Glossary

Please click on the letters for more information

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

C

Commonly used as symbol for 100, ie. ‘C’ note = $100.

C1S PAPER

Abbreviation for coated one side paper

CAD/CAM

Computer assisted Design - Computer Assisted Make-up or Manufacturing.

CAKING

The collecting of dried ink on rollers and plates.

CALENDER BLACKENING

A term descriptive of darkening of the intended shade of paper by excessive calendering wet paper.

CALENDER CUTS

Defects caused by creasing or cutting of the web of paper during calendering due to wrinkles in the web.

CALENDER FINISHED

A term applied to any paper with a surface glazed by means of a calender stack.

CALLIPER - THICKNESS

The thickness of paper measured under specified conditions, and usually expressed in grams per square metre or microns. Can also be given as thousands of an inch. Refer to Labelstock Manufacturer’s Specification sheets. Refer relevant National Standard for test procedure.

CAMERA READY - (Artwork)

Copy which is ready for photography. See Artwork.

CARRIER

Sometimes used to refer to the liner material of pressure sensitive labels. Also a term used to describe the stock to which two (2) layers of adhesive are applied in a double adhesive construction. Refer LM.

CAST COATED

A high-gloss enamel finish.

CAST COATED PAPER - GLOSS PAPER

A paper, the coating of which is allowed to harden or set while in contact with a finished casting surface. Cast coated papers usually have a high gloss finish. Refer LM.

CAST FILM

Plastic sheeting manufactured by the casting process, as opposed to the extruding process.

CAST VINYL

Vinyl sheeting manufactured by coating a liquid vinyl acetate or similar ester onto a casting paper and curing in a heated oven.

CATALYST

A substance which has the capability of initiating or accelerating the speed of a reaction between two (2) or more substances when introduced into their presence. ie. The chemical (In this case - the photo-initiator) that is in Ultra Violet cured inks that reacts to exposure to Ultra Violet light and causes a catalytic reaction. ie. The `curing’ of the ink.

CAVITY

Usually refers to the engraving on a rotary die cutter that die cuts a single shape.

CELL

A small engraved or etched depression in an anilox roller that carries the ink to the plate.

CELLULOSE

Fibrous substance of wood, cotton and other vegetable matter.

CELLULOSE FIBRE

The fibrous material remaining after the non-fibrous components of wood have been removed by pulping and bleaching operations. Used in paper making.

CELSIUS or CENTIGRADE

The metric scale of temperature where ‘0’ represents the freezing point of water and ‘100’ represents the boiling point of water. Also called CENTIGRADE.

Formula for conversion to Fahrenheit:- F = 9 x C + 32

5

CENTIGRADE - See CELSIUS

CENTIPOISE

One hundred of a poise; a unit for measuring viscosity.

CENTRAL IMPRESSION (Machine)

A press with a number of printing units around a large cylinder which serves as the impression cylinder against which the substrate rides.

CERAMIC ANILOX ROLLER

Engraved inking roller used in flexographic printing. New techniques in manufacturing allow for vastly improved anilox roller performance and life.

CHALKING

A form of coating deterioration characterised by the formation of a loose, chalk like powder on the film surface.

CHARACTER

A single group of bars and spaces which represent an individual number, letter or punctuation mark.

CHARGE

Usually refers to the degree or type of electrical property carried by a substrate. (Static electricity).

CHECK DIGIT

A digit included within a symbol whose value is based mathematically on other characters included in the symbol. It is used for the purpose of performing a mathematical check to ensure the accuracy of the read. (Bar coding)

CHECKING - CRAZING

The presence of hairline cracks in a varnish coating, a lacquer coating, a film or in an adhesive.

CHEMICAL CURING

The setting or curing of an adhesive, coating or sealer brought about by the addition of a catalyst, accelerator or photoinitiator.

CHEMICAL RESISTANCE

The resistance of a pressure sensitive label to the deteriorating effects resulting from exposure to chemicals under specified conditions.

CHILL ROLL (ER)

Metal roller or drum cooled internally with water, etc. Often used after press dryer to cool the printed web prior to die cutting, rewinding, etc.

CHOKE

An image whose edges have been pulled in slightly from those of the original. The image area remains essentially the same except for a narrow strip of reduction around its perimeter.

CHOKES and SPREADS

Overlaps of overprinting images to prevent colour fringes or white borders around image detail due to slight register shifts during printing.

CHROMATIC SCALE

The colours of the spectrum: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Violet.

CIRCUMFERENTIAL REGISTER - See RUNNING REGISTER

CLARITY

Degree of clearness.

CLAY COATED

A term used to describe a paper with a clay coating on either one or both sides.

CLAY COATING

The operation of coating paper and paperboards with clay containing an adhesive as a binder.

CLEAR AREA

A required clear space, containing no dark marks, which precedes the start character of a symbol sand follows the stop character. Also known as the Quiet Area.

CLEAR COAT - See VARNISH

A coating that protects the printing and the surface of a pressure sensitive label from abrasion, sunlight, chemicals, moisture, or a combination of these. Refer NS & IM for test procedure.

COAT, DOUBLE

Generally applies to two (2) successive coats of adhesive, coatings or sealers applied to one (1) surface.

COATED PAPER

General term applying to all papers which have been surface coated with pigments.

COATING - See VARNISH - See FLOOD COATING

In printing, an emulsion, varnish or lacquer applied in-line or off-line, often over a printed surface to give it added protection.

COATING WEIGHT

The weight of a coating per unit area. ie. gsm = grams per square meter.

COAT, SINGLE

Applies to single (1) coat of adhesive, coating or sealer to surface.

COBWEBBING

A filmy, web-like buildup of dried ink or varnish that appears on the doctor roller or at the end of the impression rolls. (Flexography)

COD - C.O.D.

Cash On Delivery. Customer must pay in full at time of delivery. Shipper retains title to goods until carrier obtains remittance.

CO-EXTRUSIONS

Film produced by more than one extruder through a common die. Films have been made with as many as 13 layers.

COHESION

The internal strength of an adhesive mass; resistance to flow, and resistance to failure in the adhesive when labels are removed or are under stress. Cohesive Strength.

COHESION FAILURE

The mode of failure wherein the adhesive splits, leaving some residue on the labelled surface and part on the label.

COHESIVE STRENGTH

Other terms used are: Cohesion; Internal Bond; Shear; The internal strength of an adhesive. A measure of which its resistance to forces parallel to the surface. ie. Resistance to adhesive splitting. Refer NS for test procedure.

COLD CRACKING

The breaking or shattering under stress of plastic coatings that have become brittle due to lowered temperatures.

COLD FLOW

The tendency of a pressure sensitive adhesive to act like a heavy, viscous liquid over long periods of time. Such phenomena as ‘oozing’ or ‘increases in adhesion’ are the results of this characteristics. Refer LM Specification Sheets.

COLD TEMPERATURE ADHESIVE

An adhesive that will enable a pressure sensitive label to adhere or stick well when applied to a cold substrate, often in cold ambient temperatures. Refer LM Specification Sheets.

COLLATING

Assembling in proper order. (Sheets of numbered paper or different colours, etc.).

COLOUR CORRECTION

Any method such as masking, dot-etching, re-etching, and/or electronic scanning used to correct for colour errors in process inks.

COLOUR FASTNESS

Colour permanence. Colour Stability. That property of a pressure sensitive labelstock to retain its colour in normal storage or to resist change in colour when exposed to light, heat or other deleterious influences. This also applies in more common terms - to the ‘colour fastness’ of the inks and varnishes. Refer NS & IM for Colour Fast Ink test procedure.

COLOUR KEY

A series of coloured films used to check individual colours and stripping. When overlaid in printing sequence it will produce a multi-coloured image. A Colour Key is limited to Yellow, Orange, Dark Blue (Reflex), Magenta, Cyan, Black, White, Gold, Brown, Green, Red, Beige and any combinations thereof. Basically a photographic positive of the separation negatives in generic colour.

COLOUR MATCHING

To duplicate the hue, value and intensity of a given colour sample usually by blending appropriate elements. ie. Considering the colour of the paper, plastic, wood, etc., as well as the colour of the ink.

COLOUR PERMANENCE

See Colour Fastness.

COLOUR PROCESS

A reproduction of any subject where the colours are separated by any method utilising at least three (3) Primary Process Colours - Yellow, Magenta and Cyan. Using half-tone or Crystal Raster plates to produce intermediate colours and shades. Line-work and screen-work can be utilised.

COLOUR PROOF

A printed or simulated printed image of each process colour (Yellow, Magenta, Yellow & Black), using inks, toners or dyes to give a simulated impression of the final printed reproduction. Colour proofs are now most often generated by computer. However, the only real test of the plates and colours, is to print the labelstock on the machine to prove the colours.

COLOUR RETENTION - See COLOUR FASTNESS

The property of a colour to resist fading or other deterioration on exposure to light.

COLOUR SEPARATED ART

See Pre-separated Art.

COLOUR SEPARATION

The process of separating coloured originals into Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black printing negatives. Mostly done on computer controlled scanners.

COLOUR STABILITY - See COLOUR FASTNESS.

COLOUR STATIONS

Each printing section of the press or set of rollers used to print each individual colour.

COLOUR TRANSPARENCY

A full-colour photographic positive image on a transparent support from which colour separations are usually produced. Can be viewed with the aid of a lighted transparency viewer.

COLORANT

The colour portion of an ink; may be a pigment, dye, or a combination of the two.

COMBINATION PLATE

A single engraving which includes both line and half-tone.

COMBINATION PRESS

That type of label press that can be added to with printing processes usually not standard to that press. An example of this would be a flexographic press that has a foil stamping module attached that can be removed and replaced with a rotary letterpress unit.

COMPATIBILITY

The ability of ink, film, substrate and/or solvents to function together in an acceptable manner.

CONDENSED TYPE

Proportionally narrow or slender type faces.

CONDITIONING

Process of subjecting material to specific temperature and humidity conditions for stipulated periods of time. Refer LM Specification Sheets.

CONFORMABILITY - See FLEXIBILITY

The ability of a pressure sensitive material to yield to the contours of a surface (curved or rough).

CONSISTENCY

Usually refers to the general body characteristics of an ink or other coatings.

CONTINUOUS CODE

A bar code or symbol where the space between characters (inter-character gap) is part of the code.

CONTINUOUS LABEL - Also see EDP LABELS - Also known as ZIG ZAG

Fan-folded labels manufactured from a continuous web of label stock which is not cut into units prior to execution. Usually prepared in flat Zig Zag format in boxes. Continuous labels are mostly used for data processing applications.

CONTROLLED RELEASE

A release level greater than that provided by an unmodified release coating.

CONTROLLED RELEASE ADDITIVE

A material added to silicone release coatings to create the desired higher release level.

CONVERTER

Refers to that type of manufacturer who produces plain or printed rolls, sheets, bags or pouches etc., from rolls of film, foil or paper, including pressure sensitive.

COPIER LABEL

A label in sheet format (usually A4) designed for overprinting by a plain paper Photocopier. May also be used in Laser printers and Ink-Jet printers.

CO-POLYMER

Two (2) or more mixed monomers which, when polymerised, yield a complex product having properties different from either simple polymer alone.

COPY

Any furnished material (manuscript, pictures, artwork, etc.) to be used in the production of printing.

COPY PREPARATION

Directions for desired size and other details for illustrations, and the arrangement into proper position of various parts of the label being prepared for reproduction. Work being carried out for the preparation of artwork for reproduction.

CORE

A tube on which paper, film, or foil labels are wound for shipment. Also the metal body of a roller which is rubber covered .

CORE HOLDER

Device for affixing core to shaft; core chuck.

CORE PLUGS

Metal, wood or compressed paper plugs which are driven into the paper core of the finished roll to prevent crushing or other damage to the core and material. Also known as Bungs.

CORNER RADIUS

Describes the arc or curvature of the die blades where they meet so that they can impart a rounded corner to a die cut label. Refer O.

CORONA TREATING

An electrical discharge which is used to raise the critical surface tension of low or inert substrates thereby enhancing printability.

COUPON

Removable label either supplying information or having redeemable value. They may be pressure sensitive or non-pressure sensitive.

COVERAGE

Ink or coating mileage (meterage); the surface area covered by a given quantity of ink or coating material. In flexography, the extent or degree to which a base material is covered, coloured, or hidden by an ink or coating. Refer IM.

CRACKING - See CRAZING

CRAZING

The appearance of a network of small cracks in a varnish coat or a plastic facestock.

CREEP

The lateral movement of a pressure sensitive label on a surface due to low cohesive strength.

CROMALIN

One-piece colour proofing for four (4) colour process.

CROP

To eliminate portions of the copy (indicated by crop-marks).

CROP MARKS

Marks made on the outer edges of artwork to designate the area to be printed.

CROSS DIRECTION

The direction across the web. Papers are weaker and are affected more by changes in relative humidity in the cross direction than the grain direction.

CRUSH CUT

A cut made by a rotary blade in contact with an anvil or base roller.

CRUSH SCORE - See SCORE

CRUSHED CORE

Core that gives way and becomes out-of-round either from too much tension or a bump.

CRYSTAL RASTER - See STOCHASTIC

C.S.A.

Canadian Standards Association.

CURE

To change the properties of adhesive, coating or ink by chemical reaction. The ‘curing’ of inks uses high intensity mercury vapour lamps commonly called UV lamps, whereas the ‘curing’ of rubber requires considerable heat and pressure. ‘Curing’ is achieved by condensation, polymerisation or vulcanisation.

UV curing usually takes 1/40th of 1 second, depending on the colour, layer thickness of ink and the speed that the substrate passes under the lamp. Usual rule of thumb is one (1) lamp per 50 meters minute. Refer IM.

CURING TEMPERATURE

Temperature to which an adhesive, ink or coating is subjected to for curing. Refer IM.

CURING TIME

The time/temperature combination required to bring about the desired level of cure without chemicals or polymerisation.

CURL

The tendency of material by itself or in a laminate to bend or partly wrap around the axis of one of its directions. Curl is often caused by humidity or improper tension. Sometimes it can be defeated by using a de-curling bar set-up on the paper unwind of a machine.

CURTAIN COATING

A method of coating which may be employed with low viscosity resins or solutions, suspensions, or emulsions of resins where the substrate to be coated is passed through and perpendicular to a freely falling liquid ‘curtain’ (or ‘waterfall’). The flow rate of the falling liquid and the linear speed of the substrate are coordinated to control the thickness of coating desired.

CUT

An expression commonly used to designate an engraving or photographic print. Also to dilute an ink, lacquer, varnish, etc., with solvents or with a clear base; to thin; Also known as dilution. Used to describe the penetration of a difficult surface so as to permit adhesion. To cut paper is the expression used to denote paper that is to be reduced in size to specific measurements by guillotining.

CUT-OFF

In web printing, the cut or print length corresponding to the circumference of the plate cylinder and/or die cutter; repeat length.

CUT RULE

Steel rule blades designed to cut materials being produced on flat-bed die cutting equipment (stations).

CUTS

The number of rolls slit from a master roll.

CYAN

A subtractive primary colour which reflects blue and green light and absorbs red light.

CYLINDER

In flexography and rotary letterpress, most rollers in the press are called rolls with the exception of that upon which the plates (rubber, cyrell, etc.) are mounted, and the one which receives the impression. These are usually referred to as cylinders, ie., plate cylinder, impression cylinder.

CYREL

Du Pont’s trademark for photopolymer plate material.