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Print Glossary

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Face

1. Edge of a bound publication opposite the spine. Also called foredge.

2. An abbreviation for typeface referring to a family of a general style.

Fake Duotone

Halftone in one ink colour printed over screen tint of a second ink colour. Also called dummy duotone, duograph, duplex halftone, false duotone, flat tint halftone and halftone with screen and sometimes a colorized tiff.

Fast Colour Inks

Inks with colours that retain their density and resist fading as the product is used and washed.

Feeding the Boxes

The process whereby an individual feeds folded sections into the boxes (or hoppers) of a finishing line for binding.

Feeding Unit

Component of a printing press that moves paper into the register unit.

Felt Finish

Soft woven pattern in text paper.

Felt Side

Side of the paper that was not in contact with the Fourdrinier wire during papermaking, as compared to wire side.

Fifth Colour

Ink colour used in addition to the four needed by four-colour process.

File Copy(ies)

1. The copy(ies) of a publication which are retained within the Planning Office for future reference.

2. The copy(ies) of a publication sent directly to a buyer or customer which have been studiously checked for all QA matters, i.e. perfect copies.

Fine Screen

Screen with ruling of 150 lines per inch (80 lines per centimetre) or more.

Finish

1. Surface characteristics of paper.

2. General term for trimming, folding, binding and all other post-press operations.

Finished Size

Size of product after production is completed, as compared to flat size. Also called trimmed size.

Fit

Refers to ability of film to be registered during stripping and assembly. Good fit means that all images register to other film for the same job.

Fixed Costs

Costs that remain the same regardless of how many pieces are printed. Copyrighting, photography and design are fixed costs.

Flat Back Binding

Perfect- or thread-sewn binding whereby the back of the back is square (as opposed to bowed) once the cover has been drawn on.

Flat Colour

1. Any colour created by printing only one ink, as compared to a colour created by printing four-colour process. Also called block colour and spot colour.

2. Colour that seems weak or lifeless.

Flat Plan (Flats)

Diagram of the flats for a publication showing imposition and indicating colours.

Flat Size

Size of product after printing and trimming, but before folding, as compared to finished size.

Flexography (Flexo)

Method of printing on a web press using rubber or plastic plates with raised images. Also called aniline printing because flexographic inks originally used aniline dyes.

Flood

To print a sheet completely with an ink or varnish. Also called painting the sheet.

To populate a department with all available staff in order to clear a bottle-neck in the production process.

Flush Cover

Cover trimmed to the same size as inside pages, as compared to overhang cover. Also called cut flush.

Flyleaf

Leaf, at the front and back of a casebound book that is the one side of the end paper not glued to the case.

FM Unit (Facilities Management)

The TSO-managed data input unit within the House of Commons producing the Vote Bundle origination.

Foil Emboss

To foil stamp and emboss an image. Also called heat stamp.

Foil Stamp

Method of printing that releases foil from its backing when stamped with the heated die. Also called block print, hot foil stamp and stamp.

Folder

A bindery machine dedicated to folding printed materials.

Fold Marks

With printed matter, markings indicating where a fold is to occur, usually located at the top edges.

Folio (page number)

The actual page number in a publication.

Foredge

The outermost (furthest from the spine) margin of a page. The foredge is where a book will be gripped by the reader.

Forme

Each side of a signature.

Format

Size, style, shape, layout or organization of a layout or printed product.

In the Miles typesetting system an identified, grouped series of codes which produce a desired effect of style, enabling many operators to work on one job.

Form bond

Lightweight bond, easy to perforate, made for business forms. *Also called register bond. *

Form Roller(s)

Roller(s) that come in contact with the printing plate, bringing it ink or water.

For Position Only (FPO)

Refers to inexpensive copies of photos or art used on mechanical to indicate placement and scaling, but not intended for reproduction.

Forwarding

In the case bookwork field, the binding process which involves folding, rounding, backing, headbanding and reinforcing.

Fountain

Trough or container, on a printing press, that holds fluids such as ink, varnish or water. Also called duct.

Fountain Solution

Mixture of water and chemicals that dampens a printing plate to prevent ink from adhering to the non-image area. Also called dampener solution.

Four-colour Process Printing

Technique of printing that uses black, magenta, cyan and yellow to simulate full-colour images. Also called colour process printing, full colour printing and process printing.

Free Sheet

Paper made from cooked wood fibres mixed with chemicals and washed free of impurities, as compared to groundwood paper. Also called woodfree paper.

French Fold

A printed sheet, printed one side only, folded with two right angle folds to form a four page uncut section.

Full-range Halftone

Halftone ranging from 0 percent coverage in its highlights to 100 percent coverage in its shadows.

Full-scale Black

Black separation made to have dots throughout the entire tonal range of the image, as compared to half-scale black and skeleton black. Also called full-range black.

Print Glossary

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