A term describing the interrelationships of paper properties that result in accurate, high-quality printed images. Factors affecting printability include surface properties (smoothness, levelness, ink absorbency, cleanliness, gloss, finish, etc.) and structural properties (bulk or thickness, weight, pick resistance—the extent to which a paper will peel cleanly away from an offset press blanket without deforming—dimensional stability, etc.). Although various attempts at quantifying printability have been proposed (see Printability Tester), it still remains primarily a subjective quality. Printability is often described in concert with runnability, or how well a paper will perform on press without interfering with the operation of the printing process.
|