Our technical glossary contains terms and abbreviations associated with the nameplate and label printing industry.

Acrylic: A synthetic polymer which has very good aging characteristics, and an initial tack which is relatively light to allow for repositioning; full strength is reached over time. Most transfer adhesives are acrylic.

Adhesion: The bond which is created when two surfaces come into contact.

Alloy: A substance that has metallic properties and is composed of two or more chemical elements, of which at least one is a metal.

Anneal: To Temper the process whereby metal is rolled to a temper beyond the desired temper, and then annealed back to attain the desired tensile. The result is a more uniform grain structure and tighter tensile range.

Backing: The release liner which protects adhesives. It is removed prior to use of the product.

Bleed: Background printing which extends beyond, the specified dimensions of the part, when the part is cut at the specified dimensions, there is 100% ink coverage on the finished part.

Blocking: A condition created when one layer sticks to another layer within a roll or in sheet, thereby making it difficult to unroll or feed the sheets.

Carrier: The material on which the adhesive had been coated, and on which it stays during use, often referred to as “face stock”.

Color Retention: The ability of a color to resist fading and other deterioration due to light exposure.

CSA: Canadian Standards Association.

Deadfront: The property by which a transparent color is visible only when backlit, as when used on keyboard overlays and front panels.

Debossing: The process of lowering a pattern or copy below the original surface.

Die Cutting: The process of cutting various shapes to their finished dimensions.

Dimensional Stability: The property of a material to resist changes, under varying environmental conditions, in its length, width, or thickness.

Ductility: The property that permits permanent deformation of a metal before fracture by stress under tension.

Embossing: A technique used to raise a pattern of copy above the original surface using matched male and female dies.

Face Stock: The base substrate to which an adhesive is applied. This term is often used for self-adhesive label stock, i.e. decals, etc., otherwise the term “Carrier” is preferred in the industry.

Flexibility: The property which indicates how various materials will conform to curved surfaces, measured under specific conditions.

Hard Tooling: Class “A” tooling which is usually used when material thickness is over .020 (.508mm), to cut tight dimensional tolerances less than +.005” (.127mm), and on large volume production runs. Hard tooling consists of male and female die halves.

Laminate: To apply one layer of a material over another.

Matte: A dull finish or surface which reflects a minimum of light. In some applications it allows a surface which can be written on.

Memory: The property of plastic material which causes it to return to its original size, after being stretched or distorted.

Metallized Film: A plastic film which has been coated on one side with a thin layer of metal.

Munsell Color System: A uniform color measurement system or scale, usually used in conjunction with a spectrophotometer.

Nomenclature: Names, or descriptive words.

Pantone Matching System: One of the most common color matching systems, often referred to as PMS. It is a standard used by most printers as a guide for selecting and matching the color specified. There are over 530 color variations.

Peel Adhesion: The force needed to remove a strip of pressure sensitive material from a surface. Measured at a specific rate of removal and at a specific angle from the surface.

Polycarbonate: A versatile film which exhibits excellent clarity, stability, printing and die cutting characteristics, as well as good solvent resistance. Used often for decal face stocks.

Polyester: A versatile film used for decal face stocks. It is available in a variety of thicknesses, and in clear, matted, pigmented, metallized, brushed metallized, or transparent colors. Exhibits clarity, stability, good print and die cutting characteristics, as well as good exterior durability.

Polyethylene: A plastic film available in various densities and thicknesses. Generally used in applications where heat resistance and exterior durability are not required.

Proof: A printed impression of the original copy produced for the final verification of spelling, type size, color, etc. Usually a client must sign off on the proof, and printer keeps the final approval on file.

Register: The exact corresponding placement of successively printed images, and/or a die cut, etc.

Release Liner: A material that has been specially treated which protects a pressure sensitive adhesive. It comes in varying thicknesses, and it allows for easy removal from the adhesive.

Reverse Printing: The printing of a background in a specific color, thus leaving the nomenclature or verbiage the color of the original substrate being printed.

Scoring: The marking of lines on a substrate. In printing this facilitates an easy fold on a thick substrate to avoid splitting.

Service Temperature: The range of temperature that a pressure sensitive label will withstand. Often referred to as “exposure temperature”.

Shear Adhesion: The force required to pull a pressure sensitive label or material from a standard flat surface. The pull direction is parallel to the surface to which the pressure sensitive item has been attached.

Shelf Life: The length of time a product can be stored and remain suitable for use.

Slip Sheeting: The placing of a piece of paper, tissue, or some other material between parts to protect against scratching.

Solvent: A dissolving or thinning agent.

Subsurface Printing: Printing on the underside of a film, usually a transparent film. The ink will then be between the film that was printed and the substrate which it is applied. Also known as “second surface” printing.

Substrate: The base material upon which printing is done.

Tack: The ability of an adhesive to adhere to a substrate with only a minimum of pressure.

Temper: A condition produced in a metal or alloy by mechanical or thermal treatment, having characteristic structural and mechanical properties.

Transfer Tape: A pressure sensitive adhesive that has a two sided release coated liner which comes in rolls, and between two release liners when in sheet. When applied to a surface, the release liner is left in place for removal at al later date.

UL: Underwriter’s Laboratories.

Ultimate Adhesion: The maximum bond established between product and the surface to which it is adhered. The time involved varies, but usually ultimate adhesion takes place in 72 – 96 hours.

U.V. Drying: A system which employs ultraviolet radiation to complete the curing process.

Web Press: A rotary press which can accept material from roll stock.


Source: National Association of Graphic and Product Identification Manufacturers, Inc. (GPI)