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.
  • Converting waste
    Recyclable waste that can be reprocessed.
  • Conveyor dryer
    An ink drying system which incorporates a drying chamber with a belt conveyor.
  • Cool colors
    Blues, grays and greens, not suggesting warmth, but cool places, such as water, ice, and sky.
  • Cooling zone
    That portion of a drying system where dried products are cooled before being removing from the system.
  • Copolymer
    (1) Mixture produced from a combination of two or more different monomers; also refer to polymer; (2) A graphic overlay film composed of polyester and polycarbonate polymers.
  • Copy area
    (1) The portion of a printing screen containing the image to be printed; (2) The area of a sign or display that carries the message.
  • Copy board (copy holder)
    A frame that holds original copy while it is being photographed on a camera or digitally scanned.
  • Copy distortion
    Extending, condensing, slanting, outlining or otherwise changing the original copy to fit space or mood.
  • Copy modification
    The elongation, slanting, outlining, expanding, condensing, or otherwise changing a piece of original copy to fit a design, pattern, or mood.
  • Copyright ?
    A person's exclusive right to reproduce, publish, or sell his or her original work of authorship; a legal document that protects published or unpublished works that are fixed in a tangible medium of expression from reproduction, extends for the life of the creator of the work plus fifty years after his or her death.
  • Cord
    A deflect of a glossy inclusion differing in composition from the surrounding glass; (2) the rope like material used with cord-and-groove screen frames.
  • Cord-and-groove
    Method used for making screens where a rope like material is forced down into a dado cut in a wooden frame, securing the mesh to the frame; no longer used in the industry.
  • Core
    (1) The center tube of varying diameter on which paper and other substrates are wound; (2) A honeycombed or similar construction used in laminating display boards, corrugated board, etc.
  • Corner box
    A simple gauge for maintaining register while mounting thin sheets to heavy stock or any similar operation.
  • Corner hook
    A clamp or clip device for connecting parallel display parts.
  • Corner softening
    The process of reducing the high tension area in the corners of the screen mesh to evening out the tension across the entire screen prior to tensioning by adjusting the corners with small controlled adjustments.
  • Corona discharge
    An electrical, plastic treating method whereby the atmosphere (corona) around the substrate is ionized, encouraging oxidation and reducing surface tension to improve ink adhesion.
  • Correlated noise
    A recognizable pattern of change in an image file; an increase in the brightness of the pixels.
  • Corrosive material
    (1) A chemical liquid or solid that causes visible damage or irreversible change in human skin tissue at the site of contact after an exposure period of 4 hours or less; (2) A liquid where its corrosion rate exceeds 0.250 inch per year on steel (SAE1020) at a test temperature of 54 degrees C (130 degrees F).
  • Corrugated board
    A laminate made from flat sheets with fluted, ridged, or grooved center core.
  • Co-solvent
    One of two or more solvents in a mixture that combine to dissolve a solid.
  • Cotton
    A unicellular, natural vegetable fiber obtained from seed pod of cotton plant.
  • Counter display
    A specially designed cardboard advertising piece that is displayed at a primary counter or checkout location.
  • Counterbalanced squeegee
    A squeegee with a weight similar to the weight of the squeegee, placed on the opposite side of a pivot, to absorb all or part of the actual weight of the squeegee, reducing operator fatigue.
  • Coupling agent
    Chemical or material that promotes improved adhesion between fiber and matrix resin in a reinforced composite such as an epoxy-glass laminate or other resin fiber laminate.