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.
  • Contrast ratio
    (1) A measure of the opacity of a paper, ranging from 100% in a totally opaque stock to just a few percent in transparent stock such as tracing paper; (2) Ratio of the reflectance of a dry ink or coating film, over a black substrate of 5% or less reflectance, to the reflectance of the same material applied in an identical manner over a substrate of 80% reflectance.
  • Control chart
    A graphic representation of a characteristic of a process showing plotted values of some statistic gathered from a characteristic graph, includes a central line, and one or two statistically derived control limits.
  • Control limit
    The maximum allowable variation of a process characteristic due alone to common cause.
  • Convection drying
    The drying of screen printed items by the movement of currents of uneven temperatures.
  • Convection oven
    A heat chamber where air of elevated temperature is introduced and drying takes place under circulated heat conditions.
  • Conventional ink
    A color mixed composition with vehicle for liquid application to a substrate for aesthetic results, exceptions those containing frits or fluorescent pigments, or special purpose inks such as solder resists, conductive inks, and other designed for functional results.
  • Conversion
    In computer imaging to change an RGB file to a CMYK or vice versa; to convert one file format to another.
  • Conversion coating
    A coating process that is applied to paper or board after manufacturing such as coated paper.
  • Converter
    Company or individual that finishes fabric to buyer’s specifications.
  • 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.