Glossary

The PRINTING United Alliance Glossary serves as an excellent industry terminology resource. It is the language by which we all communicate. Without it, universal understanding would be impossible.

To keep our constituents well informed about changes to the increasingly complex industry terminology, PRINTING United Alliance has developed this glossary of terms. Definitions are for general reference only. Usage may vary between companies, individuals, or national and country customs. The information presented is as accurate as the authors and editors can ascertain and PRINTING United Alliance assumes no responsibility for the use of information presented herein.
  • Print cylinder
    The printing base on a cylinder press that is a vacuum cylinder of stainless steel or aluminum.
  • Print head
    A part of a screen printing press that consists of the screen carriage, the squeegee/flood bar assembly, and the mechanical controls and fixtures.
  • Print quality
    The properties of a print that meet or exceeds customer specifications.
  • Print run (run) (printing run)
    The total number of prints, plus overruns, produced.
  • Print section
    That portion of a web screen printing press located after the in-feed, where one or more print stations are located.
  • Print shoulder
    The vertical borderline between the printing, or open sections and the nonprinting or closed sections of the stencil.
  • Print side
    The side of a screen where the ink is and the squeegee is dragged across; also referred to as well side.
  • Print stock
    Substrates to be printed.
  • Print stroke (impression pass) (pull)
    The movement of the squeegee across the printing screen forcing ink through the stencil, forming the imprint.
  • Print table
    See print base, platen.
  • Printability
    (1) Capable of being printed; (2) Description of the properties of all components in a printing process.
  • Printed circuit
    An electronic circuit produced by printing an electrically conductive pattern, wiring, or components on a supporting dielectric substrate that can be either rigid or flexible.
  • Printed circuit laminate
    Material either fabric or paper based that is covered with a thin layer of copper foil and used in the photofabrication process to make circuit boards.
  • Printer dot
    The individual pixel in a halftone image.
  • Printers and Ink Systems for Awnings
    The most prevalent type of printer for awning production would be the roll-to-roll variety of solvent or UV curable inkjet. These types of printers can be found in various widths, all having the ability to print onto the available materials necessary for awning or tent embellishment. Since the materials are vinyl coated, this makes the media very compatible with solvent ink systems. The solvent in the ink will actually melt into the vinyl layer of the substrate adding to the adhesion of the inks. UV curable ink will work almost as well but has more of a mechanical bond with the surface structure of a material. UV curable inks lack the ability to melt into the vinyl layer, so testing is advised to identify if your particular UV ink has the performance characteristics for the job requirements. Latex ink systems can also be used for this type of application depending on the compatibility of the materials. It’s important to ask manufacturers about ink compatible materials for your specific brand of printer.
  • Printer's ream
    A quantity of sheet material equal to 516 sheets.
  • Printing down (British)
    The process of exposing the photostencil to a light source.
  • Printing frame
    A specially constructed frame consisting of one opaque surface and one transparent or glass surface that can be brought together with each other by mechanical pressure or by vacuum.
  • Printing ink
    Any fluid or viscous composition used to print, impress, or transfer an image onto a substrate.
  • Printing lamp
    An actinic light source used in illuminating or in exposing screen printing films and other sensitized materials.
  • Printing paste
    A formulation of screen printing ink used for ceramic and glass decoration.
  • Printing press
    A mechanical device to enable the application of ink to a substrate to reproduce a pattern or design.
  • Printing process
    Any method used to reproduce written and pictorial matter in quantity.
  • Printing screen
    The assembly of frame, mesh, and stencil from which a screen print is produced.
  • Printings
    The number of colors on an outdoor poster, multiplied by the number of sheets upon which each color is printed.