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Tel: 0121 359 2346  |   Email: sales@alltradeprinters.co.uk

Print Glossary

Listed below in our Print Glossary are the common terms used within the printing industry in everyday speak as well as a few definitions and explanations that will be of great help to you. If you ever wondered what is meant when a job 'bleeds' or when a 'dummy' is needed, then here is your chance to wise up on printers' jargon.

Click on the links below to view glossary terms

DCS

An extension to the EPS system which enables CMYK separations to be saved and read by other computer programs than the one that created it

Densitometer

Machine used to monitor the density of colour on printed material

Density

The degree of colour or darkness of an image or photograph

Density Control Bar

Found on the side of proofs and printed material, these calibration bars are a strip of tones used to ensure printing quality and consistency. On film, the strips are calibration bars, and on paper they are colour control bars

Die

Metal rule or imaged block used to cut or place an image on paper in the finishing process

Die Cutting

Cutting images in or out of paper

Distribution Rollers

These are the rollers on a printing machine that move the ink from the ducts to the plate

Dithering

A technique of simulating colours from adjacent pixels to compensate for a limited colour range

Dot Gain or Spread

A halftone dot will become larger in the transition from film to print – this has to be planned for in the reproduction process; A term used to explain the difference in size between the dot on film v paper – This change is called ‘dot gain percentage’, as it will always be a plus factor, ie 30% dot on film, 40% printed dot – this increase is referred to as 10% dot gain. This press dot gain must be anticipated at the film stage and the film dot size reduced to counteract the percentage gain. This is not a linear change as it varies depending on the original film dot size

DPI

Dots per Inch. This measurement indicates the quality of the resolution. The higher the number (i.e. 6000) the greater the resolution

Dummy

An example of a proposed publication, usually made out of the paper specified; A rough layout of a printed piece showing position and finished size; A sample of a proposed job made up with the actual materials and cut to the correct size to show bulk, style of binding, etc. Also a complete layout of a job showing position of type matter and illustrations, margins etc.

Duotone

A two colour halftone produced from two halftone images of the same original

Dot

An element of halftones. Using a loupe you will see that printed pictures are made many dots

DPI

Dots per Inch

Carbon Capture & Storage Association Federation of Small Businesses British Print Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

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