Page
One side of a leaf in a publication.

Page Count
Total number of pages that a publication has. Also called extent.

Page Proof
Proof of type and graphics as they will look on the finished page complete with elements such as headings, rules and folios.

Pagination
In the book arena, the numbering of pages.

Panel
One page of a brochure, such as one panel of a rack brochure. One panel is on one side of the paper. A letter-folded sheet has six panels, not three.

Paper  (Coated and Uncoated)
Paper can be divided into two broad families, coated papers and uncoated papers.  Uncoated Paper is some times called ‘Bond’ or ‘Offset’ these are interchangeable terms referring to the type of paper. (the type that you usually find in a photocopier if you are not familiar).
Coated papers are ‘shiney’ papers (coated in China clay) available in matt, silk and gloss finishes.  Coated paper produces a technically better print result though the soft textured look of uncoated is fashionable at the moment (2010).

Parallel Fold
Method of folding. Two parallel folds to a sheet will produce 6 panels.

Perfect Bind
To bind sheets that have been ground at the spine and are held to the cover by glue. Also called adhesive bind, cut-back bind, glue bind, paper bind, patent bind, perfecting bind, soft bind and soft cover. See also Burst Perfect Bind.

Perfecting Press
Press capable of printing both sides of the paper during a single pass. Also called duplex press and perfector.

Perf Marks
On a "dummy" marking where the perforation is to occur.

Perforating
Taking place on a press or a binder machine, creating a line of small dotted wholes for the purpose of tearing-off a part of a printed matter (usually straight lines, vertical or horizontal).

Pica
A unit of measure in the printing industry. A pica is approximately 0.166 in. There are 12 points to a pica.

Picking
Phenomenon of ink pulling bits of coating or fiber away from the surface of paper as it travels through the press, thus leaving unprinted spots in the image area.

Plate
Piece of paper, metal, plastic or rubber carrying an image to be reproduced using a printing press.

PMS
Obsolete reference to Pantone Matching System. The correct trade name of the colors in the Pantone Matching System is Pantone colors, not PMS Colors.

Portrait
An art design in which the height is greater than the width. (Opposite of Landscape.)

Post Bind
To bind using a screw and post inserted through a hole in a pile of loose sheets.

Prepress
Camera work, color separations, stripping, platemaking and other prepress functions performed by the printer, separator or a service bureau prior to printing. Also called preparation.

Prepress Proof
Any color proof made using ink jet, toner, dyes or overlays, as compared to a press proof printed using ink. Also called dry proof and off-press proof.

Press Check
Event at which makeready sheets from the press are examined before authorizing full production to begin.

Press Proof
Proof made on press using the plates, ink and paper specified for the job. Also called strike off and trial proof.

Press Time
(1) Amount of time that one printing job spends on press, including time required for makeready. (2) Time of day at which a printing job goes on press.

Price Break
Quantity at which unit cost of paper or printing drops.

Printer Pairs
Usually in the book arena, consecutive pages as they appear on a flat or signature.

Printer Spreads
Mechanicals made so they are imposed for printing, as compared to reader spreads.

Printing
Any process that transfers to paper or another substrate an image from an original such as a film negative or positive, electronic memory, stencil, die or plate.

Printing Plate
Surface carrying an image to be printed. Quick printing uses paper or plastic plates; letterpress, engraving and commercial lithography use metal plates; flexography uses rubber or soft plastic plates. Gravure printing uses a cylinder. The screen printing is also called a plate.

Printing Unit
Assembly of fountain, rollers and cylinders that will print one ink color. Also called color station, deck, ink station, printer, station and tower.

Process Color (Inks)
The colors used for four-color process printing: yellow, magenta, cyan and black.

Production Run
Press run intended to manufacture products as specified, as compared to makeready.

Proof
Test sheet made to reveal errors or flaws, predict results on press and record how a printing job is intended to appear when finished.

P.U.R. Binding
PUR (polyurethane reactive) glue is the most durable binding glue available.

PUR adhesives differ from conventional EVA hot melts in that they cure by crosslinking via a chemical reaction with moisture contained in the paper stock or surrounding air. Once cured, the adhesive's higher molecular weight provides a tough, pliable bond that is resistant to temperature extremes.

A common concern with perfect bound books is their stability in extremely hot or cold temperatures. PUR adhesive is impervious to temperature extremes. That means PUR-bound books can be used anywhere – from the hottest summer heat to the most harsh of winter conditions – without unwanted remelting or cold cracking.

The page pull strength of a PUR-bound book is more than 2.5 times that of a standard perfect-bound book using EVA adhesive. Books bound with PUR adhesive simply will not fall apart, even under heavy usage in the most demanding conditions.

The composition of PUR adhesive enables it to form a strong bond with the paper even in the presence of inks, coatings and varnishes. This is in contrast to EVA perfect binding, where these items must be removed from the spine area prior to binding. Another major advantage of PUR adhesive is its flexibility once cured.