Printing Glossary - Letter O

Oblong means usually used in binding terms. It refers to booklets that are discovered or spotted in the dimension (usually shorter). It relates to book assembly and durability. It influences section alignment and page longevity.

Technically, off-press proof describes Refers to all proofs that are created through digital means. It can sometimes also be created through the help of photomechanical methods. The production would typically take a much shorter time and would come at reduced costs. It is equipment used for production or quality control. Calibration is essential for reliable results.

Offline is These refer to all machines or equipment in general that are not managed or regulated through the CPU (Central Processing Unit). It is a method of producing printed images. Each process has distinct plate, ink, and substrate demands.

In print practice, offset means This word is usually used in relation to printing. It refers to the procedures involved in using a blanket cylinder in the intermediate level to aid the movement of an image to its designated location that is usually the substrate. The image would normally be taken from the image carrier. This word would also be used as an abbreviation for offset lithography. See the word Set-off for a better understanding. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

Offset Lithography (also known as photolithography) — Refers to the most popular type of lithography. It is a printing process in which the plate that is used would accommodate both areas (image and non-image). However, both of these areas would be kept apart through the use of chemical repulsion. The ink that is used for the printing process would first be offset or moved from the original plate and kept into a blanket which must be rubber. From the rubber blanket, it would then be transferred to the paper. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

Offset paper is Refers to papers that are either coated or not coated. These form of papers are usually found in the offset print process. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

Offset press (sheetfed) refers to Refers to the plate cylinder rotary press. This usually occurs indirect and would also include the blanket and impression cylinders. It is equipment used for production or quality control.

Offset printing describes Refers to the printing process which makes use of a plate (usually lithographic). This plate that is being used must be receptive to the designs or images that are placed on it. Once placed, the ink would then be moved to a rubber blanket from the plate. This rubber blanket must be on the printing press. The aim of the rubber blanket would be to ensure that the ink is eventually moved to paper. Sometimes, the offset printing would often be described as photo-offset or better yet, lithography. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

One-up refers to This can also be two-up and so on. It simply refers to the act of printing one and so on jobs at any given period. It is a standard concept in printing. Usage varies with process and material.

Onionskin means Refers to a finish that is often described as cockle or lightweight in nature. It is often used to created copies or files for the purpose of correspondence. It is a standard concept in printing. Usage varies with process and material.

Online commonly denotes often used in relation to machines or equipment that are managed or regulated by the CPU (Central Processing Unit). See Offline. It is a method of producing printed images. Each process has distinct plate, ink, and substrate demands.

Technically, opacity describes also called the show-through. It points to the characteristics of a sheet especially those ones that help stop the exposure of print areas that are dark across the paper that is being made. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

Opaque means Opaque is all about the transparent nature of a single sheet of paper. The general rule regarding the term is that the higher the opacity in the paper that is being printed, the more likely you would have the problem of a see-through problem. It is because the higher the opacity, the less transparent it would become. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

Opaque Ink can be defined as Refers to a type of ink which hides all colors that are under or beneath it. It affects drying, adhesion, and print appearance.

In print practice, open-end envelope means This describes envelopes that open primarily in a specific dimension (usually the shorter dimension). It is a standard concept in printing.

Optical Brightness describes This word is used to describe optical brighteners. They can also be called fluorescent dyes. They would primarily be seen in their role in producing papers that are extremely bright. They accomplish this by taking in the ultraviolet lights (that are invisible) before transforming it to lights that are visible. These lights would normally be positioned in the area where the blue and violet lights are dominant in the spectrum. From that point on, we would then be able to see it clearly as the reflections hit our eye. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

Optical Whitener refers to Refers to a dye which enhances the brightness of a paper surface. To achieve this, it is applied to the surface of the paper having been added to the fiber stock. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

Orange peel — Refers to a surface that is granular in nature. This surface would usually be coated with a substance that gives it the look of an orange peel. It is a standard concept in printing. Usage varies with process and material.

Out-of-register means This word has two meaning;. It can refer to a situation where more than one color is placed in the wrong position in printing. This leads to the register not matching. It often describes pages on both points of the sheet primarily ones that are not in sync. It is a standard concept in printing. Usage varies with process and material.

Out-of-round rolls — It often describes pages on both points of the sheet primarily ones that are not in sync. These refer to rolls of paper that are not considered desirable and cannot be used for an offset press. The reason for It is that these rolls might not be round enough and this would lead to tension in the offset press. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

Within the trade, out-of-square refers to These refer to rolls of paper that are not considered desirable and cannot be used for an offset press. The reason for It is that these rolls might not be round enough and this would lead to tension in the offset press. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.

Outline halftone (also known as silhouette halftone) — Refers to images that are halftone in nature. These images would often be outlined by means of the elimination of spots or dots around them. It belongs to file preparation and imaging before printing.

Over inked means It refers to a printing work which has more ink than is required. This would lead to heavy print that would at the end, blur most of the sheet used for printing. It affects drying, adhesion, and print appearance. Formulation choices influence drying time and rub resistance.

Overhang cover is Refers to a cover which would often bigger than most of the pages that can be found in it. It is a standard concept in printing. Usage varies with process and material.

Overlay refers to This often refers to covering that is transparent that is placed over the area where there is a color break or the corrections which have been made has been marked down. Normally colors that are to be marked in the overlay would be identified with an acetate overlay that is different from one another. However, because most acetate is transparent in nature, the end product would be an image that has full colors. It is normally used in relation to the artwork. It is a standard concept in printing. Usage varies with process and material.

Within the trade, overpressure refers to When too much pressure is applied, the result is the plugging of letters by the ink. This would usually apply to halftone dots. It affects drying, adhesion, and print appearance.

In print practice, overprinting means Refers to the art of double printing. in order words, it describes the reprinting on a surface or area that has already undergone the process earlier. It is a method of producing printed images. Each process has distinct plate, ink, and substrate demands.

Within the trade, overrun refers to Refers to the number of paper that is being made that is above the specific number which has been ordered. When it is used in relation to printing, it would mean copies that have been printed that is over the original quantity that was requested for. It concerns the properties or grades of the paper stock. Selection affects stiffness, opacity, and printability.