Glossary

The PRINTING United Alliance Glossary serves as an excellent industry terminology resource. It is the language by which we all communicate. Without it, universal understanding would be impossible.

To keep our constituents well informed about changes to the increasingly complex industry terminology, PRINTING United Alliance has developed this glossary of terms. Definitions are for general reference only. Usage may vary between companies, individuals, or national and country customs. The information presented is as accurate as the authors and editors can ascertain and PRINTING United Alliance assumes no responsibility for the use of information presented herein.
  • False body
    A characteristic of an ink or coating which has more body or heavier viscosity that the pigment/vehicle ratio would indicate. A false body may be induced by adding a flocculent.
  • Flame treated product
    Treatment of the surface of polyolefin plastic by passing the material through a gas/air flame to oxidize the surface, so printing inks and adhesives will adhere.
  • Flexural modulus tester
    Instrument used to measure the deflection of a rigid or semi-rigid, non-cellular plastic in flexing, tension, compression or torsion by the application of a specific load.
  • Flood bar (return-blade)
    A device on a screen printing press comprised of a thin metal (or plastic) blade, which has the function of spreading a thin film of ink uniformly over the printing screen, in the opposite direction of and preceding the printing stroke.
  • Flood coat
    Even coating of ink, which covers the image area of the screen, but is not forced through the image area.
  • Flood stroke
    A squeegee motion that deposits a layer of ink on top of the screen mesh under light pressure preventing the image from drying out between print strokes.
  • Flooding
    (1) The tendency of pigment particles to rise to the surface during drying/curing producing a uniform color which is different from the surrounding color; (2) The application of ink to the top of a printing screen without printing, refer to flood coat.
  • FM (Frequency-Modulated Screening)
    A dithering method that uses uniform dot sizes and varies the distance between them. This method is different from conventional halftone screening, which aligns dots of varying sizes on a regular grid.
  • Frequency modulated screening (FM)
    A dithering method that uses uniform dot sizes and varies the distance between them.
  • Generic fiber codes
    Acceptable acronyms developed by the International Standards Organization for manufactured fiber.
  • Golden rod paper
    A specially coated yellow or orange masking paper used to assemble and position negatives for exposure to press plates.
  • Greige goods (gray goods)
    Fabric that has been removed from the loom, before any finishing or dyeing.
  • Introduction to Offset Pad Printing
    Understanding the pad printing process is rather difficult for most people. Everyone has heard of it but nobody knows exactly what it means or how it works. The great advantage of offset pad printing relies on the fact that, next to the printing of flat objects, odd shaped objects can also be printed on.
  • Light emitting diode (LED)
    A semiconductor device that emits incoherent light.
  • Light emitting diode display
    Type of electronic changeable copy sign that uses hundreds of light emitting diodes in single and tri-color matrices.
  • Mayer rod/bar
    A metal rod wound with a fine wire around its axis, used to draw an ink down evenly and at a given thickness.
  • Modacrylic fiber
    A manufactured fiber with higher resistance to chemicals and combustion and a higher specific gravity than acrylic.
  • Model
    The original creation from which a mold is made.
  • Modifier
    An inert ingredient added to a formulation that changes its properties.
  • Modular
    A machine system where several different or similar operations are controlled by a computer.
  • Modulated transfer function (MTF)
    A test that measures the optical frequency response of a scanner or other optical system.
  • Module
    An electronic circuit, part, or unit consisting of prescribed standard or fixed dimensions, serving prescribed electrical functions, used as sub-assemblies in the construction of electronic equipment.
  • Modulus of elasticity
    A measure of the rigidity of a material; the ratio of the stress or load applied to the strain or deformation produced in a material that is elastically deformed.
  • Modulus of rupture (MOR)
    A tool for measuring the relative resistance of material to scratching.
  • National Electric Code (NEC)
    Electrical safety code adopted in the United States.