When working with professional printers, there may be some terms that are not widely known outside of the industry. Do you need help deciphering all the terms used in commercial printing? Then look no further, as we have the perfect resource for you!
Gateway supplies you with an extensive glossary of terms related to both offset and digital printing. With this glossary, you’ll have all the knowledge you need to make sure you and your Gateway Printing representative are speaking the same language.
Gateway offers both Offset Printing and Digital Printing. Not sure of the difference? No worries! Keep reading to find out how to best communicate your needs.
A-D
Accordion fold – two or more parallel folds that open like an accordion
Aquous Coating – a water-based coating applied to protect printed piece – gloss or matte
Artwork – photographs, drawings, paintings, hand lettering to illustrate printed matter
Alteration – change in copy or specifications made after production has begun
Banding – method of packaging printed pieces using rubber bands
Bar code – a pattern of vertical bars and spaces representing characters that is readable with a scanner
Barrel fold – folding a sheet two or more times in same direction
Binding – various methods of securing sections together and/or fastening them to a cover
Bleed – an extra amount of printed image that extends beyond the trim edge of a sheet
Blind Embossing – a raised impression made without using ink of foil
Bond paper – strong durable paper grade used of letterheads and forms
Bristol – type of board paper used for post cards, business cards, and other heavy-use products
Brochure – A single or multi-page folded paper used to advertise a company’s products or services
CF – coated front
CB – coated back
CFB – coated front and back
Caliper – thickness of paper, expressed in thousandths of an inch
Camera ready – the state in printing when a document is ready to print without any edits or adjustments needed
C1S – paper stock coated on one side
C2S – paper stock coated on both sides
Carbonless – paper that is coated with chemicals to produce copies without carbon in-between the sheets (also referred to as NCR paper)
Card Stock – a stiff rigid paper used for postcards, manual covers or table tents
Chipboard – inexpensive, single-ply cardboard, usually brown or gray
Coated Paper – paper with a layer of coating applied to one or both sides, such as gloss, dull and matte finish
Collate – a finishing term for gathering paper in a precise order
Color separations – the separation of color artwork or transparencies on to separate sheet for each color. The division of a multi-color original into the primary process colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.
Cotton fiber paper (rag content or cotton content)– paper that contains 25% or more cellulose fibers derived from lint cotton, cotton linters and cotton or line cloth cuttings
Copyright – An exclusive right that has been granted by law to a particular creative product. The right of copyright gives protection to the originator of material to prevent use without express permission or acknowledgement of the originator.
Composition – the process of setting type and arranging it on the page
Consecutive Numbering – method of numbering manufactured business forms or tickets
Cover stock – a heavy printing paper used to cover books
Crash numbering – numbering carbonless paper by pressing an image on the first sheet which is transferred to all parts of a printed set
Cut Sheet – paper cut into standard sizes ready for use with a copier or press
Cutting Die – sharp edged devise usually made of steel rule, to cut paper, cardboard, etc. on printing press
Die – a metal rule or imaged block used to cut or place an image on paper in the finishing process
Diecut – The use of a sharp, formed piece of metal (cutting die) to cut out specific shapes in a piece of paper
Digital Printing – Printing without plates where files are imaged by digital data from prepress systems. Toner-to-paper printing.
Drill – to bore holes in paper so sheets fit over posts of loose-leaf binders
Dull finish – characteristic of paper that reflects relatively little light
E-L
Embossing – a process performed after printing to stamp a raised or depressed image into the surface of paper using engraved metal embossing dies, extreme pressure and heat
Enamel paper – a coated sheet or the coating on a sheet
Estimate – a price provided to a customer, based on the specifications outlined on the estimate form; it is normally set prior to the entry of an order and prices may change if the order specifications are not the same as the estimate specifications
File Submission – The process of emailing artwork to the printer. For larger files, third party websites such as Dropbox.com or Box.com are recommended
Finish – surface characteristic of paper
Finishing – the bindery process performed after the document has been copied or printed
Finish size – size of printed product after production is complete
Flyer – an inexpensively produced printed sheet used for promotional distribution
Foil emboss – to foil stamp and emboss an image on paper with a die
Foil stamp – a letterpress process using foil and dies. Foil is transferred from its backing to the paper when stamped with a heated die.
Four-Color Process – printing in full color using four color separations of ink (yellow, magenta, cyan and black) which reproduce full-color photographs of art (color pictures)
Gather – to assemble or collect sections into the proper sequence for binding
Gloss – characteristic of paper, ink or varnish that reflects relatively large amounts of light
Graphic design – the use of graphic elements and text to communicate an idea or concept
Gusset – expandable portion of bag, file folder or envelope
Head–to–head – printing on both sides of a sheet where the top of each page is placed at the same end
Head–to–foot – printing on both sides of a sheet where the top of each page is placed at the opposite ends
Hard copy – a printed paper copy of output in readable form
Imposition – the process of arranging the pages of copy so that when the sheets are printed and folded for binding the pages will be in the proper order
Impression – the image produced in a single operation on a printer, copier or press
Inserts – extra printed pages inserted loosely into printed pieces
Index paper – light weight board paper for writing and easy erasure
JPEG – The JPEG file type is one of the world’s most widely used image file formats. It is able to compress impressive detail into a shareable file size.
Kraft paper – strong paper, usually brown
Kromekote – a premium high-gloss, cast-coated paper
Laminate – a thin transparent plastic coating applied to paper or board to provide protection and give it a glossy finish
Lithography – method of printing using a chemically-coated plate whose image areas attract ink and whose non-image areas repel ink
M-R
Make Ready – all activities required to set up the press for a pressrun, including running test sheets of paper
Magnetic ink – a magnetized ink that can be read by electronic machines – used in check printing
Marginal wording – call outs for directions on various parts of a business form (Example: White – Office Copy, Yellow – Customer Copy)
Matte finish – dull finish paper
Micrometer – instrument used to measure thickness of paper
Mike – to measure the thickness of a sheet of paper using a micrometer
Mock-up – a rough visual of a publication or design
Mylar – polyester film, often used to reinforce tabs
Numbering – putting a sequential number on each copy
Offset paper – uncoated book paper
Offset printing – method of lithographic printing that transfers ink from a plate to a blanket, then from the blanket to paper
Opacity – characteristic of paper that helps prevent printing on one side from showing on the other
Over Run – the number of pieces that were printed in excess of the quantity specified. PMS color – pantone matching system – an international system used to mix inks to standard colors used by printers
Pad – to bind by applying glue along one edge of a stack of sheets
Page count – total number of pages, including blanks and printed pages without numbers
Pagination – the numbering of pages in a book
Parallel fold – folds that are parallel to each other – a letter is parallel fold
PDF (Portable Document File) – A universal file format that can be viewed, navigated and printed from any computer regardless of fonts or software programs used to create the original
Perfect Binding – a binding process whereby single sheets are stacked together, the binding edge is ground to create a rough surface and adhesive is applied. A cover is then wrapped around the pages
Perforating – punching small holes or slits in a sheet of paper or cardboard to facilitate tearing along a desired line
Plastic Combs – material used in binding a publication that allows it to lay flat when open
Prepress – the processes performed on a printing order prior to production (examples: typesetting, layout, scanning, etc.)
Pressure-sensitive paper – paper material with self sticking adhesive covered by a backing sheet
Press Proof – Actual press sheets to show image, tone values and colors as well as imposition of frame or press-plate
Proof – a method of checking for errors prior to printing an order
Ream – five hundred sheets of paper
Registration Marks – Crosses or other targets applied prior to platemaking. Used for positioning and register of two or more colors in process printing.
Resolution – Measured in dpi (dots per inch). We use the standard of 300 dpi. The greater the dpi, the better the image clarity.
S-Z
Saddle Stitch – the binding of sheets of paper to form a book which works by stapling in seam where sheets are folded
Score – to mechanically crease or press a channel into paper along a line so it will fold more easily
Self-cover – using the same paper for inside pages and the cover for multiple page publications
Self-mailer – printed piece designed to be mailed without an envelope
Shrink wrap – a tight fitting plastic wrap used to protect a publication from handling or storage problems
Side stitch – to bind by stapling through sheets along one edge
Signature – a section of a book made by folding a printed sheet so that the pages follow in correct order (standard signatures are 8, 16 & 32)
Slip Sheet – blank sheet placed between newly-made printed products to prevent setoff or scuffing during handling and shipping
Slit – to cut paper using a disk or wheel
Specifications – complete and precise descriptions of paper, ink, binding, quantity and other features of a printing job
Spine – the binding edge of a book
Spiral binding – a method of binding which secures pre-trimmed sheets by the insertion of wire or plastic through holes drilled or punched in the binding edge
Stock – paper used for a printing job
Tag – board grade paper used for products such as tags and file folders
Text weight paper – lighter than cover stock, suitable for forms and publication pages
Thermography – a finishing technique applied after printing that raises the ink and gives the effect of ink raised off the page
Trapping – in prepress, refers to the overlap of colors to eliminate white lines between colors in printing
Trim – the cutting of the finished product to the correct size
Transparency – a color or black and white photographically produced image on transparent film
Turnaround time – amount of time needed to complete a job
Two-up – printing two up or three up means printing the same image twice or three times on the same sheet of paper in one impression
Uncoated paper – smooth sheet with no glossy finish or coating
Underrun – production run of fewer copies that the amount specified
UV coating – liquid laminate applied to a sheet that is bonded and cured with ultraviolet light
Varnishing – a finishing process whereby a transparent varnish is applied over the printed sheet to produce a protective finish
Vellum finish – relatively rough finish on uncoated paper
Watermark – distinctive design created in paper during manufacture
Web Printing – printing on rolls of printing paper
