A practical reference for the language of print
The printing industry has a language of its own, from anilox and dot gain to raster, dyne level and retort. The Wikoff Glossary should make that language easier to understand, search and apply through a complete technical reference that can be searched by term, browsed alphabetically, filtered by category or market and connected through related terms and relevant Wikoff resources.
Adhesion
The ability of an ink, coating, adhesive or other layer to remain bonded to a substrate or adjacent layer under specified conditions.
Why It Matters
Adhesion is a system property affected by substrate, surface preparation, chemistry, cure and end-use exposure.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Adhesive Lamination
A laminating process that uses an adhesive layer to bond two substrates into a combined packaging structure.
Why It Matters
Lamination integrity depends on compatibility among film treatment, ink, adhesive, drying or cure and converting conditions, so every printed layer can affect final bond performance.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
AM Screening
Amplitude-modulated screening, in which halftone dots are arranged on a regular grid and tonal value is changed primarily by varying dot size.
Why It Matters
AM screening remains widely used for predictable tonal reproduction, but line ruling and screen angles must be controlled to balance detail, dot gain and moiré risk.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Anilox Roll
A precision-engraved roll that meters a controlled volume of ink or coating to the flexographic printing plate. Its line count, cell geometry, volume and condition directly influence ink-film delivery.
Why It Matters
Changes in anilox condition or volume can change density and print quality even when the ink has not changed.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Aqueous Coating
A water-based coating used to provide protection or appearance properties such as gloss, matte, rub resistance or functional performance.
Why It Matters
Aqueous coatings are widely used where fast drying and inline protection are desired.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Authentication
The process of verifying that a printed item, document, product or package is genuine using one or more security features and defined verification methods.
Why It Matters
Effective authentication typically uses layered features appropriate to users, inspectors and forensic analysis.
Primary Category
Security Printing
Market
Security Printing
Related Terms
Barrier Coating
A functional coating designed to reduce transmission or penetration of substances such as moisture, oxygen, grease, oil or aroma through a substrate or package structure.
Why It Matters
Barrier coatings can contribute to product protection and may support packaging-structure simplification when properly designed.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton
Related Terms
BCM
Billion cubic microns per square inch, a unit commonly used in North America to express anilox cell volume. Higher BCM values generally deliver a greater wet ink or coating volume, subject to cell geometry and transfer efficiency.
Why It Matters
BCM is one of the key specifications used to match an anilox roll to a print or coating requirement.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Binder
The film-forming component that holds pigment and other ingredients together and anchors the printed layer to the substrate after drying or curing.
Why It Matters
Binder chemistry helps determine whether pigment stays anchored to the substrate and strongly influences adhesion, flexibility, gloss and resistance properties.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Bio-Based Ink
A printing ink formulated in part with raw materials derived from renewable biological sources, such as plant-based oils, proteins or cellulose-derived materials. Bio-based content does not by itself determine recyclability, compostability or overall environmental impact.
Why It Matters
Bio-based formulations can reduce reliance on fossil-derived raw materials, but performance and sustainability claims still need to be evaluated using the complete formulation, application and end-of-life pathway.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Bleed
A print defect in which one printed color migrates, dissolves or visually spreads into an adjacent color or layer instead of remaining cleanly separated.
Why It Matters
Bleed can destroy color separation and graphic definition and may indicate that drying speed, heat, airflow or ink compatibility needs to be corrected.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Blocking
Unwanted sticking between adjacent printed or coated surfaces during winding, stacking, storage or converting.
Why It Matters
Blocking can result from insufficient dry or cure, excessive pressure or temperature, ink-film properties or package construction.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
BOPP
Biaxially oriented polypropylene, a polypropylene film stretched in two directions to improve properties such as stiffness, clarity and dimensional stability.
Why It Matters
BOPP is a major packaging and label substrate, and its surface treatment, slip package and orientation can significantly affect ink wetting, adhesion and converting performance.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Caliper
The thickness of a sheet, film, board or other substrate, commonly expressed in thousandths of an inch, microns or millimeters depending on the material and region.
Why It Matters
Caliper affects press setup, impression, folding, die cutting, package stiffness and material handling, so thickness must be considered when selecting print and converting conditions.
Primary Category
Folding Carton
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Cell Volume
The volumetric capacity of engraved anilox cells, commonly expressed in BCM in North America. It is a primary factor in the amount of ink or coating available for transfer.
Why It Matters
Effective cell volume can decrease with wear or plugging, changing print density and coating laydown.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Chambered Doctor Blade
An enclosed ink-metering system that uses doctor blades and seals around the anilox roll to control ink delivery and return. It can reduce exposure, evaporation and contamination compared with open-pan systems.
Why It Matters
A stable chambered system helps maintain consistent anilox metering while controlling evaporation, contamination and ink circulation, all of which affect color consistency and uptime.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Chroma
One of the three primary dimensions used to describe color, representing its vividness or saturation at a given hue and lightness. In L*C*h° terminology it is expressed as C*.
Why It Matters
Chroma helps explain whether a measured color is cleaner or duller than the target, giving press and ink teams a more useful direction for color correction than a pass/fail difference alone.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
CMYK
The four process colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black used in conventional process printing to reproduce a broad range of colors through overprinting.
Why It Matters
CMYK is the foundation of process-color reproduction, so stable ink film, screening, registration and color management are required to keep images consistent from proof to production.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Coating
A material applied over or under a printed layer or directly to a substrate to provide visual, protective, processing or functional properties.
Why It Matters
Coatings can influence appearance, durability, friction, structure or rigidity, barrier performance and downstream converting.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Coating Weight
The amount of coating applied per unit area, expressed in a defined wet or dry basis. Coating weight influences appearance, barrier and functional performance.
Why It Matters
Functional coatings generally need a controlled application weight to deliver repeatable performance.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Cobwebbing
A flexo or gravure defect characterized by thin, web-like strands of partially dried ink accumulating around the doctor blade, impression area, engraving or press frame.
Why It Matters
Cobwebbing can contaminate print and reduce uptime; it often points to drying at the wrong location, excessive viscosity or air movement around the print station.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Coefficient of Friction (CoF)
A numerical measure of friction between two surfaces. Static CoF relates to the force required to initiate movement, while kinetic CoF relates to movement once sliding has begun.
Why It Matters
Controlling CoF is important for packaging-machine performance, stacking and web handling.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Color Gamut
The range of colors that a printing system can reproduce under defined conditions. Gamut depends on inks, substrate, print process, screening and ink-film characteristics.
Why It Matters
Understanding gamut helps determine whether a target color can be reproduced accurately with a given print condition.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Color Matching
The process of formulating, adjusting and verifying an ink or printing condition to reproduce a target color within agreed visual or numerical tolerances.
Why It Matters
Accurate color matching requires control of ink, substrate, film weight, press conditions and measurement method.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Color Temperature
A description of the appearance of a light source expressed in kelvin (K). Different viewing-light temperatures can make the same printed color appear different.
Why It Matters
Standardized viewing conditions are necessary for meaningful visual color approval because a match under one light source may not appear the same under another.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Color Tolerance
The agreed numerical or visual range within which a printed color is considered acceptable relative to a standard, commonly evaluated using a Delta E formula.
Why It Matters
Defined tolerances turn subjective color discussions into measurable production expectations and help determine when an ink or press adjustment is actually required.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Corona Treatment
An electrical surface-treatment process used to increase the surface energy of many polymer films and improve wetting, printing, coating or bonding.
Why It Matters
Treatment level can decay with time and should be verified close to the printing or converting operation.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Digital Printing, Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Covert Security Feature
A security feature intended to be detected with a specific tool, illumination condition or knowledge rather than through ordinary viewing.
Why It Matters
Covert features add a verification layer that is harder to recognize or reproduce casually and can support inspectors, brand owners and other trained users.
Primary Category
Security Printing
Market
Security Printing
Related Terms
CPP
Cast polypropylene, a non-oriented polypropylene film commonly used where sealability, clarity or flexibility is desired.
Why It Matters
CPP is commonly used as a sealant or packaging film, making surface treatment, heat-seal requirements and ink or adhesive compatibility important to package performance.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Crosslinking
The formation of chemical bonds between polymer chains, creating a more durable network. Crosslinking can improve chemical, heat, water and abrasion resistance.
Why It Matters
Crosslinking can improve final performance but may affect pot life, recoatability and recyclability considerations.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Curing
The conversion of a liquid or paste ink or coating into a solid film through a chemical or energy-driven reaction, such as UV, UV-LED or electron beam exposure.
Why It Matters
Adequate cure is critical to adhesion, resistance, odor, migration control and downstream performance.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
D50
A standardized daylight illuminant representing approximately 5000 K and widely used as a graphic-arts viewing condition for color evaluation.
Why It Matters
Using a defined illuminant such as D50 allows printers, ink suppliers, agencies and brand owners to compare color under a common viewing condition.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Deinking
The removal or separation of printing ink from recovered material during a recycling process, most commonly discussed for paper and increasingly for selected plastic recycling systems.
Why It Matters
Ink chemistry, print process and recycling technology all influence deinking behavior.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Commercial Printing, Packaging
Related Terms
Delta E
A numerical expression of the difference between two measured colors. Lower Delta E values generally indicate a closer color match, although the appropriate tolerance depends on the measurement method and application.
Why It Matters
Delta E provides an objective way to evaluate whether printed color is within an agreed tolerance.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Density
An optical measurement of how much light a printed ink film absorbs. Density is commonly used to monitor process ink film strength and consistency on press.
Why It Matters
Density is useful for process control but does not by itself describe color appearance.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
Commercial Printing, Packaging
Related Terms
Design for Recycling
The practice of designing packaging to improve compatibility with a defined collection, sorting and recycling system while maintaining necessary product and package performance.
Why It Matters
Design-for-recycling decisions should consider the complete package and the requirements of the intended recycling stream.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
Digital Printing
Printing in which digital image data drives the imaging process without a conventional fixed printing plate for each image. Digital printing enables variable content, shorter runs and integration with automated workflows.
Why It Matters
Digital technologies expand opportunities for versioning, personalization, short runs and direct integration into manufacturing.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Direct Food Contact
A condition in which the printed or coated surface is intended to directly touch food. Direct-contact applications require specific formulation and regulatory assessment for the intended use.
Why It Matters
Direct food contact should never be assumed unless the material and finished construction are specifically evaluated for that use.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
Direct-to-Object Printing
Digital printing directly onto a three-dimensional finished or semi-finished object rather than onto a flat label or sheet that is later applied.
Why It Matters
Direct-to-object printing can eliminate labels or intermediate decorating steps but requires careful control of geometry, adhesion and cure.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Dirty Print
Unwanted filling, plugging or contamination around fine print or reverses that reduces image clarity. Dried ink, plate condition, impression, anilox selection and ink balance can contribute.
Why It Matters
Improving resolubility and controlling drying at the plate can help extend clean running time.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Doctor Blade
A thin blade used to remove excess ink or coating from the surface of an anilox roll or gravure cylinder, leaving material primarily in the engraved cells for controlled transfer.
Why It Matters
Blade material, angle, pressure and condition influence metering quality, wear and print defects.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Dot Gain
The increase in printed halftone dot size or tonal value compared with the original file or plate value. Mechanical pressure, ink spread, substrate and plate characteristics can all contribute.
Why It Matters
Controlling dot gain is essential for predictable tone reproduction and color.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Drawdown
A controlled application of ink or coating to a substrate using a specified tool or method for evaluating color and performance before or during production.
Why It Matters
Drawdowns help isolate ink and substrate variables before a full press trial.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Drying
The process by which a printed ink becomes sufficiently solid through evaporation, absorption, oxidation or another non-radiation mechanism.
Why It Matters
Drying mechanism and rate influence press speed, blocking, odor and downstream converting.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Drying-In
Premature drying of ink on a plate, anilox roll, gravure cylinder or other press component before proper image transfer occurs.
Why It Matters
Drying-in can weaken print, plug fine image areas and force press stops for cleaning, making solvent balance, air movement, viscosity and press speed important troubleshooting variables.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Dye
A colorant that dissolves in its carrier rather than remaining as dispersed solid particles. Dyes can provide strong, transparent color and are used in selected analog, digital and specialty ink systems.
Why It Matters
Because dyes dissolve rather than remain as dispersed particles, they can provide strong transparent color but require careful selection for lightfastness, migration, chemistry and application requirements.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
Digital Printing, Security Printing
Related Terms
Dyne Level
A commonly used expression of surface energy, typically in dynes per centimeter, used to assess whether a film or other substrate has sufficient surface energy for wetting and adhesion.
Why It Matters
Dyne testing is a useful process check, but successful adhesion also depends on ink, contamination, aging and treatment uniformity.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Digital Printing, Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Electron Beam (EB)
An energy-curing technology that uses accelerated electrons to polymerize specially formulated inks and coatings. EB systems generally do not require conventional photoinitiators.
Why It Matters
EB can provide rapid cure and is used in selected packaging applications where high-performance cured films are required.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Emulsification
The incorporation of fountain solution into offset ink. Some controlled emulsification is normal, but excessive water uptake can weaken color and cause print or drying problems.
Why It Matters
Excessive emulsification can destabilize ink transfer and finished-print properties.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Excessive Plate Wear
Premature loss or degradation of lithographic plate image areas during a print run, resulting in weakening or disappearing image detail.
Why It Matters
Excessive plate wear can shorten run length and drive waste, and may result from packing, roller pressure, plate exposure, abrasive stock, poor ink grind or ink-water imbalance.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Expanded Color Gamut (ECG)
A printing approach that expands beyond CMYK by adding fixed process colors, often orange, green and violet, to reproduce more spot colors without changing inks between jobs.
Why It Matters
ECG can reduce spot-color changeovers and support more standardized, efficient production when implemented with strong process control.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Facestock
The printable face material of a pressure-sensitive label construction. It may be paper, film, foil or another specialty substrate.
Why It Matters
The facestock is the surface actually printed and handled by the consumer, so its chemistry, coating, texture and durability directly influence ink adhesion, appearance and label performance.
Primary Category
Labels & Narrow Web
Market
Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Film
A thin, flexible polymeric substrate used in packaging, labels and industrial applications. Common films include PE, PP, PET and nylon structures.
Why It Matters
Film surfaces can vary widely in chemistry, treatment and additive content, making substrate identification and surface-energy control essential to reliable printing, coating and lamination.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Flat-Top Dot
A flexographic plate dot with a relatively flat printing surface rather than a rounded crown. Flat-top dot technologies can support robust dot structure and controlled ink transfer when matched to the application.
Why It Matters
Dot geometry is one of several plate variables that can influence impression latitude, solids and tonal reproduction.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
Graphics & Plates
Related Terms
Flexible Packaging
Packaging made primarily from flexible materials such as films, foil, paper or laminates that can change shape when filled or handled.
Why It Matters
Flexible packaging combines print, materials and converting requirements that place demanding performance requirements on inks and coatings.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Flexography / Flexo
A relief printing process in which a flexible raised-image plate transfers a metered ink film to a substrate. Flexography is widely used for labels, flexible packaging, corrugated materials and other packaging applications.
Why It Matters
Flexography combines high production speeds with broad substrate and ink-chemistry flexibility.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
FM Screening
Frequency-modulated or stochastic screening, in which very small dots are distributed with changing frequency or spacing to reproduce tone rather than primarily changing dot size.
Why It Matters
FM screening can reproduce fine detail while reducing some traditional screen-angle interactions, but plate, press and process control must be capable of holding very small dots consistently.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Foam
Air or gas bubbles stabilized in an ink, coating or circulating fluid. Excessive foam can disrupt transfer, pump performance, coating weight and print appearance.
Why It Matters
Foam should be controlled by addressing mechanical entrainment and chemistry rather than adding defoamer indiscriminately.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Folding Carton
A paperboard package that is printed, die cut, creased, folded and typically glued into a carton for consumer or commercial products.
Why It Matters
Folding carton production combines high visual expectations with rub, score, glue and converting requirements.
Primary Category
Folding Carton
Market
Folding Carton
Related Terms
Food Contact
A regulatory and application concept describing materials intended for use in packaging or articles associated with food. Requirements depend on jurisdiction, package construction, intended conditions of use and whether direct contact occurs.
Why It Matters
Food-packaging suitability must be assessed for the complete application and intended use, not inferred from a generic ink description.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Form-Fill-Seal (FFS)
A packaging process that forms a package from rollstock, fills it with product and seals it in an integrated operation.
Why It Matters
Printed structures must run reliably through forming and sealing equipment at production speed.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Fountain Solution
A water-based pressroom chemistry used in conventional offset lithography to keep non-image areas of the plate receptive to water and resistant to ink.
Why It Matters
Fountain solution chemistry and control influence plate behavior, emulsification, drying and print stability.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton, Pressroom Chemicals
Related Terms
Functional Barrier
A layer or combination of layers designed to reduce transfer of substances through a package structure to an acceptable level for the intended application.
Why It Matters
Barrier effectiveness depends on material, thickness, temperature, time and the migrating substance.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
G7
A print-calibration methodology focused on achieving a consistent neutral grayscale and tonality across printing processes and devices. G7 is used to improve visual alignment and process consistency.
Why It Matters
G7 provides a common process-control framework for aligning print appearance across devices and locations.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
Commercial Printing, Packaging
Related Terms
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
Documented manufacturing controls intended to ensure materials are consistently produced and handled according to defined quality, safety and regulatory requirements.
Why It Matters
For sensitive packaging applications, formulation controls must be supported by disciplined manufacturing and change management.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Gravure / Rotogravure
An intaglio printing process in which ink is held in recessed cells engraved into a cylinder. A doctor blade removes excess surface ink before the substrate contacts the cylinder.
Why It Matters
Gravure is known for consistent high-speed reproduction and precise control through engraved cell geometry.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Halftone
A pattern of dots used to reproduce tonal variation by changing dot size, frequency or distribution. Viewed at normal distance, the dots visually blend into shades and colors.
Why It Matters
Halftones create tonal images from printable dots, so dot formation, gain and consistency are fundamental to image detail, gradations and process-color accuracy.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Haloing
A print defect in which an unwanted shadow, rim or line appears around the outer edge of an image or printed element.
Why It Matters
Haloing reduces edge sharpness and can indicate excessive impression, plate-cylinder pressure or mounting conditions rather than an ink-color issue.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
HDPE
High-density polyethylene, a polyethylene grade with greater density and stiffness than LDPE, used in films, bottles and other packaging structures.
Why It Matters
HDPE is widely used in packaging and containers, but its relatively low surface energy often requires appropriate treatment and ink selection to achieve durable adhesion.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Hickies
Small circular print defects, often with a halo around a central particle, caused by contamination, paper debris, dried ink, roller condition or other foreign material in the printing unit.
Why It Matters
Hickies interrupt solids and fine graphics and are often a sign that press cleanliness, substrate debris, roller condition or ink filtration and grind should be checked.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Hue
The dimension of color that identifies its basic color family, such as red, yellow, green or blue. In L*C*h° color space, hue is commonly expressed as a hue angle.
Why It Matters
Hue direction tells a color matcher how the sample differs from the target, for example whether a red is too yellow or too blue, which makes correction more precise.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Hybrid Printing
A production system that combines digital imaging with one or more conventional print or converting processes in an integrated workflow.
Why It Matters
Hybrid systems can combine digital flexibility with analog speed, spot colors, coatings or converting functions.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Illuminant
A mathematically defined representation of a light source used for color measurement or visual evaluation, such as D50 daylight.
Why It Matters
Color values and visual matches depend on the specified illuminant, so customers and suppliers need to use the same measurement and viewing conditions when comparing results.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Impression
The contact pressure between printing components and substrate required to transfer an image. Excessive impression can distort dots and increase gain; insufficient impression can create weak or incomplete print.
Why It Matters
Correct impression helps preserve plate life and print definition while maintaining consistent transfer.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
In-Mold Label (IML)
A printed label placed into a mold and integrated with the plastic part or container during molding. The printed construction must withstand molding conditions and bond appropriately to the finished article.
Why It Matters
IML combines demanding print quality with thermal, static and molding-process requirements.
Primary Category
Labels & Narrow Web
Market
Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Indirect Food Contact
A packaging situation in which an ink or coating is not intended to directly touch food but may be part of a food-package structure. Migration and set-off considerations can still apply.
Why It Matters
Non-contact placement does not automatically eliminate migration risk.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
Ink
A formulated material used to create printed images, text or functional layers. Printing inks typically combine colorants with a vehicle or binder system and additives selected for the printing process, substrate, curing method and end-use requirements.
Why It Matters
Ink chemistry influences color, adhesion, drying or curing, resistance properties and press performance.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Ink Emulsification
The incorporation of fountain solution into offset ink during printing. Some water uptake is normal, but excessive emulsification can change ink body, color strength, trapping and transfer.
Why It Matters
Excessive emulsification can cause poor trapping, mushy dots, loss of gloss and scumming, so fountain-solution concentration and ink-water balance are important control points.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Ink Film Thickness
The thickness or laydown of the printed ink layer. Ink film affects color strength, opacity, drying or curing and finished-print performance.
Why It Matters
Controlling ink film is central to consistent color and performance.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Ink Misting
The formation of fine airborne droplets or particles of ink around an offset press during high-speed roller rotation.
Why It Matters
Misting creates housekeeping and print-control issues and can indicate that ink flow, strength, roller settings or ink-water balance are outside the intended operating window.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Ink Set-Off
The transfer of freshly printed ink from the face of one sheet to the back of the next sheet in a pile before the ink has adequately set or dried.
Why It Matters
Set-off can ruin otherwise acceptable print and is strongly influenced by ink film, setting speed, paper holdout, pile conditions and spray powder.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Ink Stripping
A lithographic press condition in which ink rollers fail to accept or carry ink uniformly in certain areas, often because of roller glaze, fountain-solution conditions or excessive water.
Why It Matters
Ink stripping disrupts consistent ink transfer and can create weak or unstable color even when the ink formulation itself is otherwise correct.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Ink-Water Balance
The controlled relationship between ink and fountain solution in offset lithography. The goal is to use enough water to keep non-image areas clean without over-emulsifying the ink.
Why It Matters
A stable ink-water balance supports clean printing, consistent density and efficient drying.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Inkjet
A non-contact digital printing technology that places controlled droplets of ink onto a substrate through printhead nozzles. Ink chemistry must be engineered for the printhead, waveform, substrate and curing or drying system.
Why It Matters
Reliable inkjet performance requires tight control of fluid properties, filtration, jetting and substrate interaction.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Jettable Primer
A primer formulated with fluid properties suitable for inkjet application. It can modify substrate surface behavior to improve adhesion, dot control, color or durability of a subsequent printed layer.
Why It Matters
Jettable primers can expand substrate compatibility while preserving the flexibility of a digital workflow.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Jetting
The controlled formation and ejection of ink droplets from an inkjet printhead. Stable jetting requires the ink's viscosity, surface tension and other fluid properties to remain within a suitable operating window.
Why It Matters
Ink that prints a good color but jets unreliably is not a successful industrial inkjet solution.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Kiss Impression
The minimum practical printing pressure needed to achieve complete image transfer in flexography. The goal is to avoid unnecessary plate compression and dot distortion.
Why It Matters
Kiss impression is a key operating principle for clean flexographic reproduction.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
L*a*b*
A device-independent color space that describes lightness on the L* axis and color position on the a* red-green and b* yellow-blue axes. It is widely used for color measurement and comparison.
Why It Matters
L*a*b* data allows color to be communicated numerically rather than by visual description alone.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Lamination
The bonding of two or more material layers to create a composite structure with combined appearance, barrier, strength or converting properties.
Why It Matters
Ink compatibility with adhesive, residual solvent, cure and film treatment can influence lamination performance.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Lamination Bond
The strength and integrity of the bond between layers in a laminated structure. It depends on substrates, treatment, adhesive, ink, cure and processing conditions.
Why It Matters
Weak bond can lead to delamination or package failure, so printed ink layers must be compatible with the full laminate system.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
LDPE
Low-density polyethylene, a flexible polyethylene grade commonly used in films, bags, sealant layers and other packaging applications.
Why It Matters
LDPE is common in flexible films and sealant layers, and its flexibility, additives and low surface energy can influence treatment, print adhesion and downstream heat sealing.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Lightness
The dimension of color describing how light or dark a color appears. In CIELAB it is represented by L*, typically on a scale from black toward white.
Why It Matters
Separating lightness from hue and chroma helps identify whether a color mismatch should be corrected by changing strength or film build rather than shifting the color family.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Line Screen / LPI
Lines per inch, a measure used for halftone screen ruling and, separately, for the number of engraved anilox cells per linear inch. The meaning should be clear from context.
Why It Matters
LPI influences the level of printable detail and, for anilox rolls, the cell count available for metering, so the correct interpretation and specification are important to both prepress and ink transfer.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Low-Migration Ink
An ink specifically formulated and manufactured to reduce the potential migration of its components when used within an appropriately designed packaging system. Low-migration ink alone does not make a finished package compliant.
Why It Matters
Compliance depends on the complete package structure, manufacturing process and intended end use.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Makeready
The setup work required to prepare a press for saleable production, including mounting, color adjustment, registration, ink or coating setup and other job-specific preparation.
Why It Matters
Reducing makeready time and waste is a major driver of pressroom efficiency.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Metamerism
A condition in which two colors appear to match under one light source but differ under another. It results from differences in their spectral characteristics.
Why It Matters
Metamerism can create unexpected brand-color differences when packaging moves between store, daylight and other viewing environments.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Migration
The transfer of substances from packaging components into food, simulants or adjacent materials through diffusion, set-off, gas phase or other mechanisms.
Why It Matters
Migration risk depends on formulation, package construction, cure or drying, storage, food type and intended conditions of use.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
Migration Testing
Analytical testing used to evaluate the transfer of substances from packaging into food simulants or other defined media under specified conditions.
Why It Matters
Testing conditions should represent applicable regulatory requirements and intended use.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
Mileage / Yield
A measure of the printable area, number of impressions or useful output obtained from a given quantity of ink, coating or other consumable under defined conditions.
Why It Matters
Cost per pound or kilogram alone does not show ink economics; strength, film weight and waste affect actual cost-in-use.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Mono-Material
A package structure designed primarily around one material family to simplify compatibility with a target recycling stream. Functional layers, inks, coatings and adhesives still require evaluation within the total structure.
Why It Matters
Mono-material design can improve recycling compatibility but must still meet barrier, print and package-performance requirements.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
White Ink
A printing ink formulated to provide a white printed layer, commonly using titanium dioxide pigment. White may serve as a graphic color, an opaque backing layer or a foundation for subsequent colors.
Why It Matters
White ink performance is often a balance among opacity, transfer, viscosity, settling and print speed.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
Digital Printing, Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Wetting
The ability of a liquid ink or coating to spread and maintain contact with a substrate rather than retracting or beading.
Why It Matters
Good wetting is necessary for uniform films, but wetting alone does not guarantee final adhesion.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Web Tension
The controlled pulling force applied to a continuous web as it travels through printing and converting equipment.
Why It Matters
Stable web tension supports registration, die cutting, lamination and consistent handling.
Primary Category
Labels & Narrow Web
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Web Offset
Offset printing on a continuous roll of substrate. Web offset systems may use heatset, coldset, UV or other drying and curing approaches depending on the application.
Why It Matters
Web offset productivity depends on stable web handling, ink-water balance and drying or curing at speed, so changes in substrate, tension or ink properties can quickly affect a long production run.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing
Related Terms
Weak Print
A press condition in which printed density or color strength is lower than the intended target.
Why It Matters
Weak print can result from low viscosity, plugged or low-volume anilox rolls, poor metering or insufficient ink transfer, making press condition as important as the ink formula.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Waveform
The electrical drive pattern applied to a piezoelectric printhead to control droplet formation, velocity and shape. Waveform development is closely linked to ink properties and printhead behavior.
Why It Matters
Waveform optimization can reduce satellites and improve drop placement and jetting stability.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Washout
The plate-processing step that removes unexposed photopolymer to create relief. Depending on plate technology, processing may use solvent, water or other methods.
Why It Matters
Consistent washout is necessary to reproduce the intended relief and image detail.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
Graphics & Plates
Related Terms
VOC
Volatile organic compound, a carbon-containing compound that can evaporate under typical conditions. VOC content and emissions are important environmental and workplace considerations for many solvent-containing printing materials.
Why It Matters
VOC considerations can influence ink selection, permitting, ventilation and sustainability goals.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Viscosity
A measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. In printing, viscosity is controlled to support consistent transfer, color strength, trapping, jetting or coating weight.
Why It Matters
Small viscosity changes can produce meaningful changes in ink transfer and print consistency.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Vehicle
The liquid or semi-liquid portion of an ink that carries the colorant and helps bind it to the substrate. A vehicle may include resins, solvents, water, oils, monomers or oligomers depending on the ink technology.
Why It Matters
The vehicle controls how pigment is carried, transferred and ultimately bound to the substrate, making it central to viscosity, drying or curing and finished-film properties.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Vector
Artwork defined by mathematical paths rather than fixed pixels. Vector graphics can generally be scaled without loss of edge quality and are common for logos, type and line art.
Why It Matters
Vector artwork preserves sharp edges and scalability for logos, type and line art, reducing prepress quality loss when graphics must be resized or output at high resolution.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
Graphics & Plates
Related Terms
Variable Data Printing
Digital printing in which text, graphics, codes or other image elements can change from one impression to the next using data-driven workflows.
Why It Matters
Variable data enables personalization, versioning, track-and-trace and unique identifiers without plate changes.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing, Security Printing
Related Terms
UV-LED
Ultraviolet curing using light-emitting diodes that emit within relatively narrow wavelength bands. Ink and coating formulations must be designed to respond effectively to the LED output.
Why It Matters
UV-LED systems can offer instant on/off operation, lower heat load and long lamp life while requiring compatible chemistry.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
UV-Curable Ink
An ink formulated to polymerize rapidly when exposed to suitable ultraviolet energy. UV inks contain reactive components rather than relying primarily on solvent or water evaporation for film formation.
Why It Matters
UV curing enables immediate handling and strong resistance properties when the ink is adequately cured.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Commercial Printing, Digital Printing, Folding Carton, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
UV Dose
The total ultraviolet energy delivered to a surface over time, commonly expressed as energy per unit area. Dose combines irradiance and exposure time.
Why It Matters
Adequate dose is one part of achieving cure; wavelength match, ink film, speed and formulation also matter.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
UV Coating
A coating that cures through ultraviolet energy to form a durable film, often used for high gloss, matte, tactile or protective effects.
Why It Matters
UV coatings can create strong gloss, protection and specialty effects, but coating weight, lamp output, substrate and cure must be controlled to achieve consistent performance.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
UV
Ultraviolet radiation used to initiate curing in appropriately formulated inks, coatings and adhesives. Conventional UV systems commonly use mercury-vapor or other UV lamps.
Why It Matters
UV curing supports rapid production and durable films but requires the chemistry and lamp output to be properly matched.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Undercure
A condition in which an energy-curable ink or coating has not received or converted sufficient energy to develop the intended film properties.
Why It Matters
Undercure can affect adhesion, rub resistance, odor, blocking and other end-use performance.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Trapping
The ability of one ink to print cleanly over another ink layer. Good trapping is important for accurate overprints and multicolor reproduction.
Why It Matters
Poor trapping can shift hue, reduce density and create weak overprint colors.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
Commercial Printing, Packaging
Related Terms
Thermal Inkjet (TIJ)
An inkjet technology that uses rapid localized heating to create a vapor bubble that ejects a droplet through a nozzle. Ink chemistry must be compatible with the thermal firing mechanism.
Why It Matters
TIJ offers compact, high-resolution imaging for coding, marking and selected production applications.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Tack
The relative stickiness or splitting force of an ink film, especially important in offset printing. Tack must be balanced to support transfer without causing picking, piling or trapping problems.
Why It Matters
Incorrect tack can damage weak substrates or interfere with multicolor ink transfer.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Sustainable Printing
An approach to printing that seeks to reduce environmental impact through choices in materials, energy, waste, water, emissions, process efficiency and end-of-life considerations while still meeting functional and quality requirements.
Why It Matters
Sustainable printing is broader than any single ink or substrate choice; meaningful improvement typically comes from evaluating the complete manufacturing process and printed product.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
SUS
Solid unbleached sulfate, a strong paperboard grade made primarily from unbleached virgin fiber, often with a coated print surface.
Why It Matters
SUS provides strength and stiffness for many packaging applications, while its surface and natural fiber appearance can influence ink holdout, opacity and color reproduction.
Primary Category
Folding Carton
Market
Folding Carton
Related Terms
Surface Tension
The cohesive force at a liquid surface that affects how an ink or coating wets and spreads over a substrate. It must be compatible with the surface energy of the material being printed.
Why It Matters
Poor surface-tension balance can contribute to reticulation, pinholing and weak adhesion.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Surface Printing
Printing on the outer exposed surface of a package or substrate. Surface-print inks and coatings must be selected for the required rub, chemical, heat and handling resistance.
Why It Matters
Because the printed layer is exposed, surface-print applications often place greater emphasis on resistance properties.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Substrate
The material being printed or coated, such as paper, paperboard, film, foil, plastic or a manufactured object.
Why It Matters
Substrate chemistry, surface treatment and physical properties strongly influence ink and coating performance.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Strong Print
A press condition in which printed density or color strength is higher than the intended target.
Why It Matters
A strong print may look like an ink-formulation problem but can also result from excessive anilox volume, metering pressure or ink concentration, so the full transfer system should be checked.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Streaking
A linear print defect that appears as persistent or intermittent streaks in the printed area. Causes can include cylinder damage, foreign particles, doctor-blade condition, static or ink-flow conditions.
Why It Matters
Streaking can generate significant waste because a small blade or cylinder issue repeats continuously across the web until the source is identified and corrected.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Static
An electrical charge that can build on moving web materials and press components, particularly under low-humidity conditions. Static can attract contamination or distort ink transfer and web handling.
Why It Matters
Uncontrolled static can contribute to fuzzy print, handling problems and safety concerns, so grounding, ionization, humidity and process conditions may need to be managed.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Spot Color
A premixed ink printed as its own color station to reproduce a specific brand, functional or specialty color outside or in addition to process color.
Why It Matters
Spot colors are widely used where brand consistency, opacity or special effects are important.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Spectrophotometer
An instrument that measures the spectral reflectance or transmittance of a sample and calculates color values such as L*a*b* and Delta E.
Why It Matters
Spectrophotometric measurement supports objective color matching, quality control and communication.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Solvent Retention
Residual solvent remaining in a printed structure after drying. Excessive retained solvent can contribute to odor, blocking, lamination issues and other end-use concerns.
Why It Matters
Dryer performance, ink formulation, film construction and press speed all influence retained solvent.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Solvent
A liquid used to dissolve or carry ink components and control viscosity, drying and application behavior. Solvent selection must consider press conditions, substrate, recovery or ventilation systems and end-use requirements.
Why It Matters
Solvent balance affects printability, drying, retained solvent and press speed.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Slur / Drag-Out
A print defect in which ink appears smeared or forms a bead at the trailing edge of an image instead of reproducing cleanly.
Why It Matters
Slur can reduce edge definition and fine-detail quality and may point to viscosity, doctor-blade alignment, web tension or drying conditions rather than simply an ink-color problem.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Slip
The tendency of one surface to move relative to another. Slip is influenced by substrate and coating or ink formulation and is often evaluated through coefficient of friction.
Why It Matters
Slip affects web handling, package machinability, stacking and converting.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Single-Pass Printing
A digital architecture in which a stationary array of printheads spans the print width and the substrate passes beneath it once at production speed.
Why It Matters
Single-pass systems can deliver very high productivity but demand excellent nozzle reliability and process control.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Shrink Sleeve
A printed polymer sleeve designed to shrink around a container when exposed to controlled heat, allowing full-body decoration of complex shapes.
Why It Matters
Shrink applications require inks with suitable adhesion, flexibility, shrink behavior and resistance through converting.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Sheetfed Offset
Offset printing in which individual sheets are fed through the press rather than printing from a continuous roll or web.
Why It Matters
Sheetfed offset is widely used for commercial print and cartons, where ink-water balance, tack, drying, pile conditions and substrate strength all influence productivity and quality.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Setoff
Unwanted transfer of wet or insufficiently set ink from one printed surface to the back of an adjacent sheet or layer.
Why It Matters
Setoff can be influenced by ink film, drying, pile conditions, substrate and downstream handling.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Set-Off Migration
Transfer of substances from a printed surface to the food-contact side of another layer while printed material is stacked, reeled or otherwise in contact before package formation.
Why It Matters
Set-off migration is one reason cure, drying, reel or stack conditions and package design matter in food packaging.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
Security Printing
Printing that incorporates overt, covert, forensic or variable features intended to authenticate products, documents or transactions and deter counterfeiting, diversion or fraud.
Why It Matters
Security printing combines specialized materials, controlled processes and authentication strategies tailored to the threat and application.
Primary Category
Security Printing
Market
Security Printing
Related Terms
Scumming
Unwanted acceptance of ink in non-image areas of an offset plate, creating background tint or dirty print.
Why It Matters
Scumming can result from plate, water, ink, chemistry or mechanical conditions.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Screening
The conversion of continuous-tone imagery into printable dot patterns or structures that simulate tonal values with a limited set of inks.
Why It Matters
Screening strategy influences detail, moiré risk, tonal smoothness and ink transfer.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Screen Angle
The orientation assigned to a halftone screen. Appropriate angle relationships among process colors help minimize visually objectionable moiré patterns.
Why It Matters
Correct screen-angle relationships help prevent visible moiré and support clean multicolor halftone reproduction.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
SBS
Solid bleached sulfate, a premium paperboard grade made primarily from bleached virgin fiber and commonly used for high-quality folding cartons.
Why It Matters
SBS is a common premium carton board, and its smooth coated surface supports high-quality graphics while its caliper and structure still need to be matched to ink and converting requirements.
Primary Category
Folding Carton
Market
Folding Carton
Related Terms
Rub Resistance
The ability of a printed surface to resist damage or color transfer caused by repeated rubbing or abrasion under defined conditions.
Why It Matters
Rub resistance is especially important for exposed print that experiences converting, shipping and consumer handling.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
RIP
Raster Image Processor, software or hardware that converts page-description and graphic data into the rasterized information required by a platesetter, digital press or imaging device.
Why It Matters
The RIP converts design intent into printable raster data and screening, so its settings directly affect resolution, separations, screening and downstream imaging consistency.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
Digital Printing, Graphics & Plates
Related Terms
Rheology
The study of how materials flow and deform. Ink rheology describes behaviors such as flow, body, yield and recovery that influence transfer, misting, leveling and print definition.
Why It Matters
Rheology helps explain why two inks with similar measured viscosity can behave differently on press.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Reverse Printing
Printing on the inside surface of a transparent film so the image is viewed through the film after converting or lamination. This can protect the ink layer within the package structure.
Why It Matters
Reverse printing changes the required color sequence, opacity strategy and lamination considerations.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Retort
A high-temperature thermal processing method used to sterilize certain packaged foods after sealing. Printed structures for retort applications require inks, adhesives and substrates designed for severe heat and moisture exposure.
Why It Matters
Retort performance must be evaluated as a complete package structure under the intended processing conditions.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Resolubility
The ability of partially dried ink to redissolve or re-disperse when contacted by fresh ink. Good resolubility is particularly valuable in water-based flexographic printing.
Why It Matters
Good resolubility helps reduce plate and anilox plugging and can improve press uptime.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Resin
A polymeric material used to bind pigment, promote adhesion and help develop properties such as gloss, resistance, flexibility and resolubility. Resin chemistry is selected to match the printing process and end use.
Why It Matters
Resin selection is central to balancing press performance with finished-print properties.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Residual Odor
Odor remaining in a printed or converted structure after production. Sources can include retained solvents, reaction products, substrate, adhesive or other package components.
Why It Matters
Odor investigations should evaluate the complete package construction and process.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Release Liner
The removable backing material that protects the adhesive on a pressure-sensitive label before application.
Why It Matters
Release-liner consistency affects die cutting, matrix stripping, dispensing and application, making it an important part of overall pressure-sensitive label converting performance.
Primary Category
Labels & Narrow Web
Market
Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Registration
The alignment of multiple printed colors, images, cuts or converting operations relative to one another.
Why It Matters
Poor registration reduces image sharpness and can make small type, process color and finishing features unacceptable.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Reflectance
The portion of incident light reflected by a surface at each wavelength. A spectrophotometer measures spectral reflectance and converts that data into color values such as L*a*b*.
Why It Matters
Reflectance data describes the physical optical response behind a color and allows instruments to distinguish colors more reliably than visual judgment alone.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Recyclability
The ability of a package or printed article to be collected, sorted and processed into usable material within a defined recycling system. Recyclability depends on the complete construction, not ink alone.
Why It Matters
Ink and coating choices can affect recycling processes, but claims should be evaluated for the complete package and local infrastructure.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Raster
An image constructed from a grid of pixels. Raster resolution affects detail and scalability and is typically expressed in pixels per inch or dots per inch depending on context.
Why It Matters
Raster resolution determines the amount of image detail available to the workflow, so insufficient resolution can create visible pixelation or limit output quality even when press conditions are correct.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
Digital Printing, Graphics & Plates
Related Terms
Printhead
The precision component in an inkjet system that forms and ejects ink droplets through an array of nozzles. Different printhead technologies require specifically engineered ink properties.
Why It Matters
Printhead compatibility is fundamental to jetting reliability, drop placement and system life.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Print Density Control
The pressroom practice of monitoring and adjusting printed ink-film density to maintain consistent color and appearance through a production run.
Why It Matters
Density control helps identify changes in ink feed, roller settings, ink-water balance and other press variables before visible color variation becomes unacceptable.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Print Crystallization
A dry-trapping problem in which a previously printed ink film becomes too hard or resistant for a succeeding color to adhere or transfer properly.
Why It Matters
Crystallization can cause second-pass colors or overprints to reject, making first-down ink selection and turnaround time important to multi-pass offset work.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Primer
A preparatory layer applied to a substrate to improve adhesion, wetting, print quality, barrier properties or compatibility with a subsequent ink or coating.
Why It Matters
Primers can expand the printable substrate window and help stabilize the interface between substrate and ink.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
Digital Printing, Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Prime Label
A product label designed to carry primary branding and consumer-facing information, often requiring high visual quality and durable decoration.
Why It Matters
Prime labels carry the primary brand presentation, so color accuracy, print definition, embellishment and resistance properties are often critical to perceived product quality.
Primary Category
Labels & Narrow Web
Market
Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Pressure-Sensitive Label
A label construction with a facestock, pressure-sensitive adhesive and release liner that can be applied to a surface using pressure without heat or solvent activation.
Why It Matters
Ink and coating performance must match facestock, converting and end-use exposure requirements.
Primary Category
Labels & Narrow Web
Market
Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Prepress
The collection of processes used to prepare artwork and production data before printing, including file preparation, color management, trapping, screening, proofing and plate or imaging output.
Why It Matters
Strong prepress control reduces downstream variability and helps translate design intent into predictable press results.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Poor Trapping
A multicolor print defect in which a succeeding ink does not lay cleanly or uniformly over a previously printed ink film.
Why It Matters
Poor trapping can shift overprint color and weaken graphics, and may be driven by first-down drying, viscosity, tack, anilox volume, solvent balance or ink sequence.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Plate Tinting
A faint background tint in non-image areas of an offset plate or printed sheet caused by unwanted ink acceptance or ink bleeding into the dampening system.
Why It Matters
Plate tinting affects cleanliness and tonal contrast and can indicate plate sensitivity, fountain-solution pH or conductivity, ink-water balance or ink water-receptivity issues.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Plate Scumming
An offset-printing defect in which non-image areas of the lithographic plate begin accepting ink, creating unwanted background image or tint.
Why It Matters
Plate scumming can quickly contaminate the entire sheet and may indicate an ink-water balance, fountain solution, plate condition, dampening or ink-film problem.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Plate Relief
The height difference between the printing surface and the recessed floor of a flexographic plate. Relief is established during plate processing and must suit the plate gauge and application.
Why It Matters
Incorrect relief can affect plate stability, reverses, fine detail and press performance.
Primary Category
Graphics & Prepress
Market
Graphics & Plates
Related Terms
Plate Mounting Tape
A double-sided mounting material used to secure a flexographic plate to a cylinder or sleeve. Foam properties and thickness can influence impression, dot reproduction and vibration damping.
Why It Matters
Mounting tape is part of the mechanical system that controls how the plate contacts the substrate.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Graphics & Plates
Related Terms
Plate Cylinder
The press cylinder or sleeve that carries the flexographic printing plate and transfers the image to the substrate against the impression cylinder.
Why It Matters
Plate-cylinder condition, repeat accuracy and mounting directly affect impression, registration and image transfer in flexographic printing.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Pinholing
Small unprinted or weakly printed spots within a solid ink or coating film. Causes may include poor wetting, contamination, foam, substrate irregularities or ink-transfer conditions.
Why It Matters
Pinholing is often a system issue involving ink, substrate and application conditions rather than a single variable.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Pigment
A finely divided, generally insoluble colorant dispersed in an ink or coating. Pigments provide color, opacity and other performance characteristics without dissolving in the liquid vehicle.
Why It Matters
Pigment selection affects shade, strength, transparency, resistance properties and cost.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Piezo Inkjet
An inkjet technology that uses a piezoelectric actuator to change chamber volume and eject droplets. It supports a broad range of ink chemistries because drop formation does not rely on boiling the ink.
Why It Matters
Piezo printheads are widely used in industrial and production inkjet systems.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Digital Printing
Related Terms
Picking
The lifting or tearing of fibers, coating or surface material from a substrate during printing, often when ink tack or mechanical stress exceeds surface strength.
Why It Matters
Picking can contaminate blankets and reduce image quality, so both ink tack and substrate strength should be evaluated.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Photopolymer Plate
A light-sensitive polymer printing plate used in flexography. Selected areas are hardened by exposure to form a raised printing image that transfers ink from the anilox to the substrate.
Why It Matters
Plate material and processing influence dot structure, impression latitude, ink transfer and print quality.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
Flexible Packaging, Graphics & Plates, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Photoinitiator
A component in many UV-curable formulations that absorbs light and generates reactive species that initiate polymerization. Selection depends on wavelength, film thickness, pigments and end-use requirements.
Why It Matters
Photoinitiator selection is important to cure speed, depth of cure, odor and regulatory considerations.
Primary Category
Digital & Energy Curing
Market
Commercial Printing, Digital Printing, Folding Carton, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
pH
A measure of acidity or alkalinity. In many water-based ink systems, pH influences resin solubility, viscosity, drying, resolubility and overall press stability.
Why It Matters
Maintaining the intended pH range is important for stable water-based ink performance.
Primary Category
Ink & Chemistry
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
PET
Polyethylene terephthalate, a polyester material widely used as film, sheet and container substrate because of its strength, clarity and thermal properties.
Why It Matters
PET is widely used in films, labels and shrink applications, and its surface condition, heat response and package construction influence adhesion, curing and converting requirements.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
PE
Polyethylene, a widely used family of thermoplastic materials that includes LDPE and HDPE and is common in flexible packaging films and containers.
Why It Matters
Polyethylene is one of the most important packaging polymers, but its low surface energy and wide range of grades make treatment and application-specific ink selection especially important.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Paperboard
A relatively thick paper-based substrate used for cartons, displays and other packaging applications. Board grade, coating and caliper influence print and converting behavior.
Why It Matters
Board grade, coating, moisture and surface strength affect ink holdout, color, drying, scoring and folding, making substrate consistency essential to carton quality.
Primary Category
Folding Carton
Market
Folding Carton
Related Terms
Paper Picking
The lifting of fibers, coating or particles from a paper surface during printing when mechanical or ink forces exceed the surface strength of the stock.
Why It Matters
Paper picking can contaminate blankets and plates and create recurring image defects, so ink tack, packing, paper surface and dampening conditions should be evaluated together.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Overt Security Feature
A security feature designed to be recognized by the user without specialized equipment, such as a visible color-shift or other intentionally apparent effect.
Why It Matters
Overt features give end users a fast way to check authenticity without special equipment and are often most effective as one layer within a broader security strategy.
Primary Category
Security Printing
Market
Security Printing
Related Terms
Overprint Varnish (OPV)
A clear coating applied over printed ink to modify gloss, appearance, friction or resistance to rub, scuff, chemicals or handling.
Why It Matters
An OPV can protect the printed image while also contributing to converting and package-handling performance.
Primary Category
Coatings & Functional Performance
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
OPP
Oriented polypropylene, polypropylene film that has been stretched to improve selected physical and optical properties. BOPP is oriented in both machine and transverse directions.
Why It Matters
Oriented polypropylene is common in packaging and labels, and its surface treatment and orientation must be considered when selecting inks, coatings and adhesives.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Opacity
The ability of a printed ink, coating or substrate to prevent the underlying surface from showing through. Opacity is especially important for whites, metallic films and dark or transparent substrates.
Why It Matters
Opacity depends on pigment, film thickness, substrate and application method.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
Digital Printing, Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Offset Lithography
A planographic printing process in which inked image areas and water-receptive non-image areas coexist on a plate. The image is transferred from plate to blanket and then to the substrate.
Why It Matters
Offset requires careful control of ink rheology, tack, water balance and substrate interaction.
Primary Category
Offset & Gravure
Market
Commercial Printing, Folding Carton
Related Terms
Observer Angle
The standardized field of view used in colorimetric calculations, commonly 2° or 10°. It represents different standardized observer functions rather than a physical instrument viewing angle alone.
Why It Matters
Measurements can change when observer settings change, so the agreed illuminant and observer must be consistent across instruments, locations and customer specifications.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Nylon
A family of polyamide materials used in packaging films where toughness, puncture resistance or barrier performance is required.
Why It Matters
Nylon can provide toughness and barrier properties in flexible structures, but moisture sensitivity, treatment and lamination design can affect printing and converting behavior.
Primary Category
Packaging & Converting
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
NIAS
Non-intentionally added substances, materials that may be present due to impurities, reaction products, degradation or other unintended sources rather than deliberate formulation.
Why It Matters
NIAS assessment is an important part of evaluating food-packaging materials and processes.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
Narrow Web
Printing on relatively narrow rolls of material, commonly for pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, flexible packaging and specialty applications.
Why It Matters
Narrow-web production frequently combines multiple print, coating and converting technologies inline.
Primary Category
Labels & Narrow Web
Market
Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Mottle
An uneven, blotchy appearance in a printed solid or coating. It can result from substrate variation, wetting, ink transfer, drying, impression or other process factors.
Why It Matters
Mottle should be diagnosed by evaluating the complete print system rather than changing ink strength alone.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Mono-Material
A package structure designed primarily around one material family to simplify compatibility with a target recycling stream. Functional layers, inks, coatings and adhesives still require evaluation within the total structure.
Why It Matters
Mono-material design can improve recycling compatibility but must still meet barrier, print and package-performance requirements.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Flexible Packaging
Related Terms
Mileage / Yield
A measure of the printable area, number of impressions or useful output obtained from a given quantity of ink, coating or other consumable under defined conditions.
Why It Matters
Cost per pound or kilogram alone does not show ink economics; strength, film weight and waste affect actual cost-in-use.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Migration Testing
Analytical testing used to evaluate the transfer of substances from packaging into food simulants or other defined media under specified conditions.
Why It Matters
Testing conditions should represent applicable regulatory requirements and intended use.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
Migration
The transfer of substances from packaging components into food, simulants or adjacent materials through diffusion, set-off, gas phase or other mechanisms.
Why It Matters
Migration risk depends on formulation, package construction, cure or drying, storage, food type and intended conditions of use.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Packaging
Related Terms
Metamerism
A condition in which two colors appear to match under one light source but differ under another. It results from differences in their spectral characteristics.
Why It Matters
Metamerism can create unexpected brand-color differences when packaging moves between store, daylight and other viewing environments.
Primary Category
Color & Measurement
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Makeready
The setup work required to prepare a press for saleable production, including mounting, color adjustment, registration, ink or coating setup and other job-specific preparation.
Why It Matters
Reducing makeready time and waste is a major driver of pressroom efficiency.
Primary Category
Pressroom & Troubleshooting
Market
All Markets
Related Terms
Low-Migration Ink
An ink specifically formulated and manufactured to reduce the potential migration of its components when used within an appropriately designed packaging system. Low-migration ink alone does not make a finished package compliant.
Why It Matters
Compliance depends on the complete package structure, manufacturing process and intended end use.
Primary Category
Sustainability & Regulatory
Market
Flexible Packaging, Folding Carton, Label & Narrow Web
Related Terms
Line Screen / LPI
Lines per inch, a measure used for halftone screen ruling and, separately, for the number of engraved anilox cells per linear inch. The meaning should be clear from context.
Why It Matters
LPI influences the level of printable detail and, for anilox rolls, the cell count available for metering, so the correct interpretation and specification are important to both prepress and ink transfer.
Primary Category
Flexography & Plates
Market
All Markets
Related Terms