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What is screen printing?
Screen-printing is a print process where a design or logo is transfered to the substrate by way of a screen. The printer will transfer the inks through the screen to the garment to achieve the desired result. The process involoves exact pressures, specialized inks, and heat curing to result in a long lasting design. Screen printers can normally print up to four colors. What are the different types of bindings I can use for my multi-page projects? 1. Perfect binding: Gluing the outside edge of the signatures to create a flat edge. 2. Saddle-stitch binding: Uses one or more staples on the fold of the signature. 3. Side-stitch binding: Stapling the signatures together on the side rather than the fold. 4. Case binding: Signatures are sewn together and attached to the hard cover. 5. Plastic comb binding: Plastic teeth are fitting into a stack of pages. 6. Three-ring binding: Holes are punched into the pages and fitted into a binder. What is the difference between coated and uncoated stock? Uncoated stock is a rough porous type of paper. It is normally used in newspapers and tends to be less expensive. Coated stock has a smooth glossy finish. Printing on this type of paper will sharpen your text and graphic layouts. Coated stock, however, can be a bit more expensive. What's the difference between "spot colors" and "four color process? Spot colors are not blends of colors that create other colors but individual colors that can be assigned PMS (Pantone Matching System) numbers. How long will a screen print last? Unlike a transfer wich sits on top of a garment, screen printing penetrates the filters making it last as long as the garment itself. What are Halftones? A halftone is a way of using a stencil to mimic shading of a color. This can be done using patterns of small dots, diamonds, squares, or lines. As you lose focus on the pattern, your eye blends the colors of nearby dots and background to make a new color. What is PPI? PPI, or pages per inch, is a "thickness rating." A paper that is 400 PPI takes 400 pages to equal 1 inch. What are the common sizes for catalogs and booklets? Most commercial printers will offer your catalog or booklets in these standard sizes 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", 8-1/2" x 11", 8-1/2" x 11, or 11 x 17. What does the book printer mean by trim size? The trim size refers to the actual size of the finished book. What type of material can I print my banner or sign on? There are several substrates (materials) the printer can use for your sign or banner.� Here are a few of the most popular by category. A. Flexible Substrates:� Vinyl, Polyethylene, Nylon, or Mesh. B.� Rigid substrates:�� Styrene, Foam, Aluminum, or Masonite. C. Specialty fabrics:� Satin, Polyester, or Canvas. What is dpi? Dots per Inch. The measurement of resolution for page printers, photo type setting machines and graphics screens. Graphics screens usually reproduce 60 to 72 dpi, most page printers 300 dpi, and typesetting systems 1,000 dpi. What determines the price of a (publishing product)? Square surface area Type of material Custom or generic Number of colors Total quantity of order What is cover stock? A term used by paper manufacturers for a heavy paper that is suitable for catalogs and other folders. Cover stock can come in "coated" which has a smooth surface, or "uncoated" in its original rough surface. What is direct printing? Direct printing is when the image is printed directly onto the fabric in a computerized printing process. What type of banner is best for outdoor applications? Admesh is a lightweight reusable vinyl mesh fabric that is excellent for your outdoor banners and signs. It is screen printable, flame retardant, water resistant, and holds ink well. A very durable material. What is a color bleed? A "color bleed" is the result of placing different colors of ink adjacent to each other. As the ink is squeegeed across the stencil, the colors “bleed” together. This is not a bad thing. Normally it is done intentionally for effect. How long will your catalog or booklet be used? If your catalog/booklet is to be used for a year or more, think about omitting prices and phrases that will date the contents. If prices are important, include them on a price sheet that can be quickly updated and reprinted. What is engraving? One of the oldest and most elegant processes for printing. Engraving involves etching the text onto a copper plate. During the printing process, the plate is coated with ink and then compressed onto the paper, creating the printed text in a slightly raised impression. Engraved stationery is considered to be the epitome of good taste and sophistication. The process is relatively expensive but the finished product is first-rate. What is the standard window measurement for business envelopes? The window in most commercial business envelopes is 1-1/8 x 4-1/2 What are the standard substance weights for envelopes? 16 lb. Used for overseas air mail envelopes. 20 lb. Used for commercial envelopes where strength and opacity is not a factor. 24 lb. Used for most open side official and commercial envelopes. 28 lb. Used for most open and catalog envelopes and large (i.e. 11, 12 and 14) size commercial envelopes. 32 lb. Used for heavy duty envelopes and clasp envelopes. 40 lb. Used for large envelopes, heavy duty envelopes or envelopes used for storage and frequent reference. What type of label is best for outdoor and industrial applications? Labels intended for outdoor use need to be durable and have the ability to hold up to a wide variety of different weather conditions. Vinyl and polyester are top material choices for outdoor conditions. The matte finish on the vinyl media helps reduce glare, while the polyester's glossy finish creates a sharp, shiny image. Bumper stickers are, typically, made of vinyl. Often outdoor labels or industrial labels require a UL listing. UL recognition ensures that a device, system or material has been tested and certified by this private organization to meet specific safety standards. The three primary tests to determine film and adhesive performance are a heat age test, outdoor weatherability, and exposure to various solutions. CSA is another testing organization devoted to establishing standards for safety, quality and performance. Unlike UL, which recognizes a substrate�s adhesion to specific individual surfaces, CSA recognizes nine substrate groups for applied labels. Silk screening or special inks may be required to help with the fading of inks. What are color separations? A color separation is an image that defines where one specific color will be printed. Colors can be mixed by overlapping areas of different color separations, so that one ink is applied on top of the other. By combining this technique with halftones, many variations of colors are made possible. What is digitizing? This is a method used to make an exact copy of your design into a computer program that can be read by embroidery equipment. What are the different ways that my mousepads can be printed? There are several ways a printer can transfer your designs and logos onto a mousepad. Most will offer dye sublimation, screen printing, digital offset, digital thermal transfer, and standard offset printing. Since most printers will not have all of these options available, make sure to check with them to verify what is best for your particular job. What are the most popular sizes for personalized note pads? 4 x 6, 5-1/2 x 8-1/2, and 8-1/2 x 11 are the three most popular sizes for personalized note pads What is a lupe (loupe)? A lens used by photographers, printers, and designers to examine details in printed materials. How do I prepare my text for the printer? Use latest Advanced software What is hexachrome? A color separation process, developed by Pantone, that uses six colors instead of the four process colors. (CMYK + Orange and Green) What are the most popular sizes for Post-it-Notes? 3 x 3, 3 x 4, 3 x 5, 4 x 6 are the four most popular sizes for Post-it-Notes. Should I buy labels from an office supply store or from the manufacturer? This question can only be applied to blank labels due to the fact that they are the only type of labels that can be purchased in a retail environment. There are advantages to purchasing labels from the manufacturer, as well as, from an office supply store. Buying direct from a label manufacturer is a sure way to save a lot of money. Manufacturer pricing is, generally, 35%-75% lower than retail pricing. In addition, manufacturers tend to have a much larger selection of sizes and choices. Buying labels in an office store will cost you a lot more money, but you save some money on the shipping costs. In addition, return policies at the office supplies stores will be less forgiving than most manufacturers return policies. In Summary: Manufacturer Direct Advantages Big price savings (30%-75%) Larger Selection Local Office Supply Store Advantages No shipping No hassle return policy What is the difference between 100# text stock and 14pt card stock? 100# text is measured in weight. 14 pt is measured in thickness. It can be hard to differentiate between the two unless you know both weight and thickness. The size paper comes from the mill is called "parent" or "basis" size, and it differs for different kinds of paper. This is why "80# cover" is heavier than "100# text." The point system, on the other hand, measures paper thickness, not weight, and is typically used with coated papers. Make sure you ask the printer before they begin your work. What does (4 over 1) or (4 over 4) mean? 4 over 1 refers to full color on the front and black & white on the back. 4 over 4 refers to full Color on both the front and back. What are the grades of paper and the basis weight of each? The standard weight of a paper is defined by the weight of 500 standard-sized sheets in pounds. These are the different grades of paper and their respective basis weights. � Bond: �������������� Usually reserved for letterheads, business forms, and quick printing jobs. ������������������������ 16# for forms, 20# for copying, and 24# for stationary. � Text:���������������� A high-quality sheet with a lot of texture. �� ������������������� � Ranges in weight from 60# to 100#, but the most common weights are 70# or 80# � Uncoated Book: The most common sheet for offset printing. �� ���������������������� Usually a 50# to 70# stock. Newspapers Books Booklets Hard Cover Books Magazines Business Cards Postcards Annual Reports Catalogs Envelopes Stationery Labels Posters Digital Variable Data/Image |