Glossary

The PRINTING United Alliance Glossary serves as an excellent industry terminology resource. It is the language by which we all communicate. Without it, universal understanding would be impossible.

To keep our constituents well informed about changes to the increasingly complex industry terminology, PRINTING United Alliance has developed this glossary of terms. Definitions are for general reference only. Usage may vary between companies, individuals, or national and country customs. The information presented is as accurate as the authors and editors can ascertain and PRINTING United Alliance assumes no responsibility for the use of information presented herein.
  • Snap distance
    The distance between the mesh of the screen and the substrate surface.
  • Snap lock
    A device used for holding display parts, usually a notched tab that snaps into desired set-up position.
  • Snap-off
    (1) The ease that the mesh peels off the substrate as the print stroke is made; (2) A mistake that occurs when a textile substrate is unevenly pulled off a platen too quickly resulting in a misprint due to uncured ink touching unprinted parts of the garment.
  • SNG
    Acceptable abbreviation for synthetic natural gas.
  • Snipe
    Printed sheet of copy or graphics that is posted over an existing outdoor poster.
  • Soak period
    The time the ware remains at peak temperature.
  • Soda lime glass
    Most common glass manufactured made from a combination of sand, limestone, and sodium carbonate.
  • Sodium meta periodate
    An oxidizer that breaks down the chemical bond of most screen emulsions and is the chief active ingredient in most screen reclaiming solutions.
  • Soft
    A vitreous enamel that is fusible at a comparatively low temperature.
  • Soft dot
    A film halftone dot that is not completely opaque over its entire area and may have unsharp edges.
  • Soft finish paper
    Paper stock that has not been treated on the surface to provide a higher sheen or to reduce absorption.
  • Soft fire
    A flame with an air deficiency.
  • Soft hand
    The degree of print softness in a textile after printing; a textile print with a soft feel.
  • Soft hand additive
    An extender base added to plastisol ink to produce better flow characteristics and a softer feel to the cured print.
  • Soft proof
    Viewing a digital image with a monitor instead of generating a hard copy proof.
  • Soft water
    Water containing less than 40 parts per million of calcium carbonate.
  • Softening point
    The temperature where a plastic begins to melt or deform with no externally applied force.
  • Softening temperature
    The temperature where enamel or frit begins to flow.
  • Solarization
    (1) A change in the transmission and color of glass as a result of exposure to sunlight or other radiation; (2) To affect or harm by being exposed to extraneous light.
  • Solder resist (solder mask)
    A coating applied by screen printing to a printed circuit board to prevent bridges from forming between circuits during the soldering or hot-air leveling steps in production.
  • Solder wave
    A molten composition of lead and tin (solder) that is agitated mechanically so a wave is produced on its surface over which printed circuit boards are passed to solder all connections simultaneously.
  • Solid
    (1) An area of a print that is covered uniformly and entirely with ink and contains no halftone; (2) Type that is set without leads between the lines; (3) A three-dimensional geometric part.
  • Solid bands
    Cuffs on a garment that are knitted to the exact width required for the neck and cuff sizes without stitching seams.
  • Solid print
    An imprint that covers a given area with an opaque color without gradations or halftone dots.
  • Solid waste
    A garbage, refuse, sludge and other discarded material, including solid, liquid, semi-solid or contained gaseous material, resulting from industrial and commercial operations.