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Copy Design | Image
Limitations | Backprinting | Marginal
Words | Other Features
Copy Design
Copy for single sheet products can consist of rules, text,
graphics, screens and halftones. When designing the copy for the form, you must
keep in mind that there are image limitations on the press equipment that manufacture
the forms (see Image Limitations below).
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Screened Copy:
- Use it to highlight areas.
- Use it to shade backgrounds.
- A variety of are densities available.
- Screened copy is supplied in a negative or on a disk.
- Use 5% to 15% screen in areas that will be imprinted.
- Use halftones for pictures.
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Image Limitations
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Web Press Equipment:
Many single sheet forms are printed on web presses.
The web presses have plate and blanket cylinders, which along with
other components, produce a printed impression on paper. The plate
and blanket cylinders have a slot or gap in them where the plate and
the blanket are attached. Nothing can print in the gap area. The nonprintable
area is known as the "cylinder gap" or the "plate lockup".
The gap area is usually 3/8" in depth and extends the full width
of the sheet.
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Note: All colors have this 3/8" gap
because each color is printed on a separate cylinder.
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Three Ways To Allow for the 3/8" Gap
on a Single Sheet Product
Example: An 8 1/2" x 11"
form would have a maximum image of 8 1/8" x 11".
Listed below are some ways that a manufacturer
can work around the image limitations:
- The manufacturer can work around image size limitations by trying
to adjust the copy within the image limitations.
- The copy can be printed as a split image (run on two separate
printing units on the same press).
- The application can be printed oversize and then trimmed to the
finished size.
- It can be printed on sheet fed equipment.
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Note: When discussing the
image limitation options with your manufacturer, you will have to
let them know how many colors you will have on the front and back
of your form for them to determine which option they could use.
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Sheet Fed Equipment:
The image limitations are less restrictive on sheet
fed presses. The sheet can be printed oversize and trimmed to the
finished size. Indicate where the copy bleeds so the supplier can
allow for the proper gripper and trim needed. Although using sheet
fed equipment may solve image limitations problems, it may not be
cost effective if you are running a large quantity of sheets.
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Back Printing
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Backprinting is any copy printed on the back side
of the sheet.
- The same design features are available as on the front of the
sheet.
- The same image limitations apply to the back as on the front of
the sheet.
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Marginal Words
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Marginal words are printed on a dry offset unit
using a rubber stamp type of material.
- They are usually printed in a standard red ink.
- They are used to make reference to the distribution of the form
or to provide special instructions for the user.
- They may be used as a method to add an additional color to an
application, but the quality will not be as good as the quality
produced by a regular offset printing unit.
- There may be size limitations depending on your supplier's capabilities.
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Other Features
There are many other design features that may be required
for various types of single sheet products. The features include Folding,
Die Cutting,
Padding, Embossing,
and Foil Stamping.
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