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.
  • Achromatic color reproduction
    Color separation technique whereby the neutral compound is digitally replaced by a corresponding level of black; also refer to gray component replacement.
  • Alternative method
    Within the meaning of the Clean Air Act (US), any method of sampling and/or analyzing for an air pollutant, which is not a reference (or equivalent) method, but which has been demonstrated to produce results adequate for the determination of compliance with the Act.
  • Anodize
    An electrochemical oxidation of aluminum to form a porous aluminum oxide surface, which can be colored and is nonconductive, non-corrosive, and resistant to abrasion.
  • Anodizing
    The process of adding a protective oxide film to metal by an electrolytic process.
  • Art reproduction
    To make a reasonable facsimile of an art object. Could be reproduced in any of a number of methods; painted, inkjet, serigraph, offset lithography, sculpted, cast etc.
  • Azodye
    Any of various red, brown, or yellow acidic or basic dyes derived from nitrobenzene in an alkaline solution.
  • Banner Production
    Banners can be made with digitally cut self-adhesive vinyl or by digital printing directly onto banner materials with aqueous, solvent, UV or latex ink systems. Whether you cut or print, you will first need to start with a design and graphic design software. The feature list in your software can sometimes make or break your designs, so limiting yourself to inexpensive software can hurt your competitiveness. Standard software packages like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, CorelDRAW or FlexiSIGN will enable you to create distinguishing projects that sell banners and work well for your clients. You will need a modestly powerful computer to design with and usually another one to drive the cutters and printers with special RIP (raster image processor) software or cutting/printing software.
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    Plotters and printers:

    If you’re going to create vinyl-decorated banners, you’ll need a commercial grade vinyl cutter with good tracking. There are many such cutters in the marketplace with varying widths and feature sets, including the ability to vary cut force and speed. These are ideal because of their precision and media handling. Most entry-level cutters are fine for small decals, but don’t cut accurately beyond 8 – 10 feet. Ask about tracking before you choose a cutter to ensure that it will deliver accuracy for the lengths you require. Ten feet might seem silly, but pin striping a recreational vehicle is at least ten feet, maybe twenty+, so think about your possible future products, not just the common ones.   The alternative to cut vinyl lettering is to digitally print your banner.  Digitally printed banners are the de facto standard in the market place. With the prices for entry level digital printers at their lowest in years, there’s no excuse to own a sign shop and not have one. Banners can be produced with every ink type that digital printers typically are using, but the materials used must be compatible with the ink set in the printer. Water based inks need coated media, solvent printers typically do not need coated media, nor do UV curable or latex inks. When in doubt, check with the media manufacturer about an inks compatibility and longevity with the media in question. There are a myriad of choices in the digital printer world and your choice will depend on your products size and your business production needs.   Printers can be purchased that have basic ink sets of CMYK or extended ink sets that have light cyan, light magenta, light blacks, metallic silver and white. The majority of printers that one would consider for banner printing start at the 30” (762 mm) width mark, but can go all the way up to the maximum width of 5 meters (196.8”) in width. One of the lesser-known advantages of going wide is the ability to print multiple narrower rolls across the media width (each roll is a different job). This alone will increase productivity for narrower jobs and provide capability for wide material printing. Currently latex printers stop at the 126” (3200 mm) width, but both solvent and UV curable devices are available up to the maximum 5-meter width.
  • Biodegradable
    Of a substance, capable of being decomposed by natural biological processes.
  • Blackbody
    A surface that completely absorbs all radiant energy striking it without reflection.
  • Bodied oil
    A drying or semi-drying oil whose viscosity has been increased by heating or chemical reaction.
  • Body
    The viscosity, consistency, and flow of a vehicle or ink, as assessed subjectively; a long-bodied ink is thick, while a short-bodied ink is thinner and creamy.
  • Body label
    A decoration applied to the body of a bottle.
  • By-product
    A chemical substance produced during the manufacture, processing, use, or disposal of another substance or mixture.
  • Carbon rods
    Cylindrical rods made of carbon granules bound together into a solid form for use in carbon arc lamp.
  • Cement exposing method
    An exposing technique involving the temporary securing of the film positive or hand made positive to the photoscreen film with rubber cement prior to exposure.
  • Cold-cathode lamp
    A low pressure UV germicidal lamp, refer to germicidal lamp.
  • Collodion film paper
    A backing paper coated with a water soluble film used in ceramic decal production, where screen printing is done on the surface of the collodion film.
  • Collodion process
    A method of photography where a glass plate is coated with salted (iodized) negative collodion and sensitized by immersion in an acidified silver nitrate solution and exposed in a moist condition.
  • Color model
    A color measurement scale or system that numerically specifies the perceived attributes of color.
  • Combustion product
    Matter resulting from combustion such as flue gases, ash, and water vapor.
  • Copy modification
    The elongation, slanting, outlining, expanding, condensing, or otherwise changing a piece of original copy to fit a design, pattern, or mood.
  • DODISS
    Acronym for US Department of Defense Index of Specifications and Standards.
  • Drawdown rod
    A metal rod wound with fine wire, used to coat liquids evenly at a given thickness across a substrate; also refer to equalizer rod.
  • Explode
    To burst suddenly and violently.
  • Face material (body stock) (face stock) (base material)
    Any paper, film, laminate, or foil material suitable for converting into pressure sensitive decals that are attached to a backing or support sheet.