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.
  • Belt printing
    A textile printing process that utilizes a continuous belt as a platen. (The substrate is adhered to the belt with an adhesive and is indexed from screen to screen by the rotation of the belt, generally uses water based inks that can be washed off of the belt by a washer.)
  • Belt speed
    The rate of travel, usually measured in inches or feet per minute, of the belt of any conveyor dryer system.
  • Bench can
    A wide mouth safety receptacle for wetting rags with solvent, generally by means of a spring-loaded, perforated pedestal and tray. (By depressing the tray, the liquid is pumped onto the rag in controlled amounts.)
  • Bench oven
    A small unit for bench mounting, for the heat treating of printed or other products in prototype quantities, usually found in laboratory or research departments. (There is no conveyor, so individual items must be placed within the convection heat chamber manually).
  • Benchmark
    A set of tests or standards to determine performance of an item or system.
  • Benday
    A method of adding a tone to an image by imposing a transparent sheet of patterns to obtain the various tones and shadings on the printed image, also refer to screen tint.
  • Bender
    A paperboard that can be creased, scored, or folded without breaking.
  • Bent glass
    Glass or glass article that has been formed by heating into a curved or other shape from a flat sheet.
  • Benzidine yellow
    A strong yellow toner used in many types of printing ink and dyes.
  • Benzol
    Another name for benzene; a clear, colorless, aromatic liquid, the simplest aromatic hydrocarbon extracted from coal tar C6H6.
  • Beveled glass
    Cold glass whose edges have been ground and polished to an angle other than 90 degrees.
  • Bevel-edged die
    A cutting die that has been tooled to produce a precise bevel to the image edge.
  • Beveling
    The process of edge finishing flat glass to produce an angle.
  • Bias
    A line at an angle to the threads of a mesh; applying the mesh at an angle to the frame in some fashion.
  • Bichromate
    A photosensitive salt of ammonium or potassium bichromate used as a sensitizer in some screen printing stencil emulsions.
  • Bichromate direct emulsion
    A sensitized liquid emulsion used for making screen printing stencils by the direct method.
  • Bi-cubic interpolation
    Matrix for comparison of central pixels to surrounding pixels. Used to increase the apparent resolution of a digital image. Also refer to interpolation.
  • Bi-cutter
    A stencil knife with two blades usually with width adjustment for cutting parallel lines simultaneously.
  • Binder
    (1) That portion of the vehicle of an ink composition that, in combination with the pigments, forms the film; (2) The adhesive components of an ink that hold the pigment to the printed surface; (3) In paper, an adhesive component used to cement inert filler such as clay to the sheet; (4) Carrier or vehicle that fix the pigments in screen printing dyes onto the fibers of the fabric being decorated.
  • Binding
    The process of attaching loose sheets into multiple page document.
  • Binding varnish
    A viscous varnish used in the composition of inks to toughen the ink film.
  • Biocide
    A chemical agent or substance that kills or inhibits the growth micro-organisms.
  • Biodegradable
    Of a substance, capable of being decomposed by natural biological processes.
  • Birdnesting
    Top thread not following thread path or up and down substrate movement under needle caused by inadequate top thread tension or improperly stabilized fabric.
  • Biscuit
    An unglazed piece of clay that has been fired.