Glossary of Terms

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A

Acrobat Reader

Software package used to view PDFs. For more information on how to download Acrobat Reader, access the Adobe site on www.adobe.com

Artwork

Original illustrative copy or typesetting, ready for reproduction.

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B

Banding

Unwanted lines of changing density across a print job. Usually can be attributed to a problem in the transfer process.

Bleed

When a printed area extends beyond the final page size then it is called a bleed. A bleed is normally provided for printers, so when they trim the artwork no white is left on the sheet. It also allows laser printers to print edge to edge, by printing on oversized paper.

Bitmap

A computer generated grid of pixels or printed dots used to represent type and images on a page.

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C

CAD

Computer Aided Design. Generally used in the architecture or engineering industry.

Coated Paper

Standard paper given a coating of synthetic clay to fill in surface pits to promote ink holding and give a different finish.

Collate

If multiple copies of a document are printed, the printer is able to assemble the pages of each copy in their correct order.

CMYK

Standard process colours used in four colour printing - cyan [C], magenta [M], yellow [Y] and black [K], with K standing for key colour. Using these four colours in differing proportions, the full colour spectrum can be produced.

Colour Calibration

A mechanism using hardware and software to adjust and coordinate colours between two or more digital devices.

Colour Separation

Separation of a continuous tone colour into four process colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CYMK) for print making.

Consumables

Parts of a printer, which have to be replaced once their life has expired or they have run out, for example the ink in a toner cartridge. Generally, these are end-user replaceable.

Continuous Feed

Paper that is generally tractor fed into a dot matrix printer. Rather than individual sheets, the paper is continuous, separated only by perforations.

Crop Marks

Markings on the sheet which indicate where cuts should be made or edges can be trimmed.

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D

DPI

Dots per inch, a measure of the output resolution produced by laser printers or image setters. Used usually in the context of semitone or process printing, which refers to the frequency of print dots appearing. The greater the dpi, the finer the print.

Dot Matrix

Dot Matrix printers have a horizontal moving head with a vertical line of pins mounted inside. As the head moves, the correct pins are pushed forward to form the shape of a letter and they strike the inked ribbon to form characters as a series of dots. They can print at high speeds onto continuous feed paper. There speed is measured in character per second (cps)

Download

The transfer of information from the internet to the computer.

Driver

Software installed on your computer which allows it to communicate with your printer or other external devices. For example you can set your drivers so the printer always prints on both sides of the paper.

Duplex Printing

Printing on both sides of a sheet.

Dye Sublimation

Dye is vapourised using heat and pressure, before being deposited on the media to give a high quality output.

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E

EPS

Encapsulated Postscript, a file format used to transfer Postscript image information from one computer software program to another.

Ethernet

This is a computer standard of communication which, transmits data using a specific protocol through a network. It is one of the most widely used LAN technologies in business today.

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F

Finishing

A term used to cover all bindery operations (Folding, Stapling, Punching and Trimming)

Font

A set of characters having the same typeface and characteristics such as size, spacing and font style.

FTP

File Transfer Protocol, the program used to transfer files through the Internet from one computer to another.

Fuser

Part of a non impact printing system that fuses toner or powder on to paper, using heat and pressure

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G

Gamma

Measure of contrast affecting the mid tones in an image.

Gateway

A device used to link two (non-identical) LANs or a LAN into a WAN.

GCR

Grey Component Replacement, technique for replacing all the neutral tones of an image with an appropriate amount of black.

Ghosting

Where a faint representation of a previously printed page appears on the subsequently printed pages.

Gloss

This is the reflectivity of the paper or print on the paper. Glossy paper has a shiny finish to it.

Grayscale

Term used when an image is represented by many shades of gray.

GSM / g/m2

Both mean grams per square meter, and represent the weight of paper.

Gutter

The point at which facing pages meet, usually represented by a line or fold.

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H

Halftone Screen

Pattern of dots of different sizes used to simulate a continuous tone photograph either in colour or black and white.

Hub

A device at the centre of a star network through which all connections are made.

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I

Impostion

Postioning pages on a sheet so as to ensure they are in the correct order once the page has been folded.

InkJet

Very fine jets of ink, which can include colours, are sprayed directly onto the paper from rows of nozzles. Special ink is required to prevent it smearing before it has dried.

ISDN

Integrated Services Digital Network, international communications standard for sending data over digital telephone lines at a faster rate than traditional analogue phone lines.

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J

JDF (Job Definition Format)

An XML based file format, JDF is designed to allow an open exchange of data between different machines and applications including pre-press, press and finishing, thus providing a streamlined flow of information from job inception to completion.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

A format for image files, with built in compression.

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K

Keyline

A line drawn on artwork which indicates an area for tint laying, positioning or half tones etc, where this must be done at a later stage. May be printing or non-printing.

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L

Laser

Laser printers use very narrow beams of light to fire an image onto an electronically charged drum. Pigment loaded resin (toner) is attached to the charged areas and heat is then used to melt and bond the resin to the paper as it is rolled over the drum.

LAN

Local Area Network, a way for computers to transmit data in a localised location, through a network.

LED Technology

Light Emitting Diodes, this is where a light source shines light on a light sensitive drum creating an attractive charge like a magnet. Toner is attracted to this charge and transferred to the paper and finally fused in place. Digital LED Technology has a number of advantages such as faster printing and higher print quality than a comparable laser printer.

LPI

Lines per Inch, measure of the frequency of dots on a halftone screen.

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M

Media

This relates to the different weights, styles and types of paper available for use in a printer.

MICR

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. A specialist magnetic toner used for printing reference numbers on cheques, or for magnetic sorting.

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N

Network

A network allows lots of computers to access a central computer, through cables or by wireless.

N-Up

Printing multiple sheets up on a single page.

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O

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Software that can scan an image and turn it into editable text.

Optical Resolution

The physical resolution of a device before any software enhancement.

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P

Pantone colour

Also known as PMS, ie Pantone Matching System. This is an ink system where eight primary colours are mixed in defined ratios to achieve a specific colour, for example if asked for PMS 357 - this is a reference for a specific colour, achieved by mixing three or four of the Pantone primary colours to achieve a particular shade. All printing companies will understand an instruction to match PMS 357.

Paper Tray

This is the tray on a printer where the paper (media) is stored. The input tray is the tray used for blank sheets of paper, where as the output tray is where the printed documents end up.

Parallel Port

This is a plug socket on a computer which is used to connect printers via a cable, for the data to be transmitted from the computer to the printer.

PDF

Portable Document Format, file format for representing documents independent of the original application software, hardware, and operating system used to create those documents.

PDL

Page description language, a PDL specifies the arrangement of a printed page through commands from a computer that the printer carries out. Hewlett Packard's Printer Control Language (PCL) and Adobe's PostScript are the two most commonly used PDLs.

Perfect Binding

A type of binding using glue, this method is used to make paperback books.

Pictbridge

A printer with Pictbridge will allow direct connection of a digital camera to produce prints.

Pixel

Or picture element, is a dot made by an imaging device (scanner or printer)

Point

A measurement representing the size of a font. For example this type is in 8.5pt Tahoma. 1 point is equal to 0.3515mm.

Postscript

A commonly used PDL (See PDL’s)

Proof

A pre-production print, made for the purpose of checking the accuracy of layout, type matter, tone and colour reproduction.

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R

Ream

A measurement of paper, in most cases 500 sheets

RGB

A colour system using Red, Green & Blue. This is most commonly used in monitors and displays.

RIP

Raster Image Processor, part of an output device that rasterises information so that it may be printed into film or paper.

Rasterisation

Conversion of PDL data into a bitmap for printing or display

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S

Saddle Stitch

A method of binding a document together by stapling along a centre fold.

Solid Ink

Can also be called Phase Change printing. Solid blocks of resin based ink are melted and sprayed onto a solid drum. Media is then passed across the drum and the image is transferred to the paper.

Spot Colour

Colour printed with custom ink rather than with a process colour combination.

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TIFF

Tagged Image File Format, standard file format for exchange of bitmapped images between applications.

Toner

Chemically grown fine powder used to create an image in photocopying and laser printing.

True Colour Systems

Monitors that display more than 16 million colours (24 bits per pixel).

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U

USB

Universal Serial Bus - this is a a plug-and-play interface which connects electronic devices to computers. A USB is generally quicker in transferring information than a parallel port. Generally most printers and computers on the market have USB connectivity, unless they are more than 1-2 years old.

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W

WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get - describes the idea that a printed image is visually identical to the same image when viewed on a computer monitor.

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