Dampening System 

The mechanism on a press for transferring fountain solution to the plate.

Data Shift 

In process color printing, it describes a shift in one of the channels of data that comprise the image file and could cause inconsistent color in some areas in the image.

DDES 

Direct Digital Data Exchange Standards. A set of established formats, protocols and values allowing one vendor's equipment to exchange data with another vendor's equipment.

Deckel Edge 

The untrimmed feathery edges of paper formed where the pulp flows against the wire of a paper making machine.

Dedicated Device 

A piece of hardware that is permanently assigned to one task. The task, however, can be changed by reprogramming or by the introduction of different software.

Default 

Software setting that returns specifications to a relative "home base" in the absence of other instruction from the operator. Depending on the software, new default settings can be made for one or more functions.

Densitometer 

A quality control device to measure the density of printing ink.

Instrument used to measure density. Reflection densitometers measure light reflected from paper and other surfaces. Transmission densitometers measure light transmitted through film and other materials.

Density 

The amount an object absorbs or reflects light is called "density level." High-density objects absorb or stop light; low-density objects reflect or transmit light.

The degree of color or darkness of an image or photograph.

Descender 

The part of a lower case letter which extends below the main body, as in "p".

Desensitizer 

Chemical agent used to make non-image areas of a printing plate repellent to ink.

Desktop black and white scanners 

Used to make black and white negatives or positives of images or line art.

Desktop color scanners (CCD) 

Less-expensive, usually flatbed devices using charge-coupled devices (CCDs) to bring color prints or negatives into a computer for manipulation, separation or printing.

Desktop color scanners (PMT) 

Drum-type devices using photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) to bring color prints or negatives into a computer for manipulation, separation or printing.

Desktop Color Separation Files 

A set of Encapsulated PostScript files (EPS) that provides color separation information. The DCS set includes one master file and four separation files.

Desktop publishing stripping 

Electronic assembly of all elements in final imposition for direct output as composite negative or plate.

Desktop Publishing 

Using a personal computer to compose pages of type and graphics and output the finished work to a laser printer or imagesetter onto paper, film or printing plate.

Detail Enhancement 

The technique of exaggerating picture image edges with unsharp masking or peaking, so the observer can easily see the detail of the original in the final reproduction.

Device Driver 

A miniature program that acts like a translator, converting the output from one device into data that another device can understand.

Diazo 

A light sensitive coating used on printing plates.

Die cutting 

Curing images in or out of paper.

Die Stamping 

Printing from lettering or other designs engraved into copper or steel. Also called the intaglio process, it is used for the production of letterheads, business cards, etc.

Die 

Device for cutting, scoring, stamping, embossing or debossing.

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

Diecutting 

Using sharp steel rules to cut special shapes from printed sheets. Diecutting can be done on either flatbed or rotary presses.

Digital graphic design services 

Staffing to provide desktop publishing design or page makeup services to customers.

Digital photography 

Direct electronic capture of an image within a camera without using film and processing.

Digital Plates 

High speed or spark discharge plates that can be exposed by digital data from a prepress system.

Digital Printing 

A new kind of printing process particularly good for short-run jobs that need fast turnaround times. Digital printing does not use film but digital imaging technology instead. It's still working its way into the mainstream.

Printing by plateless imaging systems that are imaged by digital data from prepress systems.

Digital Soft Proof 

A color video monitor display of a picture file, data file or text file.

Digital 

Information that relies solely on Arabic numerals for expression. In computers, all information is processed in binary numerics (0 and 1) through on/off electrical impulses. Computer programs are written in alphanumeric code (all keys on a keyboard) and are translated by programs or devices into binary code that can be read by the CPU of the computer.

Digitally stored photo libraries 

Storage of customers' electronic production files for possible future use (akin to storing customer negatives).

Dimensional Stability 

Ability of a film to hold size throughout its cycle of use. Polyester-based films are more dimensionally stable than acetate bases; glass is more stable than polyester.

Direct Digital Color Proof (DDCP) 

A proof made directly from the stored data file onto a substrate using a peripheral device such as a photographic exposure, dot matrix printer or ink jet printer without producing intermediate films.

Direct Screen 

The method of color separating which adds dots at the same time the transparency is being photographically separated into the four colors.

Direct-to-plate 

Often used as a synonym for computer-to-plate but less desirable to use because the acronym DTP can be confused with desktop publishing, which is also known as DTP (see computer-to-plate).

Dither 

To fill the gap between two pixels with another pixel having an average value of the two to minimize the difference or add detail to smooth the result.

Dot Area 

The size of the dot is indicated by the percentage of the area it occupies from zero to one hundred percent.

Dot Etching 

Applying chemicals by hand to either negatives for increasing dot size which adds color; or, to positives for decreasing dot size which subtracts color.

Dot gain or spread 

A term used to explain the difference in size between the dot on film v paper.

Dot Gain 

The increase in the printing dot size from the halftone film to the printed substrate resulting in darker tones.

Dot 

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

The individual element of a halftone.

Dots per inch (dpi) 

The measurement of resolution for page printers, photo type setting machines and graphics screens. Graphics screens usually reproduce 60 to 72 dpi, most page printers 300 dpi, and typesetting systems 1,000 dpi.

Double Black Duotones 

Image created from two halftones, one for highlights and the other for midtones and shadows. Both plates are inked with black for the most contrast.

Double burn 

Exposing a plate to multiple images.

Utilizing two or more negatives to expose an image on a plate or positive print.

Draw-down 

A sample of ink and paper used to evaluate ink colors.

Sample of inks specified for a job applied to the substrate specified for a job.

Drier 

A substance added to ink to hasten drying.

Drop Out 

The technique that can give a mediocre photo greater contrast by photographically removing some dots to create highlights that show the actual white of the paper.

Portions of artwork that do not print.

Drum 

The common name for the photoconductive cylinders used on scanners and plotters.

Dummy 

A layout showing the size, shape, form and general style of a piece of printing.

A mock-up of a proposed publication design including all the pages fastened together, and often containing art and type taken from other printed materials.

A rough layout of a printed piece showing position and finished size.

Duotone 

A halftone picture made up of two printed colors.

Two films are made by changing the screen angle for each and one plate is made for each film. A duotone is printed in two colors but both plates can be used for the same color ink for maximum contrast. When using black ink this is called a "double black".

Duplex Paper 

Paper with a different color or finish on each side.

Dylux ® 

Photographic paper made by DuPont and used for bluelines.

DuPont's light-sensitive proof in blue orblack.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) 

Industry-standard computer database and communication systems for intra- or inter-company exchange of information such as inventories, orders and invoices.

Electronic Dot Generation 

Method of producing halftones electronically on scanners and prepress systems.

Electronic file storage 

Storage of customers' electronic production files for possible future use (akin to storing customer negatives).

Electronic Mail or E-Mail 

A message service that uses telecommunications and electronics to deliver soft or hard copy information.

Electronic prepress training for customers 

Either formal presentation classes or informal one-on-one telephone help to customers using new digital technologies.

Electronic printing, black or spot color 

Technology that reproduces pages in black or black plus spot (highlight) colors directly from a computer file without negatives, plates, etc., typically using electrostatic or electrophotographic processes.

Electronic printing, full color 

Technology that reproduces pages in process colors directly from a computer file without negatives, plates, etc., typically using electrostatic or electrophotographic processes.

Electronic Publishing 

A configuration of hardware and software used for digital page composition. The term includes desktop publishing and high-end systems.

Electrophotography 

Image transfer system used in copiers to produce images using electrostatic forces.

Electrostatic printing 

Similar to photocopying, electrostatic printing is good for very short printing runs.

Elliptical Dot 

An elongated or oval halftone dot used to minimize the midtone jump in dot gain at the point where dots are large enough to connect.

Em Dash 

A dash, one em long, used to separate parenthetical phrases within a sentence.

Em 

A measure of space exactly as high and wide as the point size of the typeface being used.

Emboss 

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

Emboss 

To press an image into paper so it lies above the surface.

Embossing 

Using a special printing process to make an impression into thick, cover stock over printed type or a design. The impression may be concave or convex. Blind embossing is pressing the design in an unprinted surface.

Emulsion 

The light-sensitive coating on photographic film, plates or stencils.

En Dash 

A dash, one en long, used to indicate range as in "see pages 4-5."

En 

A measure of space equal to one-half of an em space in the same point size and typeface.

Enamel 

A term applied to a coated paper or to a coating material on a paper.

End Sheet 

Sheet that attaches the inside pages of a case bound book to its cover.

Engraving 

A type of printing process that produces the sharpest images of all. The image feels indented if you run your fingers over the back of the sheet.

Printing method using a plate, also called a die, with an image cut into its surface.

Environmental friendly processes 

Reduced-chemical, silver-and VOC-free processes for preparation of printed materials.

EPS 

Encapsulated PostScript. A way of storing visual data so that it can be exchanged between programs or different computer systems.

Estimate 

A statement of what a print job will probably cost based on specified quantities, materials and labor.

Etch 

To use chemicals to carve an image into plates and film or an acid solution used to desensitize the non-printing areas of the plate.

Ethernet 

A local area network (LAN) hardware standard capable of linking up to 1024 nodes.

Eurobind 

A patented method of binding perfect bound books so they will open and lay flatter.

Exabyte 

An 8-millimeter, two gigabyte tape drive providing substantial data storage and archiving on a small cartridge. It is more cost effective than standard magnetic tapes, as fewer Exabyte tapes are required to store information.

Expansion Bus 

The main "data pathway" inside a computer, usually fitted with slots which will accept circuit cards to expand and enhance the capabilities of the computer.

Exposure 

The quantity of light that is allowed to act on a photographic material. The product of the intensity and the duration of the light acting on the emulsions.

Face 

Edge of a bound publication opposite the spine.

Facsimile transmission 

The process of converting graphic images into electronic signals.

Fanout 

Distortion of paper on the press due to waviness in the paper caused by absorption of moisture at the edges of the paper, particularly across the grain.

Feeder 

The part of the press that separates the sheets of paper and feeds them into position for printing.

Felt Side 

The smoother side of the paper.

Fifth Color 

Non-process or premixed ink color used in addition to the four process colors.

File Fragmentation 

The condition in which, as a consequence of enlarging files and saving them on a crowded disk, that disk no longer contains contiguous blocks of free space to hold them; it saves them in fragmented parts on separate parts of the disk and ultimately slows down read-write access time.

File Server 

A powerful microcomputer containing programs and data which may be accessed by other microcomputers that are linked with it via a network.

Fill-up 

Occurs when ink fills the area between the halftone dots or plugs of the type.

Film rip 

See Rip film.

Fine Paper 

Paper made specifically for writing or commercial printing, as opposed to coarse paper and industrial paper.

Fingerprint 

To test a printing press to determine its exact printing characteristics, such as its dot gain, ink density and trapping, for the purpose of customizing color separations for those printing conditions.

Finish 

General term for trimming, folding, binding and all other post-press operations. Also refers to the surface characteristics of paper.

Finishing 

The final steps of the printing process after the actual printing is complete. Includes folding, collating, hole drilling, scoring, and binding.

Flat Colors 

Colors and tints that are not formulated from standard process colors. Also, color that seems weak or lifeless.

Flat 

An assembly of negatives taped to masking materials for platemaking.

The assembled composite of negatives or positives ready for platemaking. Also, a term used to describe a photograph that is lacking in contrast.

Flexographic Press 

These presses use rubber plates with printed areas raised in relief.

Flexography 

A printing process that uses a raised surface of flexible rubber or photopolymer printing plate mounted on a rotary drum and thin, fast-drying inks to print on almost any roll stock.

Flood 

To cover a printed page with ink, varnish, or plastic coating.

Flop 

Reversing a transparency or negative so that what was on the right side is now on the left.

Reversing the direction a picture or typeset word is facing. Sometimes called a "reading turn."

The reverse side of an image.

Floppy Disk 

A thin, flexible plastic disk which has been coated with iron oxide and is capable of storing computer data as a magnetic pattern. Floppy disks are a convenient way of giving data or swapping information for use on another computer.

Flush Cover 

A cover trimmed to the same size as the inside text pages.

Flush left 

Aligning copy along the left margin.

Flush right 

Aligning copy along the right margin.

Fly Leaf 

The half of the end sheets not glued to the front and back covers of a case bound book.

Flying Paster 

An automatic pasting device that splices a new roll of paper onto an expiring roll without stopping the web press.

Foil emboss 

Foil stamping and embossing a image on paper with a die.

Foil Stamp 

To press a heated die onto a sheet of foil, releasing the foil from its backing and adhering it to a substrate.

Foil stamping 

Using a die to place a metallic or pigmented image on paper.

Foil 

A metallic or pigmented coating on plastic sheets or rolls used in foil stamping and foil embossing.

Folio 

In typesetting, the typeset page number. Right hand pages contain the odd number folios.

Font 

A complete set of type characters in one typeface and type size.

Foot Margin (also tail margin) 

The distance between the bottom edge of the body of type (text) on a page and the bottom edge of the trimmed page.

Foot 

The bottom of a page or book.

For Position Only (FPO) 

Refers to inferior quality copies of photos or art used on mechanicals to indicate placement and scaling, but not intended for reproduction.

Form Roller 

A roller which comes in contact with the printing plate, bringing it water or ink.

Form 

Each side of a signature.

Fountain Solution 

A mixture of water and chemicals that dampens a printing plate to prevent ink from adhering to the non-image areas.

Four-color process 

Printing in full color using four color separation negatives in the basic printing colors of yellow, magenta, cyan andblack. Separating and screening the primary colors red, yellow, blue and black from full-color originals, and printing magenta (for red), cyan (for blue), yellow and black to create the illusion of full-color.

Use of cyan, magenta, yellow and black to create a full color image.

Free Sheet 

Paper made from cooked wood fibers mixed with chemicals and washed free of impurities.

French fold 

Two folds at right angles to each other.

Frequency-modulated Screening 

See stochastic screening.

Frequency 

The lines per inch (lpi) in a halftone screen.

Front End System 

The computer hardware on which application software used to prepare pages of type and graphics is run.

Full size color scanners (PMT) 

"Traditional" large format, drum type "high end" scanners to bring color prints or negatives into a computer for manipulation, separation or printing.

Full-scale Black 

A black printer separation that prints dots in every part of the picture.

Fuzz 

Fibers projecting from the surface of a sheet of paper.

Press Definitions G - K

Galley Proof -- Proportion Scale

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