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Glossary of printing terms A-Z

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Handy reference guide for printing terms

Chain of Custody
The Chain of Custody refers to the certification that Fisherprint holds as part of its commitment to the environmental principles of the Forest Stewardship Council. The Chain of Custody certificate requires holders to ensure that material purchased with an FSC claim remains traceable to its origin through all stages of production and that the material is protected from cross-contamination by non FSC materials at all times.
CIP3
By scanning a sheet on the plate setter, colour data can be sent directly to the press in order to pre-set the press prior to the print run. This reduces make-ready time and costs and improves quality.
Computer-to-plate or CTP
In the computer-to-plate process, data from the computer is imaged directly from the desktop publishing package onto the printing plate, without using film as a transference medium.
FOGRA 39
FOGRA is the German Printing Industries Research Organisation, which is a member of the ECI, or European Colour Initiative. They jointly issue ICC Profiles which help you print, proof and view images to the ISO standard. "FOGRA 39" is the most popular of a long list of "Data Sets" from which ICC Profiles are made. This profile describes sheetfed offset printing on Paper Types 1 & 2, which are very high-quality, very "white" coated papers.
FSC
The Forest Stewardship Council, an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. Paper sourced through the FSC comes from forests that are managed to protect the environment and to protect the rights of indigenous people.
Fulfilment
In respect to printing, fulfilment refers to the processes and activities to manage client products that are held in storage on site at Fisherprint. Typically, Fisherprint will deliver to client addresses direct from stock in response to orders placed through a bespoke online portal from anywhere in the world. Re-stocking will be automatically carried out to pre-determined stock levels. Stock quantities and movement analysis can be queried online.
GMP
GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practice, a set of standards and controls, derived from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MRHA), that are used to prevent the contamination of pharmaceutical products. In printing, it represents the activities that are used to prevent contamination of pharmaceutical packaging materials i.e. an independently verified clear-down of all manucfacturing areas after each batch has been processed.
Image Control Scanner
A Heidelberg system for the control of colour on press. A scanner is used to scan sample sheets from the press and information gained is used to automatically adjust the ink-ducts on the press to adjust colour. Data is stored and SPC charts and reports can be produced to verify compliance to colour control requirements.
Inline gluing
The process of automatically gluing products inline while being manufactured on folding machinery. Gluing eliminates the possible contamination risk posed by stitches. Typical products would be glued booklets for the pharmaceutical industry.
ISO 12647-2
ISO 12647-2:2004 specifies a number of process parameters and their values to be applied when preparing colour separations for four-colour offset printing. It is a standard that ensures printing machines are fingerprinted to the proofs to ensure consistency of colour throughout. All proofs and proofing material are calibrated to ensure the correct densities of ink have been used before printing.
ISO 14001
The International Standard ISO 14001 sets out requirements for an Environmental Management System (EMS) which can be employed by an organisation to measure, document and reduce their environmental impact.
ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is a part of a family of standards for quality management systems. The rules of the standard are updated, as the requirements change over time. Some of the requirements in ISO 9001:2008, to which Fisherprint is currently certified include:
  • a set of procedures that cover all key processes in the business
  • monitoring processes to ensure they are effective
  • keeping adequate records
  • checking output for defects, with appropriate and corrective action where necessary
  • regularly reviewing individual processes and the quality system itself for effectiveness and
  • facilitating continual improvement
Make-ready
Make ready is a term used to define the operations necessary in order to prepare a printing press for a print run. This typically refers to the paper that is used as ‘spoils’ to get the press running up to speed before good printed sheets are produced. For pharmaceutical work, all make-ready at Fisherprint uses virgin paper i.e. clear, clean and free from print.
Pharmaceutical printing
The printing of specialised products for use in pharmaceutical packaging. Production is controlled to a supplier Code of Practice defined by the Pharmaceutical Quality Group (a Special Interest Group of the Chartered Quality Institute). The controls focus on the elimination of product contamination through the application of excellent hygiene and process controls. Certification to the Code of Practice is validated by external audits from the British Standards Institute.
Pharmaceutical (mini) folding
The printing of specialised products for use in pharmaceutical packaging, most notably small patient information leaflets with multiple folds, produced under a control regime to prevent contamination of the product.
PoS
Point Of Sale: products associated with the display and marketing of products at the point at which they are purchased such as shelf edge strips and posters. For quality reasons, plates at Fisherprint are never stored and all production batches receive a new set of plates.
PS 9000:2001
The standard for the application of ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 to pharmaceutical packaging materials. Products printed for use in pharmaceutical packaging are controlled to a supplier Code of Practice defined by the Pharmaceutical Quality Group (a Special Interest Group of the Chartered Quality Institute). The controls focus on the elimination of product contamination through the application of excellent hygiene and process controls. Certification to the Code of Practice is validated by external audits from the British Standards Institute.
Reprographic
Reprography is the reproduction of graphics through mechanical or electrical means, such as photography. The term no longer reflects the technology applied to the processing of artwork but is still a commonly used term to denote the activities of processing electronic artwork files prior to printing.
Spectrophotometer
A spectrophotometer is a device for measuring light intensity that can measure intensity as a function of the color (or more specifically the wavelength) of light. Important features of spectrophotometers are spectral bandwidth and linear range of absorption measurement. Spectrophotometry is deployed by Fisherprint to measure the colour of both proofs and printed sheets.
Substrate
Substrate is a term used in converting process such as printing and lamination or coating as a more general term to describe the base material onto which images will be printed.