Glossary

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BACKGROUND

The area surrounding a printed symbol.

BACKING

Refers to the carrier sheet of a material in a pressure sensitive lamination as opposed to the face material. Usually has a release coating applied so that the adhesive will not stick too tightly to it. Release liner, backing paper, carrier, etc.

BACK PRINTING

Refers to printing on the underside of a pressure sensitive substrate or laminate, ie. on the adhesive or back of liner.

BACK SLIT

A cut in the liner, usually along the web, but can be on the back of sheeted pressure sensitive laminate to allow the face stock to be easily peeled away by hand when die cutting has not been used.

BACK SPLIT (See Split Back)

BAGGINESS

A slack, floppy area usually caused by gauge variation. The material has been stretched and is actually longer in that area. Can be caused by tight, uneven winding of the labelstock by the manufacturer.

BALL-UP

Specific term to describe the tendency of an adhesive to stick to itself; cohesiveness. Such an adhesive, when rolled between the fingers, will not spread smoothly but will roll up in small spheres.

BAND LABEL

A paper wrap-around for use on cloth bags, envelope packaging, bulk banknotes, etc.

BAR

The dark element of a printed bar code symbol.

BAR CODE

In optical reading, a system of symbols (lines) which identifies data through length, position size or thickness of lines or symbols. Codes are normally machine printed, but can be computer generated.

BAR CODE DENSITY

The number of characters which can be represented in 25.4mm (1 lineal inch).

BAR CODE READER

A device used to identify and read a bar code symbol.

BAR LENGTH

The bar dimension perpendicular to the bar width.

BAR WIDTH

The thickness of a bar measured from the edge closest to the symbol start character to the trailing edge to the same bar.

BAR WIDTH REDUCTION

Reduction of the nominal bar width dimension on film, masters or printing plates to compensate for printing gain (squash).

BARE CYLINDER DIAMETER

The diameter of the actual plate cylinder, before the stickyback and plates are mounted.

BARRIER COAT - Also known as SEALER COAT, PRIMER or TIE COAT

A coating applied to the face material on the side opposite to the printing surface to provide increased opacity to the face material and/or to prevent migration between adhesive and the face material and provide anchorage of adhesive to face material. Refer LM & IM.

BASE

The major constituent, other than pigments and filler, comprising the non-volatile portion of an adhesive, coating or sealer compound.

BASE ROLL - See ANVIL ROLL

BASIC SHEET SIZE

The size of a sheet of paper which is used to determine paper weight. (1 square metre). Although sizes may vary depending on the type of stock and the country where the measure is made.

BASIS WEIGHT

The weight in kilograms of a ream (500 sheets) of paper cut to a given size.

BATCH COUNTER

Device used on a sheeter, stacker or fanfold unit to count and group sheeted or fan-folded labels.

BEARER

Type-high supports mounted or moulded around each end of a printing plate to help carry part of the impression load and to help prevent roller bounce. Also the load bearing surface(s) of a rotary die, usually positioned at each end of the die. Refer O.

BEARING BLOCK

A device that holds the die in place and upon which pressure is added so as to effect the actual die cutting function. Pressure is almost always applied directly over the bearers at each end of the die. Refer O.

BEND TEST

A means of testing the flexibility of an adhesive, coating or sealer compound at a specified temperature. The compound is applied to metal, dried or cured, and after conditioning at a specific temperature, bent over a mandrill to determine the product’s resistance to rupture. Refer NS.

BIAX

Biaxially oriented material, that is, oriented in the machine and transverse directions.

BI-DIRECTIONAL READ

The ability to read data successfully whether the scanning motion is left to right or right to left. (As in supermarket bar code readers)

BI-DIRECTIONAL SYMBOL

A bar code symbol which permits reading in complimentary directions.

BINDER

An adhesive substance, usually in liquid form, used to create adhesion between aggregates. Distinguished from an adhesive in that it performs an internal adhesive function rather than a surface adhesive function. Also the component of an ink that supplies the cohesiveness.

BIT

An abbreviation for ‘binary digit’. A single character in a binary number.

BLACK-AND-WHITE

Originals or reproductions in single colour or monochrome, usually refers to artwork.

BLEED

When the printed image extends beyond the trim edge of the label, it is called bleed.

BLEEDING

The diffusion or migration of an ink or adhesive or dye into an area where it is not wanted. The spreading or running of a pigment colour by action of a solvent. Also the diffusion or migration of an adhesive into the face material.

BLEED THROUGH

See Penetration - Migration.

BLOCKING

Undesired adhesion between the plies in rolls of pressure sensitive label stock usually due to adhesive ooze, improper drying on inks, or improper curing of coatings, often to the extent that damage to at least one surface is visible upon their separation if they can in fact be separated. The same applies to sheets.

BLOCKING TEST

A test used to measure the tendency of surface to surface sticking. Refer NS.

BLOW UP

An enlargement of artwork or photograph.

BODY STOCK - See Face Material

BOLD FACE (TYPE)

Name given to type that is heavier than type text with which it is used. Heavy face, in contrast to light face type. Used for emphasis in captions, sub-headings etc.

BOND

To attach materials together by adhesives.

BONDING RANGE

The time during which satisfactory bonds can be made. A bonding range of from 10 to 30 minutes indicates that maximum bonds can be achieved between 10 and 30 minutes. Times vary according to adhesive properties and the article to which the label is stuck to. Refer LM specification sheets and NS.

BONDING STRENGTH

In paper, the force with which the fibres adhere to each other. In surface coatings, such as inks, varnishes and adhesives, the strength with which the dried coating adheres to the surface of the substrate. Also refers to the degree of adhesion of a pressure sensitive face material to any surface. Refer NS & LM for test procedure.

BOUNCE

The abnormal reaction to compression, which results in erratic rotational movement of the cylinders, causing missed or imperfect impressions. Can also occur with a rotary die, causing imperfect die cutting.

BREAK - See JOIN

A term used to denote a tear in a roll of face material or release liner. Such defects are generally spliced and marked by a protruding flag or stamped with a rubber stamp. Term is Break or Join.

BREAKING

The operation of passing material over a dull edge which `breaks’ the adhesive layer, retarding curl and improving water absorption when re-moistened for use.

BRIGHTNESS

The reflectivity of a sheet of paper for blue light measured under standardised conditions on a particular instrument designed and calibrated specifically for the purpose. Strictly speaking, brightness is not a colorimetric quantity. Refer NS & LM.

BULK

Term used to denote the thickness of a sheet or relevant thickness according to the basis or substrate weight of a sheet. A bulky sheet refers to one lacking compactness, resulting in a lighter weight for a given thickness. Refer LM specification sheets.

BURN

Common term used for printing plate exposure.

BURSTING PERF - (Perforation)

A fold perforation that permits ease of mechanical bursting.

BURSTING STRENGTH

The pressure required to rupture a material specimen when it is tested in a specified instrument under specified conditions. It is largely determined by the tensile strength and extensibility of the material. Refer NS for test procedures.

BUTT CUT LABELS

Rectangular or triangular labels in a continuous form separated by a single knife cut to the liner across the web. Usually rectangular.

BUTT LABELS - See BUTT CUT

BUTT ROLL - See STUB ROLL

BUTT SPLICE

An end to end joining of two similar materials. For continuity of surface, design, etc. Often used in stickyback, printing plates and webs of substrates in process.

BUTTED RECTANGLES

Die cut rectangles butted to each other with no around and/or across matrix to remove.

BUTTED TRIANGLES

Die cut triangles butted to each other with no around and/or across matrix to remove.

BYTE

Computer terminology - 8 bits = 1 byte.