Print:

At Trio we deal with a wide range of printing methods from Digital (for very short run work), to Litho (for short to medium size jobs), Web presses for high volume work and finally Gravure for very high volumes.

Both Web & Gravure machines print using reels of paper that can be finished partly or wholly in-line as opposed to Litho, which is predominately sheet fed.

1. Digital printing
2. Sheet fed litho printing
3. Silk Screen Printing
4. Web printing
5. Gravure

Finishing Processes:

Print finishing is the range of processes that are applied to sheets either of paper, once they have been printed, digitally or by litho.

Once the sheets of paper have been printed, there are a number of ways a print company can finish the sheets of paper, this is all dependent upon the results required. As there is a vast array of finishing operations, not all printers have all these in-house, so specialist finishers are employed.

Listed below are a number of the most popular finishes available.

Trimming	Collating
Folding	Saddle stitching
Spot varnishing	Laminating, Gloss – Matt - Silk
Die cutting	Embossing / debossing
Perfect binding	PUR
Wiro binding	Thread sewn
Gluing	Foil Blocking

Paper Sizes:

• A1 = 594 841 mm
• A3 = 297 x 450 mm
• A2 = 420 x 594 mm
• A4 = 297 x 210 mm
• A5 = 148 x 210 mm
• A6 = 105 x 148 mm
• A7 = 64 x 105mm

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Envelopes:

Envelopes come in a wide range of shapes and sizes from the day-to-day white and manila, which arrive through our letterboxes each day to the more exotic foil and specialist handmade samples, which can be made out of a diverse range of materials.

Listed below are the standard envelopes suitable for automatic machine enclosing:

C6 (114x162mm) gummed wallets	DL (110x220mm) gummed wallets
DL+ (114x229mm) gummed wallets	C5 (162x229mm) gummed wallets
C5+ (162x235mm) gummed wallets	C4 (324x229mm) gummed wallets

If you have a special size envelopes or you want a promotional envelope to “Stand out” when it arrives talk to our technical staff at Trio who will be please to assist.

Alternative types of Envelopes:

• Plastic: Clear or opaque printed or plain
• Paper: Window or non-window printed or plain, white paper or coloured
• Re-cycled: Window or non-window printed or plain, white paper or coloured
• Metallic:
• Cellophane:
• Holographic:

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Production Glossary:

The jargon de-bunked:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M O P R S T U V W Z

Accordion or Z fold

Two or more parallel folds, which open like an accordion or a ‘z’.

Adobe Acrobat

Software package that converts any document to an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file. Anyone can open your document across a broad range of hardware and software using the downloadable, free software Adobe Acrobat Reader, and it will look exactly as you intended— with layout, fonts, links, and images intact. (Taken from www.adobe.com.)

Against the grain

Printing at right angles to the direction of paper grain. This will cause folding problems. One way to work around folding against the grain is to score the paper before folding.

Banding

When the changes from screen percentage to screen percentage in a gradient can be seen, instead of a solid blending from dark to light or from colour to colour.

Bind

To fasten sheets together with wire, thread, glue, or by other means.

Bindery

Where materials go for assembly. Cutting, folding, binding and boxing are some of the activities performed in bindery.

Bleed

Ink which prints beyond the trim edge of the page, created for the purpose of allowing ink to extend to the edge of the page after trimming. Without bleed, cutting the product becomes extremely difficult and may sacrifice the quality of the product. For best results, create 3mm bleed (past trim edge) on all edges where bleed is desired.

Blind debossing

An image pressed into a sheet without ink or foil, creating a lowered area.

Blind embossing

An image pressed into a sheet without ink or foil, creating a raised area.

Blueline

A blue photographic proof used to check position of all image elements. Similar to a blueprint.

Carbonless

Pressure sensitive writing paper that does not use carbon paper.

Centre justified

Type that is justified to the centre of the left and right margins; the line lengths vary on both sides.

Collate

A finishing term for gathering paper in a precise order.

Colour bar

A line of coloured blocks in a row or a single colour placed at the tail of a press sheet and used to measure the density of colour across the width of a press sheet.

Colour correction

Improving colour separations by altering either the electronic file or the amount of colour burned onto a plate or the amount of ink applied to a press sheet.

Colour matching system

A system of formulated ink colours used for communicating colour.

Colour separations

The process of preparing artwork, images or computer-generated art for printing by separating them into the 4 primary printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black.

Comb bind

To plastic comb bind by inserting the comb into punched holes.

Crash number

Numbering paper by pressing an image on the first sheet, which is transferred to all parts of the printed set?

Crop

To cut off parts of a picture or image.

Crop marks

Printed lines showing where to trim a printed sheet.

Cyan

One of four standard process colours, blue

Debossing

Pressing an image into paper so that it will create a lowered area.

Densitometer

A quality control device used to measure the density of printing ink.

Density

The degree of colour or darkness of an image or photograph.

Die

Metal rule or imaged block used to cut or place an image on paper in the finishing process.

Die cutting

The process of using a steel rule embedded into a sheet of wood to cut images in or out of paper.

Digital screen proof

A proof delivered electronically. The most typical example is a PDF proof.

Digital proof

A hard copy proof calibrated to match press colours as close as possible.

Direct-to-plate

The process by which plates are created using information sent to a direct to- plate device from a computer, without using film.

Dot gain or spread

A term used to explain the difference in size between the dot on film as opposed to the dots on paper.

Dots per inch

The term dpi (Dots Per Inch) expresses a relation between the number of dots an image is made of and the distance over which it is displayed or printed.

Double burn

Exposing a plate to multiple images.

Downstream Access

An alternative to Royal Mail for postage distribution. To encourage competition Postcomm has enforced Royal Mail to allow other operators access to their network of delivery offices for the ‘final mile’ of delivery. This is commonly called “downstream access”. The mail is still hand delivered by Royal Mail’s postmen and women, but instead of Royal Mail collecting the mail from us and undertaking the sortation themselves, it is delivered into the local Royal Mail delivery offices by the “downstream access” operator, whose distribution costs are lower than Royal Mail’s which can therefore save you money. Only effective with certain pack sizes, quantities and delivery services.

Duotone

A halftone picture made up of two printed colours.

Duplex Laser Printing

To laser print both sides of the sheet

Embossing

Pressing an image into paper so that it creates a raised area.

Emulsion

Light-sensitive coating found on printing plates and film.

Flood

To cover a printed page with ink, varnish or plastic coating completely.

Foil

A metallic or pigmented coating on plastic sheets or rolls used in foil stamping and foil embossing/debossing.

Foil emboss/deboss

Foil stamping and embossing/debossing an image on paper with a die.

C-Foil stamping

Using a die to place a metallic or pigmented image on paper.

4-colour process

See process colour.

French fold

Two folds at right angles to each other.

FTP - File Transfer Protocol.

The process of sending or receiving files electronically through the Internet. Not to be confused with attaching an attachment to an e-mail, FTP is performed using an FTP client (software) or a Web page with FTP capabilities.

Full justification

Type that is justified to the right and left margins, creating no variation between line lengths on either end; except the last line, which is left justified.

Ghosting

A faint printed image that appears on a printed sheet where it was not intended.

Gloss

A shiny look, reflecting light.

Gradient

A transition of colour, creating a blended change between screen percentages of a single colour or between two different colours.

Grain

The direction in which the paper fibre lie.

Gripper

A clamp-like device which grabs the front of the press sheet and pulls it through the press. Also refers to the edge of the press sheet which leaves the press first.

Halftone

Converting a continuous tone to dots for printing.

F-Hickey

Reoccurring, unplanned spots that appear in the printed image from dust, lint or dried ink.

Image area

Portion of paper on which ink can appear.

Imposition

Positioning printed pages so they will fold in the proper order.

Impression

Putting an image on paper.

Imprint

Adding copy to a previously printed page.

Indicia

Postal information placed on a printed product.

Justification

The act of specifying how a block of type will look on a page.

Kiss die cut

To cut the top layer of a pressure-sensitive sheet and not the backing. Sticker sheets use this technique.

Knock out

To mask out any area of ink.

Leading Edge

The single edge of a leaflet or booklet (i.e. a spine) that can be gripped by an enclosing machine to pull the entire product onto the enclosing track for insertion into the envelope, without any other pages of the document trailing behind (e.g. a concertina folded leaflet does not have a leading edge).

Left justified

Type that is justified to the left margin and the line lengths vary on the right.

Magenta

One of the 4 basic colours in process colour. The pink colour.

H-Mailsort®

An industry standard for sorting data for mailings into postcode order, saving time and work for the Royal Mail. For larger mailing campaigns Mailsort® helps you make significant savings on standard postal rates, and gives you the flexibility to move between different services depending on speed or budget requirements.

Makeready

All the activities required to prepare a press for printing.

Mask

Blocking light from reaching parts of a printing plate.

Matchprint

The process of using gels or naps to create a colour proof which accurately represents how a job will look when printed in 4-colour process. See Sherpa.

Matt

A dull look, reflecting light poorly.

Offset printing

Printing performed on a traditional printer, where plates mounted onto rollers are used to transfer ink onto paper.

Offsetting

Using an intermediate surface to transfer ink. Also, an unpleasant happening when the images of freshly printed sheets transfer images to each other.

Opacity

The amount of show-through on a printed sheet. The more opacity—or the thicker the paper—the less show-through.

OpenType™ font

OpenType is a cross-platform font file format developed jointly by Adobe and Microsoft. The same font file works on Macintosh and Windows computers.

Overrun / Overs

Copies printed in excess of the specified quantity.

M-Page count

Total number of pages including blanks.

Perfect bind

A type of binding that glues the edge of sheets to a cover to create a spine, i.e. a telephone book.

Plate

An aluminium sheet coated with a light sensitive emulsion object, onto which an image is burned using a light beam. Once processed it is placed onto a press for the use of printing ink onto paper.

PMS

Pantone Colour Matching System. A standard language for colour identification and communication. Pantone colours are described by their allocated number (typically referred to as, for example, ‘PMS 130’). PMS colours are almost always used in company branding to ensure a consistent colour is achieved across all literature.

Point

For paper, a unit of thickness equaling 1/1000 inch; for typesetting, a unit of height equaling 1/72 inch.

Postage Paid Impression (PPI)

All letters or packages delivered by Royal Mail or Downstream Access operators, must have an indication that the postage has been paid. Individual letters or packages posted in small quantities will have a postage stamp or a franking label attached. Large mailings, however, use a quicker and more cost effective way, which is to imprint a personalised Printed Postage Impression on the mailing envelope. The PPI has two functions: 1) To show that postage has been paid on the mail and 2) To identify which postal account the mail has been posted on.

Postscript

The computer language most recognised by printing devices.

Postscript font

As opposed to TrueType and OpenType™ fonts, postscript fonts contain two files: a screen font and a printer font. When sending to your printer, please make sure to attach both files. On a Windows machine, postscript files have these extensions: .pfm and .pfb.

Printer font

The file a computer uses to help the printer print a font correctly. This file is necessary for printer output. Without the printer font, a font may look correct on screen, but will print incorrectly. On a PC, printer fonts have the extension of .pfb.

Process colour

The process of using cyan, magenta, yellow and black to build/create any and all colours.

Proof

A print out or mock-up of a job.

Proofing

The process of ensuring that the proof is an exact copy of the artwork.

Ragged left

Type that is justified to the right margin and the line lengths vary on the left. See right justified.

Ragged right

Type that is justified to the left margin and the line lengths vary on the right. See left justified.

Ream

Five hundred sheets of paper.

Register

To position print in the proper position in relation to the edge of the sheet and to other printing on the same sheet.

Register marks

Lines or marks on film, plates and paper that act as a guide to ensure accurate register.

Right justified

Type that is justified to the right margin and the line lengths vary on the left.

Saddle stitch

Binding a booklet or magazine with staples in the seam/spine where it folds.

Scanner

Device used to make colour separations, halftones, duotones and tritones. Also a device used to scan art, pictures or drawings in desktop publishing.

Score

A crease put on paper to help it fold better.

Screen angles

Frequently, a desktop publisher’s nightmare. The angles at which halftones, duotones, tritones and colour separation printing films are placed to make them look right.

Screen font

The file a computer uses to display the font correctly on screen. Without this file, the font may print correctly, but will look incorrect on screen. On a PC, screen fonts have the extension of .pfm.

Screen percentage

The amount of ink coverage applied.

Self cover

Using the same paper as the text for the cover.

Sherpa

A proofer used to print press proofs.

Side stitch

Binding by stapling along one side of a sheet.

Signature

A sheet of printed pages which, when folded, become a part of a book or publication.

R-Simplex Laser Printing

To laser print one side of the sheet.

Spot colour

See PMS

Spot varnish

Varnish used to highlight a specific part of the printed sheet.

Stamping

Term for foil stamping.

Stock

The material to be printed.

Tail

The edge of the press sheet which leaves the press last.

Tints

A shade of a single colour or combined colours.

Trap

An area where two colours overlap minutely. Trap is used to make sure any shift in printing does not result in areas where paper is seen where there should be ink.

Trim marks

Similar to crop or register marks. These marks show where to trim the printed sheet.

Trim size

The final size of one printed image/document after the last trim is made.

Tritone

A halftone picture made up of three printed colours.

TrueType font

As opposed to a postscript font, TrueType fonts are used by both the screen and the printer to display and print the font correctly. On a Windows machine, TrueType fonts have the extension of .ttf.

ProductionUV coating

Liquid laminate bonded and cured with ultraviolet light. Environmentally friendly.

Varnish

A clear liquid applied to printed surfaces for looks and protection.

Washup

Removing printing ink from a press by washing the rollers and blanket. Certain ink colours require multiple washups to avoid ink and chemical contamination.

Wire-O binding

A method of wire binding books along the binding edge that will allow the book to lay flat using double loops.

With the grain

Folding or feeding paper into the press or folder parallel to the grain of the paper.

Work and tumble

Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from the gripper to the tail to print the second side using the same side guide and plate for the second side.

Work and turn

Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from left to right, using the same side guides and plate for the second side.

Z or accordion fold

Two or more parallel folds which open like an accordion or ‘z’.

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