What are the advantages of using UV inks over conventional inks?

What does FSC, SFI or PEFC mean?

At what resolution should I scan my images?
What are the preferred file formats for photographic images?

What are bleeds and why do I need them?
How do you figure the "M" weight of a sheet of paper?

How are coated papers graded in regards to quality?

Commonly asked questions about UV printing, FSC, SFI, PEFC, trapping, color, paper, and other important information before going to press.

What are the advantages of using UV inks over conventional inks?

1. UV ink is “cured” as it passes through the press as opposed to oxidizing to dry as it sits waiting to be finished. This process greatly reduces potential offset and marking problems associated with conventional printing particularly when “perfecting”, printing both sides of the sheet in one pass on a sheet-fed press.
2. Printing with UV inks does not require the use of anti-offset powder, which can cause a grainy or sandpaper feel to conventional printing.
3. Marking issues from various processes in the bindery are also reduced or eliminated. Jobs can be worked in finishing immediately after printing.
4. UV printing on uncoated paper produces a much brighter look resulting from higher ink holdout from the sheet. This is the result of the ink being dried before it has a chance to soak into the sheet and become dull.
5. UV printing allows for in-line UV coating to produce a variety of effects from High-Gloss flood UV coating, Spot coating and Strike-through dull and gloss combinations to special effects such as raised UV and glitter coating. Conventional printing can only be UV coated after it has completely dried.
6. UV printing produces far less VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) resulting in a cleaner environment.

What does FSC, SFI, or PEFC mean ?

ColorDynamics uses approx. 13,000 tons of paper annually. Chain of custody systems insure that the paper we use is from well-managed and regulated forests. A chain of custody system begins with certified, healthy forests that support biodiversity. The possession or “custody” of the wood harvested from these forests is then documented through the production process to its end use. ColorDynamics supports and is committed to the chain of custody concept and we have earned our chain of custody certification from three nationally and internationally recognized organizations.

FSC

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, independent, not-for-profit organization that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests. The organization accredits third-party certifiers to ensure that forest and forest products companies meet FSC principles and criteria for environmental, economic and social standards. FSC is “The Independent Assurance for Responsible Forest Management.”

© 1996 Forest Stewardship Council A.C.

SFI

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) program is a comprehensive system of principles, objectives and performance measures developed by professional foresters, conservationists and scientists that combines the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the long-term protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water quality.

PEFC

The Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) schemes is an independent, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that promotes sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. PEFC endorses and recognizes more than 20 certification systems worldwide including the Sustainable Forest Institutive and the Canadian Standards Association and has developed a system of mutually recognized standards and rules.

At what resolution should I scan my images?

Images should be scanned at twice the line screen they are to be printed. On a typical job, ColorDynamics uses 175 line screen, so 300-350 DPI will work well.

What are the preferred file formats for photographic images?

ColorDynamics prefers TIFF or EPS files.

What are bleeds and why do I need them?

"Bleeds" are the image area outside of the trim area. Bleeds are used to allow design elements to run off the edge of the finished piece. This will allow for any variations in the printing and bindery process.

How do you figure the "M" weight of a sheet of paper?

Before you can calculate the "M" weight—the weight of one thousand sheets—for a specific sheet size of paper, you must know the base size and basis weight of the paper. Paper is specified in basis weights, such as 70 pound, 100 pound, and so on. What this means is that 500 sheets (one ream) of a particular type of paper in its base size weighs a specific amount. Take, for example, 70 pound (#) book paper. Five hundred sheets of 25 x 38 (the base size for book paper) weighs 70 pounds. The caliper, or thickness, of the paper may vary between manufacturers, but the weight should not. (There are acceptable amounts of variation in weight, but that's another subject.)

To calculate the M weight of a certain size of paper:

Multiply the length by the width of the sheet, multiplied by the basis weight, multiplied by 2. (You multiply by 2 because the basis weight is calculated at 500 sheets, and we are calculating the weight for 1,000 sheets to determine the M weight.) Divide this number by the number of square inches in the base size.

Example 1:
To calculate the M weight of 19 x 25, 80# cover paper...
19 x 25 = 475; 475 x 2 = 950; 950 x 80 (the basis weight) = 76,000. Divide 76,000 by 520 (the number of square inches in the base size of 20 x 26 cover paper) to get 146.15. Round down to 146. Voila! The M weight of 19 x 25, 80# cover paper is 146M.

Example 2:
To calculate the M weight of 23 x 35, 60# book paper...
23 x 35 x 2 x 60 = 96,600. Divide 96,600 by 950 (the number of square inches in the base size of 25 x 38 book paper) to get 101.68. Round up to 102. The M weight of 23 x 35, 60# book paper is 102M.

Back to Top

How are coated papers graded in regards to quality?

Coated papers are rated using the brightness scale. Brightness is the amount of light reflected by the surface of the paper. The higher the brightness, the better the rating. Sometimes the brightness number will be expressed as a percentage, such as 88 percent, particularly paper manufactured by European mills. A brightness level of 88 or 88 percent are the same. This means that the surface of the paper reflects 88 percent of the light hitting its surface.

It is important to note that:

A. #1 through #3 coated papers are usually "free-sheets." A free-sheet is one that is "free" of mechanical wood pulp. Free-sheets are made using a chemical process to produce pulp from wood.

B. #4 and #5 are usually "ground-wood" papers. However, there are #3 ground-woods and #4 free-sheets. Mechanical pulp, or ground-wood, is just that—pulp made by grinding up wood with a machine.

Back to Top