Biz Printing USA – Advanced Graphics & Printing Services

Printing Glossary – Terms starting with M

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

M weight

The actual weight of 1000 sheets of any given size of paper.

Machine Glazed (MG)

Paper holding a high-gloss finish only on one side

Magenta

One of the four process colors, or CMYK, the M is for magenta. Magenta is a predominately red color with some blue. Magenta, cyan and yellow are also the three subtractive primary colors.

Magnetic black

Black ink containing iron oxides, used for magnetic ink character recognition used for check printing.

Makeready

(1) All activities required to prepare a press or other machine to function for a specific printing or bindery job, as compared to production run. Also called setup. (2) Paper used in the makeready process at any stage in production. Makeready paper is part of waste or spoilage

Make-ready

Paper that is used in the press set-up process before the printing run actually starts. Or the process of setting up press or bindery equipment to produce a specific product, including setting paper size, ink density, image alignment, fold sizes, etc., in preparation for the actual production run.

Making Order

Order for paper that a mill makes to the customer’s specifications, as compared to a mill order or stock order

Male Die

Die that applies pressure during embossing or debossing. Also called force card

Manuscript (MS)

An author’s original form of work (hand written, typed or on disk) submitted for publication

Margin

Imprinted space around the edge of the printed material

Mark-Up

Instructions written usually on a “dummy.” Mask To prevent light from reaching part of an image, therefore isolating the remaining part. Also called knock out

Master

Paper or plastic plate used on a duplicating press

Match Print

A form of a four-color-process proofing system

Matte finish

A coated paper finish that goes through minimal calendaring.

Mechanical

Camera-ready assembly of type, graphic and other copy complete with instructions to the printer. A hard mechanical consists of paper and/or acetate, is made using paste-up techniques, and may also be called an artboard, board or paste-up. A soft mechanical, also called an electronic mechanical, exists as a file of type and other images assembled using a computer

Mechanical Bind

To bind using a comb, coil, ring binder, post or any other technique not requiring gluing, sewing or stitching

Mechanical Separation

Color breaks made on the mechanical using a separate overlay for each color to be printed

Mechanical Tint

Lines or patterns formed with dots creating artwork for reproduction

Metallic Ink

Ink that looks metallic when printed. Made with powdered metal or pigments that look metallic. The most common colors used are gold and silver.

Metallic Paper

Paper coated with a thin film of plastic or pigment whose color and gloss simulate metal

Midtones

In a photograph or illustration, tones created by dots between 30 percent and 70 percent of coverage, as compared to highlights and shadows

Mil 1/1000 Inch

The thickness of plastic films as printing substrates are expressed in mils

Misting

Phenomenon of droplets of ink being thrown off the roller train. Also called flying ink

Mock Up

A reproduction of the original printed matter and possibly containing instructions or direction

Modem

Mostly used over phone lines, a device that converts electronic stored information from point a. to point b

Moire

Undesirable pattern resulting when halftones and screen tints are made with improperly aligned screens, or when a pattern in a photo, such as a plaid, interfaces with a halftone dot pattern

Moiré

An undesirable halftone pattern produced by the incorrect angles of overprinting halftone screens.

Monarch

Paper size (7′ x 10′) and envelope shape often used for personal stationery

Mottle

A term used to describe spotty or uneven ink absorption.

Mull

A specific type of glue used for books binding and personal pads needing strength

Multicolor Printing

Printing in more than one ink color (but not four-color process). Also called polychrome printing