useful information

Glossary - P

Packaging

Term used to describe applications that collect together images, documents and fonts into one place, ready to be sent to an output bureau.

Pad Printing

See Tampo printing.

Padding

Amount of space separating a text or graphic element from the top, bottom, and sides of the table cell in which it is placed.

Page

One side of a leaf. 2pp means two printed pages which is one leaf.

Page Description Language (PDL)

A special form of programming language that enables both text and graphics (object or bit-image) to be described in a series of mathematical statements. Their main benefit is that they allow the applications software to be independent of the physical printing device as opposed to the normal case where specific routines have to be written for each device. Typical PDLs include Interpress, imPress, PostScript and DDL.

Page makeup

Assembly of all materials necessary to produce a page proof.

Page Printer

The more general (and accurate) name used to describe non-impact printers that produce a complete page in one action. Examples include laser, LED and LCD shutter xerographic printers, ion deposition, electro-erosion and electro-photographic printers.

Page proofs

The stage following galley proofs, in which pages are made up and paginated.

PageMaker

The software program from Adobe Corporation that everyone associates with desktop publishing due to its immense success on the Apple Macintosh. Now available on both the Macintosh and the PC, it is still used as a benchmark product, although in many areas competitors such as QuarkXPress, and more recent products such as InDesign have supplanted it.

Pagination

Numerical sequence of pages in a book.

Palette

Limited number of colours available for a given image - typically 2 colour, 256 colour, or (24-bit). And a name often applied to floating toolbars in certain applications (e.g. Photoshop).

Pallet

A platform with a slatted bottom, used to hold and ship cartons of paper stacked on top of each other.

Panchromatic

Film sensitive to the full spectrum of light and Ultra Violet.

Pantograph

For many years the mainstay of the engraving industry and still in common usage serving a vital role. Pantograph is on all-inclusive term that is used to describe a wide variety of machines ranging from very small two dimensional, fixed ratio non-motorized machines, to large, free standing, three dimensional, variable ratio ones. Regardless of their size or complexity all pantographs basically operate in the same manner, i.e. tracing a template with a stylus attached to the arms of the machine and, through a reduction ratio produces a mark on or into the surface of the material being engraved.

Pantone Matching System (PMS)

The most widely used system for specifying and blending match colours. The PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM identifies more than 700 colours. It provides designers with swatches for specific colours, and gives printers the recipes for making those colours. Neither a commercial printer nor an ink manufacture developed PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM, leaving the choice of ink brand up to the printer.PANTONE® A company whose name has become almost synonymous with the standard range of inks, papers, markers and colour specifiers they produce. The Pantone Matching System (PMS) system is a way of choosing precisely coloured inks for printing in spot or process, spot to process comparison, tints, duotones, etc.

Paper

A complex matted web of cellulose fibers.

Paper Consultant

A representative from a paper mill or merchant who has the expertise to help designers and printers choose just the right paper for a specific job.

Paper Cut

The excruciating, often unforeseeable, and usually invisible-to- the-naked-eye cut received when skin slides along the edge of a piece of paper at just the wrong angle.

Paperback

A soft cover book, less durable but less expensive than hardcover.

Paperboard

Paper with a caliper greater than .012 inches, or 12 points. Paperboard is used primarily for packaging and construction materials. Paperboard doesn't need to have the same white- ness and brightness as premium printing and writing papers, and because the process of de-inking is less important in its manufacture, it is a perfect product for using recovered fiber.

Paper-ink Affinity

The tendency for paper and ink to attract and stay attracted to each other. This keeps the ink on the paper and off the reader's hands or the next sheet. An incompatibility between ink and paper can cause printing problems.

Papermaking

Creating a web of fiber from plant cellulose (or, less commonly, from synthetic fibers). Papermakers today follow the same steps that its inventor, Ts'ai Lun, followed almost two thousand years ago: pulping vegetable matter and leaving the cellulose fibers behind; mixing the pulp with lots of water; draining it; forming paper on a sieve-like mold; pressing the paper to remove some of the water; and drying it to remove the rest of the water. Technology has sped up the process and helped to improve the smoothness, brightness, and printability of the paper, but it hasn't changed the essence of papermaking.

Paperplate

A short run offset printing plate on which matter can be typed directly.

Papyrus

An aquatic plant found in northern Africa. Although papyrus is considered to be the first paper, it's not, in the strict definition of the word, paper (which is a matter web of individual fibers). Rather, peeling the plant, which is constructed like an onion, and placing one layer on top of another made early papyrus “paper”. The natural juices acted like glue, bonding the layers and leaving the cellular structure of the plant layers intact.

Paragraph mark ()

A type symbol used to denote the start of a paragraph. Also used as a footnote sign.

Parallel Cutters

Those with a cutting edge that is parallel to the shank of the tool and produce a cut with straight edges.

Parallel fold

A method of folding; e.g. two parallel folds will produce a six page sheet.

Parchment

A writing substance made from the skin of animals. Today, parchment-like paper, or vegetable parchment, is made by dip- ping paper quickly into sulphuric acid, then quickly washing it and neutralizing the acid. This melts the fibers on the outside, which in turn coats the other fibers and fills the void between them. The result is a grease resistant sheet that is difficult to recycle.

Parenthesis

Punctuation marks (usually known as brackets).

Paste up

The various elements of a layout mounted in position to form camera-ready artwork. Pre digital.

Pattern adhesive

See pattern coating.

Pattern Coating

Refers to the width and spacing arrangement of adhesive laid down parallel to machine direction, across the width of a pressure-sensitive stock, during its manufacturing. Also refers to adhesive coating applied in a pattern which is not related to web direction.

Pattern Gum

An adhesive coating that alternates strips of adhesive/no adhesive parallel to the machine direction. The areas of no adhesive are frequently used as “lift-tabs” for order picking type labels.

PCI

Peripheral Component Interface; bus providing high bandwidth data channel between CPU and hard drives.

PCX

An outdated graphics format, originated as a memory dump of the screen RAM on a PC. This is a bitmap file format that is commonly supported, but not often actually used.

PDA

Personal Digital Assistant; handheld device like a Palm, stores information like addresses and appointments. Can access Internet. Use a stylus for input.

PDF

Portable Document Format from Adobe. This advanced form of Postscript allows you to share fully formatted documents - including typeface, type size, letter, line, and paragraph spacing - with users who have the reader. Created by Acrobat Distiller "compressing" a Postscript file. Has the capacity to be searched and has multi-media capabilities. Anyone with the free Acrobat Reader can read a PDF.

Peculiars

Characters for non-standard accent bearing letters used in setting foreign languages.

Peel adhesion (Adhesion)

The force required to remove a P.S. label from a standard test panel at a specific angle and speed after the label has been applied under specified conditions (Pressure-Sensitive Tape Council). The strip of test material is usually one inch wide, and the angle of measurement can be 90 to 180 degrees from the surface.

Peeler plate

A sharp edged, flat piece of metal around which the backing or carrier material is threaded, the prime function being a mechanical device which causes a pressure-sensitive label to be dispensed from the backing material.

Penetration

Bleed though. Change of appearance of the face material due to movement of one or more components from the adhesive or the substrate.

Perfect binding

A common method of binding paperback books. After the printed sections having been collated, the spines will be ground off and the cover glued on. The appearance is of a flat spine on the end of the book such as a paperback book. Often used for larger magazines and publications where saddle stitching is impractical.

Perfecting press or Perfector

Press that prints both sides of the paper at once. Also called Blanket-to-blanket press.

Perforated

Refers to a series of small incisions make in laid-on labels and/or their release liner to facilitate tearing along a pre-determined line, or for fan folding.

Perforating rule

Device on a letterpress or the cylinders of an offset press used to perforate paper.

Perforation

Series of small cuts made in labels and/or their release liner to facilitate tearing along a predetermined line.

Permanence

A paper's ability to resist tears, fading, and general aging over time. The national standard for permanence requires a pH of 7.5-8.5; at least 2% calcium carbonate; and no ground wood or unbleached fiber. The standard also has specific fold endurance and tear resistance requirements. Paper meeting the standard for permanence can be expected to last more than 100 years. Paper with a pH level of 5.5 or higher can be expected to last up to 50 years.

Permanent Adhesive

An adhesive characterized by having relatively highly ultimate adhesion to a wide variety of surfaces.

Petroleum-based Ink

An ink using petroleum as the vehicle for carrying the pigment. Ink manufacturers are seeking new vehicles to reduce the need for petroleum-based solvents, which may be toxic at high levels. see also ink, vegetable-based ink

pH

The measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a material. Paper with a pH below 7.0 is considered acidic; paper with a pH above 7.0 is considered acid-free, or alkaline. see also acid-free paper, alkaline papermaking, archival paper.

Phosphorescent Face

A face material coated with phosphorescent ink that emits light in a visible spectrum.

Photo CD

A proprietary format developed by Eastman Kodak for storing photographic images on a compact disc. Usually 35mm format. Images can be easily accessed for use in professional printing.

Photo Illustration

An image, primarily consisting of a photograph or composite image containing a photograph.

Photo Plate

A light sensitive printing plate. The plate is developed like film, and then used on a printing press.

Photocopy

A mechanical printing process that uses a light sensitive printing element, magnetic toner and a heating element to fuse the toner to the paper.

Photoengraving

Photo-mechanically produced metal relief printing plate used for letterpress printing.

Photograph

An image or picture made by exposing light sensitive film with a camera.

Photogravure

A printing process where the image is etched into the plate cylinder. The main advantage of this method of printing is the high speed, long run capability. Used mainly for mail order and magazine work.

Photolithography

Lithographic printing whereby the image is transferred to the plate photographically and printed on an offset lithographic press.

Photopolymer

Plate material that is photosensitive and upon exposure, its compounds polymerise to form a tough, abrasion resistant surface which becomes the inking media.

Photopolymer coating

Coating of compounds which when exposed polymerise to a tough, abrasion-resistant plate - good for long runs.

Photosensitive

Light sensitive.

Photoshop

A program from Adobe, now dominant in image editing, touching up photos, etc.

Photostat

Positive print made directly on paper using a Photostat machine.

Phototypesetting

Setting type photo-mechanically. Superseded by the Mac.

Pi characters

Those not usually included in a font, but which are added specially. Examples of these are timetable symbols and mathematical signs.

Pica

A unit of measurement equal to twelve (12) points or one sixth (1/6) of an inch. Used by designers and other graphic professionals for its precision.

Pick

The quality of paper as it relates to the tendency of fibers or particles to be pulled away from the sheet surface when removed from tacky surfaces such as printing plates.

Pick Out

A problem on press caused by unevenly sealed paper, or paper with low bonding strength. The ink "picks" off weak ares of the paper, lifting coating from a coated stock, or lifting fibers from an uncoated stock, and transferring them to the printing blanket. These fibers will eventually be transferred back onto the sheets being printed, causing inking and surface inconsistencies.

Pick Resistance

The ability of paper fibers to hold together during the printing process.

Picking

A problem generally resulting from using an ink that's too tacky for the paper it's printed on. The ink actually pulls tiny pieces of the paper off the surface of the sheet. Two types of picking are fiber bundles and coating picking. Fiber bundles are caused by weak fiber bond, and coating picking occurs when the adhesive properties of coating binder aren't strong enough to hold up the high tack of the offset printing process.

PICT

PICTure; Apple's native picture file format. Used for interactive applications, CD-Rom images, video stills, slide show presentations

PICture Element

On Macs the screen resolution is 72ppi, and of course there are 72 points to the inch. Pixels are not to be confused with dots, or dots per inch.

Piggyback

Multi-ply P.S. laminate consisting of a face stock; a layer of adhesive; a standard release liner; a layer of adhesive; and a standard release liner. This type of product provides a single label that can be applied to a substrate using the adhesive on the middle liner; then the top ply is removed and applied to a different substrate using the adhesive on the face stock.

Pigment

In printing inks, the fine solid particles used to give colour, or opacity.

Piling

Sticking or caking of ink pigment on the plate or blanket instead of passing on readily to the intended surface.

PIM

Personal Information Manager; stores information such as addresses, schedules, appointments and phone numbers etc.

Pin feed

See feed slots.

Pin register

Holes and pins applied to copy, film, plates and presses that positioned extremely accurately to ensure correct register of colours.

Pinch roll

See nip roll or pull roll.

Pinholes

Tiny holes in the emulsion of a photographic negative that must be opaqued before plate making.

Pipelining

The ability of a program to flow automatically text from the end of one column or page to the beginning of the next. An extra level of sophistication can be created by allowing the flow to be re-directed to any page and not just the next available. This is ideal for US-style magazines where everything is 'Continued on...'

Pixel

The smallest graphical element displayable by a computer. Unlike other measurements, pixels are finite, determining the resolution of an image, rather than its physical size.

Pixel Depth

The amount of data used to describe each coloured dot on the computer screen. i.e. Monochrome is 1 bit deep. Greyscale is 8 bits deep. RGB is 24 bits deep. Images to be printed as CMYK separation should be 32 bits deep.

Placeholder

Small graphic element used to replace a larger illustration or photograph until it has fully downloaded.

Planographic

A method for printing ink onto paper, where the image sits on the same surface as the printing plate. The image area is greased to attract ink, while the rest of the plate attracts water and repels ink. As the paper is pressed onto the flat surface of the plate, it picks up ink from the greasy image areas and a small bit of water from blank areas. This is the printing process used in lithography and offset lithography.

Plastic plate

Lightweight duplicate of a letterpress printing plate which is easy to handle and ship. PlateBrief for printing plate, generally a thin sheet of metal that carries the printing image. The plate surface is treated or configured so that only the printing image is ink receptive.

Plate finish

Even, hard finish on paper.

Plate Ready Film

Final photographic film used to "burn" printing plates.

Platen

Small letterpress that holds plate and paper parallel to each other. (Also known as a clam shell because of its opening and closing motion.)

Pliability

See flexibility.

Plugging

Printing problem when ink fills in around halftone dots, causing a loss of shadow detail.

Plug-in

Bolt-on addition to a program to increase or improve it’s functionality.

Ply

An individual layer of a laminated material.

PMS

Short for Pantone Matching System, a widely used colour-coding system that allows designers to define colours by numbers.

PNG

Portable Network Graphic - "Ping", developed for use on the Internet. It became popular after the standard GIF file format was ruled to breach copyright and will increase in popularity as software developers can incorporate PNG compatibility without paying royalties.

Point

In measurements of the thickness of paper, one point is 1/1000 or .001 inches; a measurement of the size of type, one point is 1/72 inch. see also caliper, thickness.

Polycarbonate

A high clarity film having the versatility of acetate with the durability of polyester.

Polyester

A strong film having good resistance to moisture, solvents, oils and many other chemicals. It is usually transparent.

Polyester liner

A polyester film that is silicone release coated. It provides an excellent die cutting surface and is also used on over-laminating films to provide a smooth, glass-like surface of adhesive.

Polyester overlam

A clear, glossy polyester film coated with clear acrylic adhesive. Can also be supplied with a matte surface.

Polyethylene

An extruded, tough stretchy film having limited temperature resistance but good moisture barrier properties.

Polymer

A complex, relatively large, molecule produced by the reaction of a simpler compound with itself. Usually refers to synthesized organic resins, but may also refer to natural materials such as starch, sugar, cellulose, and natural rubber.

Polypropylene

A polyolefin plastic similar in properties to polyethylene but with higher temperature capability and greater strength.

Polystyrene

A water-white thermoplastic produced by the polymerisation of styrene. The electrical insulation properties of polystyrene are outstandingly good and the material is relatively unaffected by moisture.

Polythene

Trade name for polyethylene available in films or as custom molded articles.

Polyvinyl

Refers to a group of resins formed by polymerising various vinyl monomers.

Polyvinylidene chloride

Usually a very thin transparent film with excellent resistance to acids, water and organic solvents.

Poor trapping

Condition in wet printing when less ink transfers to previously printed ink than to unprinted paper.

POP

Point of Purchase. Advertising or promotional displays at the checkout in a store.

Porosity

Refers to the openness or compactness of the fibers in a paper, is measured by the ability of air to pass through the sheet. The more open a paper is, the greater its porosity.

Portal

Marketing term to describe a website that is the first place people see when using the web. A ‘portal site’ generally has a catalogue of websites and/or a search engine. Portal site may also offer e-mail and other services to entice people to use that particular site as the ‘point of entry’ of choice.

Portrait

An upright image or page where the height is greater than the width.

Positive

Film or print reproduction of an original containing the same color relationship and subject placement as the original.

Post Cure

The phenomenon peculiar to radiation curing. Whereas, exposure to ultraviolet radiation will continue to react chemically for a period of minutes to hours after exposure.

Post-consumer Recovered Paper

Paper material recovered after being used by a consumer.

Posterisation

Image manipulation technique that reduces the total number of colour in an image and eliminates some of the tonal range, creating impressionistic high-contrast effects similar to line drawings.

Postscript

Device independent page description language pioneered by Adobe. PostScript is essentially a computer language that describes the objects and elements that make up a page, and hence is effectively non-resolution dependent. Thus Postscript is widely supported by both hardware and software vendors as it represents the current 'standard' in the market.

PPI

Paper per inch, or the number of sheets in a one-inch stack of paper; used to describe the bulk of a paper.

PPM

Pages Per Minute: a measurement of a printer's output speed.

Precision Sheeting

Converting rolls of paper into finished sheet sizes in a single operation.

Pre-consumer Recovered Paper

Paper recovered after the papermaking process, but before use by a consumer.

Pre-Flighting

Term which has come to be used to describe the process of checking a document for missing items - images and fonts - prior to it being output.

Pre-Press

The various printing related services, performed before ink is actually put on the printing press. (i.e. stripping, scanning, color separating, etc. . .)

Pre-sensitised plate

Printing plate with a light-sensitive coating.

Press proof

A test printing of a subject prior to the final production run. Press proofs are generally printed on the paper stock that will be used for the finished project. A few sheets are run as a final check before printing the entire job.

Press run

Total number of copies produced in one printing.

Pressure sensitive label stock

The combination of face material, pressure-sensitive adhesive and release liner from which pressure-sensitive labels are manufactured.

Pressure sensitive labels (Self-adhesive Label)

A label product that is processed through roll or sheet-fed equipment utilizing a P.S. material which has a protective backing. The manufactured product is generally in the form of rolls, sheets, or fan folded packs.

Pressure sensitive laminate

See pressure-sensitive stock.

Pressure sensitive tape

A combination of a pressure-sensitive adhesive with a carrier. Tapes are either self-wound or utilize release liners or films.

Preview mode

A mode where word processing or desktop publishing software that doesn’t operate in WYSIWYG fashion can show a representation of the output, as it will look when printed. The quality ranges from acceptable to worse than useless.

Primary colours

Primary colours: Pigment: Red, Yellow and Blue when mixed together with black will produce a reasonable reproduction of all other colours. Light spectrum primaries: Red, Green and Blue - added together create white light.

Primary label

Label that acts as the main identification of a product. Often designed to attract attention and contains information to appeal to a buyer and is usually applied at the time of its manufacture.

Primer

Coating applied to the face material on the side opposite to the printing surface to improve anchorage of the adhesive and prevent migration of adhesive components into face material.

Print engine

The parts of a page printer that perform the print-imaging, fixing and paper transport.

Print Quality

The overall excellence of a printed piece. Paper, ink, press, and the skill of the press operators all affect print quality.

Print treated

A proprietary chemical alteration of the surface by the film manufacturer done during the film making process.

Printability

How well a paper performs with ink on press. Absorbency, smoothness, ink holdout, and opacity all affect printability.

Printer

Film or plate of a single colour produced in the colour separation process.

Printer Command Language

A language developed by Hewlett Packard for use with its own range of printers. Essentially a text orientated language, it has been expanded to give graphics capability.

Printer driver

File used by a computer to ascertain the operational parameters of a printer and to translate files into a suitable form to print on  that device.

Printing

The process of applying images to a variety of surfaces. Some printing processes include: offset lithography, thermography, la gravure, letterpress, silkscreen, digital, laser, dye sub, photographic.

Printing Methods

A means or tool for placing ink on paper. Most printing is done with a plate. The four main types of printing methods are relief, where words or images are raised above the surface of the plate; intaglio, where they are etched through the surface; plano-graphic, on the same plane as the surface; and stencil, or screen printing, cut below the plate surface. Words and images may also be "printed" electronically, using photocopiers and inkjet printers.

Process camera

Camera that is specifically designed to photograph material for printing.

Process colours (2)

The mechanical process of reproducing a full colour image with the three primary subtractive colour inks. (Magenta, cyan, yellow and black)

Process lens

Photographic lens that is corrected for line, colour and halftone work.

Process plates

Halftone plates printing in one of the four process colours.

Process printing

Multi-colour printing utilizing a variety of printing screens, depth of etch, etc., and usually using yellow, magenta, cyan and black inks to give an optical effect of all colours and hues being present in a composite picture.

Production Artist (Paste-up Artist)

A skilled labourer who produces finished camera ready or plate ready artwork from the visual elements and instructions provided by the designer or client

Profiling

The technique of cutting through a piece of material using a rotary engraving cutter. This method of engraving is commonly used for making badge blanks, cutting out irregular shapes or making cut-outs in control panels.

Progressives

Colour proofs taken at each stage of printing showing each colour printed singly and then superimposed on the preceding colour.

Proof

Laser, chemical or blueline proof prepared prior to printing which allows the client to check how colour, photos, type, art and so on, will register and print.

Proof correction marks

A standard set of signs and symbols used in copy preparation and to indicate corrections on proofs. Marks are placed both in the text and in the margin.

Proportion scale

Circular slide rule used in sizing art (reduction or enlargement) for reproduction. Easier and more accurate to use a calculator. The formula is as follows; reproduction divided by original, and then hit the percentage key.

Proportional spacing

A method of spacing whereby each character is spaced to accommodate the varying widths of letters or figures, so increasing readability. Books and magazines are set proportionally spaced.

Protective coating (Overcoat, Overprint Coating)

Coating that protects printing on and the face material of a pressure sensitive label from abrasion, chemicals and moisture.

Proxy

A stand in, such as an intermediary server on a LAN, an image in the DTP application that is for position only, or the object manipulation tool on the PageMaker control strip.

Pt. abbreviation for "point."

Abbreviation for "point."

Pull-down menus

Developed from Xerox research, they are a method of providing user control over software without cluttering up the screen. Accessed by point and click with the mouse or keyboard shortcuts.

Pull-tab

Area on a face stock that facilitates easy removal of the label, usually a cut area on a sheeted label. Also called a peel tab or tear tab.

Pulp

The raw material used in papermaking consisting mainly of wood chips, rags or other fibers. Broken down by mechanical or chemical means.

Pulping Wood

Transforming wood, the raw material of most paper, into pulp. Pulping breaks wood apart, separating the rows of cellulose fibers that are stuck together with lignin. These separated fibers will later create the matted web of fibers we know as paper. Paper may be made with pulp from just one of the following processes, or by mixing mechanical and chemical pulps.

Punched out labels

Anvil cut or sheeted labels. Also referred to as metal-to-metal cutting due to the die cutting edge coming in contact with the anvil.