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.
  • Disperse dye
    A water-insoluble textile dye used on polyester or acetate.
  • Dispersing agent
    A material added to a suspended medium to aid in the separation of the individual, extremely fine particles such as pigments or colloids.
  • Dispersion
    (1) The condition of heterogeneous components in a colloid state, such as very finely divided particles of one substance suspended uniformly in the medium of another substance; (2) To break up a particle aggregate into separate particles without changing the particle size.
  • Display
    A device or group of devices so designed and arranged as to attract attention, particularly at the point of sale; to arrange a device or group of devices in public view.
  • Display board
    A thick paperboard used for screen printed advertising display, can also be foam-filled and laminated paper (or plastic) boards used for the same purpose.
  • Display pocket
    A pocket, usually on the face of a display for holding small folders and the like, or (on the face) for displaying its contents.
  • Display type
    Type set larger than the text used to attract attention.
  • Disposal
    The discharge, deposit, dumping, spilling, leaking or placing of any solid or hazardous waste into the air or discharging into any water or waterway.
  • Distillation
    To purify liquids through boiling; the volatilization of a liquid by heating in a retort or still and condensing the resultant vapor by cooling.
  • Distillation range
    A series of temperatures recorded while boiling a solvent sample.
  • Distort
    To twist out of a natural or regular shape.
  • Distortion copy
    Copy that is intentionally distorted to compensate for the effects of dimensional changes during subsequent processing, such as vacuum forming of a printed plastic sheet.
  • Distressing
    A mechanical or chemical process that is used to remove dye and abrade a garment giving it a worn splotchy look.
  • Dithering
    A graphic display or printing process that uses a combination of dots or textures to simulate an original image or output device with the purpose of creating the impression of a continuous-tone gray scale or color image.
  • D-max
     Highest level of density.
  • D-min
    Lowest level of density.
  • Doctor blade
    A knife edge steel or plastic blade used to apply or remove ink from the cliché on a pad printing press.
  • Doctoring
    To add an ingredient to an ink to obtain better printing results.
  • Doctoring edge (doctoring ring)
    The sharp edge of the ink cup on a closed ink system on a pad printing press.
  • Documentation
    The systematic, orderly, understandable descriptions and records of policies and procedures that affect product and service quality.
  • DODISS
    Acronym for US Department of Defense Index of Specifications and Standards.
  • Dome retainer
    An adhesive layer designed to hold metal domes in the key switch.
  • Dominant wavelength
    A colorimetric quantity used to designate hue, which is one of the three quantities used in the C.I.E. specification of color.
  • Dop
    Synonym for 2-Ethylhexyl Phthalate, a plasticizer used in some plastisol inks.
  • Dope
    Slang term for cellulose ester lacquer.