perfecting Press:
A type of press that prints both sides of the paper in one pass through the press
Press Run:
The number of copies in one printing
Register:
The correct alignment of colors during printing
Resolution:
The quantification of printout quality using the number of dots per inch
Saddle-Stitching:
Binding that uses wire stapling at the center of the magazine or booklet
Signature:
A group of pages printed on the same sheet, front and back; after printing, the sheet is folded so that the pages fall in correct order
Stripping:
Assembling film into flats for plate making
Trapping:
Slight overlap of colors to eliminate white lines between images
Varnish:
A thin, protective coating applied to a printed sheet for protection or appearance; learn more about varnishes here
Need a translator? Please contact Keystone at anytime – we are available to help you find your way through the printing process.