Set-Off - What is set-off?
Definition of SET-OFF:
In printing, set-off is a defect in the print characterised by the transfer of wet ink from the substrate to another surface. Set-off is commonly seen in the printing of sheets, where printed sheets are usually stacked on top of one another; if the ink on a sheet doesn't dry properly before the next sheet exits the printer, the ink will transfer to the back of the next sheet. Set-off can occur if an ink doesn't dry quickly enough, if the substrate isn't absorbant enough (leaving a thick film of wet ink on the top of the substrate), or if the paper is cold (which slows the drying process).
Set-off is also the basic principle behind offset printing methods; in offset printing, ink is transferred from an image carrier or imaging device to the substrate and this process relies on the ink not drying in place on the transfer medium.
![A rotary press, which uses offset printing. Offset printing relies on set-off to allow ink to be transferred from an image carrier (bottom) to the substrate (top)](/_cache/_glossary_inpage/870x457/353.jpg)
Here is the Harvard-style citation to use if you would like to reference this definition of the term set-off:
Label Planet (2016) What is set-off? | Set-Off Definition. Available at: https://www.labelplanet.co.uk/glossary/set-off/ (Accessed: January 1, 2024).
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