What is the Fluorescent - What does fluorescent mean??

A property of materials defined as the ability to emit light after absorbing electromagnetic radiation such as visible or UV light The emitted light usually has a longer wavelength than the absorbed radiation this is clearly seen is one of the most common examples of fluorescence when UV light that is invisible to the human eye is absorbed and then emitted as visible light It has a number of practical applications including mineralogy gemology geology chemical analysis medical tests and research forensics security stamps or markers fluorescent lighting and LED lamps As these materials reflect visible light and emit long wavelength light together they can also be used as extremely vivid and strong colourants to be displayed either in natural light or under UV lighting or black lighting which will cause these materials to fluoresce and be perceived by the human eye as having a glow This makes these materials ideal for uses such as high visibility clothing decorative paints and warning signs In labelling fluorescent materials can be used to make coatings and face materials or as a component of fluorescent inks they are chosen primarily for their high visibility and or their decorative finish but can also be used to print security labels

Glossary

Spot Colour Printing - What is spot colour printing?

Definition of SPOT COLOUR PRINTING:

A method of multi-colour printing; this process uses spot colours that are printed in a single run. A spot colour is an ink that has been pre-mixed to the exact colour that is required. As the precise colour has already been made, it can be applied in a single run; process colours require multiple runs to layer two or more colours to produce the required colour. In spot printing, each colour must have its own ink pre-mixed before an image can be printed.

Each discrete colour that is created in a spot colour system is allocated its own reference code, in order to both identify a colour before printing it and to provide a means of specifying a colour while creating a design that is to be printed. There are a number of industry standards used to classify these different colours; the Pantone Matching System is the most dominant standard used in the US and Europe.

Spot colour printing has an almost unlimited number of colours that can be produced and inks can be created with a greater opacity than process colours (which need to be translucent so that they can be layered to produce the required colour). It can also be used to produce special finishes by applying special inks such as metallic and fluorescent inks or spot varnish or lamination. However, it can be quite expensive and difficult to produce the correct inks for each individual colour that is required.

A colour chart (bottom right) next to tins of spot colour paint; spot colour printing uses spot colours of ink that have been pre-mixed to the exact colour required by a particular design.

Here is the Harvard-style citation to use if you would like to reference this definition of the term spot colour printing:
Label Planet (2020) What is spot colour printing? | Spot Colour Printing Definition. Available at: https://www.labelplanet.co.uk/glossary/spot-colour-printing/ (Accessed: January 1, 2024).

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