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.
  • Strike through
    The penetration of the vehicle of a printing ink through the substrate so that the design is apparent on the opposite or back side of the substrate.
  • Stringiness
    The condition of an ink or adhesive to draw into filaments or thread-like extensions.
  • Stripping
    (1) The act of removing the stencil from screen mesh in reclaiming operation; (2) Removing waste material from the support sheet after die cutting; (3) Removing unwanted film from the support material of a knife-cut stencil; (4) Refer to film image assembly.
  • Stripping film
    Photographic film where the emulsion, after processing, can be relocated onto another support; knife-cutting film with the same capability.
  • Stroke
    (1) A single pass with the squeegee across the screen; (2) One of the lines of a written character; (3) Distance from the contact surface on a switch to the current pattern on the mating contact.
  • Stub roll (butt roll)
    A web roll remnant of material that remains after processing.
  • Styrene
    A usually colorless plastic used in the manufacture of indoor and outdoor displays and signs.
  • Sublimable dyes
    A colorant that can be vaporized from a solid directly to a gaseous state by the application of heat.
  • Sublimation
    A process where dye pigments change from solid to vapor and back to solid again with the application of heat.
  • Sublimation transfer
    A process of image transfer to a fabric containing high polyester content through the application of heat and pressure.
  • Sub-miniature
    Parts, components, or circuits of a size class below what is described as miniature; extremely small.
  • Substance
    (1) That which a thing is made of; matter; material; (2) Designator for the weight in pounds of a ream of paper.
  • Substrate
    (1) A material or surface to be printed, adhered to, or finished; refer to media, stock; (2) A base material or foundation over which another material is applied.
  • Subsurface printing
    Placing the image on the underside of the substrate; also refer to second surface.
  • Subtractive color
    Combining two additive primaries (red, green, light blue) at 100% to produce colors of cyan, magenta, and yellow. (Green and blue at 100% produce cyan; red and blue at 100% produce magenta; green and red at 100% produce yellow); cyan, magenta, and yellow.
  • Subtractive primary
    The three colors that are used to create all other colors in color printing: cyan, magenta, and yellow.
  • Suckers
    Rubber suction cups used as a gripper to feed stock into a press.
  • Sulfate wood pulp
    Paper pulp made from wood chips cooked under pressure in a solution of caustic soda and sodium sulfide.
  • Sulfide
    An enamel combined with one or more atoms of sulfur.
  • Sulfite wood pulp
    Paper pulp made from wood chips cooked under pressure in a solution of bisulfite of lime.
  • Sump capacity
    The ability of a container built into an etching device to hold a measurable quantity of etchant.
  • Sunlight resistant adhesive
    An adhesive that impedes the effects of ultraviolet rays.
  • Supercalendared finish
    A finish obtained by passing paper through alternating rollers of extremely polished steel and cotton under pressure to create a smooth gloss finish.
  • Supercalender
    A calender stack, not part of the paper machine, with alternate metal and resilient rollers for producing increased density, smoothness, and gloss on paper.
  • Suppressed spark treatment
    An electrical surface treatment, similar to corona discharge, but utilizing a suppressed spark to create the corona instead of an electrical spark discharge.