Fine Print Knowledge Center
The online guide to print and design.
- Ink Density
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A value measured by densitometers at the point in the spectral range where the ink is primarily absorbed. It is the reflection factor of a sample expressed as a logarithm, and directly related to the film thickness of the ink. See “densitometry”.
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- Ink Dot Scum
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On aluminum plates, a type of oxidation scum characterized by scattered pits that print sharp, dense dots.
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- Ink Drum
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A metal drum, either solid or cored; a part of an inking mechanism; used to break down the ink and transfer it to the form rollers.
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- Ink Fountain
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The device in a printing machine that supplies the block with the printing ink.
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- Ink Holdout
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An important printing paper quality – the ability to keep ink on top of the paper’s surface. An inked image printed on paper with a high degree of ink holdout will dry by oxidation rather than absorption.
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- Ink Mist
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Any threads or filaments that protrude from the main printed letter body of long inks, as seen in newsprint.
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- Ink Receptive
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Having the property of being wet by greasy ink, in preference to water.
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- Ink Resistance
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Resistance to the penetration of the ink vehicle; also called ink hold-out.
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- Ink Setting
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The inertial resistance to flow that occurs to ink as soon as it is printed.
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- Ink, Flexographic
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Fast drying fluid inks used in flexographic printing. Flexographic inks can be formulated as water based, solvent based or UV drying formulas.
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- Ink-Jet Labels
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- Inking Mechanism
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On a printing press, the ink fountain and all the parts used to meter, transfer, break down, distribute, cool or heat, and supply the ink to the printing members. Also called inking system.
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- Inkjet Paper
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A surface-finished grade of paper designed to quickly absorb the tiny droplets of ink that an inkjet printer sprays in quick succession. It includes properties that prevent ink from running or smearing brown-colored paper (also called sulfate paper) consisting at least 90% of virgin, generally unbleached sulfate pulp and known for its outstanding strength and durability.
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- Inkjet Printing
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A printing process in which minute drops of ink are applied to the surface to be printed by means of a jet that operates with piezoelectric or thermal technology. Color inkjet printers now work with up to six colors and well over a hundred individual jets. Nowadays, depending on the process, they are capable of achieving the same results as high-quality four-color printing.
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- Inkometer
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- Inline Finishing
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Presses that incorporate equipment on the same production line that handles part of the bindery.
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- Inline Processing
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The term used for print processes that take place directly on the press or the modules required for that particular stage of production. Inline processing can include coating, folding, stitching or quality control.
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- Inner Forme
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An imposition containing the pages, which fall on the inside of a printed sheet in sheet work the reverse of the outer forme.
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- Inscribed Copy
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A book in which a written inscription has been made by the author, to a specified person.
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- Inscription By Previous Owner
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A written name, note, phrase, or comment made in a book.
Unless indicated otherwise, the inscription is not written by the author
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- Insert
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A printed piece prepared for insertion into a publication or another printed piece.
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- Insertion Order
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An order form used by advertising agencies and ad sales reps to fulfill an advertiser’s request to place an ad in a specific issue or series of issues of a publication.
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- Insoluble
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- Intaglio
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The process of incising a design beneath the surface of hard metal or stone. Plates are inked only in the etched depressions on the plates and then the plate surface is wiped clean. The ink is then transferred onto the paper through an etching press. The printing is done with a plate bearing an image in intaglio and includes all metal-plate etching and engraving processes. The reverse of this process is known as relief printing.
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- Intaglio Rainbow Printing
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A kind of artistic engraving; a general term for the drawing techniques that result in gravure plates: copperplate engraving, steel-plate engraving, engraving, etc. Rainbow or iris printing – a form of multicolor printing from a single printing plate that is inked in different colors in different areas for this purpose originates from art printing, where it was developed and applied in conjunction with intaglio techniques.
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- Integral Proof
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A proof made by exposing each of the four-color separations to an emulsion layer of primary colors. These emulsion sheets are stacked in register with a white sheet of paper in the background. Types of integral proofs are cromalin, matchprint, ektaflex, and spactraproof.
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- Integral Proof
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Color proof of separation negatives exposed in register on one piece of proofing paper.
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- Integrated Publishing
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The digital linking of all production stages in the print process, including electronic job input, prepress, press, postpress and preparation for dispatch. The International Cooperation for Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4), with over 100 member companies, strives to promote the integration of such computer-assisted processes within the graphic arts industry.
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- Integration
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Refers to the free flow of data from one corporate division to another without having to pass through time-consuming and trouble-prone interfaces. Integration also permits companies to keep the same data available from various locations.
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- Integrity
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A term used to describe the quality of the paper surface (finish).
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