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.
  • Newtonian fluids
    Describes the rheological characteristics of a liquid that has an absolute viscosity that does not change with temperature fluctuations or shear rate. (Examples of Newtonian fluids are water, syrup, mineral oils, lacquers, and solvents).
  • Newtonian liquid
    Fluids that have an absolute viscosity such as water.
  • Newtons per centimeter (N/cm)
    A unit of measure used to determine the amount of deflection of a weighted object placed on a tensioned screen mesh.
  • NFPA
    Acceptable acronym for National Fire Protection Association (US).
  • NFPA 30
    A National Fire Protection Association (US) safety code covering the handling and storage of flammable liquids.
  • Nibs
    Small sharp tip or point of foreign material which project above the surface of an applied ink film.
  • Nigrosine
    Very deep blue or black coal tar dyestuffs.
  • Nip point
    The point of contact between two in-running rollers.
  • Nippers
    Small scissors like cutting tool for trimming thread.
  • Nitrocellulose
    A film forming material produced by the treatment of cotton or wood fibers with nitric acid, and widely used in lacquer type inks made for screen printing.
  • Nitrocellulose laquers
    Screen printing inks or coatings made by combining nitrocellulose with suitable vehicle, pigments, solvents and drying agents.
  • Nitrocellulose screen printing ink
    Pigmented ink composed of nitrocellulose, film former, plasticizer, and high boiling solvents, similar to nitrocellulose lacquer except for high boiling solvent and increased pigment loading with more plasticizers.
  • Nitrogen blanket
    An inert atmosphere created by introducing nitrogen gas into a UV curing chamber, to counter oxygen inhibition of curing reaction.
  • Noise
    An unwanted random and persistent disturbance that obscures or reduces the clarity or quality of a signal; a distortion of an image’s analog signal.
  • Nomenclature
    Descriptive words.
  • Nomex
    DuPont trade name for a temperature resistant flame retardant nylon.
  • Nominal
    A measurement that is a designation or theoretical size that may vary from the actual.
  • Nominal value
    The prescribed value or capacity of an electronic component.
  • Nominal weight
    The basis weight of paper with a fluctuation tolerance of five percent.
  • Nonactinic
    Light rays that do not affect sensitized surfaces within a reasonable time.
  • Nonblocking
    An applied adhesive film that will not adhere to another surface under stacking conditions.
  • Non-correlated noise
    A random distortion in an analog signal causing snow, speckles, or random spots throughout an image.
  • Non-drying oils
    Those oils used in vehicles which do not form dry surface films when exposed to atmosphere.
  • Nonflammable
    Any substance that does not support combustion.
  • Non-image areas
    Portion of mechanical, negative, or screen that will not print.