UPMSP Vocational Printing cheat sheet

Relief printing: image area raised, ink applied to high points, transferred by pressure (woodcut, letterpress).

Intaglio: image incised below surface, ink fills grooves, wiped from surface, transferred under high pressure (engraving, gravure).

Planographic: image and non-image on same plane, separation by chemical repulsion (lithography: oil-based ink, water-dampened plate).

Screen printing: ink forced through mesh openings by squeegee; stencil blocks non-image areas.

Gutenberg's movable metal type (c. 1450) combined punch-matrix-casting, oil-based ink, and adapted wine-press for printing.

Rotary press principle: image on cylinder, continuous substrate feed, higher speed than flatbed.

Offset lithography: ink transferred from plate to blanket cylinder to substrate, keeping plate wear low.

Chronology: woodblock (China, 7th c.), movable type (China, 11th c.; Europe, 15th c.), lithography (1796), offset (1904), digital (1990s).

Type size measured in points (1 pt = 1/72 inch); line length in picas (1 pica = 12 pt).

Leading = baseline-to-baseline distance; body text typically 120% of type size (e.g., 10/12).

Tracking adjusts spacing uniformly across a range of characters; kerning adjusts space between specific pairs.

X-height is the height of lowercase letters excluding ascenders and descenders; affects apparent size and legibility.

Serif fonts have finishing strokes; sans serif do not; script mimics handwriting; display fonts for headlines.

Alignment: flush left (ragged right), flush right (ragged left), justified (even both edges), centered, asymmetric.

Widow: short last line of paragraph; orphan: short first line at page top-avoid both in composition.

Type families include weights and widths (e.g., regular, bold, italic, condensed); measure is characters per line, optimal 45–75.

Resolution: ppi for images, dpi for output devices, lpi for halftone screens; relationship: lpi ≈ ppi/2 for quality.

Halftone screening converts continuous tone to dots; AM screening varies dot size, FM varies dot frequency.

Color separation: RGB (additive, screen) converted to CMYK (subtractive, print); use ICC profiles for accurate conversion.

Trapping creates slight overlap between adjacent colors to prevent misregistration gaps.

Overprint: ink printed over another; knockout: ink removed from underlying area.

Imposition arranges pages on a press sheet so they fold to correct reading order; creep/shingling compensation for saddle-stitch.

Preflight checks fonts embedded, images at correct resolution, color space, bleed (typically 3 mm), and trim marks.

Vector graphics scale without loss; raster images lose quality when enlarged beyond native resolution.

Offset press units: plate, blanket, impression cylinders; dampening system applies fountain solution.

Sheetfed vs. web: sheetfed prints on cut sheets; web uses continuous roll, higher speed, often heat-set drying.

Gravure: engraved copper cylinder, doctor blade removes excess ink, used for long runs and packaging.

Flexography: flexible photopolymer plate, anilox roller meters ink, suitable for packaging, labels, corrugated.

Screen printing: mesh count determines ink deposit; higher mesh = thinner deposit, finer detail.

Digital press: electrophotography (toner) or inkjet; no fixed plate, economic for short runs and variable data.

Press make-ready includes plate mounting, ink setting, registration, and color approval; reduces waste when optimized.

Print contrast and dot gain are monitored with densitometers; dot gain increases apparent darkness.

Ink components: pigment (colorant), vehicle (carrier), and additives (driers, waxes, antioxidants).

Viscosity and tack affect ink transfer; too high tack can cause picking on weak paper surfaces.

Drying mechanisms: absorption, evaporation, oxidation, radiation curing (UV/EB).

Paper properties: basis weight (gsm), caliper, brightness, opacity, smoothness, and ink absorbency.

Coated papers have clay/calcium carbonate coating for smoothness and gloss; uncoated are more absorbent.

Substrate selection: coated for halftone detail, uncoated for text and forms, synthetic for durability.

Pantone spot colors extend gamut beyond CMYK; use for brand colors, metallics, fluorescents.

Ink–substrate compatibility: UV inks on non-porous substrates need appropriate adhesion and curing.

Binding methods: saddle-stitch (wire through fold), perfect binding (glued spine), case binding (hard cover), spiral/comb.

Saddle-stitch page count must be multiple of 4; perfect binding typically minimum 32–40 pages.

Folding: parallel, right-angle, gate, and roll folds; grain direction should parallel the fold to avoid cracking.

Lamination (gloss/matte), varnish, and UV coating protect and enhance printed surfaces.

Die-cutting uses a steel rule die to cut shapes; creasing prevents cracking on folds.

Foiling and embossing add decorative effects; foil stamping uses heat and pressure.

Packaging: corrugated board flutes (A, B, C, E, F) affect strength and printability; E-flute for retail boxes.

Trim size is final cut size; bleed extends beyond trim; registration marks aid cutting and color alignment.

Job planning: define specs (size, substrate, colors, quantity, finishing), then estimate cost and time.

Make-ready waste and running waste are estimated; spoilage allowance often 3–5% for sheetfed.

Gang runs combine similar jobs on one sheet to reduce cost and waste.

Quality control tools: densitometer (ink density), spectrophotometer (color), registration marks, control strips.

Standard illuminants for color appraisal: D50 (5000 K) or D65; view under controlled lighting.

ISO 12647 specifies process control targets for CMYK printing; G7 focuses on gray balance and tonality.

Statistical process control uses control charts to monitor dot gain, density, and registration.

Proofing: soft proof (monitor) and hard proof (contract proof) simulate final print; contract proof is legally binding.

Electrophotography: charging, exposure, development, transfer, fusing-toner-based digital printing.

Inkjet: continuous (CIJ) and drop-on-demand (DOD, thermal or piezo); used for wide format and variable data.

Variable data printing (VDP) personalizes each piece; requires database and composition software.

Print-on-demand (POD) reduces inventory and waste; economical for short runs and reprints.

Hybrid printing combines offset and digital units in one press for inline personalization.

3D printing (additive manufacturing) builds objects layer by layer; not a conventional 2D print process.

Web-to-print and cloud workflows automate ordering, preflight, and production.

QR codes, AR links, and scannable codes integrate print with digital media.

Solvent and ink mists require local exhaust ventilation; use MSDS/SDS for hazard information.

Personal protective equipment: gloves, eye protection, respirators for solvent and dust exposure.

Waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, recycle; paper and board are recyclable; inks and solvents need special disposal.

VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions regulated; low-VOC and vegetable-based inks reduce impact.

Energy efficiency: variable frequency drives, heat recovery, and LED-UV curing reduce consumption.

Entrepreneurship: business plan includes market analysis, cost structure, pricing, and break-even calculation.

Break-even quantity = fixed costs / (unit price − variable cost per unit).

Legal compliance: business registration, GST/tax, labor laws, and environmental permits for printing operations.