Design

Manual

Contents

Introduction

Package Types

This design manual will provide you with valuable information to

Tetra Recart

assist you in producing predictable print results for the package

Tetra Fino

you are designing. The Tetra Pak group wants to help you get the

Tetra Rex

Tetra Gemina

2
2

with the recommendations and specifications in this guide.

Tetra Prisma

This guide will also help you understand the important

Tetra Brik

Tetra Top

differences between common commercial printing and the

Tetra Classic

Tetra Evero

3
4

Print Process

specialist printing of the packaging industry.

Your required specification is just three steps away.
1. pack type

Flexo

Select

Material
Uncoated Paperboard

Coated Paperboard

Metallised Paperboard

Inks

Selection

2. printing process
3. board type = specification

Why are these guidelines

important?
These guidelines provide you with vital information that may

Package Type

impact your design work. The manual describes consequences

Print Process

Paperboard

that you would like to avoid or at least be made aware of. In the

Confirmation

Technical Drawing & Specification

following pages, you will find information and recommendations

customized for the type of Tetra Pak package you are intending

Information & Specification

d

to design. This guide provides you with technical information and

specifications needed to create a Tetra Pak package design.

Line Thickness

If you want information about package design from a creative

Text Size

ii

Contour Lines

iii

Barcode

iii

Minimum Dot

iv

Inks Colours

Information &
Specification

most out of your design work. We aim to do this by providing you

Tetra Wedge

Keylines
Design Submission
Glossary

Skip to Product Selector

and promotional point of view please contact your local Tetra Pak
Market Company for further assistance.

10
11
12-13

Package Types

Information: Package Types

Tetra Recart

Tetra Fino

Tetra Rex

The 21st century alternative for canned food

Pure simplicity

Peak freshness

The Tetra Recart package is specially designed for products you would

The Tetra Fino Aseptic package attracts families that are looking for a low-cost

The Tetra Rex package is renowned for its consumer appeal, ease of distribution,

traditionally pack in cans, glass jars and pouches. It's the worlds first retortable

package that guarantees them product safety. The package is specially designed

practicality and versatility. It's been around since the sixties, and some

carton-based processing and packaging system designed for shelf-stable food

to pack all kinds of milk (including soy, buffalo, recombined and chocolate milk),

200,000,000,000 packages later, we've gained extensive experience and

products with particles of almost any size. With Tetra Recart package,

juices and teas. The Tetra Fino Aseptic package is a combination of multi-layered

knowledge in fine-tuning the worlds most popular and widespread carton

food products, such as beans, vegetables, tomatoes, soups and sauces, can

packaging material and a sealing system based on hot air induction. The package

package, so you can. The Tetra Rex package is the perfect choice for packing

be sterilised inside the carton package, which makes them shelf stable up to

can withstand tough conditions for a long time while it is being handled

pasteurised milk and juice products for chilled distribution. It offers you flexibility,

24 months.

and stored. The smaller portion packages are also available with a straw opening,

economy, efficiency and reliability in a blank-fed solution that lets you shift

so consumers can choose to drink directly from them. This makes it easy for you to

volumes in seconds. Avalible in a rage of different bottom configurations and

introduce on-the-go consumption to new markets, increasing your brand visibility.

shapes. Add a custom coloured cap, print in one of three different methods and

Advantages

Eye catching package with excellent brand building opportunities by

printing on the whole package.

let the package shine on the shelf.

Advantages

Advantages

The compact shape ensures outstanding logistical performance from

Aseptic carton package guarantees product safety and hygiene.

production to consumption.

Proven protection at its simplest delivering product quality everywhere.

Consumer-convenient.

Makes distribution and shelf space efficient. Square packages are

Ambient distribution extends geographic reach.

Flexible.

easily aligned on the shelf for a greater brand impact.

Long shelf life eliminates stock shortages.

Easy to operate.

Their lower weight makes daily handling easier.

Reduced waste.

A light weight, easy to store, safe to open (no tools required), and easy
to dispose of carton that consumers love.

Based on renewable resources for recycling and minimal

environmental impact.

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Package Types

Information: Package Types

Tetra Gemina

Tetra Wedge

Tetra Prisma

The new cool performer

In Shape for More

Activate your senses 360

The Tetra Gemina Aseptic package is the worlds first roll-fed gable top

Tetra Wedge Aseptic is a trendy, cheeky package that sells. Kids of all ages

The Tetra Prisma Aseptic package combines attractive looks with great versatility,

package for full aseptic performance for juice and milk. It was, and still is,

are drawn to its individual character. Distinctive and highly visible on the shelves,

making it ideal for all sorts of consumer situations. It has a rich, original image that

simply evolutionary. Consumers like the Tetra Gemina Aseptic package for

it attracts attention and provides you with a great billboard for promoting

modern consumers find appealing. The package is ideal for high quality fruit

its modern and eye-catching looks. It combines the convenience, safety

your brand. It is durable, lightweight and cost-effective to produce. And, being an

juices, tasty flavoured milks, enriched and cultured milks, iced teas, organic

and nutritional benefits of aseptic packaging with great functionality and a

aseptic package, the Tetra

Aseptic enjoys a long shelf life without

products or lactose reduced milks. The Tetra Prisma Aseptic package is your way

fresh image.

preservatives or refrigeration, leading to broad distribution range. Choose Tetra

of offering a premium carton package with a unique, eye catching shape and

Wedge

excellent pouring and gripping features. The Tetra Prisma Aseptic package can

Advantages

Consumer-convenient.

Exceptional functionality.

No refrigerated distribution.

Wedge

Aseptic for packaging nutritious, wholesome liquid foods like flavoured

and cultured milk, drinkable yoghurts, juices and nectars or soy-based drinks.

be printed with a metallised effect to give it even more shelf appeal.

Advantages

Advantages

Appealing shape that conveys a fun attitude.

Easy to pour, easy to drink from.

Convenient for children to hold and drink from.

New design possibilities.

Aseptic carton package guarantees product quality, long shelf life

Packaging material with metallised effect.

and reduces waste.

Brings out the best in its contents.

Unique package shape aids product differentiation, attracting

New printing options.

attention on the shelf.

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Durable package that keeps the product safe and looking good.

Large front panel for better branding.

Package Types

Package Types

Information: Package Types

Tetra Brik

Tetra Top

Tetra Classic

Simply smart

Beyond the ordinary

Affordable fun

Tetra Brik Aseptic is the best selling range of carton packages for liquid

The Tetra Top family of packages adds the perfect blend of carton sleeve to a

The unique shape of Tetra Classic Aseptic packages delights young consumers.

foods ever. When introduced, it revolutionised the liquid food industry forever not

plastic lid to bring the best of both worlds. Available in a range of shapes and

It has a distinctive personality that stands out from the packaging crowd.

only due to its shape, the most efficient to stack and store, but also because it was

sizes, it provides high shelf impact, space efficiency and consumer convenience.

Contents need no preservatives, yet stay fresh and tasty up to twelve months

the first package to allow milk and juice to be distributed without the need

The packages are easy to stack and easy to dispose of just fold them flat and

without refrigeration. It has a familiar, characteristic shape, and a surface that lends

of refrigeration, additives or preservatives, whilst protecting the packed products'

recycle them. The carton sleeve is 100% printable, carrying your message right to

itself to colourful, eye-catching designs. The Tetra Classic package is suitable for

nutritional value. Today, it continues to thrive on offering producers and

the consumer. You can easily produce lids in a wide range of styles, colours, sizes

juice drinks, milk, ice-lollies, ice-teas and viscose products. Thanks to its

Top

manufacturers this extremely simple and cost-efficient way of reaching consumers,

and functions for any type of consumption. The Tetra

family has become the

tetrahedron shape, the package uses a minimum of material that brings you both

no matter the distance. It provides five flat visible panels that can all include

natural choice for consumers in around 50 countries worldwide. This flexible

economic and environmental advantages. It gives you 100% printing possibilities

messaging, a variety of printing options, an extremely wide variety of sizes and

system is compatible with high acid ambient still drinks, it is also the perfect for

and has an appealing, photographic, quality design. You can also include a straw

Top

closures are available making it suitable for a very wide range of milk and

chilled products offering a shelf-life up to 6 months. The Tetra

juice-based products as well as other types of beverages.

also available with a one-step-opening for extra convenience.

We say that the Tetra Brik brand is smart for the planet, has a smart shape, is
smart for people, smart to configure, smart to produce and last but certainly not
least, is smart to promote.

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Advantages

family range is

hole opening and one of many different straw types.

Advantages

Fun and unique shape that appeals to choosy consumers.

Value-adding.

Convenient, easy to-drink-from package that keeps its nutritional value.

Consumer-convenient.

Unique package shape that attracts consumers.

Powerful product image..

Aseptic packaging reduces storage and distribution costs.

High shelf appeal.

Single serve package promoting impulse purchase.

Recloseable.

Low investment cost, high quality packaging solution.

Enhanced design possibilities.

High speed filling machine for efficient production.

Ambient distribution for expanded market coverage.

Package Types

Package Types

Information: Package Types

Tetra Evero

Volumes & Openings

Designed for life

Configurations

Tetra

Evero

Aseptic is the first ever aseptic carton bottle for white milk to hit

the shelves standing out with exceptional consumer handling and appeal.

Many package types are available in different volumes and opening configurations.
For further information please contact your local Tetra Pak Market company.

It combines the easy handling and pouring of a bottle with the environmental
advantages of a carton. And the smart, safe one-step opening with two-step safety
keeps whats inside fresh and safe. Consumers find it easier to open, hold and
pour from than other bottles, according to independent research.
Designed for milk
The Tetra Evero Aseptic is aimed at the ambient white milk market, including milk
enriched with calcium, proteins, fibres (inulin), vitamins A and D and minerals.

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Package Types

Flexography

Design Parameters by Process

Flexography
Flexo printing was developed in the 20th century. The image area is raised from
the printing plate, making flexo a relief printing process.

Flexo Process

Print unit and inking system

Spot colors can be used as single color (screened or solid)

The heart of the flexographic printing process is the inking system.

Spot colors may not be mixed with any other spot color or process colors.

The most commonly used is the chambered doctor blade ink metering system.

The printing press setup is configured to support process color printing:

Four print units are prepared for process color printing (CMYK). The anilox
screen ruling combined with the CLC substrate allows high quality printing
(according to specification). In addition to the four process colors (CMYK) spot
colors can be used to reproduce colors outside of the CMYK gamut.

From front to back, the system consists of an enclosed doctor blade chamber,
anilox roll, plate cylinder and impression cylinder. The most important part of
the inking system is the anilox roll. The surface of every anilox roll is laser
engraved with a pattern of tiny cells, so small that they can only be seen under
magnification. The size and number of these cells determine how much ink will
be delivered to the image areas of the plate, and ultimately to the substrate.

Flexo printing plates

The key component of the plate is the raised image area carrying the image to
be printed. Unlike printing plates used in other printing methods, flexo plates

substrate

are resilient and displaceable.

impression cylinder

Print Quality
Flexo line and flexo process is using the same printing method, flexography.

plate cylinder

These are simply 2 different quality levels of printing.

Flexo Line

anilox roll

All colors used are considered Spot Colors.

If CMYK are used they are treated as spot colors and NOT as process colors.

doctor blade

Maximum 2 colors can be overprinted (only one of them may be screened).

ink tray

Flexo line printing demands high ink coverage, therefore requiring anilox rolls

The plates are in most cases attached

with high ink volume and low screen ruling. This combination gives high dot

to the plate cylinder with double-sided

gain and limits the screen ruling, impacting the printing result. Using process

adhesive tape called sticky back which

colors to create photographic images is not possible in flexo line.

may be of a solid vinyl or cushion type.

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Package Types

Select

Design Parameters by Process

Select

Select Process

Print unit and inking system

Select is the edge of Flexography technology offering another level of design

Select utilises Hybrid screening, the benefits of this include the support of dots

The heart of the flexographic printing process is the inking system.

freedom. Ability to mix special and process colours combined together with

that can fade from 4.3% down to 0.4%, the Hybrid screening uses a circular dot

The most commonly used is the chambered doctor blade ink metering system.

smooth fading possibilities, takes Select to the premium level of printing among

structure which randomly removes dots from the gradation in a uniformed

From front to back, the system consists of an enclosed doctor blade chamber,

the Tetra Pak portfolio.

manner.

anilox roll, plate cylinder and impression cylinder. The most important part of

This product offers satisfactory appeal comparing to other technologies such as

This allows for greater stability when printing and clean highlights with edges

the inking system is the anilox roll. The surface of every anilox roll is laser

Offset & Roto. Its capabilities enhance customer branding and strengthen

that simply out perform Standard Flexographic results.

engraved with a pattern of tiny cells, so small that they can only be seen under

Ability to mix process and spot colours

Advantage of a larger colour Gamut compared to standard flexography
Excellent Quality of Select technology enables more freedom with designs
Greater Density enabling more bold and vibrant premium designs
Photo realism within images
Improved minimum tolerances of first printed dot, font size and line width

magnification. The size and number of these cells determine how much ink will

ct
le

substrate

Here we can see an example of Standard Flexo in comparison to a Select result.

We can see that the highlights are much cleaner and brighter, also the shadow
fades smoothly away by utilising the Select hybrid screen.

Process Colours Only

be delivered to the image areas of the plate, and ultimately to the substrate.

Se

Key Benefits of Select

Flexo
d
r
da
an

St

communication to consumers.

Standard Flexo

impression cylinder

Select

plate cylinder
Mix of process and spot colour

anilox roll
doctor blade
ink tray
The example shows Standard Flexo were the dot size of light tones needs to be
stopped due to technically constraints, limiting the reproduction of highlights
and fadings. In Select, hybrid screening technology is used to create a smoother
transition with a result comparable to photographic image.

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Flexography

Paperboard

Design Parameters by Paperboard

Uncoated

Coated

Metallised

Paperboard

Paperboard

Paperboard

The rather coarse surface of the uncoated paperboard gives a high level of

Papers are coated by special machines in the paper mill to improve the

Metallised board is a laminate of paperboard and a metallic film, the film is

ink absorption and does not allow for high print resolution (screen ruling

surface gloss, lustre, whiteness and printability. The ink absorbtion is reduced

applied in Tetra Pak production before printing, it can be used to give the

lines per inch, lpi). The minimum printed dot will be rather large, and

compaired with uncoated paper hence the dot gain is less, this will allow

product a metallic appearance. The colour of ink printed on board will look

clearly visible to the naked eye. This makes uncoated paperboard unsuitable

photographic printing.

quite different when printed on metallic film., therefore a white ink is required.

for photographic printing.

Coated paperboard is used in flexo process, flexo line and select.

Uncoated paperboard is used with flexo line.

White is printed first and other inks on top of it. Areas of the design where the
metallic effect is meant to shine through the ink should be clearly marked.
Normally chosen for premium products.
Metallised paperboard is used with flexo process.

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Select

Inks

Materials: Ink
Tetra Pak Inks
Components

Legal and Health

Pantone colours

Important components of ink are the binder and the pigment. The binder

The food industry and its suppliers (e.g. Tetra Pak) are subject to legal

Many of the colours in the Pantone guide are created from pigments that are

acts as the carrier of the pigment and the pigment acts as the colorant.

restrictions regarding hygiene and health. Before Tetra Pak can use any ink, the

not allowed in the food carton industry. This particularly applies when the

Direct sunlight and high humidity can have an erosive effect on pigments,

complete ink recipe has to be approved in accordance with national and

packaging material is in direct contact with the contents. Tetra Pak substitutes

causing the colour to become pale. Fluorescence inks are particularly sensitive

international statutory specifications.

those pigments with approved pigments, resulting in colours that deviate from

to this, which is one of the reasons why Fluorescence ink is not used in the

Pigments containing heavy metals or pigments based on fanal chemistry

the Pantone reference. Another factor impacting the match to a Pantone

packaging industry.

(e.g. Pantone Reflex Blue) are examples of pigments that cannot be used within

reference is that Tetra Pak inks are designed with the required resistance to

Tetra Pak production.

sunlight and high humidity in mind. These are properties that are essential in a
package that may be standing exposed to sunlight and high humidity,
sometimes for weeks. The Pantone pigment selection is not optimised for
resistance to sunlight and high humidity

Environmental friendly
The absolute majority of the inks used by Tetra Pak are water based.
Water based inks are considered to be more environmental friendly than other
types of inks.

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Paperboard

Selection

Begin your selection...

Tetra Recart

Tetra Fino

Tetra Rex

Select Your
Pack Type
Home

Tetra Gemina

Tetra Wedge

Tetra Prisma

Tetra Brik

Tetra Top

Tetra Classic

Tetra Evero

Your required specification.

Please click the Trademark to select the package type.

1. pack type

For information on each type please click on the...

2. printing process
3. board type = specification

Inks

Keylines

Keylines, Backmatching & Continuous Design

Keylines

Backmatching

Continuous Design

Keylines (die cuts) for all Tetra Pak package types and volumes are available

Tetra Pak packages are divided by a longitudinal seal, most commonly placed

Tetra Fino and Tetra Classic continuous design require specific attention.

in digital form. Keylines are not dependent on paperboard or print method.

on the rear of the package. The match between the left and right part where

When you design for these packages you will need to repeat the design

They are best used in Adobe Illustrator where the keyline presentation benefits

they are joined together needs your attention.

from the Adobe Illustrator layer function.

elements more than once on your delivered AW keyline. This is necessary in

order to always ensure a full design element on each individual package

Backmatching principle:

after filling. For more information please contact your Tetra Pak Market Company.

A keyline is a drawing showing:

Package dimensions

Design area

Area free from design

Opening areas

Keyline

1 Sealing zone

Keyline notes

2 Left panel overlap

Mask

into sealing zone

3 Left panel package limit

Background

(slitting line)
4 Right panel package limit
(slittingline)

Main users of keylines are:

Tetra Pak Customer advertising agencies

Tetra Pak Design and Prepress Department

Repro and plate suppliers

5 Right panel overlap into sealing

zone of adjacent package

6 Right panel matching line

6

Note! The keyline must not be edited. On opening the digital keyline in Adobe
Illustrator you will notice that its built up in four layers; 1. Keyline, 2. Keyline notes,

7 Left panel matching line

3. Mask and 4. Background (you simply drag them into place if they are not in that
order). We recommend that you build up your design, starting with the Background
layer and that you keep Background and your additional layers located below the
Mask and Keyline layers. Most of the package area on a Tetra Pak package is available

Avoid putting small text in the overlap area due to mismatch possibilities.

for designing purpose. Only some areas where the package is folded and sealed are
not available. The Mask layer already masks off areas that are not available for design,
text and symbols. We suggest that you delete the Keyline notes layer prior to final
saving of the file. In the base of the Keyline, print marks, register marks etc. and also the
Tetra Pak logotype will be added in the prepress operation.

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Selection

Submission

10

Preflight & Design Submission

Preflight
Preflighting, a term borrowed from the checklist procedures used by pilots
before take off, is a way of ensuring that your digital files will output correctly.
Preflightling is away to discover problems before they occur so working hours,
equipment and materials are not wasted. The process discovers incomplete or

Software Applications

Preflighting tools
You can preflight manually checking all the parameters listed or you can use

The preffered software applications are Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop

preflighting software that will check the document and collect the required files
for you. Tetra Pak is developing tools and recommendations for preflighting.
Please contact your Market Company for the latest information.

Adobe Illustrator (to produce the main design document).

missing digital files, improper image resolution and fonts before sending it

Design submission

further in the design production chain.

Supply the assignment in a neat logical order, with all relevant elements in their respective

Preflighting Tetra Pak designs

folders. The main document, together with linked images, should be put in one folder.

We also accept Freehand and Corel Draw files but please be aware that there

Fonts used for the design are to be put in another folder. Please contact your market

may be issues and delays in the process.

Preflighting the design and its elements is in your own interest. If you follow our

company for information on the type of media on which they would like to receive your

instructions the design process will run smoothly and the number of

design (most common is DVD), many also offer the possibility to submit them design files

unexpected problems will be minimised.

through FTP or other means of digital transfer. If you use FTP please compress the files into

There are a few main Preflighting issues that we wish to draw your attention to:

one archive (.zip and .sit) before sending it as this is more secure and will take less time.

Adobe Photoshop (images should be layered PSD format).

Freehand (to produce the main design document).

Corel Draw (to produce the main design document).

The correct keyline must be applied to the artwork, if the keyline is wrong
In the last decades, the world of design creation have changed dramatically.

PDF files

Speed to market is more crucial than ever before. To support you we bring you

For reprographic quality control we request an approved artwork PDF

e-asyDesign! Our aim is to enable you, as our customer, to be even more

used for content and positional comparison of the final repro file. We also

competitive in an ever increasing market place. e-asyDesign functionality includes:

request a PDF created to the Tetra Pak specifications, this will be used

then potentially the whole job could be wrong.

You should always use an object-oriented software such as Adobe Illustrator
to produce the main design document. Never produce the entire design in
a pixel based software such as Adobe Photoshop.
Photographic images should be layered (PSD format) and always be linked to
the main document (e.g. Illustrator) and never embedded.

within our automated Preflight system.

Designs available on-line, 24 / 7 / 365

Search and preview designs.

300ppi to ensure the optimum quality in print. Please note if you scale

Track and trace the progress, anytime, anywhere

images inside Illustrator it will effect the resolution.

Order new designs and modifications, in real-time

300ppi placed at 200% will result in a 150ppi image.

Upload and download files

A colour target will also be required, at the reprographic stage images are

Communication tools involving all stakeholders

retouched and tailored for the print process. A customer signed colour

Post-Script type one fonts, make sure that you send both the printer font and screen

Compare design versions and verify changes

target is vital at this stage.

fonts for each typeface used. Remember to also supply fonts used in EPS files.

Online approval

If your design contains photographic images, the required resolution is

You should always supply all the fonts used in the design. If you are using

Please click here for the Tetra Pak PDF specification.

Please include a PDF of the design and a document with instructions regarding
typefaces used, objects and colours (in accordance with the PMS guide).

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To create an e-asyDesign portal please contact your Tetra Pak representative.

Keylines

Glossary

Colour Target

Click Here for a

Design Submission
Checklist
11

Glossary
Anilox roll

Colour gamut

Font

An engraved ink-metering roll used in flexo presses to provide a controlled film of

The range of colours that can be reproduced using a certain process. For

In electronic publishing, the data files that supply the graphic information used

ink to the printing plates that print the substrate. The ink film is affected by the

example, the colour gamut of an RGB monitor is much broader than that of

to create certain type style on the screen and for output.

number of cells per linear inch and volume of the individual cells in the engraving.

CMYK inks on paper.

Aseptic packaging

Contour line

Grey levels

Aseptic packaging means that the product is rapidly heated and chilled by ultra

A line around design elements can appear as an effect of necessary trapping

Most continuous tone images contain 256 grey levels for each colour (8 bits).

high temperature treatment, after which it is packaged under sterile conditions

(spread and choke). In such cases this has a secondary colour effect. As an

Halftone screening

in sterilised packages.The heat treatment is performed in a couple of seconds

alternative, a line in a single colour can be applied around the design

The process of creating the halftone representation of continuous tone information.

to ensure that the product retains its quality. Aseptic packaging keeps the

element.The thickness of this contour line should be at least twice the trap width.

This process breaks up the image into dots of different sizes. Electronic imaging

product fresh for a long time without refrigeration.

Dotgain

devices render each halftone dot as a cell containing a number of pixels,

An unavoidable increase in the size of halftone dots as they pass through the

forming a specific dot shape. The more pixels are turned on, the darker the dot

A binary digit, the smallest information entity. It is expressed as1or 0, meaning

stages of platemaking and printing. Dotgain varies according to the

cell appears.

on or off, yes or no, positive or negative, something or nothing.

characteristics of the press, ink, and substrate used. If dotgain is not accounted

Bitmap

Hybrid Screening

for during the creating of colour separations and proofs, unexpected colour

Select uses hybrid screening technology combining AM screening in the

A computerized image consisting of dots. Images are mapped directly from

shifts or loss of detail will occur on the press.

mid-tones and FM screening in the highlights (and optionally, in the shadows).

corresponding bits in memory, whereby each dot is represented by a binary

EPS

These screens can simply be applied to improve the smoothness of your

digit (bit) that is on (1) or off (0).

Encapsulated PostScript. A standard file format for a drawing, image or

flexo highlights

Chambered doctor blade

complete page layout, allowing it to be placed into other documents. It is used

LPI

On a flexographic press, a cartridge designed to supply ink to the anilox roll in

to transfer PostScript image information from one program to another. EPS files

Lines Per Inch. The number of dots per linear inch in a halftone screen. Dot size

an enclosed area. Ink is pumped into and circulated through the cartridge that

normally include a low resolution screen preview.

varies from very small highlight dots to large shadow dots. More lines per inch

is positioned on the anilox roll. Two thin strips of metal or polyethylene (doctor

Flexo Line

increase resolution details and dotgain. Could also be specified as

blades) are in direct contact with the anilox roll. One of the blades contains the

Flexo line, as the name indicates, is used for line printing

Lines Per Centimetre.

ink within the cartridge; the other blade contains and meters the ink from the

(i.e. solid areas of colour or gradients of individual colours).

Flexo Process

Minimum printed dot

non-cell areas of the anilox. When using a dual doctor ink chamber, the fountain
roll can be eliminated.

In flexo process the use of process inks (Cyan,Magenta,Yellow and Black) give

press characterization data.

Coated paperboard

the possibility to print photographic images.

Flexography

Misregister

Papers are coated to improve surface gloss, lustre, whiteness and printability.
The coatings consist of natural pigments, a binder, and various process materials.

A printing process that uses rubber or photopolymer plates and fast-drying inks

The procedure is carried out on special coating machines in the paper mill.

Pigments

to print on paper or other substrates.

Particles that absorb and reflect light and appear coloured to our eyes.

Bit

Discrete tonal steps in a continuous tone image, inherent to digital data.

The smallest dot size a press is capable of reproducing, usually determined by

A condition where printing is out of or not in register.

The substance that gives ink its colour.

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Submission

Glossary

12

Glossary
Pixel

Screen ruling

An abbreviation for picture element. It is the smallest unit (cell, dot, square)

The number of rows or lines of dots in a halftone image within a given distance,

on a colour monitor display screen grid that can be displayed, stored or

normally stated in lines per inch (lpi) or lines per centimetre (lpc).

addressed. An image is typically composed of a rectangular array of pixels.

Serif

PMS

The short cross line or spiral like terminals at the end of the stroke of a

Pantone Matching System. The brand name of a system for specifying colours.

Roman style type face (e.g.Times).

Also referred to as special colours or spot colours.

TIFF

PPI

Tagged Image File Format. A file format for exchanging bitmapped images

Pixels Per Inch. A measure of the amount of scanned information to determine

(usually scans) between applications. It is supported by the majority of image

how much image detail has been obtained. The finer the optics of the scanner,

editing programs running on a variety of computer platforms.

the higher the scan resolution.

Trapping

Preflighting

The process of creating overlaps between adjacent colours to account for press

The process of checking electronic files to ensure that all elements are present

misregistration, paper stretch and other variables.

and have been properly constructed for optimal output.

There are two types of complementary traps (chokes and spreads).

Process colours

Uncoated paperboard

The four colours (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) that are combined to print a

Paper without an additional protective coating; untreated paper.

wide range of colours. When blended these reproduce only a small portion of

Vignettes

all colours found in nature, but they can reproduce the widest range with the

An image in which the background fades gradually away until it blends into the

fewest inks when printing.

unprinted substrate.

Please do not forget to follow the

print specification!

Proofing
The process of checking electronic files to ensure that all elements are present
and have been properly constructed for optimal output.

Resolution
The measurement of fineness and detail in an image. The scale of resolution
depends on the device being measured. Scans are measured in pixels per inch
(ppi). Halftone screens in print are measured in lines per inch (lpi).

Sans serif
Letter forms or type that does not contain the short cross line or spiral like
terminals at the ends of the stroke (e.g. Helvetica).

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