Glossary of Terms

A3

297mm x 420mm

A4

210mm x 297mm

A5

148mm x 210mm

A6

105mm x 148mm

Click here to see a more detailed breakdown off the most popular paper sizes avaialable.

Artwork

The design that you want printed. This can be sent to us by e-mail info@screentec.co.uk, CD, DVD, USB pen drive, zip or floppy disc and compatible with Corel Draw v.8 – v.15, Adobe Acrobat (PDF) or Adobe Illustrator (EPS).

Banner

A piece of flexible material that’s been hemmed and eyeleted, displaying an advertisement or slogan of some sort. Normally suspended between two points. View a selection of our custom manufactured banners, for any occasion. Visit our banners page.

Binder

A firm cover with a ring mechanism inside to secure loose sheets together. View a selection of our custom manufactured PVC and polypropylene binders, ranging in size from A3 to A6. Visit our binders page.

Bitmap Image

Bitmap graphics are composed of pixels, each of which contains specific color information. A pixel is minutely small and a single image may be composed of hundreds of thousands of individual pixels. A graphic composed entirely of pixels each with its own color properties is ideal for photographic images where there are thousands, even millions of different colors. Complex fills, shading and gradient effects can easily be rendered. The Bitmap image offers as much freedom as an empty canvas. When a Bitmap graphic is saved, the computer is really saving an exact visual picture of the image: this pixel goes here and is this color, this pixel goes there and is that color, and so on and so on.

Bleed

The amound of extra graphic / artwork that is needed off the printed item to allow for trimming after the job has been printed.

Box File

Polypropylene sheets cut to shape and formed into a boxed container. Boxfiles can hold all manner of documents and can even incorporate ring binders! Visit our boxfiles page.

Capacity

The thickness of the contents that our binders/boxfiles can accommodate. We offer a range of different capacities to suit your needs.

CMYK

The CMYK color model is a subtractive color model (called subtractive because inks “subtract” brightness from white) used in color printing. CMYK refers to the four inks used in some color printing: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black). The “K” stands for key since in four-color printing Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow printing plates are “keyed” or aligned with the key of the Black key plate.

Correx

Correx is a versatile, lightweight yet durable, twin wall polypropylene sheet material, manufactured in a variety of weights and thicknesses and produced in a range of different colours. It is ideal for signs, security signs, directional signs, for-sale boards and display sheets. View a selection of examples here. Visit our signs page.

Crop Marks

Lines at the edge of a graphic that are used after the job has been printed to allow trimming to exact size (also called cut marks or tic marks).

Cure

To dry inks or varnishes once printing is finished, in order to sustain adhesion and prevent setoff.

Cutting Forme

Also known as Cutting Die or Cutting Tool, this is the tooling used to cut material to specific sizes or shapes. See Die Cutting and Kiss Cutting.

D Ring

The spring-loaded retainer mechanism, in which punched paper can be held inside a ring binder, named because of its D shape.

Dibond

Dibond is a rigid, hard-wearing, yet relatively lightweight aluminium composite material. It can be used for both indoor and outdoor use and suitable for high resolution image printing.

Die Cutting

Die-cutting is the cutting process used in many different industries to cut a thin flat material into a specific shape using a steel die. Our range of tools allows us to design and create a wide variety of products.

Digital Printing

Digital printing refers to methods of printing from a digital based image directly to a variety of media

Dividers

Tab Dividers allow content separation in ring binders for easy reference and can be produced in a variety of styles.

Document Boxes

Polypropylene sheets cut to shape and formed into a boxed container. Whether you need to comprise booklets or single sheets, document boxes can do the job. Visit our boxfiles page.

DPI

“Dots Per square Inch” is a measure of the output resolution of a graphic. Generally images between 75 – 300DPI are used for digital printing but images closer to 300DPI are prefered as they give a better quality graphic when printed.

Embossed

Embossing involves pressing images or text into the surface of a material, in order to raise them for effect. This is ideal for creating a professional image when used to enhance corporate logos for example.

Encapsulation

Encapsulation is the process by which paper or board is covered by a durable plastic film, creating a professional look, whilst also increasing durability.

EPS

“Encapsulated Post Script”, is a file format that is used in the digital print industry as it allows the use of vector graphics.

Eyeletting

Eyeletting involves making a small hole or perforation in material, and fastening a metal ring within it. This is deigned to reinforce the hole. This process is used for cord or decoration.

Exhibition Displays

Different printed products used to stand out and advertise your business e.g. Roll ups, Banners, Pop ups, and Outdoor displays. Want to make the right impression? Check out our range of custom manufactured exhibition displays. Visit our exhibition displays page.

Flood

The complete coverage of a sheet of printed material with a ink or varnish.

Foamex

Foamex is a versatile, high quality PVC foam sheet. Its firm, smooth surface makes it ideal for high resolution printing.

Folders

A folding cover or holder, made from Polypropylene. Used for storing loose papers. View a selection of our custom manufactured presentation folders and binders here. Visit our folders page.

Full Colour Image

See CMYK

Gilt Corners

Gilt corners are metal reinforcements on the edge of binder corners, adding to its strength whilst creating a professional look.

Heidelberg

An international leader in the print industry and the manufacturer of a large range of printing presses.

Hemming

A finishing process on printed banners, allowing for easy securing and increased durability on the edge of the banners. Eyeletting can also be carried out if required.

Ink

Coloured fluid used for printing. Ink has been used for centuries to create a lasting impression. The lifeblood of what we do.

Kiss Cut

Kiss Cutting is a method of die cutting where a small amount of pressure is applied to sticker material for example, allowing for labels or stickers to be peeled off, whilst leaving the backing material intact.

Lamination

The process by which material is covered by a plastic film through heating. Lamination provides a glossy, professional coat whilst also giving the material more protection.

Landscape

A page or layout that is wider than it is tall.

Litho Printing

This is a type of printing that uses plates whose image areas attract ink and whose nonimage areas repel ink. Nonimage areas may be coated with water or other suitable substance to repel the ink.

Lever Arch

The Lever Arch mechanism is a 2-ring metal mechanism, opened and closed with the use of a lever.

Mechanism

Ring binder mechanisms consist of two metal wires, typically with 2 or 4 rings that can be opened by pulling the rings apart or using a lever arch mechanism (see Lever Arch).

Micron

A micron (μm) is a unit of measurement, equal to one-millionth of a metre used to measure the thickness of materials, with the use of a micrometer.

O Ring

The spring-loaded retainer mechanism, in which punched paper can be held inside a ring binder, named because of its round O shape.

Pantone

The Pantone Colour Matching System is a standardized colour reproduction system, allowing specific colours to be matched properly.

PDF

“Portable Document Format” is the prefered file type for digital printing as it allows the use of vectors and is compatible with most other types of programs used in the digital and screen print industry.

Platten

The machine used to die-cut materials to shape. See die cutting.

Pocket

A thin plastic film that can be welded onto a binder to create a professional pocket, customised depending on your needs, whether you need a business card holder or simply want a pocket that allows you to change labels easily and efficiently.

Portrait

A page or layout that is taller than it is wide.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene, a by-product of oil-refining processes is a versatile and hard-wearing polymer. Polypropylene can be opaque, frosted or clear and is available in a wide variety of colours.

Pop Up

Used as a professional backdrop, ideal for exhibitions. Pop-ups provide maximum portability and can be easily integrated into a larger exhibition stand, creating a continuous display graphic back wall. Visit our popups page.

PVC

Is a flexible plastic with a smooth surface, these properties make it an ideal material to manufacture binders with. Our PVC binders are strengthened with an inner layer of board, meaning they are rigid and hold shape over a long period of time. Other materials such as foam inlays can also be added to these binders if required.

Quotation

This is the price and description of finished job sent to a customer for a specific job.

Recycling

view a selection of our custom recycled products

Resolution

Resolution is the detail that is held in an image. The higher the resolution, the more detailed an image will be. In print this is measured using DPI and pixel units.

RGB

The RGB color model is an additive color model in which Red, Green, and Blue light are added together in various ways to reproduce a large quantity of different colors. The name comes from the initials of the three additive primary colors, Red, Green, and Blue.

Ring Binder

view a selection of our custom manufactured ring binders

Rivets

Rivets are used to mount the ring mechanisms firmly inside Polypropylene or PVC covers in order to create ring binders.

Roll Up

Roll up banners are ideal for advertising at exhibitions or point of sale. They are lightweight and can be assembled easily and quickly. Visit our rollups page.

Screen Print

Screen printing is the method of printing using a stencil process in which an image or design is rolled onto the printing surface through the area of the screen that isn’t covered by the stencil.

Signs

A printed product bearing lettering, symbols, or images for your desired purpose. Visit our custom manufactured signs page.

Spine

The spine is the back edge or binding edge of a ring binder.

Spot Colours

Spot colour printing refers to printing where each colour is printed with its own ink. It is therefore cost-effective when the print contains just one to three colours.

Tools

We hold a wide range of stock tooling for all types of products, accumulated over many years, allowing new and existing customers to use our tool database and save money in the process.

Trade

The people working in or associated with our business or industry. For more information on our trade services, click here.

UV

UV Varnish provides a glossy, vibrant finish that enhances an image.

Varnish

Liquid applied to coat printed materials, for enhanced appearance and protection.

Vector Image

Rather than being composed of pixels, Vector graphics consist of points, lines, and curves which, when combined, can form complex objects. These objects can be filled with solid colors, gradients, and even patterns. Vector graphics are mathematical creations. For this reason, the programs that are used to create them save instructions on how the image should be drawn, rather than how it looks. This is the key difference between the two types of graphics. Because the computer has a description of how the image should look, it can be redrawn at any size, in any position, without losing any quality. A vector graphic resized to 5 times its original dimensions is simply reproduced, exactly, at the new size. It can also be freely manipulated without losing coherence.

Vinyl

A flexible plastic material used to manufacture a number of different products. Vinyl can be used for a huge variety of things, ideal for printed stickers, banners and signs, due to its versatility and durability.

Welding

This is the process of welding PVC together using high frequency electromagnetic waves. PVC material is highly suitable for welding, so we are able to weld customised pockets onto PVC binders eg. For business card holders, at your convenience.