Quadratone:

A black-and-white image reproduced through the four-color process in which black is simulated by levels of gray to bring out detail and provide dimension.

Quality Control:

The process of taking random samples during the press run to check the consistency of quality. In photography, the viewing of color originals under a color corrected light source to determine if highlights, middle-tone and shadows are correct.

Quartertone:

(1.) Picture tonal values produced with dot size percentages of approximately 25 percent dot area. (2.) A neutral gray area on a reproduction scale located between the highlight and the middle-tone.

Queue:

Files that have been sent to a specified printer. The list includes the file currently printing and those waiting to be printed. See also - Print Queue.

Quick-Setting Inks:

These inks are made with a resin-solvent vehicle system. Upon contact with the paper, the coating quickly drains the solvent, yielding a film that is set, or dry, for almost immediate handling. A good gloss usually results.

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Radiant Energy:

A form of energy consisting of the electromagnetic spectrum, which travels at 299,792 kilometers/second or (186,206 miles/second) through a vacuum, and more slowly in denser media (air, water, glass, etc.). The nature of radiant energy is described by its wavelength or frequency, although it also behaves as distinct quanta (“corpuscular theory”). The various types of energy may be transformed into other forms of energy (electrical, chemical, mechanical, atomic, thermal, radiant), but the energy itself cannot be destroyed.

Ragged Left:

Type that is justified to the right margin and the line lengths vary on the left.

Ragged Right:

Type that is justified to the left margin and the line lengths vary on the right.

Railroading:

Printing of a continuous mark or line in the nonimage areas of a design, often resulting in the marking or scratching of a cylinder. Can be caused by particles lodged behind the doctor blade.

Railroad Tracks:

A streak developed by oscillation of a nicked doctor blade, resulting in a heavy, wide line printed on the web at the ends of the stroke, with fine lines running in between.

Random Proof:

A press proof or off-press proof that is made from just one image, to check its appearance before it is stripped into position with other images in a page layout.

Rankine:

An absolute temperature scale used by engineers, in which one degree Rankine is 5/9 of one degree on the Kelvin scale. Use of this scale permits calculations involving absolute temperature by adding zero degrees (460 degrees Rankine) to standard Fahrenheit temperature readings. It is also convenient since any Rankine value can be translated to Fahrenheit by subtracting 460.

Raster:

Refers to a series of lines of data that are made sequentially, writing each line so it follows the previous. It also refers to the series of scanning lines that form the image on a computer video display, as well as the manner in which a scanner scans original copy and exposes the film line by line.

Raster Image Processor:

Device that translates page description commands into bitmapped information for an output device such as a laser printer or imagesetter.

Rasterization:

The process of converting mathematical and digital information into a series of dots for conversion into printing images.

RATIO:

An output feature on a tension controller that multiplies (for unwind applications) or divides (for rewind applications) the sampled control output by a factor adjustable between 1 and 10. The ratio feature allows an instantaneous change in control output to correspond to the roll diameter change that takes place during a flying splice.

RC Paper:

Resin-coated photographic paper used in phototypesetters for imager output.

Ream:

Five hundred sheets of paper.

Rectification:

Conversion of alternating to direct current.

Recto:

The right hand page of a book, magazine, etc. Page 1 is always a recto page, and recto pages always bear the odd numbered folios. The opposite of Verso.

Reducers:

Materials used to reduce the strength of an ink. May be an extender or white or varnish.

Reducing Agent:

A compound that causes chemical reduction, thereby itself becoming oxidized.

Reduction:

A chemical reaction that adds electrons to a reactant, usually through the addition of hydrogen or the extraction of oxygen. Such a reaction occurs at the cathode in a plating tank.

Reel Stand:

Device at the unwind section of the press that holds the reel (roll) of substrate to be printed. Also called the unwind stand.

Reflectance:

The ratio of the intensity of reflected radiant flux to that of incident flux. In popular usage, it is considered the ratio of the intensity of reflected radiant energy to that reflected from a defined reference standard.

Reflective Art:

Artwork prepared so that it may be photographed reflectively or input into a computer by scanning.

Reflective Densitometer:

Instrument used to measure the density on paper. Operates by measuring the amount of light reflected.

Reflective Object:

A solid object that returns some or all of the wavelengths of light that strike its surface. A reflective object that returns 100% of all light is called a perfect diffuser or a perfectly white surface.

Registration:

In printing, the process of aligning the different colored inks as they are to be applied to the paper. When the inks appear to overlap improperly or leave a white gap on the page, the printing is considered "out of registration" or "poorly registered".

Registration Marks (bull's-eyes):

Small cross-hair lines printed in the margins of webs and press sheets that serve as guides for the precise alignment of subsequent image overprints.

Relative Humidity:

The percentage of water vapor in the air compared to the total amount possible at the same temperature.

Relief Printing:

Printing method whose image carriers are surfaces with two levels having inked areas higher than noninked areas. Relief printing includes block printing, flexography and letter press.

Rendering Intent:

The method a CMM uses for converting (i.e., mapping) colors from one device's gamut to another. The four methods are Perceptual, Saturation, Relative Colorimetric, and Absolute Colorimetric.

Repeatability:

Ability of a device, such as an imagesetter, to produce film or plates that yield images in register.

Repeat Length:

The completed image or application of one image carrier revolution ( Usually the same as the cylinder circumference).

Resample:

To change the resolution of an image. Resampling down discards pixel information in an image; resampling up adds pixel information through interpolation.

Rescreening Color Separations:

In lithography, the ability to make a color separation from an original that has already been separated and published. There are limitations. Since the same basic screens and screen angles are used, it is necessary to slightly enlarge (104% or greater) or reduce (90% or smaller) in order to reduce or eliminate conflicting screen angles causing a moiré pattern. The further use of a sharp or unsharp masking controls and the use of selective focus may also be necessary.

Resin:

A complex organic substance that, in solvent solution, forms the gravure varnish; after drying, resins become the hinder, or film-forming materials.

Resist:

(1.) Material which resists the action of a plating solution. (2.) Materials applied to part of a cathode or plating rack to render it nonconductive.

Resize:

To change the size of an image while maintaining its resolution.

Resolution:

(1.) The level of quality at which graphics are printed. The higher the resolution, the better the quality of the printed graphics. (2.) Measure of image output capability, usually expressed in dots per inch (dpi). (3.) Measure of halftone quality, usually expressed in lines-per-inch (lpi).

Retouching Color:

The correction or deliberate manipulation of color, tone or detail in an original work of art, photograph or other original which needs correction. Note: retouching materials, especially in photography, must be specifically designed for use on photographic materials such as prints or transparencies. Often when incompatible materials are used, it becomes difficult if not impossible to reproduce a similar or exact color.

Reverse:

Type, graphic or illustration reproduced by printing ink around its outline, thus allowing the underlying color or paper to show through and form the image. The image “reverses out” of the ink color. Also called knockout and liftout.

Reverse Printing Unit:

A printing deck on a gravure press that reverses the web path without turning it, allowing the back (reverse) of the substrate to be printed.

Rewinder:

A machine that takes rolls from the winder, slits or rewinds into smaller rolls.

Rewinding:

The process of winding the paper from the reel onto a core to produce rolls of the desired width, diameter and tension for the customer, to splice the ends together, and/or to remove defects.

Rewind Zone:

A tension zone, typically on converting machinery, created between a driven nip roll or other tensioning point and the driven core onto which the web is wound.

RGB (Red, Green, and Blue):

The additive primaries red, green, and blue. The colors used by computer monitors. The combination and intensities of these three colors represent the whole spectrum.

Rheology:

The study of flow and deformation of matter.

Ribbon:

The slit portions of the full web on a publication press. The web is slit into ribbons before the paper enters the next section of the folder for processing.

Right Reading:

Copy that reads correctly in the language in which it is written. Also describes a photo whose orientation looks like the original scene, as compared to a flopped image.

RIP (Raster Image Processor):

The hardware/software which converts data which has been stored in a computer into a series of lines of tiny dots which are output on film or photographic paper. In line work, the dots can be grouped to create solid areas.

Ripple:

Regular modulations in the direct current output wave of a rectifier unit, or a motor generator set.

Robber:

An auxiliary cathode placed to divert to itself some current from portions of the work which would otherwise receive too high a current density and excess plating deposition. See also - Thief.

Rochelle Salt:

Sodium potassium tartrate KNaC4H4O6-4H2O.

Roll:

A web in wound roll form. This term is also used in the converting industry for rollers.

Roller:

A rotating cylinder used for web transport. Aliases include idler rolls, idler rollers, drums, rolls, pipe rollers.

Roll-Out:

Ink spread for testing or sampling purposes by using a hand-roller.

Romance Copy:

(Also called "Sell Copy") Packaging copy that describes the benefits of the product inside.

Rosette Pattern:

A screen dot pattern that is formed by printing two or more halftone screens over one another and which have a 30ø or more angle difference between them. Example: a 45-degree, a 75-degree and a 105-degree combination would yield a good three-color rosette pattern without an objectionable pattern. When a screen with less than a 30-degree angle is included, an objectionable pattern develops and can be seen (unless it is used in the yellow printer) this is called a moiré pattern.

Rosin:

A specific resin that is obtained from pine trees.

Rotary Press:

Printing press that passes the substrate between two rotating cylinders when making an impression.

Rotogravure Press:

An unwind or feed section, a series of one or more workstations, one or more of which is a rotogravure print station, any dryers associated with the work stations, and a rewind, stack, or collection section. Inboard and outboard workstations including those employing any other technology, such as flexography, are included if they are capable of printing or coating on the same substrate.

Rotogravure Printing:

An intaglio process of rotary printing from tiny etched cells in a copper covered roller surface. Often overchromed for longer wear. Does fine printing, along with half-tones and gradation of tone. Uses solvent type, fast drying inks. Also known as Gravure Printing.

Roto News:

Any of five grades of uncoated groundwood manufactured expressly for gravure printing.

Rub:

An ink that has not reached maximum dryness and does mar with normal abrasion.

Rule:

Line used as a graphic element to separate or organize copy.

Runnability:

(1.) The physical ability of a roll of paper or substrate to pass through a press under prevailing conditions of tension and speed without web breaks. Distinguished from Printability. (2.) The paper properties that affect the ability of the paper to run on the press. These properties also affect how the inks make contact to the paper, the rate of the absorbency, the trap and the holdout of the ink on paper combination.

Running In:

The process of seating a doctor blade to a cylinder. Also called "toning in."

Runout:

(TIR) The unit of measurement combining both concentricity and roundness of a cylinder or roller.