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Common
Printing Terms:
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Screen Printing: an
image is transferred to the printed surface by ink,
which is pressed through a stenciled screen and treated
with a light-sensitive emulsion. Film positives are put
in contact with the screens andexposed to light,
hardening the emulsion not covered by film and leaving a
soft area on the screen for the squeegee to press ink
through. (Also called silk screening). |
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Pad Printing: a
recessed surface is covered with ink. The plate is wiped
clean,
leaving ink in the recessed areas. A silicone pad is
then pressed against the plate, pulling the ink out of
the recesses, and pressing it directly onto the product. |
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4-color Process: a
system where a color image is separated into 4 different
color values by the use of filters and screens (usually
done digitally). The result is a color separation of 4
images, that when transferred to printing plates and
printed on a printing press with the colored inks cyan
(blue), magenta (red), yellow and black, reproduces the
original color image. These four colors can be combined
to create thousands of colors. |
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Pantone Matching System (PMS): a
book of standardized color in a fan format used to
identify, match and communicate colors in order to
produce accurate color matches in printing. Each color
has a coded number indicating instructions for mixing
inks to achieve that color. |
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Camera-ready: artwork
that is black and white and has very clean, crisp lines
that make it easy to scan and suitable for photographic
reproduction. |
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Bleeds: printers
cannot print right to the edge of a paper sheet. To
create that effect, the printer must use a sheet, which
is larger than the document size. Then the printer
prints beyond the edge of the document size (usually
1/8?), then cuts the paper down to the document size. |
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Imprint Area: the
area on a product, with specific dimensions, in which
the imprint is placed. |
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Paper proof: Impression
of type or artwork on paper so the correctness and
quality of the material to be printed can be checked.
The least expensive is a regular black and white faxed
paper proof. |
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Pre-production Proof: an
actual physical sample of the product itself produced
and sent for approval before an order goes into
production. |
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Drop Shipment: an
order shipped to more than one location will be charged
a fee for each additional destination. |
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Less than Minimum: the
fee charged for ordering 50% fewer items than the
quantity listed in the minimum or first column. This
option is not always available on all products. |
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Etching:
using a process in which an image is first
covered with a protective coating that resists acid,
then exposed, leaving bare metal and protected metal.
The acid attacks only the exposed metal, leaving the
image etched onto the surface. |
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Engraving: cutting
an image into metal, wood or glass by one of three
methods--computerized engraving, hand tracing, or hand
engraving. |
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Colorfill: screen
printing an image and then debossing it onto the vinyl's
surface. |
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Embroidery: stitching
a design into fabric through the use of high-speed,
computer-controlled sewing machines. Artwork must first
be "digitized," which is the specialized process of
converting two-dimensional artwork into stitches or
thread. A particular format of art such as a jpeg, tif,
eps, or bmp, cannot be converted into an embroidery
tape. The digitizer must actually recreate the artwork
using stitches. Then it programs the sewing machine to
sew a specific design, in a specific color, with a
specific type of stitch. This is the process known as
digitizing. |
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Debossing:
depressing an image into a material's surface
so that the image sits below the product surface. |
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Embossing:
impressing an image in relief to achieve a
raised surface. |
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Hot Stamp:
setting a design on a relief die, which is then
heated and pressed onto the printing surface. |
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Laser or Foil Stamp:
applying metallic or colored foil imprints to
vinyl, leather or paper surfaces. |
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Personalization:
imprinting an item with a person's name using
one of several methods such as mechanical engraving,
laser engraving, hot stamping, debossing, sublimation,
or screen printing, to name a few. |
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Die-casting:
injecting molten metal into the cavity of a
carved die (a mold). |
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Die-striking:
producing emblems and other flat promotional
products by striking a blank metal sheet with a hammer
that holds the die. |
