Printing Terms

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

Bids and Quote Sheet

  • Advance Copies: a few copies of the finished print product sent as soon as the project is completed in the bindery.
  • Extent: a listing of all project components.
  • Finished Size: the dimensions of the finished piece.
  • Flat Size: the size of the printed piece prior to folding.
  • Landscape Format: horizontal (or, album).
  • Number of Colors: a listing of the number of colors for each project component. Example: “Text pages 4c x 1c” means 4 colors on one side of text sheets and 1 color on the other side.
  • PP: printed pages (front and back). Example: “32pp text” means 32 printed pages (front and back).
  • Pages: there are two pages for each sheet of paper. Also called “Leafs”–there are two pages for each leaf.
  • Portrait Format: upright (or, vertical).


Binding

  • Back Lining or Backing Paper: an additional back paper or cloth added to the spine to make the binding stronger.
  • Board Book: often used for children’s books. Each cover and page of the book is laminated to a heavy board.
  • Burst Bind: to bind by forcing glue into notches along the spines of folded signatures. A burst bind is stronger than a perfect bind.
  • Comb Bind (also called Plastic Bind): bound by inserting a flexible plastic comb through holes punched along the binding edge of the book.
  • End Sheets: the sheets that attach the text to the hardcover (case) of a book.
  • Flush Cover: the text pages come to the edge of the cover.
  • Hardcover (also called Case Bound): this is the term for a hardbound book.
  • Head and Tail Bands: a cloth band that decorates the head and foot (or tail) of the spine.
  • Hinged Cover: this is a softbound book that is scored approx. .125” from the spine so that the cover opens without damaging the spine of the book.
  • Overhang Cover: the cover is slightly larger than the text pages.
  • Paste bind: the pages are secured with glue along the spine.
  • Perfect Bind (also called Limp Bind or Drawn-on Cover): hot glue is used to adhere the text pages to a soft cover.
  • Plus Cover: the cover is printed on a different paper than the text pages.
  • Round-Back Hardcover: the spine is rounded, as opposed to a square-back cover where the spine is flat.
  • Quarter Cover: book with the spine covered in one material and the other areas of the cover bound in a different material.
  • Saddle Stitch: bound by stapling sheets and cover together at the spine.
  • Self Cover: text and cover are the same paper.
  • Self Ends: the outer pages of the book’s text are bound to the hardbound case, eliminating the need for end sheets.
  • Side Stitch: to bind by stapling sheets through the front of the printing.
  • Slip Case: a box, open on one side that is made to hold a book or series of books.
  • Softbound: this is a term for a perfect-bound book with no stitching.
  • Stitched and Bound: this is a term for perfect binding with the pages stitched together prior to perfect binding. This is a more secure binding than perfect binding and holds up better for repeated use or for softbound books that need to be forced flat by the reader.
  • Wire-O Bind: bound by inserting coil wire through holes drilled through the binding edge of the book.

Coatings

  • Aqueous Coating: water-based coating available in matte or gloss finish. This coating accepts ink jet printing well. A thicker coat than varnish, but not as thick as laminate.
  • Laminate: plastic coating. Offers the most protection and is available as gloss or matte.
  • UV Coating: liquid coating cured with UV light. More durable than varnish or aqueous coating. Not as durable as laminate.
  • Varnish: a light coating that reflects light. Can be gloss or matte.


Paper

  • Art Paper: coated paper. Can be gloss art or matte art.
  • GSM (Grams Per Square Meter): this is the term for paper weight used everywhere except North America, where poundage is used.
  • Offset Paper: alternative term for uncoated paper.
  • Recycled Paper: new paper made entirely, or in part, from previously used paper.
  • Uncoated Paper (sometimes referred to as Wood-Free): no coating on the paper surface.
  • Vellum Paper: uncoated and rough surface.
  • Wood-Free (also called Free Sheets): paper made from wood fibers mixed with chemicals and cleaned free of impurities. Resists yellowing with age.

Pre-Press

  • CYMK: these are the printing inks used in producing full-color printing (Cyan, Yellow, Magenta and Black). This is the file format that colors must be converted to (from RGB) for commercial production of full color.
  • DPI: dots per inch. Usually 300 or 350 DPI is required for full-color printing.

Proofing and Shipping

  • Blueline Proofs: proofs showing the positioning of pages, graphics and text in mono color. Not used for proofing of color images.
  • Digital Proofs: proofs made from a photo mechanical process or a digital printer. Can be very accurate, although not as accurate as press proofs.
  • Dummies: bound blank paper proof to show the binding, paper quality and thickness.
  • Press Proofs: proofs made by putting files on a press and printing proofs. The most accurate form of proofing.
    Shipping
  • Bill of Landing: legally binding document listing goods shipped by the shipping company, acknowledging the receipt of goods and promising delivery to the person named.
  • CBM: this is the total size of a shipment in cubic meters.
  • CIF: stands for “Cost, Insurance and Sea Freight.” This is pricing based on delivery to the port of import (example: Los Angeles port). This does include international shipping and insurance, but does not include customs or port processing fees or local delivery.
  • Consignee: the person to whom the merchandise is destined.
  • DDP: stands for “Delivery Duty Paid.” This pricing is based on delivery to your destination. All costs including local delivery are included.
  • Ex-Factory: client, or client’s agent, who is responsible for picking up the goods at the manufacturer’s door.
  • FOB: stands for “Free on Board.” This is pricing based on delivery to the port of export (example: Hong Kong port). This does not include international shipping, insurance, customs or local delivery.
  • Ship Weight (sometimes called Gross Weight): this is the total weight of the shipment including all product and pallets.
  • Shipping Packing List: shows # of copies per carton, size & weight per carton, # of cartons per pallet, and size & weight per pallet.

Catalog Printing from China

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

We have had many catalog printing jobs in the last few years. Below is just a few examples of the specifications. If you have similar catalog printing jobs, you are welcome to contact longpack for a quotation.

Case Study 1

Format: 215*285mm (closed size)

Paper Quality/Page Sizes: Interior: 80gsm glossy art paper, 140pp

Cover: 157gsm glossy art paper, 4pp

Printing: 4/4C printing throughout

Finishing: Perfect Bound

Delivery: FOB Shanghai

Case Study 2

Format: 210*297mm (closed size)

Paper Quality/Page No.: 157 gsm glossy art paper, 16pp selfcover

Printing: 4 color printing throughout

Finishing: Saddle Stitch

Delivery: ex work Shanghai

Newsletter Printing from China

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

You can choose different paper stock, page sizes according to your special needs in terms of newsletter printing.

Binding style or method can be found here. It can be side stitch (magazine style) or wire bound.

As to the cover, you can choose different paper stock. Normally, we suggest heavier cover stock to give a nice look.

Newsletter Estimate | Newsletter Cost | Newsletter Quote

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

A newsletter estimate inquiry has reached us recently as below.

Printing- 8 page Newsletter, 4/4, 11 x 17 White printed 4 colors front in 4-Color Process ink, 4 colors back in 4-Color Process ink Quantity = 20000

Printing- 8 page Newsletter, 4/4, 11 x 17 White printed 4 colors front in 4-Color Process ink, 4 colors back in 4-Color Process ink on pages 1 and 8, black and white ink on pages 2 through 7 Quantity = 20000

We will come back to this inquiry shortly.

Similar inquires are welcome to be sent to us for a quotation.

Shanghai Printer | Shanghai Print | Shanghai Printing

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Being a Shanghai printer means more costs. There is no doubt that Shanghai is more expansive than many other cities in China in terms of labor costs and running costs. We have seen quite a few Shanghai printers moved to surrounding smaller cities in order to reduce the costs.

But compared to other international big cities, Shanghai is still low costs. Besides, we can more easiliy find skilled workers and business environment is much better than most cities in China. These advantages can make us produce higher qualty printing jobs in a more efficient way.

We believe if a client already saved 40% by working with us, he or she will not want to save 5% more to work with a not-so-professional printer maybe from a smaller and lower costed city. This may explain why many Shanghai printers expor business can still survive and still be competitive.

And we also believe the best way of keeping a client is to offer the best possible services, the best possilbe quality and stil keep the prices at a low level.

Printing and Distribution in China

Friday, October 9th, 2009

We not only print in China, we  also distribute in China!

We recently had a project of printing school catalogs of a well-known university in Denmark. Because this danish university has lots of marketing activities in China, we were asked if we could print and also distribute to their agents and exhibitions addresses in China, our answer is Yes.

This extended service is supported by our forwarding partners who have worked with us for years. We can almost deliver our printed items anywhere in China, and anywhere in the world.  It can be sent by couriers (like DHL, Ups, TNT or Fedex), by air or by ship.

Please just ask us, we can do lots more than printing!

Brochure Printing from China

Friday, October 9th, 2009

A lot of brochure printing orders from Europe, Australia and USA reached longpack in Sept., 2009.  Usually the min. quality for brochures printing is about 1.000 pcs. In some extreme cases, we can accept even small orders, but if you take transportation into consideration, it becomes harder to save as much as bigger quantities. Please send your brochure printing specifications to us for a quote.

Yellow Book | Yellow Pages Printing from China

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Normally at this time of the year, we start to print yellow book or yellow pages for an overseas client. Yellow pages/yellow book printing is not so different from other books printing. We ensure good quality and good savings for our clients.

Board Game Printing Company

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Longpack can also be called a board game printing company, that is because we are not only specialized in printing board game boxes, but also able to source board game components like: Arrow Spinner, Card Stand, Sand Timer, Pawns, Chip, and dice.

We have good connections with these Chinese board game components producers so that we can ensure good quality, good price, and good delivery terms.

If you have your own board game design, you are welcome to send to us for a quote.

Presentation Folders|Presentatation Binders|Ring Binders Printing from China

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

An old and satisfied client from Australia (who we have delivered presentation folders/presentation binders/ring binders before) recently introduced another client to us.

This new client asked for a quote for the following specifications. We hope we can work with this new client.

Presentation Folders/Presentation Binders/Ring Binders

Size: 251mm x 310mm 45mm Spine (Portrait)

Stock: 150gsm Gloss art paper 5 colour 1 side only + gloss lamination 1 side

Inside attached sheet: 150gsm gloss art paper 1pms 1 side only + gloss lamination 1 side
Extra: 25mm D Rings x 4
LEAVES
Size: 210mm x 297mm
Stock: 36 leaves 200gsm gloss art card 5 colour both sides (4 process colour + 1 pms) + gloss sealer
Finishing: Drill holes x 4
DIVIDERS
Size: 223mm x 297mm
Stock: 6 leaves dividers + 1 leaf cover (210 x 297mm)
350gsm gloss art card 5 colours both sides + gloss lamination both sides
Finishing: Drill holes x 4
 
Binding: Trimmed to size, collated and shrink wrapping