Color Label Press University

I had a few minutes before I had to get to three appointments on Thursday of last week.  Thus, I thought I would visit our Ricoh MP 3601SP demonstrator unit in our showroom (yes, we still have one of those).  I was curious how many labels did Ricoh adhere to the MP 3601SP.

I was shocked!  If you have a Ricoh MP 3601SP, here's a little bit of homework for you.  Check all of the outside covers, then the toner hopped and then the roll feeder.  Let us know how many labels you find (color or just black).  Inj a few days I'll be posting pics and a blog about how many I found.

At the top of each blog you'll see .  Clicking that link which is at the top of each blog will then bring you the collection of blogs for Color Label Press University.  It's pretty neat, you'll see all of the blogs that we've posted for an easier read and simple way to toggle from blog to blog.

Color Label Presses can be used as seeding devices in larger Print4Pay opportunities, or help that dealer or rep get a conversation going with an account where they have never had any traction with MFP's or IT services.  In addition, the competition is ripe for takeover.   Let us not forget about the GP!

The market for full color digital labels in huge and the potential to make some serious commissions is enormous.  BTW, isn't that why we're in this crazy business? 

Color Label Press University "Glossary for Pressure Sensitive Labels"  Course One

(Sponsored by Muratec a Konica Minolta Company)

Clarity:   Degree of clearness.

Clay Coated:  A term used to describe a paper with a clay coating on either one or both sides. (geesh, I remember clay coated paper, was best know for use with some of the first color copier/printers)

Clear Area:  A required clear space, containing no dark marks, which precedes the start character of a symbol and follows the stop character. Also known as quiet area.

Clear Coat:  A coating that protects the printing and the surface of a pressure sensitive label from abrasion, sunlight, chemicals, moisture, or a combination of these.

Co-Extrusions:   Film produced by more than one extruder through a common die. Films have been made with as many as 13 layers.

Co-Polymer:  Two or more mixed monomers which, when polymerized, yield a complex product having properties different from either simple polymer alone.

Coated Paper:   General term applying to all papers which have been surface coated with pigments.

Coating:   In printing, an emulsion, varnish or lacquer applied in-line or off-line, often over a printed surface to give it added protection.

Coating Weight:   The weight of a coating per unit area, such as lb/1,000 square feet, lb/ream or grams/sq meter.

Cobwebbing:   A filmy, web-like build up of dried ink or varnish that appears on the doctor roll or the end of the impression rolls.

COD:   Cash on Delivery. Customer must pay in full at time of delivery. Shipper retains title until carrier obtains remittance.

Cohesion:  The internal strength of an adhesive mass; resistance to flow, and resistance to failure in the adhesive when labels are removed or are under stress. See cohesive strength.

Cohesive Failure:   The mode of failure wherein the adhesive splits, leaving some residue on the labeled surface and part on the label.

Cohesive Strength:   A measure of that property of an adhesive which resists forces parallel to the surface, I.e. resistance to adhesive splitting.

Cold Cracking:   The breaking or shattering under stress of plastic coatings that have become brittle due to lowered temperatures.

Cold Flow:  The tendency of a pressure sensitive adhesive to act like a heavy, viscous liquid over long periods of time. Such phenomena as 'oozing' or 'incraeses in adhesion' are the results of this characteristic.

Cold Temperature Adhesive:  An adhesive that will enable a pressure sensitive label to adhere or stick well when applied to a cold substrate, often in cold ambient temperatures.

Collating:   Assembling in proper order.

Color Correction:  Any method such as masking, dot-etching, re-etching, and/or electronic scanning used to correct for color errors in process inks.

Color Key:  A series of colored films used to check individual colors and stripping. When overlaid in printing sequence it will produce a multicolored image. A color key is limited to yellow, orange, dark blue, magenta, cyan, black, white, gold, brown, green, red, beige and any combinations thereof. Basically a photographic positive of the separation negatives in generic color.

Color Matching:   To duplicate the hue, value and intensity of a given color sample usually by blending appropriate elements.

Color Permanence:   See color fastness.

Color Process:  A reproduction of any subject where the colors are separated by any method utilizing at least the three primary process colors - yellow, magenta and cyan. Using halftone plates to produce intermediate colors and shades. Linework and screenwork can be utilized.

Color Proof:  A printed or simulated printed image of each process color (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) using inks, toners or dyes to give a simulated impression of the final printed reproduction. Color proofs are now most often generated by computer.

Color Retention:   The property of a color to resist fading or other deterioration on exposure to light.

Color Separated Art:  See pre-separated art.

Color Separation:  The process of separating colored originals into yellow, magenta, cyan and black printing negatives. Mostly done on computer controlled scanners.

Color Stability:   See color fastness.

Color Stations:   Each printing section of the press or set of rollers used to print each individual color.

Color Transparency:  A full-color photographic positive image on a transparent support from which color separations are usually produced. Can be viewed with the aid of a lighted color transparency viewer.

Colorant:   The color portion of an ink; may be a pigment, dye, or a combination of the two.

Combination Plate:   A single engraving which includes both line and halftone.

Compatibility:   The ability of ink, film, substrate and/or solvents to function together in an acceptable manner.

Condensed:   Type Proportionally narrow or slender type faces.

Conditioning:   Process of subjecting material to specific temperature and humidity conditions for stipulated periods of time.

Conformability:  The ability of a pressure sensitive material to yield to the contours of a surface (curved or rough). See flexibility.

Consistency:   Usually refers to the general body characteristics of an ink or other coatings.

Continuous Code:   A bar code or symbol where the space between characters (intercharacter gap) is part of the code.

Continuous Label:  Fan-folded labels manufactured from a continuous web of label stock which is not cut into units prior to execution. Continuous labels are mostly used for data processing applications.

Controlled Release:   A release level greater than that provided by an unmodified release coating.

-=Good Selling=-

Another three days and we're bringing you Part Four in our blog series for our Color Label Press University.  Just and FYI for everyone.  At the top of each blog you'll see .  Clicking that link which is at the top of each blog will then bring you the collection of blogs for Color Label Press University.  It's pretty neat, you'll see all of the blogs that we've posted for an easier read and simple way to toggle from blog to blog.

Color Label Presses can be used as seeding devices in larger Print4Pay opportunities, or help that dealer or rep get a conversation going with an account where they have never had any traction with MFP's or IT services.  In addition, the competition is ripe for takeover.   Let us not forget about the GP!

The market for full color digital labels in huge and the potential to make some serious commissions is enormous.  BTW, isn't that why we're in this crazy business? 

Color Label Press University "Glossary for Pressure Sensitive Labels"  Course One

(Sponsored by Muratec a Konica Minolta Company)

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:  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.

Breaking:  The operation of passing material over a dull edge which 'breaks' the adhesive layer, retarding curl and improving water absorption when remoistened for use.

Brightness:  The reflectivity of a sheet of paper for blue light measured under standardized conditions on a particular instrument designed and calibrated specifically for the purpose. Strictly speaking, brightness is not a colormetric quantity.

Burn:   Common term used for printing plate exposure.

Bursting Perf:   A fold perforation that permits 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.

Butt Cut Labels:   Rectangular labels in continuous form separated by a single knife cut to the liner across the web.

Butt Labels:   See butt cut labels.

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 joining 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.

C1S:   Paper Abbreviation for coated one side paper.

CAD:  Computer Assisted Design/Computer Assisted Makeup or Manufacturing.

Caking:   The collecting of dried ink upon rollers and plates.

Calender Cuts:   Defects caused by creasing or cutting of the web of paper during calendering due to wrinkles in the web.

Calender Finished:   A term applied to any paper with a surface glazed by means of a calender stack.

Caliper:   The thickness of paper, usually expressed in thousandths of an inch (mils).

Camera-Ready:  Copy which is ready for photography. See artwork.

Carrier:  Sometimes used to refer to the liner material of pressure sensitive labels. Also a term sometimes used to describe the stock to which two layers of adhesive are applied in a double adhesive construction.

Cast Coated:   A high-gloss enamel finish.

Cast Coated Paper:   A paper, the coating of which is allowed to harden or set while in contact with a finished casting surface.

Cast Film:   Plastic sheeting manufactured by the casting process, as opposed to the extruding process.

Cast Vinyl:  Vinyl sheeting manufactured by coating a liquid vinyl acetate or similar ester onto a casting paper and curing in a heated oven.

Catalyst:  A substance which has the capability of initiating or accelerating the speed of a reaction between two or more substances when introduced into their presence.

Cavity:  Usually refers to the engraving on a rotary die cutter that die cuts a single shape.

Cell:   A small engraved or etched depression in an anilox roll that carries the ink to the plate.

Cellulose:   Fibrous substance of wood, cotton and other vegetable matter.

Centigrade:   A scale of temperature which features 0 and 100 degrees as the freezing and boiling points of water. Also called Celsius.

Centipoise:   One hundred of a poise; a unit for measuring viscosity.

Central Impression:  A press with a number of printing units around a large cylinder which serves as the impression cylinder against which the substrate rides.

Ceramic Anilox Roll:  Engraved inking roll used in flexographic printing. New techniques in manufacturing allow for vastly improved anilox roll performance and life.

Chalking:  A form of coating deterioration characterized by the formation of a loose, chalk-like powder on the film surface.

Character:  A single group of bars and spaces which represent an individual number, letter or punctuation mark.

Charge:   Usually refers to the degree or type of electrical property carried by a substrate.

Check Digit:  A digit included within a symbol whose value is based mathematically on other characters included in the symbol. It is used for the purpose of performing a mathematical check to ensure the accuracy of the read.

Checking:   The presence of hair line carcks in a varnish coating, a lacquer coating, a film or in an adhesive coating. Crazing.

Chemical Curing:   The setting or curing of an adhesive, coating or sealer brought about by the addition of a catalyst or accelerator.

Chemical Resistance:  The resistance of a pressure sensitive label to the deteriorating effects resulting from exposure to chemicals under specified conditions.

Chill Roll:  Metal roll or drum cooled internally with water, etc. Often used after the press dryer to cool the printed web prior to die cutting, rewinding, etc.

Choke:  An image whose edges have been pulled inslightly from those of the original. The image area remains essentially the same except for a narrow strip of reduction around its perimeter.

Chokes and Spreads:  Overlaps of overprinting images to prevent color fringes or white borders around image detail due to slight misregister during printing.

Chromatic Scale:  The colors of the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet.

Circumferential Register:  See running register.

-=Good Selling=-

I'm back on a roll!   Just a few days ago we posted up the second blog for "Color Label Press University "Glossary of Terms" Part Two, Course One". We're off and running with Part 3 today.

Color Label Presses can be used as seeding devices in larger Print4Pay opportunities, or help that dealer or rep get a conversation going with an account where they have never had any traction with MFP's or IT services.  In addition, the competition is ripe for takeover.   Let us not forget about the GP!

Interesting, just from posting up the glossary of terms, I'm becoming familiar with the type of language that's used in the color label business.  It's all about learning their language, and once you've mastered all of the terms you can have the special conversation with your client. 

The market for full color digital labels in huge and the potential to make some serious commissions is enormous.  BTW, isn't that why we're in this crazy business? 

Color Label Press University "Glossary for Pressure Sensitive Labels"  Course One

(Sponsored by Muratec a Konica Minolta Company)

Autoclave:  A pressurized, steam heated vessel generally used for sterilization. In label application, label must endure a cooking process by superheated steam under pressure.

Back Printing:  Refers to printing on the underside of a pressure sensitive substrate or laminate, i.e. on the adhesive or back of liner.

Back Split:   See split back.

Background:  The area surrounding a printed symbol.

Backing:  Refers to the carrier sheet of 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.

Bagginess:   A slack, floppy area usually caused by gauge variation. The material has been stretched and is actually longer in that area.

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

Bar:   The dark element of a printed bar code symbol.

Bar Code:  In optical reading, a system of symbols which identifies data through length, position size or thickness of lines or symbols. Codes are normally machine printed.

Bar Code Density:   The number of characters which can be represented in a 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 of the same bar.

Bar Width Reduction:   Reduction of the nominal bar width dimension on film masters or printing plates to compensate for printing gain.

Bare Cylinder Diameter:   The diameter of the actual plate cylinder, before the stickyback and plates are mounted.

Barrier 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 improve anchorage of adhesive to face material. Sealer coat.

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. Sizes vary depending on the type of stock.

Basis Weight:  The weight in pounds of a ream of paper cut to a given size. Most backing papers used in pressure sensitive laminations are based on a ream size of 24" x 36"/500's. Face papers are more typically 25" x 38"/500's.

Batch Counter:   Device used on a sheeter/stacker to count and group sheeted labels.

Bearer:  Type-high supports mounted or molded around each end of a printing plate to help carry part of the impression load and to help prevent bounce. Also the load bearing surfaces(s) of a rotary die, usually positioned at each end of the die.

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.

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.

Bi-Directional Symbol:   A bar code symbol which permits reading in complementary directions.

Binder:   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 color or monochrome, usually refers to artwork.

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

Bleed-Through:   See penetration-migration.

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

Blocking:  Undesired adhesion between the plies in rolls of pressure sensitive stock usually due to adhesive ooze, improper drying of 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.

Blocking Test :  A test used in measuring the tendency of surface-to-surface sticking.

Blowup:   An enlargement.

Body Stock:   See face material.

Bold Face:   Heavy face, in contrast to light face type. Used for emphasis, captions, subheadings, etc.

Bold-Face Type:   Name given to type that is heavier than text type with which it is used.

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.

Bonding Strength:  In paper, the force with which the fibers adhere to each other. In surface coatings, such as inks 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.

-=Good Selling=-