ASCII file - a file that contains no special formatting, generally used as a data file.

Accordion fold: Bindery term, two or more parallel folds which open like an accordion.

Banding: Method of packaging printed pieces of paper using rubber or paper bands. Also, in imaging a piece, it refers to a streakiness of the image, usually in a solid color portion of the printed piece.

Basis weight: Weight in pounds of a ream of paper cut to the basic size for its grade.

Bleed: Printing that goes to the edge of the sheet after trimming.

Butt: Joining images without overlapping.

Case binding: a method of binding that produces a hardcover book with rigid covers.

Cast coated: Coated paper with a high gloss reflective finish.

CMYK: abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow and black. These are the four process colors used to produce full-color images.

Comb bind: To plastic comb bind by inserting the comb into punched holes.

Comma delimited, CSV: A data file type that uses commas to separate data fields and line breaks to separate records.

Continuous-tone copy: Illustrations, photographs or computer files that contain gradient tones from black to white or light to dark.

Crash number: Numbering paper by pressing an image on the first sheet which is transferred to all parts of the printed set.

Creep or Pushout: When inside signatures of a saddle-stitched book do not line up at the face of the book.

Duotone: A halftone picture made up of two printed colors.

Emboss: Pressing an image into paper so that it will create a raised relief.

EPS file: Encapsulated Postscript file, a standard format for importing and exporting PostScript language files in all environments. An EPS file can contain any combination of text, graphics, and images. An EPS file is the same as any other PostScript language page description, with some restrictions.

FTP: File Transfer Protocol, a method of transferring files directly from one computer to another via the Internet. Usually used in place of emailing graphic files to preserve integrity and insure transfer.

Face or thumb edge: The open edge of the book.

French fold: Two folds at right angles to each other.

GBC bound: a specific type of spiral binding; consists of plastic loops that run parallel through rectangular holes.

Grain: The direction in which the paper fiber lie.

Gutter: The center margin of a folded page.

Halftone: Converting a continuous tone to dots for printing.

Hickey: Reoccurring unplanned spots that appear in the printed image from dust, lint, dried ink.

Highlight: The lightest areas in a picture or halftone.

Image area: Portion of paper on which ink can appear.

Imposition: Positioning printed pages so they will fold in the proper order.

Imprint: Adding copy to a previously printed page.

Indicia: Postal information place on a printed product.

Integrated (labels, cards): When a label or card is constructed from the same sheet as the carrier by utilizing thin patch materials and precision die-cutting. See our page "Integrated Products" for more detailed information.

Laid finish: Simulating the surface of handmade paper.

Laminate: To cover with film, to bond or glue one surface to another.

Leaf: The two-sided sheet of paper in a book - in other words, half the signature.

Lines per inch: The number of rows of dots per inch in a halftone.

Middle tones: The tones in a photograph that are approximately half as dark as the shadow area.

Moire: Occurs when screen angles are wrong causing odd patterns in photographs.

Offset paper: Term for uncoated book paper.

Opacity: The amount of show-through on a printed sheet. The more opacity or the thicker the paper the less show-through. (The thicker/heavier the paper the higher the cost.)

Overrun or overs: Documents printed in excess of the specified quantity. (Printing trade terms allow for + /- 10 % to represent a completed order.)

PDF: Portable Document Format, a universal file format that can preserve all the fonts, formatting, graphics, and color of any source document, regardless of the application and platform used to create it. Adobe PDF files are compact and can be printed across various systems with no change in image integrity.

Page or folio: One side of a leaf.

Pagination: How the individual pages in a document are separated into each page.

Pattern carbon: Special carbon paper used in business forms that only transfers in certain areas.

Perfect bound: When the pages of a book are held together by a cover glued to the spine and wrapped around to form the front and back covers - i.e. paperback books.

Pica: Unit of measure in typesetting. One pica = 1/6 inch.

Picking: Printers nightmare that occurs as the surface of a sheet lifts off during printing. Generally a paper manufactures quality control problem.

Plate gap: Gripper space. The area where the grippers hold the sheet as it passes through the press.

Plus cover: When the cover of a book is of a different stock than the text - usually common with color covers. A plus cover might even be printed in the same process as the text. A plus cover is in addition to the text pages and printed on a different stock.

PMS: The abbreviated name of the Pantone Color Matching System.

Postscript: A type of programming language that is used to create files that most print engines can process. When a file is ripped for printing, it is converted from its native file type into a generic postscript type that the print engine then interprets.

Press number: A method of numbering manufacturing business forms or tickets.

Pressure-sensitive paper: Paper material with self sticking adhesive covered by a backing sheet.

Ragged left: Type that is justified to the right margin and the line lengths vary on the left.

Ragged right: Type that is justified to the left margin and the line lengths vary on the right.

Register: To position print in the proper position in relation to the edge of the sheet and to other printing on the same sheet.

Register marks: Cross-hair lines or marks on film, plates, and paper that guide strippers, platemakers, pressmen, and bindery personnel in processing a print order from start to finish.

Saddle stitch: Binding a booklet or magazine with staples in the seam where it folds.

Score: A crease put on paper to help it fold better.

Screen angles: Frequently a desktop publishers nightmare. The angles at which halftone, duo tones, tri tones, and color separation printing films are placed to make them look right.

Show-through: Printing on one side of a sheet that can be seen on the other side of the sheet.

Side guide: The mechanical register unit on a printing press that positions a sheet from the side.

Side stitch: Binding by stapling along one side of a sheet.

Self cover: When the cover of a book is of the same stock as the text - implies that the cover is printed in the same process as the text. A self cover is included in the number of text pages, and are printed on the same stock and in the same color.

Signature: The folded sheet of paper that goes into a book; the entire sheet of paper that has four pages of text printed on it.

Spine: The closed edge of the book.

Spiral bound: Books bound with plastic or wire coils.

Split fountain: Putting more than one ink in a printing fountain to achieve special color affects.

Spot varnish: Varnish used to highlight a specific part of the printed sheet.

Stamping: Term for foil stamping.

Stat: Term for inexpensive print of line copy or halftone.

Static: Images or text that is non-changing from piece to piece.

Step-and-repeat: A procedure for placing the same image on plates in multiple places.

Stock: The material to be printed.

Stripping: The positioning of film on a flat prior to platemaking.

Substance weight: A term of basis weight when referring to bond papers.

Substrate: Any surface on which printing is done.

Tape bound: Thermal tape is applied to the spine of the book. Can be different colors and produces a book similar to perfect binding.

Text paper: Grades of uncoated paper with textured surfaces.

Tints: A shade of a single color or combined colors.

Transfer tape: A peel and stick tape used in business forms.

Transparent ink: A printing ink that does not conceal the color under it.

Trapping: The ability to print one ink over the other.

Trim marks: Similar to crop or register marks. These marks show where to trim the printed sheet.

Trim size: The final size of one printed image after the last trim is made.

Variable: Images or text that is different from piece to piece.

Varnish: A clear liquid applied to printed surfaces for looks and protection. (UV coating looks better.)

Verso: The left hand page of an open book.

Vignette halftone: A halftone whose background gradually fades to white.

Watermark: A distinctive design created in paper at the time of manufacture that can be easily seen by holding the paper up to a light.

Wire O: A bindery trade name for mechanical binding using double loops of wire through a hole.

With the grain: Folding or feeding paper into the press or folder parallel to the grain of the paper.

Work and tumble: Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from the gripper to the tail to print the second side using the same side guide and plate for the second side.

Work and turn: Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from left to right using the same side guides and plate for the second side.