We take great pride in making our clients feel confident about their jobs during the production process. To help you gain a better understanding of what’s happening to your project, we’ve compiled a glossary of terms that we commonly use in our industry. If you have any further questions just call one of our customer service representatives, they will help you all the way through so you understand what is happening with you job.
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
C1S and C2S
Abbreviations for coated one side and coated two sides.
Calendar
To make the surface of paper smooth by pressing it between rollers during manufacturing.
Caliper
(1) Thickness of paper or other substrate expressed in thousandths of an inch (mils or points), pages per inch (ppi), thousandths of a millimeter (microns) or pages per centimeter (ppc). (2) Device on a sheetfed press that detects double sheets or on a binding machine that detects missing signatures or inserts.
Camera-ready Copy
Mechanicals, photographs and art fully prepared for reproduction according to the technical requirements of the printing process being used. Also called finished art and reproduction copy.
Carbonless Paper
Paper coated with chemicals that enable transfer of images from one sheet to another with pressure from writing or typing.
Carton
Selling unit of paper weighing approximately 150 pounds (60 kilos). A carton can contain anywhere from 500 to 5,000 sheets, depending on the size of sheets and their basis weight.
Case
Covers and spine that, as a unit, enclose the pages of a casebound book.
Cast-coated Paper
High gloss, coated paper made by pressing the paper against a polished, hot, metal drum while the coating is still wet.
Check Copy
(1) Production copy of a publication verified by the customer as printed, finished and bound correctly. (2) One set of gathered book signatures approved by the customer as ready for binding.
Choke
Technique of slightly reducing the size of an image to create a hairline trap or to outline. Also called shrink and skinny.
CMYK
Abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black), the four process colors.
Coarse Screen
Halftone screen with ruling of 65, 85 or 100 lines per inch (26, 34 or 40 lines centimeter).
Coated Paper
Paper with a coating of clay and other substances that improves reflectivity and ink holdout. Mills produce coated paper in the four major categories cast, gloss, dull and matte.
Collate
To organize printed matter in a specific order as requested.
Collating Marks
Mostly in the book arena, specific marks on the back of signatures indicating exact position in the collating stage.
Color Balance
Refers to amounts of process colors that simulate the colors of the original scene or photograph.
Color Cast
Unwanted color affecting an entire image or portion of an image.
Color Control Bar
Strip of small blocks of color on a proof or press sheet to help evaluate features such as density and dot gain. Also called color bar, color guide and standard offset color bar.
Color Correct
To adjust the relationship among the process colors to achieve desirable colors.
Color Separation
(1) Technique of using a camera, scanner or computer to divide continuous-tone color images into four halftone negatives. (2) The product resulting from color separating and subsequent four-color process printing. Also called separation.
Color Sequence
Order in which inks are printed. Also called laydown sequence and rotation.
Comb Bind
To bind by inserting the teeth of a flexible plastic comb through holes punched along the edge of a stack of paper. Also called plastic bind and GBC bind (a brand name).
Commercial Printer
Printer producing a wide range of products such as announcements, brochures, posters, booklets, stationery, business forms, books and magazines. Also called job printer because each job is different.
Composite Proof
Proof of color separations in position with graphics and type. Also called final proof, imposition proof and stripping proof.
Composition
(1) In typography, the assembly of typographic elements, such as words and paragraphs, into pages ready for printing. (2) In graphic design, the arrangement of type, graphics and other elements on the page.
Comprehensive Dummy
Simulation of a printed piece complete with type, graphics and colors. Also called color comprehensive and comp.
Contrast
The degree of tones in an image ranging from highlight to shadow.
Cover
Thick paper that protects a publication and advertises its title. Parts of covers are often described as follows: Cover 1=outside front; Cover 2=inside front; Cover 3=inside back, Cover 4=outside back.
Coverage
Extent to which ink covers the surface of a substrate. Ink coverage is usually expressed as light, medium or heavy.
Cover Paper
Category of thick paper used for products such as posters, menus, folders and covers of paperback books.
Creep
Phenomenon of middle pages of a folded signature extending slightly beyond outside pages. Also called feathering, outpush, push out and thrust. See also Shingling.
Crop Marks
Lines near the edges of an image indicating portions to be reproduced. Also called cut marks and tic marks.
Crossover
Type or art that continues from one page of a book or magazine across the gutter to the opposite page. Also called bridge, gutter bleed and gutter jump.
Cure
To dry inks, varnishes or other coatings after printing to ensure good adhesion and prevent setoff.
Customer Service Representative
Employee of a printer, service bureau, separator or other business who coordinates projects and keeps customers informed. Abbreviated CSR.
Cut Sizes
Paper sizes used with office machines and small presses.
Cutting Machine
A machine that cuts stacks of paper to desired sizes. The machine can also be used in scoring or creasing.
Cutting Die
Usually a custom ordered item to trim specific and unusual sized printing projects.
Cyan
One of the four process colors. Also known as process blue.
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