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JARGON BUSTER - The A to Z of Print Terminology

 

Making sense of baffling printing terms.

 

You know everything there is to know about your business. Yet, when it comes to dealing with print suppliers you're probably not clued up on the intricate details. Like every other industry, the Printing industry has its very own language and terminology.

 

To help keep things simple, we have created a Jargon Buster Guide where you can familiarize yourself with typical print terms and what they actually mean.

 

 

Print Terminology Guide A-Z:

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

Pagemaker

Graphics Software

 

Page

One side of a sheet of paper -whether printed or not

 

Page Makeup

The assemblage of all the necessary elements required to complete a page.

 

Parallel Fold

All folds are parallel to each other

 

Parchment

A hard finished paper that emulates old paper

 

Parent Sheet

A sheet that is larger than the cut stock

 

Perf Marks

Markings usually dotted lines showing where the perforations should occur

 

Perfect

A term used to describe the binding process where the book makes a squared spine

 

Perfect Binding

Binding process where backs of sections are cut off, ground together

 

Perfecting Press

A printing press that prints on both sides of the page in a single pass

 

Perforating

Punching small holes or slits in a sheet of paper to facilitate tearing along a desired line

 

Pica

Standard of measurement, 1/6 inch. 1 pica = 12 points 72 points = 1 inch

 

Picking

When the tack of ink is stronger than the surface strength of the paper, some lifting of the paper surface occurs; this is referred to as picking.

 

 

Plate

Reproduction of type or cuts in metal, plastic, rubber, or other material, to form a plate bearing an image that can be transferred

 

Plate Cylinder

The cylinder on the printing press on which the plate is mounted

 

Plate Making

Making a printing plate

 

Plate Setter

Machine that images plates directly from digital file.

 

Point

A measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch. 12 points to a pica, 72 points to an inch.

 

PPI

Pixel per inch.

 

Premium

Any paper that is considered better than #1 by its manufacturer.

 

Primary Colors

In printing the four primary colors are cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black

 

Process Inks

CMYK, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black that create images in full color

 

Process Printing

CMYK printing

 

Proof

A representation of the job given to the customer that should represent final product-this is the last stage before plating.