A List Of Handy Words and Phrases
-
Proof
The most common form of proof nowadays is a pdf proof which can be checked for content not colour as screens aren’t colour correct to the print machines. A hard copy proof can be supplied as a digital proof which is colour correct and is the most cost effective option or for litho printing you can produce a wet proof this is either run on machine or on a wet proofing machine, this will give the closest result to the finished item but is also the most expensive.
-
Substrate
This means the base material used, eg box board, corrugated etc.
-
Litho Printing
This uses wet ink and printing plates and is suitable for longer print runs where there is a common image and no personalisation.
-
Digital Printing
This can either be large format – used for very small runs of packaging or point of sale or conventional it uses toners and is suitable for either shorted print runs or print jobs where a large degree of personalisation is required.
-
Screen Printing
This is where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate. It is commonly used to print direct onto corrugated board where there are 1-3 colours and the print runs are relatively small
-
Flexo Print
This is where you use a flexo relief plate. The set up costs are much higher than with screen printing or litho printing but this process is much more cost effective on longer runs of corrugated packaging. Typically used for 1 to 3 colour print, the print quality is not as high as litho printing but the cost benefits on large quantities can be substantial.
-
Matt Lamination
Lamination is the process of applying a thin layer of film to the substrate, this protects the printed image, prevents cracking on solid areas and with matt lamination gives a nice matt finish.
-
Anti scuff Matt laminate
As with matt lamination anti-scuff is a film applied to the substrate, the benefit of anti-scuff is it doesn’t mark. However the costs are much higher than conventional matt lamination.
-
Soft touch laminate
Soft touch laminate – This is another matt laminate finish but it has a soft touch feel so is very tactile. It gives a similar feel to Curious Touch paper but unlike Curious Touch where the soft feel is lost on printed areas with soft touch lamination print has no effect on the feel.
-
Gloss Lamination
Lamination is the process of applying a thin layer of film to the substrate, this protects the printed image, prevents cracking on solid areas and with gloss lamination gives a nice gloss finish.
-
UV Varnish
Liquid applied to a printed sheet, then bonded and cured with ultraviolet light. Gloss uv varnish is often used when a matt laminate has been applied as it gives a contrasting effect. UV varnish is available in various formats including matt and gloss. The advantage of uv varnishing is unlike foiling blocking and embossing where the costs are greatly increased by the image area is that image area does not make a significant difference to the costs.
-
High build uv varnish
High build spot uv varnish lays down a much heavier deposit of varnish giving it a raised feel – similar to an embossed effect. The advantage of uv varnishing is unlike foiling blocking and embossing where the costs are greatly increased by the image area is that image area does not make a significant difference to the costs.
-
Debossing
To press an image into paper so it lies below the surface.
-
Embossing
To press an image into paper so it lies above the surface.
-
Mounting/Litho Lamination
This is where a lighter weight material is all over glued to another material – eg affixing a light weight material to corrugated. This is often used in corrugated packaging where the paper is litho printed and any other finishes applied then mounted to corrugated – this can be one sided or double sided
-
Cad table
Designs are computer generated and then a cad table (flatbed machine) can be used to draw or cut out and crease samples or small production runs. The technology means that making small amends to packaging or direct mail designs is not complicated.
-
Die-cutting
Die-cutting is used to cut out printed products. A cutting forme is produced, this can either be hand sawn or laser generated where greater accuracy is needed. This forme is then put on a die-cutting machine these are available in a wide variety from hand fed to automated depending on the item being produced.
-
Laser cutting
Laser cutting is as it sounds cutting out with a laser, you can get a much more intricate design using laser cutting than you can with conventional die-cutting. The two processes can be used in tandem.
-
Foil blocking
Foil blocking is where a metallic or pigment colour is pressed by a heated die onto the substrate.
-
Ink jetting
This process is used to personalise a name and address onto envelopes or can be applied straight onto direct mail products (subject to tests).
-
Mailing
We offer a mailing service this has various benefits. On receipt of your data we can mail out direct to the addresses supplied this saves shipping time, the major benefit is cost savings on postage. Although there is a charge for the mailing service (getting the item ready for the post) these costs are generally greatly outweighed by the cost benefits of the savings that can be made on postage costs – especially on larger volumes.
-
Microns
This means the thickness of the material and is commonly used when discussing box boards, graphical boards etc.
-
Grammage
This means the weight of the material and is a different measurement to microns, gsm or grammage means the weight of the material and is used for papers – uncoated, silk, gloss etc.
-
Flute
This is used when specifying corrugated materials. Corrugated in its simplest terms can come in white or brown or a combination of both. There are various flutes available and these relate to the thickness of the material – sometimes different manufacturers will use a different flute name for the same material. Commonly used corrugated materials are E and B flute.
-
Rigid or Rigid style box
A rigid box is typically made out of 2 materials, an inner lining material which is typically greyboard and varies in thickness from 1300micron to 2500 micron and an outer covering paper which can be printed, embossed, foil blocked, laminated etc. These are typically used for high end packaging.
-
Box Board Packaging
This is a box typically made out of one material which can be from 350 to 700micron and includes graphical board, box boards and kraft board. This is more cost effective than a rigid box and quicker to produce. A lot of our packaging is this style and it is a great cost effective but still quality bespoke packaging solution.
