History of Paper
Of
all the writing materials mankind has employed down through the ages, paper has
become the most widely used around the world. Paper has a long history
stretching back to ancient Egypt in the third millennium BC.
Although
our paper may not be recognisable to the Pharaohs, paper has retained its
essential characteristics down through the ages and today's diverse offerings
remain as natural, essential and precious as ever.
The
word ‘paper' is derived from papyrus, a plant that was once abundant in Egypt
and which was used to produce a thick, paper-like material by the ancient
Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Papyrus, however, is only one of the predecessors
of paper that are collectively known by the generic term ‘tapa' and which were
mostly made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry, fig and daphne trees.
Paper
as we know it traces its roots back to China at the beginning of the first
millennium AD. Traditional Chinese records give the credit for its development
to one T'sai Lun (about 105AD). He was subsequently deified as the god of
papermakers!
The
craft of papermaking spread throughout the world and remained a relatively
small-scale, artisan activity until paper production became industrialised
during the 19th century. Originally intended purely for writing and printing
purposes, a dazzling array of paper products are available to today's consumer.
Paper
was first developed by Ts'ai Lun from recycled materials - from rags, fishing
nets, hemp and China grass. It wasn't until a little more than a hundred years
ago that paper began to be made from trees, and then it was because quantity,
not quality, required alternative fibre sources.
We
live in a very different world today. Today we have water shortages -
especially in the West. We suffer from air pollution, energy crises, and
depletion of natural resources.
Perhaps
the profligate use of natural resources made sense at the dawn of the 20th
century, when developing the nation was a national goal. Perhaps it was
reasonable in the mid-1800s to see trees as an unlimited fibre source, when the
population was much smaller, there were fewer businesses, and paper was
relatively limited in use. But those conditions clearly do not apply now.
Fortunately,
we have an alternative. Recycled paper saves enormous amounts of water and
energy over virgin papermaking processes. It produces far less pollution. It
saves trees. It cuts down on our solid waste. It's a far cleaner, less toxic
manufacturing process. And it allows us to stop trashing resources and start
treating our trash as a valuable resource. There are also increasing numbers of
papers being made from annual crops or agricultural residues, bypassing the
need to cut forests for paper altogether.
We
are again at a point of crisis. This time it is environmental. And again, it is
paper that can lead us out of it. Papermaking technology has changed the
development of society many times in the past. It can - and should - do it
again now.
What Is Paper?
True
paper is characterized as thin sheets made from fibre that has been macerated
until each individual filament is a separate unit. Medieval paper was made of
diluted cotton, linen fibre.
(Hunter 1943, 117)
The
fibres are then intermixed with water and by the use of a sieve-like screen,
the fibres are lifted from the water leaving a sheet of matted fibre on the
screen. The thin layer of intertwined fibre is paper.
(Hunter
1943, 5)
Many
people include think of papyrus and rice paper as paper. They are not. Papyrus
is not made from macerated fibre so, it is not true paper. Papyrus is made from
a grass like aquatic plant in the sedge family called Cyprus papyrus. It has
woody, bluntly triangular stems that are cut or sliced end to end with metal
knife. Then these thin "boards" are pasted together much like laminated
wood.
Rice
paper is not paper. It is made from strips of the cut spirally from the pith of
the rice paper tree, a small Asiatic tree or shrub, Tetrapanax papyriferum,
which is widely cultivated in China and Japan. The pith is cut into a thin
layer of ivory-like texture by means of a sharp knife.
(American
Paper and Pulp Association, 1965, 17). Parchment and vellum are also not paper.
They
are made from the skins of animals.
(Hunter
1943, 6)
SIZES
How did international paper sizes evolve?
There
have been many standard sizes of paper at different times and in different
countries, but today there are two widespread systems in use: the international
standard (A4 and its siblings) and the North American sizes.
The international standard:
ISO 216
A size
chart illustrating the ISO A series.
The international paper size standard, ISO 216, is
based on the German DIN 476 standard for paper sizes. Using the metric system,
the base format is a sheet of paper measuring 1 m² in area (A0 paper size).
Successive paper sizes in the series A1, A2, A3, etc., are defined by halving
the preceding paper size parallel to its shorter side. The most frequently used
paper size is A4 (210 × 297 mm). An advantage is that every A4 sheet made from
80 grams (per square meter, that is A0) paper weighs 5 grams, allowing to know
the weight - and associated postage rate - by just counting the number of
sheets used if the weight of the envelope is known.
This standard has been adopted by all countries in the world except the United States and Canada. In Mexico, Colombia, Chile and the Philippines, despite the ISO standard having been officially adopted, the U.S. "letter" format is still in common use.
ISO paper sizes are all based on a single aspect ratio of the square root of two, or approximately 1:1.4142. The advantages of basing a paper size upon this ratio were already noted in 1786 by the German scientist Georg Lichtenberg (in a letter to Johann Beckmann): if a sheet with aspect ratio √2 is horizontally divided into two equal halves, then the halves will again have aspect ratio √2. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Dr Walter Porstmann turned Lichtenberg's idea into a proper system of different paper sizes. Porstmann's system was introduced as a DIN standard (DIN 476) in Germany in 1922, replacing a vast variety of other paper formats. Even today the paper sizes are called "DIN A4" in everyday use in Germany.
The DIN 476 standard spread quickly to other countries, and before the outbreak of World War II it had been adopted by the following countries:
This standard has been adopted by all countries in the world except the United States and Canada. In Mexico, Colombia, Chile and the Philippines, despite the ISO standard having been officially adopted, the U.S. "letter" format is still in common use.
ISO paper sizes are all based on a single aspect ratio of the square root of two, or approximately 1:1.4142. The advantages of basing a paper size upon this ratio were already noted in 1786 by the German scientist Georg Lichtenberg (in a letter to Johann Beckmann): if a sheet with aspect ratio √2 is horizontally divided into two equal halves, then the halves will again have aspect ratio √2. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Dr Walter Porstmann turned Lichtenberg's idea into a proper system of different paper sizes. Porstmann's system was introduced as a DIN standard (DIN 476) in Germany in 1922, replacing a vast variety of other paper formats. Even today the paper sizes are called "DIN A4" in everyday use in Germany.
The DIN 476 standard spread quickly to other countries, and before the outbreak of World War II it had been adopted by the following countries:
- Belgium (1924)
- Netherlands (1925)
- Norway (1926)
- Finland (1927)
- Switzerland (1929)
- Sweden (1930)
- Soviet Union (1934)
- Hungary (1938)
- Italy (1939)
During the war it was adopted by Uruguay (1942),
Argentina (1943) and Brazil (1943); and directly afterwards the standard
continued to spread to other countries:
|
|
By 1975 so many countries were using the German system
that it was established as an ISO standard, as well as the official United
Nations document format. By 1977 A4 was the standard letter format in 88 of 148
countries, and today only the U.S. and Canada have not adopted the system.
The largest standard size, A0, has an area of 1 m². The length of the long side of the sheet in metres is the 4th root of 2—approximately 1.189 metres. The short side is the reciprocal of this number, approximately 0.841 metres. A1 is formed by cutting a piece of A0 into two equal area rectangles. Because of the choice of lengths, the aspect ratio is the same for A1 as for A0 (as it is for A2, A3, etc.). This particular measurement system was chosen to allow folding of one standard size into another, which cannot be accomplished with traditional paper sizes.
Brochures are made by using material at the next size up i.e. material at A3 is folded to make A4 brochures. Similarly, material at A4 is folded to make A5 brochures.
It also allows scaling without loss of image from one size to another. Thus an A4 page can be enlarged to A3 and retain the exact proportions of the original document. Office photocopiers in countries that use ISO 216 paper often have one tray filled with A4 and another filled with A3. A simple method is usually provided (e.g. one button press) to enlarge A4 to A3 or reduce A3 to A4. This also allows two sheets of A4 (or any other size) to be scaled down and fit exactly 1 sheet without any cut off or margins.
A size chart illustrating the ISO B series.
The largest standard size, A0, has an area of 1 m². The length of the long side of the sheet in metres is the 4th root of 2—approximately 1.189 metres. The short side is the reciprocal of this number, approximately 0.841 metres. A1 is formed by cutting a piece of A0 into two equal area rectangles. Because of the choice of lengths, the aspect ratio is the same for A1 as for A0 (as it is for A2, A3, etc.). This particular measurement system was chosen to allow folding of one standard size into another, which cannot be accomplished with traditional paper sizes.
Brochures are made by using material at the next size up i.e. material at A3 is folded to make A4 brochures. Similarly, material at A4 is folded to make A5 brochures.
It also allows scaling without loss of image from one size to another. Thus an A4 page can be enlarged to A3 and retain the exact proportions of the original document. Office photocopiers in countries that use ISO 216 paper often have one tray filled with A4 and another filled with A3. A simple method is usually provided (e.g. one button press) to enlarge A4 to A3 or reduce A3 to A4. This also allows two sheets of A4 (or any other size) to be scaled down and fit exactly 1 sheet without any cut off or margins.
A size chart illustrating the ISO B series.
There is also a much less common B series. The area of
B series sheets is the geometric mean of successive A series sheets. So, B1 is
between A0 and A1 in size, with an area of 0.71 m². As a result, B0 has one
side 1-metre long, and other sizes in the B series have one side that is a
half, quarter or eighth of a metre. While less common in office use, it is used
for a variety of special situations. Many posters use B-series paper or a close
approximation, such as 50 cm×70 cm; B5 is a relatively common choice for books.
The B series is also used for envelopes and passports.
The C series is used only for envelopes and is defined in ISO 269. The area of C series sheets is the geometric mean of the areas of the A and B series sheets of the same number; for instance, the area of a C4 sheet is the geometric mean of the areas of an A4 sheet and a B4 sheet. This means that C4 is slightly larger than A4, and B4 slightly larger than C4. The practical usage of this is that a letter written on A4 paper fits inside a C4 envelope, and a C4 envelope fits inside a B4 envelope.
The scalability also means that less paper (and hence money) is wasted by printing companies.
The C series is used only for envelopes and is defined in ISO 269. The area of C series sheets is the geometric mean of the areas of the A and B series sheets of the same number; for instance, the area of a C4 sheet is the geometric mean of the areas of an A4 sheet and a B4 sheet. This means that C4 is slightly larger than A4, and B4 slightly larger than C4. The practical usage of this is that a letter written on A4 paper fits inside a C4 envelope, and a C4 envelope fits inside a B4 envelope.
The scalability also means that less paper (and hence money) is wasted by printing companies.
ISO paper sizes (plus rounded inch values) |
||||||
Format
|
A series
|
B series
|
C series
|
|||
Size
|
mm × mm
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
in × in
|
0
|
841 × 1189
|
33.1 × 46.8
|
1000 × 1414
|
39.4 × 55.7
|
917 × 1297
|
36.1 × 51.1
|
1
|
594 × 841
|
23.4 × 33.1
|
707 × 1000
|
27.8 × 39.4
|
648 × 917
|
25.5 × 36.1
|
2
|
420 × 594
|
16.5 × 23.4
|
500 × 707
|
19.7 × 27.8
|
458 × 648
|
18.0 × 25.5
|
3
|
297 × 420
|
11.7 × 16.5
|
353 × 500
|
13.9 × 19.7
|
324 × 458
|
12.8 × 18.0
|
4
|
210 × 297
|
8.3 × 11.7
|
250 × 353
|
9.8 × 13.9
|
229 × 324
|
9.0 × 12.8
|
5
|
148 × 210
|
5.8 × 8.3
|
176 × 250
|
6.9 × 9.8
|
162 × 229
|
6.4 × 9.0
|
6
|
105 × 148
|
4.1 × 5.8
|
125 × 176
|
4.9 × 6.9
|
114 × 162
|
4.5 × 6.4
|
7
|
74 × 105
|
2.9 × 4.1
|
88 × 125
|
3.5 × 4.9
|
81 × 114
|
3.2 × 4.5
|
8
|
52 × 74
|
2.0 × 2.9
|
62 × 88
|
2.4 × 3.5
|
57 × 81
|
2.2 × 3.2
|
9
|
37 × 52
|
1.5 × 2.0
|
44 × 62
|
1.7 × 2.4
|
40 × 57
|
1.6 × 2.2
|
10
|
26 × 37
|
1.0 × 1.5
|
31 × 44
|
1.2 × 1.7
|
28 × 40
|
1.1 × 1.6
|
The tolerances specified in the standard are
- ±1.5 mm (0.06 in) for dimensions up to 150 mm
(5.9 in),
- ±2 mm (0.08 in) for lengths in the range 150 to
600 mm (5.9 to 23.6 in) and
- ±3 mm (0.12 in) for any dimension above 600 mm
(23.6 in).
German extensions
The German standard DIN 476 was
published in 1922 and is the original specification of the A and B sizes. It differs
in two details from its international successor:
DIN 476 provides an extension to formats larger than
A0, denoted by a prefix factor. In particular, it lists the two formats 2A0,
which is twice the area of A0, and 4A0, which is four times A0:
DIN 476 over formats |
||
Name
|
mm × mm
|
in × in
|
4A0
|
1682 × 2378
|
66.2 × 93.6
|
2A0
|
1189 × 1682
|
46.8 × 66.2
|
DIN 476 also specifies slightly tighter tolerances:
- ±1 mm (0.04 in) for dimensions up to 150 mm (5.9
in),
- ±1.5 mm (0.06 in) for lengths in the range 150 mm
to 600 mm (5.9 to 23.6 in) and
- ±2 mm (0.08 in) for any dimension above 600 mm
(23.6 in).
Swedish Extensions
The Swedish standard SIS 014711 generalized the ISO
system of A, B, and C formats by adding D, E, F, and G formats to it. Its D
format sits between a B format and the next larger A format (just like C sits
between A and the next larger B). The remaining formats fit in between all
these formats, such that the sequence of formats A4, E4, C4, G4, B4, F4,
D4, H4, and A3 is a geometric progression, in which the dimensions
grow by a factor 21/8 from one size to the next. However, the SIS 014711
standard does not define any size between a D format and the next larger A
format (called H in the previous example). Of these additional formats, G5
(169x239 mm) and E5 (155x220 mm) are popular in Sweden for printing
dissertations [1], but the other formats have not turned out to be particularly
useful in practice and they have not caught on internationally.
Japanese B-series variant
The JIS defines two main series of paper sizes. The
JIS A-series is identical to the ISO A-series, but with slightly different
tolerances. The area of B-series paper is 1.5 times that of the corresponding
A-paper, so the length ratio is approximately 1.22 times the length of the corresponding
A-series paper. The aspect ratio of the paper is the same as for A-series
paper. Both A- and B-series paper is widely available in Japan and most
photocopiers are loaded with at least A4 and B4 paper.
There are also a number of traditional paper sizes, which are now used mostly only by printers. The most common of these old series are the Shiroku-ban and the Kiku paper sizes.
There are also a number of traditional paper sizes, which are now used mostly only by printers. The most common of these old series are the Shiroku-ban and the Kiku paper sizes.
JIS paper sizes (plus rounded inch values)
|
||||||
Format
|
B series
|
Shiroku ban
|
Kiku
|
|||
Size
|
mm × mm
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
in × in
|
0
|
1030 × 1456
|
40.6 × 57.3
|
||||
1
|
728 × 1030
|
28.7 × 40.6
|
||||
2
|
515 × 728
|
20.3 × 28.7
|
||||
3
|
364 × 515
|
14.3 × 20.3
|
||||
4
|
257 × 364
|
10.1 × 14.3
|
264 × 379
|
10.4 × 14.9
|
227 × 306
|
8.9 × 12.0
|
5
|
182 × 257
|
7.2 × 10.1
|
189 × 262
|
7.4 × 10.3
|
151 × 227
|
5.9 × 8.9
|
6
|
128 × 182
|
5.0 × 7.2
|
189 × 262
|
7.4 × 10.3
|
||
7
|
91 × 128
|
3.6 × 5.0
|
127 × 188
|
5.0 × 7.4
|
||
8
|
64 × 91
|
2.5 × 3.6
|
||||
9
|
45 × 64
|
1.8 × 2.5
|
||||
10
|
32 × 45
|
1.3 × 1.8
|
||||
11
|
22 × 32
|
0.9 × 1.3
|
||||
12
|
16 × 22
|
0.6 × 0.9
|
||||
North American paper sizes
Loose sizes
Current standard sizes of U.S. paper are a subset of
the traditional sizes referred to below. "Letter", "legal",
"ledger", and "tabloid" are by far the most commonly used
of these for everyday activities. The origin of the exact dimensions of
"letter" size paper (8½ in × 11 in,
215.9 mm × 279.4 mm) are lost in tradition and not well
documented. The American Forest and Paper Association argues that the dimension
originates from the days of manual paper making, and that the 11 inch length of
the page is about a quarter of "the average maximum stretch of an
experienced vat man’s arms."[1] However, this does not explain the width
or aspect ratio.
North American paper sizes |
||
Size
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
Letter
|
8½ × 11
|
216 × 279
|
Legal
|
8½ × 14
|
216 × 356
|
Ledger[2]
|
17 × 11
|
432 × 279
|
Tabloid
|
11 × 17
|
279 × 432
|
There is an additional paper size, to which the name
"government-letter" was given by the IEEE Printer Working Group: the
8 in × 10½ in (203.2 mm × 266.7 mm)
paper that is used in the United States for children's writing. It was
prescribed by Herbert Hoover when he was Secretary of Commerce to be used for
U.S. government forms, apparently to enable discounts from the purchase of
paper for schools. In later years, as photocopy machines proliferated, citizens
wanted to make photocopies of the forms, but the machines did not generally
have this size paper in their bins. Ronald Reagan therefore had the U.S.
government switch to regular letter size (8½ in × 11 in).
The 8 in × 10½ in size is still commonly used in
spiral-bound notebooks and the like.
An alternative explanation in the past for the difference between "government size" (as government-letter size was referred to at the time) and letter size paper was that the slightly smaller sheet used less paper, and therefore saved the government money in both paper and filing space. However, when Reagan prescribed the change to letter size, it was commonly stated that U.S. paper manufacturers had standardized their production lines for letter size, and were meeting government orders by trimming ½" each from two sides of letter-size stock; thus the government was allegedly paying more for its smaller paper size before Reagan abolished it. The different paper size also reportedly restricted the government's ability to take advantage of modular office furniture designs, common in the 1980s, whose cabinets were designed for letter size paper.
U.S. paper sizes are currently standard in the United States and the Philippines. The latter uses U.S. "letter", but the Philippine "legal" size is 8½ in × 13 in (215.9 mm × 330.2 mm). ISO sizes are available, but not widely used, in both the U.S. and the Philippines.
In Canada, U.S. paper sizes are a de facto standard. The government, however, uses a combination of ISO paper sizes, and CAN 2-9.60M "Paper Sizes for Correspondence" specifies P1 through P6 paper sizes, which are the U.S. paper sizes rounded to the nearest 5 mm.[3]
Mexico has adopted the ISO standard, but U.S. "letter" format is still the system in use throughout the country. It is virtually impossible to encounter ISO standard papers in day-to-day uses, with "Carta 216 mm × 279 mm" (letter), "Oficio 216 mm × 340 mm" (legal) and "Doble carta" (ledger/tabloid) being nearly universal. U.S. sizes are also widespread and in common use in Colombia [2].
See switching costs, network effects and standardization for possible reasons for differing regional adoption rates of the ISO standard sizes.
An alternative explanation in the past for the difference between "government size" (as government-letter size was referred to at the time) and letter size paper was that the slightly smaller sheet used less paper, and therefore saved the government money in both paper and filing space. However, when Reagan prescribed the change to letter size, it was commonly stated that U.S. paper manufacturers had standardized their production lines for letter size, and were meeting government orders by trimming ½" each from two sides of letter-size stock; thus the government was allegedly paying more for its smaller paper size before Reagan abolished it. The different paper size also reportedly restricted the government's ability to take advantage of modular office furniture designs, common in the 1980s, whose cabinets were designed for letter size paper.
U.S. paper sizes are currently standard in the United States and the Philippines. The latter uses U.S. "letter", but the Philippine "legal" size is 8½ in × 13 in (215.9 mm × 330.2 mm). ISO sizes are available, but not widely used, in both the U.S. and the Philippines.
In Canada, U.S. paper sizes are a de facto standard. The government, however, uses a combination of ISO paper sizes, and CAN 2-9.60M "Paper Sizes for Correspondence" specifies P1 through P6 paper sizes, which are the U.S. paper sizes rounded to the nearest 5 mm.[3]
Mexico has adopted the ISO standard, but U.S. "letter" format is still the system in use throughout the country. It is virtually impossible to encounter ISO standard papers in day-to-day uses, with "Carta 216 mm × 279 mm" (letter), "Oficio 216 mm × 340 mm" (legal) and "Doble carta" (ledger/tabloid) being nearly universal. U.S. sizes are also widespread and in common use in Colombia [2].
See switching costs, network effects and standardization for possible reasons for differing regional adoption rates of the ISO standard sizes.
ANSI Paper Sizes
A size chart illustrating the ANSI sizes.
In 1995, the American National Standards Institute adopted ANSI/ASME Y14.1 which defined a regular series of paper sizes based upon the de facto standard 8½ in × 11 in "letter" size which it assigned "ANSI A". This series also includes "ledger"/"tabloid" as "ANSI B". This series is somewhat similar to the ISO standard in that cutting a sheet in half would produce two sheets of the next smaller size. Unlike the ISO standard, however, the arbitrary aspect ratio forces this series to have two alternating aspect ratios. The ANSI series is shown below.
With care, documents can be prepared so that the text and images fit on either ANSI or their equivalent ISO sheets at 1:1 reproduction scale.
Name
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
Ratio
|
Alias
|
Similar ISO A size |
ANSI A
|
8½ × 11
|
216 × 279
|
1.2941
|
Letter
|
A4
|
ANSI B
|
17 × 11
11 × 17 |
432 × 279
279 × 432 |
1.5455
|
Ledger[2]
Tabloid |
A3
|
ANSI C
|
17 × 22
|
432 × 559
|
1.2941
|
A2
|
|
ANSI D
|
22 × 34
|
559 × 864
|
1.5455
|
A1
|
|
ANSI E
|
34 × 44
|
864 × 1118
|
1.2941
|
A0
|
Other, larger sizes continuing the alphabetic series
illustrated above exist, but it should be noted that they are not part of the
series per se, because they do not exhibit the same aspect ratios.
For example, Engineering F size (28 in × 40 in,
711.2 mm × 1016.0 mm) also exists, but is rarely
encountered, as are G, H, … N size drawings. G size is 22½ in
(571.5 mm) high, but variable width up to 90 in (2286 mm) in
increments of 8½ in, i.e., roll format. H and larger letter sizes are also
roll formats. Such sheets were at one time used for full-scale layouts of
aircraft parts, wiring harnesses and the like, but today are generally not
needed, due to widespread use of computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided
manufacturing (CAM).
Architectural Sizes
In addition to the ANSI system as listed above, there
is a corresponding series of paper sizes used for architectural purposes. This
series also shares the property that bisecting each size produces two of the
size below. It may be preferred by North American architects because the aspect
ratios (4:3 and 3:2) are ratios of small integers, unlike their ANSI (or ISO)
counterparts. Furthermore, the aspect ratio 4:3 matches the traditional aspect
ratio for computer displays. The architectural series, usually abbreviated
"Arch", is shown below:
Name
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
Ratio
|
Arch A
|
9 × 12
|
229 × 305
|
4:3
|
Arch B
|
12 × 18
|
305 × 457
|
3:2
|
Arch C
|
18 × 24
|
457 × 610
|
4:3
|
Arch D
|
24 × 36
|
610 × 914
|
3:2
|
Arch E
|
36 × 48
|
914 × 1219
|
4:3
|
Arch E1
|
30 × 42
|
762 × 1067
|
7:5
|
Other Sizes
Name
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
Ratio
|
Statement, Half Letter
|
5½ × 8½
|
140 × 216
|
1.54
|
Quarto
|
8 × 10
|
203 × 254
|
1.25
|
Executive, Monarch
|
7¼ × 10½
|
184 × 267
|
~1.4483
|
Government-Letter
|
8 × 10½
|
203 × 267
|
1.3125
|
Letter
|
8½ × 11
|
216 × 279
|
~1.2941
|
Foolscap, Folio[2]
|
8.27 × 13
|
210 × 330
|
1.625
|
Government-Legal
|
8½ × 13
|
216 × 330
|
~1.5294
|
Legal
|
8½ × 14
|
216 × 356
|
~1.6067
|
Ledger, Tabloid
|
11 × 17
|
279 × 432
|
1.54
|
Super-B
|
13 × 19
|
330 × 483
|
~1.4615
|
Post
|
15½ × 19½
|
394 × 489
|
~1.2581
|
Crown
|
15 × 20
|
381 × 508
|
1.3
|
Large Post
|
16½ × 21
|
419 × 533
|
1.27
|
Demy
|
17½ × 22½
|
445 × 572
|
~1.2857
|
Medium
|
18 × 23
|
457 × 584
|
1.27
|
Broadsheet
|
18 × 24
|
457 × 610
|
1.3
|
Royal
|
20 × 25
|
508 × 635
|
1.25
|
Elephant
|
23 × 28
|
584 × 711
|
~1.2174
|
Double Demy
|
22½ × 35
|
572 × 889
|
1.5
|
Quad Demy
|
35 × 45
|
889 × 1143
|
~1.2857
|
Index and business cards |
|||
Name
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
Ratio
|
Index card
|
3 × 5
|
76 × 127
|
1.6
|
Index card
|
4 × 6
|
102 × 152
|
1.5
|
Index card
|
5 × 8
|
127 × 203
|
1.6
|
International business card
|
2⅛ × 3.37
|
53.98 × 85.6
|
1.586
|
US business card
|
2 × 3½
|
51 × 89
|
1.75
|
Japanese business card
|
~2.165 × ~3.583
|
55 × 91
|
~1.65
|
Photograph sizes
|
|||
Name
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
Ratio
|
2R
|
2½ × 3½
|
64 × 89
|
1.4
|
-
|
3 × 5
|
76 × 127
|
1.6
|
LD, DSC
|
3½ × 4⅔
|
89 × 119
|
1.3 (4:3)
|
3R, L
|
3½ × 5
|
89 × 127
|
~1.4286
|
LW
|
3½ × 5¼
|
89 × 133
|
1.5 (3:2)
|
KGD
|
4 × 5⅓
|
102 × 136
|
1.3 (4:3)
|
4R, KG
|
4 × 6
|
102 × 152
|
1.5
|
2LD, DSCW
|
5 × 6⅔
|
127 × 169
|
1.3 (4:3)
|
5R, 2L
|
5 × 7
|
127 × 178
|
1.4
|
2LW
|
5 × 7½
|
127 × 190
|
1.5 (3:2)
|
8R
|
8 × 10
|
203 × 254
|
1.25
|
12R
|
8 × 12
|
203 × 305
|
1.5
|
14R
|
11 × 14
|
279 × 356
|
1.27
Tablet Sizes |
The sizes listed above are for paper sold loosely in
reams. There are many sizes of tablets of paper, that is, sheets of paper kept
from flying around by being bound at one edge, usually by a strip of plastic or
hardened PVA adhesive. Often there is a pad of cardboard (also known as
chipboard or grey board) at the bottom of the stack. Such a tablet serves as a
portable writing surface, and the sheets often have lines printed on them,
usually in blue, to make writing in a line easier. An older means of binding is
to have the sheets stapled to the cardboard along the top of the tablet; there
is a line of perforated holes across every page just below the top edge from
which any page may be torn off. Lastly, a pad of sheets each weakly stuck with
adhesive to the sheet below, trademarked as "Post-It" or "Stick-Em"
and available in various sizes, serve as a sort of tablet.
"Letter pads" are of course 8½ by 11 inches, while the term "legal pad" is often used by laymen to refer to pads of various sizes including those of 8½ by 14 inches. There are "steno pads" (used by stenographers) of 6 by 9 inches.
Of course, in countries where the ISO sizes are standard, most notebooks and tablets are sized to ISO specifications (for example, most newsagents in Australia stock A4 and A3 tablets).
"Letter pads" are of course 8½ by 11 inches, while the term "legal pad" is often used by laymen to refer to pads of various sizes including those of 8½ by 14 inches. There are "steno pads" (used by stenographers) of 6 by 9 inches.
Of course, in countries where the ISO sizes are standard, most notebooks and tablets are sized to ISO specifications (for example, most newsagents in Australia stock A4 and A3 tablets).
Traditional inch-based paper sizes
Traditionally, a number of different sizes were
defined for large sheets of paper, and paper sizes were defined by the sheet
name and the number of times it had been folded. Thus a full sheet of
"royal" paper was 25 × 20 inches, and "royal octavo" was
this size folded three times, so as to make eight sheets, and was thus 10 by 6¼
inches.
Imperial sizes were used in the United Kingdom and its territories. Some of the base sizes were as follows:
Imperial sizes were used in the United Kingdom and its territories. Some of the base sizes were as follows:
Name
|
in × in
|
mm × mm
|
Ratio
|
Emperor
|
48 × 72
|
1219 × 1829
|
1.5
|
Antiquarian
|
31 × 53
|
787 × 1346
|
1.7097
|
Grand eagle
|
28¾ × 42
|
730 × 1067
|
1.4609
|
Double elephant
|
26¾ × 40
|
678 × 1016
|
1.4984
|
Atlas*
|
26 × 34
|
660 × 864
|
1.3077
|
Colombier
|
23½ × 34½
|
597 × 876
|
1.4681
|
Double demy
|
22½ × 35½
|
572 × 902
|
1.5(7)
|
Imperial*
|
22 × 30
|
559 × 762
|
1.3636
|
Double large post
|
21 × 33
|
533 × 838
|
1.5713
|
Elephant*
|
23 × 28
|
584 × 711
|
1.2174
|
Princess
|
21½ × 28
|
546 × 711
|
1.3023
|
Cartridge
|
21 × 26
|
533 × 660
|
1.2381
|
Royal*
|
20 × 25
|
508 × 635
|
1.25
|
Sheet, half post
|
19½ × 23½
|
495 × 597
|
1.2051
|
Double post
|
19 × 30½
|
483 × 762
|
1.6052
|
Super royal
|
19 × 27
|
483 × 686
|
1.4203
|
Medium*
|
17½ × 23
|
470 × 584
|
1.2425
|
Demy*
|
17½ × 22½
|
445 × 572
|
1.2857
|
Large post
|
16½ × 21
|
419 × 533
|
1.(27)
|
Copy draught
|
16 × 20
|
406 × 508
|
1.25
|
Large post
|
15½ × 20
|
394 × 508
|
1.2903
|
Post*
|
15½ × 19¼
|
394 × 489
|
1.2419
|
Crown*
|
15 × 20
|
381 × 508
|
1.(3)
|
Pinched post
|
14¾ × 18½
|
375 × 470
|
1.2533
|
Foolscap*
|
13½ × 17
|
343 × 432
|
1.2593
|
Small foolscap
|
13¼ × 16½
|
337 × 419
|
1.2453
|
Brief
|
13½ × 16
|
343 × 406
|
1.1852
|
Pott
|
12½ × 15
|
318 × 381
|
1.2
|
* The sizes marked with an asterisk are still in use
in the United States.
Traditional sizes for writing paper in the United Kingdom [3],
Traditional sizes for writing paper in the United Kingdom [3],
Name |
in × in
|
Quarto
|
10 × 8
|
Imperial
|
9 × 7
|
Kings
|
8 × 6½
|
Dukes
|
7 × 5½
|
The common divisions and their abbreviations include:
Name
|
Abbr.
|
Folds
|
Leaves
|
Pages
|
Folio
|
fo, f
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
Quarto
|
4to
|
2
|
4
|
8
|
Sexto, sixmo
|
6to, 6mo
|
3
|
6
|
12
|
Octavo
|
8vo
|
3
|
8
|
16
|
Duodecimo, twelvemo
|
12mo
|
4
|
12
|
24
|
Sextodecimo, sixteenmo
|
16mo
|
4
|
16
|
32
|
Foolscap folio is often referred to simply as 'folio'
or 'foolscap'. Similarly, 'quarto' is more correctly 'copy draught quarto'.
Many of these sizes were only used for making books (see bookbinding), and would never have been offered for ordinary stationery purposes.
Many of these sizes were only used for making books (see bookbinding), and would never have been offered for ordinary stationery purposes.
Transitional Paper Sizes
PA series
PA4-based series
|
||
Name
|
mm × mm
|
Ratio
|
PA0
|
840 × 1120
|
3:4
|
PA1
|
560 × 840
|
2:3
|
PA2
|
420 × 560
|
3:4
|
PA3
|
280 × 420
|
2:3
|
PA4
|
210 × 280
|
3:4
|
PA5
|
140 × 210
|
2:3
|
PA6
|
105 × 140
|
3:4
|
PA7
|
70 × 105
|
2:3
|
PA8
|
52 × 70
|
≈3:4
|
PA9
|
35 × 52
|
≈2:3
|
PA10
|
26 × 35
|
≈3:4
|
A transitional size called PA4 (210 mm × 280 mm,
8¼ in × 11 in) was proposed for inclusion into the ISO 216
standard in 1975. It has the height of Canadian P4 paper
(215 mm × 280 mm, about 8½ in × 11 in)
and the width of international A4 paper (210 mm × 297 mm).
The table to the right shows how this format can be generalized into an entire
format series.
The PA formats did not end up in ISO 216, because the committee felt that the set of standardized paper formats should be kept to the minimum necessary. However, PA4 remains of practical use today. In landscape orientation, it has the same 4:3 aspect ratio as the displays of traditional TV sets, most computers and data projectors. PA4 is therefore a good choice as the format of computer presentation slides. At the same time, PA4 is the largest format that fits on both A4 and U.S./Canadian "Letter" paper without resizing.
PA4 is used today by many international magazines, because it can be printed easily on equipment designed for either A4 or U.S. "Letter".
The PA formats did not end up in ISO 216, because the committee felt that the set of standardized paper formats should be kept to the minimum necessary. However, PA4 remains of practical use today. In landscape orientation, it has the same 4:3 aspect ratio as the displays of traditional TV sets, most computers and data projectors. PA4 is therefore a good choice as the format of computer presentation slides. At the same time, PA4 is the largest format that fits on both A4 and U.S./Canadian "Letter" paper without resizing.
PA4 is used today by many international magazines, because it can be printed easily on equipment designed for either A4 or U.S. "Letter".
Antiquarian
Although the movement is towards the international
standard metric paper sizes, on the way there from the traditional ones there
has been at least one new size just a little larger than that used
internationally. British architects and industrial designers once used a size
called "Antiquarian" as listed above, but given in the New
Metric Handbook (Tutt & Adler 1981) as
813 mm × 1372 mm. This is a little larger than the A0 size.
So for a short time, a size called A0a (1000 mm × 1370 mm)
was used in Britain.
F4
F4 (210 mm × 330 mm) is common in Southeast Asia and
Australia, and is sometimes called "foolscap". It has the same width
as A4, but is longer.
Other Metric Sizes
Name
|
mm × mm
|
in × in
|
DL
|
110 × 220
|
4.3 × 8.7
|
F4
|
210 × 330
|
8.3 × 13.0
|
RA0
|
860 × 1220
|
33.9 × 48.0
|
RA1
|
610 × 860
|
24.0 × 33.9
|
RA2
|
430 × 610
|
16.9 × 24.0
|
RA3
|
305 × 430
|
12.0 × 16.9
|
RA4
|
215 × 305
|
8.5 × 12.0
|
SRA0
|
900 × 1280
|
35.4 × 50.4
|
SRA1
|
640 × 900
|
25.2 × 35.4
|
SRA2
|
450 × 640
|
17.7 × 25.2
|
SRA3
|
320 × 450
|
12.6 × 17.7
|
SRA4
|
225 × 320
|
8.9 × 12.6
|
A3+
|
329 × 483
|
12.9 × 19.0
|
Photo quality printing is
the ultra-high resolution reproduction of digital artwork onto printable
materials such as paper, vinyl, film, polyester, etc.
Technical process
The combination of graphic design utilizing high
resolution images printed at ultra-high line screen values defines the photo
quality printing process.
When designing for photo quality printing, graphic designers and printers start with high resolution images of 2400 dpi or higher. Traditional full colour non-photo quality printing is done from images of 1200 dpi or less. Photo quality printing requires images to contain the most amount of colour information possible. The high resolution images used in photo quality printing is saved in a CMYK file format to best utilize either the commercial printing process or inkjet printing photo quality output capabilities. CMYK dots of Cyan (blue), Magenta (red), Yellow, and Black are placed next to each other in specific patterns that trick the eye into seeing millions of colours. Photo quality inkjet printing transfers 4 or more toner colours to the substrate in a single cycle through the printer. In photo quality commercial printing each colour of ink is applied separately.
The high resolution photos are printed (or output) at a line screen value of 1200 lines per inch. Traditional full colour printing is done at a line screen ranging from 300 to 600 lpi. The resulting photo quality output is apparent to the naked eye and by using a micrometre. The output includes more dots of ink or toner within each square inch output - and - truer colour values and hues due to the greater amount of colour information stored in the high resolution image or artwork file.
Equipment used
Commercial photo quality printing uses a web or sheet
fed press that may consist of multiple units. The file to be printed is imaged
directly onto a drum on the press or onto photographic printing plates. The
drum or plates transfer ink to the paper. Photo quality printing on a desktop printer
usually uses some type of inkjet or laser printer. The inkjet printer has ink
cartridges that place the ink directly on the paper. These are self-contained
units connected to a computer through cables.
TEMPERATURE
How does moisture and humidity affect paper?
PROBABLY the most serious single source of trouble to
the lithographers, printers and converters is found in the curling or buckling
of paper. I am glad to say that any troubles printers may have been
experiencing well probably be lessened appreciably as the warm weather comes
and artificial room heating removed. The importance of moisture and humidity
control in relation to the elimination of these difficulties is increasingly
recognized throughout the trade and will be more universally applied within the
next few years.
Relative Humidity could involve a very technical
study. It is hard to visualise and understand just what it means without
becoming somewhat technical and hence uninteresting to many. I will try to
explain very simply what is meant by Relative Humidity and how it effects paper
and causes trouble which the paper maker can in no way remedy.
The terms "dryness" and "wetness,"
applied to air are purely relative and indicate the proportion of water vapour
actually present in comparison with what the air could contain at the same
temperature. At the Dew Point the air is saturated and the water is deposited
as dew, mist, or even rain. It holds all the water it can. As the temperature
rises the dew disappears and is held in suspension until the temperature is
lowered when it is again deposited. This condition is observed in the early
morning in summer. In the sweating of the tumbler of cold water we have another
example of the existence of water vapour in the atmosphere. The ice water
chills the temperature around the glass and the moisture is deposited. In the
winter time you can see your breath when you breathe as the breath is warmer
than the air and it condenses. From this we see the words "dry" or
"moist" as applied to atmosphere have a purely relative significance
depending upon the temperature. They involve a comparison between the amount of
water vapour actually present and that which the air could hold if saturated at
the same temperature. The ratio of these two quantities is called the "Relative
Humidity." When we say a Relative Humidity of 65% we mean that the amount
of water vapour actually present is 65% of what the air might have contained at
the given temperature of say 70 F if it had been saturated.
The Psychrometer is an instrument used for measuring
Relative Humidity. It consists of two thermometers, one covered with muslin and
kept moist with water. The rate of evaporation from the moist muslin depends
upon the quantity of moisture in the air. The more rapid the evaporation of
water the greater the cooling and hence the greater difference in the readings
of the two thermometers.
It would be very easy for any printer or paper man to
take a series of readings around his print shop and record the variation in
temperature and relative humidity. It would be very interesting and
enlightening to many to see the variation in the amount of water in the
different rooms and realize how the paper is being dampened and dried through
the converting processes. The following tables are the measured humidity in
various parts of the paper mill:
Location
|
Temperature
|
Relative Humidity
|
Drainers
|
70 F.
|
85%
|
Basement
|
72 F.
|
82%
|
Office
|
80 F.
|
36%
|
Outdoors (dry day)
|
84 F.
|
37%
|
Cellar
|
71 F.
|
64%
|
Outdoors (rainy day)
|
73 F.
|
73%
|
This tabulation affords an excellent illustration of
the increase in humidity on lowering the temperature of the air, also of the
variation with the weather.
At various relative humidity paper holds different
percentages of water and will absorb or give up water until it comes to
equilibrium with the existing temperature of the room.
Temperature 70 F.
|
|
% Relative Humidity
|
% Moisture in Paper
|
100
|
21.5
|
90
|
13.5
|
80
|
8.9
|
70
|
8.4
|
60
|
6.5
|
50
|
5.6
|
40
|
3.4
|
30
|
2.3
|
20
|
1.8
|
Paper on coming off the driers of a paper machine
contains from 3-5% moisture. Paper from the loft contains from 2-3% moisture,
depending on loft conditions. These moisture ranges are the ones that are
suitable for the ordinary ranges of humidity ordinarily encountered. When such
paper is packed for shipping the moisture present in the sheet is evenly
distributed and there is no curling as the paper in the finishing process has
been seasoned under the normal atmospheric conditions for this period of the year
and consequently there is no tendency for curling or waving as the paper is in
equilibrium with the moisture conditions present.
Indoor Conditions
In general the tendency of a paper storehouse is to be
several degrees lower in temperature than a print shop, where the warming
stoves for stones, Bunsen’s for copper plates and heating systems assist in
raising the temperature during the working period. The heating developed during
the day is highest at closing time. It must be remembered that when a room is
warmed the quantity of moisture is not diminished but the humidity of the air
is lessened because the saturated capacity of the air is so enormously
increased. With the falling temperature at closing time the moisture which had
previously not been noticed is apparent in the form of a damp.
Weather Conditions
Apart from the system of heating and ventilation the
amount of moisture varies during the course of the day and year being at its
maximum of absolute moisture in the summer at the hours of 8 A. M. and 8 P. M.
while the minimum occurs at 3 A. M. and 3 P. M. This is due to ascending
currents of air which carry the moisture upwards. The relative moisture is on
the average greater in higher than in lower latitudes; it is at its minimum in
the hottest and maximum in the coolest parts of the day. It also varies with
different regions, being less in the centre of the continent than near the
coast.
Winter Conditions
During the winter humidity conditions in the press
rooms and print shops are particularly bad for while the average outdoor
humidity may be fairly high (50-60%) the small amount of moisture contained in
the air at the low temperatures encountered during the winter months causes a
serious reduction in relative humidity on being heated inside the building. As
an example to illustrate this point, the air at 40 F. and 50% relative
humidity, which are normal winter conditions contains but 18 grains of moisture
in a pound of dry air. On heating such air to 75 F without changing the actual
amount of moisture present the relative humidity has been reduced from 50% to
15% because the capacity of the air for holding moisture has been so enormously
increased by raising the temperature.
For this reason, during the winter months the floor
should be sprinkled with water at frequent intervals or buckets of water should
be allowed to evaporate on radiators, etc., unless other more adequate
arrangements for humidification are provided.
Summer Conditions
In the summer conditions frequently are just the
converse. At the temperatures prevailing in the summer even with normal
humidity, there is a considerable quantity of moisture available in the air.
When this air is brought inside and cooled to any extent, especially if it
enters a cool cellar, the temperature is rapidly reduced, the quantity of
moisture remaining constant, the humidity must increase. Providing the
temperature drop is great enough, especially near walls or any cold objects the
air will contain more water than it can hold at that temperature and the vapour
will be deposited in the form of a fog or damp, which will see tle out on the
paper disturbing the equalized moisture conditions and resulting in curls and
buckles.
An example based on figures perhaps will help make
this idea clearer. A comfortable, normally hot day in the summer would have a
temperature of 900 F. and a humidity of 60%. It is only necessary to drop the
temperature of air at this condition to 74 F. to cause over 100% humidity and
consequent condensation of water vapour.
From this example the slight change in temperature
required to completely transform the humidity conditions is evident. If,
therefore, in the absence of adequate methods of controlling humidity,
differently behaving paper is run on a day suited for its condition, better
results will be obtained. Even though the temperature drop was not great enough
to cause super-saturation of the air, it is enough to increase greatly the
relative humidity which will affect the paper. It must be borne in mind that
the moisture content of a sheet of paper is dependent not only on the relative
humidity of its environment but also on the temperature. It is, therefore, not
good practice to use cellars for storerooms or to subject the paper to great
temperature and humidity change without inviting curling and buckling
difficulties.
What has this talk on humidity to do with paper
curling and buckling? Just this--Paper possesses the property of absorbing and
giving off moisture until the moisture in the paper and the moisture in the
atmosphere are in equilibrium. The behaviour of paper under given atmospheric
conditions is, therefore, dependent on the relative amounts of water present in
the atmosphere and in the paper. That makes it impossible for the paper maker
to manufacture paper that will satisfy all condition in the trade. No two rooms
have the same operating conditions and no two localities the same outdoor
conditions. Therefore, paper cannot be made that will not curl under certain
conditions.
Curling of Paper
The so-called curling of papers is generally found to
be in one direction-toward the wire side as a, result of certain conditions
encountered in forming the sheet of paper on the paper machine wire.
Distribution of Fibres
In forming a sheet on the traveling wire the stock
suspension surges out on the wire at a considerable velocity, dependent on the
head of water behind the slices and the speed of the machine. The natural flow
of the stock would tend to induce the fibres to arrange themselves mostly
lengthwise. A lateral shake, therefore, is given to the traveling wire to felt
the fibres together. The stock nearest the bottom attaches itself to the wire
before the effect of the lateral shake can distribute the proper proportion of
the fibres in a horizontal direction. The middle and upper layers contain a
larger proportion of horizontally lying fibres which tends to make the sheet of
more uniform structure in each succeeding layer from the bottom. This more
equal distribution of lengthwise and crosswise fibres near the top of the sheet
of itself resists any curl in the direction toward the top of the sheet.
Effect of Short Side
In addition the stock next to the wire settles against
the smooth surface of the wire, thereby making the wire side of the sheet
comparatively level. On the top of the sheet, however, the stock settles in
clots, forming microscopic hills and valleys on the top surface or felt side of
the sheet. In spite of the smoothing effects of the press rolls and calendar
rolls in smoothing the microscopic lumps into the sheet of paper the felt side
of the sheet has more surface and consequently is longer than the wire side.
This fact of itself is responsible for a tendency of the sheet to curl toward
the wire or shorter side the instant the surface becomes moistened. Other
things being equal a sheet made from shorter stock will curl more easily under
variable humidity conditions than one made from longer stock.
Effect of Shrinkage
It has been pointed out above that the greater
proportion of the fibres tends to arrange themselves lengthwise in the web
resulting in a distinct grain in the paper. It is a well-known fact that the fibres
expand far more diametrically than they do lengthwise on being moistened
thereby giving rise to a wave in the direction of the machine or grain.
Furthermore when the water is removed from the web
during drying, there is a tendency for the traveling and gradually drying web
to contract in width, this contraction lengthwise being restrained by reason of
the tension created by the traveling and drying apparatus, but being
unrestrained in the cross direction.
As a result of these two factors a sheet will always
expand more in the cross grain direction than in the length on being exposed to
changing moisture conditions thereby causing any curling to take place in the
direction of the grain or machine direction.
Effect of Sizing
The effect of the sizing on the natural curl of the
paper is of considerable importance. Sizing tests invariably indicate that the
wire side is slacker sized than the felt side due to the action of the suction
boxes in removing the rosin size precipitate from the fibres. This is
particularly true in case the stock is free. As a consequence, the sheet will
absorb more glue or gum on the wire side which on being subjected to moisture
or drying is more flexible than the stock and will tend to cause a curl in the
direction of the bottom or wire side of the sheet.
Effect of Beating
The slowness or condition of beating that the stock
has been subjected to also has an important influence on the curling. A paper
stock that has been hydrated or slowed shrinks considerably on being dried
which makes the sheet more susceptible to stretching on being moistened.
Another property of a hard, slow stock is its lack of absorbency which does not
permit of water passing through the sheet but rather contains it on the outside
surfaces thus rendering it also more susceptible to curling.
Storing and Piling of Paper
If the paper is allowed to stand about the print shops
and press rooms in high piles in either a drier or more humid atmosphere, the
exposed surfaces of the paper gradually assume the moisture condition
corresponding to the prevailing humidity conditions. Inasmuch as the piles are
tightly packed it is only the top surface and edges of the sheets that have an
opportunity to adjust their moisture content to these conditions and consequently
with a condition of variation in moisture content between the edges and inside
of the sheet, the waving and buckling is inevitable.
Another consequence of piling is a result of the
height of piles. The weight being concentrated at the centre of gravity of the
pile, which is the centre, causes an uneven pressure on the centre and edges of
the pile which also results in further wavy edges.
An example of the effect of uneven distribution of
moisture through a sheet of paper is available in a comparison between piles of
stored ledger paper and a cockled bond. The ledger paper having a high finish
will be packed very tightly and closely and consequently will be wavy and
buckled. The cockled bond, however, because of the cockle will not pack closely
in a pile of the same height, more air is allowed into the pile and as a result
very little buckling is observed
.
In order to eliminate these effects outlined above it
is suggested that the piles of paper be made lower and the paper crossed with
alternate layers in different directions. In fact any procedure to thoroughly
aerate the paper cannot fail to help eliminate the waving and distortion of the
edges.
The text contained herein was written by
Helen U. Kiely, and delivered by Joseph H. Burgen before the Joint Session,
Connecticut Valley Mill Superintendents and Printing House Craftsmen, March
5th, 1927.
Copyrighted,
1927
American Writing Paper Company
Incorporated
Holyoke, Mass
Where should paper be stored?
Paper Storage and Conditioning
Like any other high-performance, high-quality product,
a little conditioning goes a long way with Xerox paper. It can make the
difference between "okay" and outstanding when it comes to results!
Find out what steps you can take to get the most out of Xerox paper.
For optimum conditioning, follow these paper storage guidelines:
- Leave paper in its wrapper until you are ready to
load it in the machine.
- Do not store paper directly on the floor. Keep it
on pallets or shelves or in cabinets.
- Store paper at a temperature of 68°F/20°C to
76°F/24.4°C and a relative humidity of 35 to 55 percent.
Paper Storage
Take Good Care of Xerox Paper and Watch it Perform
Like a Champ!
We're proud of Xerox paper! It's top quality and, when properly cared for, it will perform like the champion it is. While the "how top’s" of paper storage may seem obvious, you may be surprised at the simple things we've outlined here that you can do to ensure best results.
We're proud of Xerox paper! It's top quality and, when properly cared for, it will perform like the champion it is. While the "how top’s" of paper storage may seem obvious, you may be surprised at the simple things we've outlined here that you can do to ensure best results.
Paper Stacking
Your paper order will normally be shipped to you in
sturdy fibreboard cartons. The number of reams in each carton depends on the
size of the paper. If you have ordered a large quantity, the cartons will be
stacked on wooden pallets. Stack individual reams or cartons carefully on top
of one another. This will help you avoid crushing the edges or causing any
other damage.
Pile cartons no more than five high. Pallets can be stacked three high.
Pile cartons no more than five high. Pallets can be stacked three high.
Paper Handling
Treating paper cartons with care in paper storage is
extremely important! Dropping, throwing, striking with a forklift or otherwise
mishandling paper cartons can result in damaged paper. You may not even notice
the damage until you have paper jams or other feeding problems.
Climate Control
Store your paper on shelves or pallets or in
cabinets rather than right on the floor to avoid moisture absorption. Choose
an area that's protected from extreme temperatures and humidity. Temperature
and humidity are critical factors in how Xerox paper performs in your copier
or printer.
|
Most environments with air conditioning systems provide the proper mix of temperature and humidity. If you are in an environment that is not air conditioned, follow these guidelines:
- Minimum temperature of 50°F/10°C with 15 percent
relative humidity
- Maximum temperature of 81°F/27.2°C with 85
percent relative humidity
Do Not Open Until...
To achieve best results, we recommend you leave reams
sealed in their original ream wrapper, in the shipping carton during paper
storage. Do not open the wrapper until you are ready to load the paper into
your copier or printer.
Why? The ream wrapper has an inner lining that guards against moisture absorption. Once you open the wrapper, the protective barrier is gone and moisture can seep in and cause excessive curl and other problems.
Why? The ream wrapper has an inner lining that guards against moisture absorption. Once you open the wrapper, the protective barrier is gone and moisture can seep in and cause excessive curl and other problems.
Once You Do Open...
After you open the ream, reseal the wrapper with
tape if you will not be using all the paper immediately, for example, if
you'll be leaving it unused overnight. Better still, store unused loose paper
in a reseal able plastic bag. Do not store paper in your machine's paper
trays.
|
Take sheets from the centre of the ream if a package is inadvertently left open. Store coated paper in reseal able bags or covered storage boxes after opening the original wrapper.
Paper Conditioning
Make Sure Conditions Are Right for Best Results
Like any other high-performance, high-quality product, a little conditioning goes a long way with Xerox paper. It can make the difference between "okay" and outstanding when it comes to results! Find out what steps you can take to get the most out of Xerox paper.
Like any other high-performance, high-quality product, a little conditioning goes a long way with Xerox paper. It can make the difference between "okay" and outstanding when it comes to results! Find out what steps you can take to get the most out of Xerox paper.
Moisture
Xerography is very sensitive to moisture in paper.
Moisture can ruin your job in a hurry! High humidity causes damp edges and
wavy paper. Low humidity dries paper edges and makes it contract and become
tight.
|
Poor performance is the result! That's why it is so important to condition your paper.
As a rule, condition uncoated paper a minimum of 24 hours and coated paper a minimum of 48 hours. Transparencies and label stock also require conditioning--24 hours and 72 hours, respectively. Separating cartons accelerates the conditioning process. The chart below will help you determine precisely how many hours prior to printing you should move the paper, based on both the storage and print room temperatures.
How Long Does Conditioning Take?
As a rule, condition uncoated paper a minimum of 24
hours and coated paper a minimum of 48 hours. Transparencies and label stock
also require conditioning--24 hours and 72 hours, respectively. Separating
cartons accelerates the conditioning process. The chart below will help you
determine precisely how many hours prior to printing you should move the
paper, based on both the storage and print room temperatures.
|
Temperature Difference (Degrees F/C) |
|||||||
10/5.5
|
15/8.5
|
20/11
|
25/13
|
30/17
|
40/22
|
50/28
|
|
Cartons
|
Hours to Condition
|
||||||
1
|
4
|
8
|
11
|
14
|
17
|
24
|
34
|
5
|
5
|
9
|
12
|
15
|
18
|
25
|
35
|
10
|
8
|
14
|
18
|
22
|
27
|
38
|
51
|
20
|
11
|
16
|
23
|
28
|
35
|
48
|
67
|
40
|
14
|
19
|
26
|
32
|
38
|
54
|
75
|
Who manufactures paper in Australia?
Amcor
Limited is an Australian-based multinational packaging company. Its
headquarters are in Hawthorn, Victoria (a suburb of Melbourne); and it is
listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
It
operates manufacturing plants in 42 countries, and has approximately 30,000
employees and annual sales of US$7,280 million and has a market value of
US$5,020 million. Along with the privately held VISY group, it dominates the
Australian cardboard packaging market, and it is the world's largest
manufacturer of plastic bottles. Amcor limited holds the 927th position in the
Forbes 2000.
As
the world’s largest packaging company, Amcor offers exclusive and innovative
solutions that are at the forefront of the packaging industry.
PaperlinX is a fine paper wholesaler based in Melbourne, Australia. PaperlinX has
regional offices in Amsterdam, Los Angeles and Singapore. The company is a distributor of specialty paper used in brochures, magazines, annual reports and other business papers. They supply
high-quality fine paper used as office paper and packaging.
Paper, board and other materials are bought in bulk
from paper mills around
the world and sold in smaller quantities and custom sizes to meet customers'
requirements. The stock is stored in their warehouses and delivered to customers on a just-in-time basis.
Customers include printers, designers, publishers and advertisers.
PaperlinX employs 6500 people in 26 countries and is
in the top 200 public companies listed
on the Australian Stock Exchange,
trading under the ticker symbol 'PPX'.
PaperlinX revealed on 23rd December 2011 that it had
received an indicative offer from an unnamed private equity group, pitched at 9
cents for each ordinary share and $21.85 for the company's preference stock.
List of Paper Mills
- Norske Skog Albury, Albury, Australia
- Visy Paper,
Visy Smithfield mill, VP3&6, Smithfield, New South Wales, Australia -
recycled fibre mill
- Visy Paper,
Visy Coolaroo mill, VP4&5, Coolaroo, Victoria, Australia -
recycled fibre mill
- Visy Paper,
Visy Gibson Island mill, VP8, Gibson
Island, Queensland, Australia - recycled fibre mill
- Visy Paper,
Visy Reservoir mill, VP2, Reservoir, Victoria, Australia -
recycled fibre mill
- Visy Pulp & Paper, Visy Tumut mill,
VPP9&10, Tumut, New South Wales, Australia -
unbleached kraft liner board mill
- Australian
Paper, Shoalhaven Mill, S3, Bomaderry, New South Wales, Australia -
special papers
- Australian
Paper, Maryvale Mill, Morwell, Victoria, Australia -
M1, M2, M4, packaging paper, cardboard; M3, M5 - fine paper, copy paper
PAPER QUALITY
What factors influence ordering
paper in regards to the value of the printed piece?
It is plain and simple. There are two types of Print
material: effective and ineffective. Most of it, unfortunately falls into the
"ineffective" category. This misfortune is not due to bad design or
lack of content. What these pieces fail to do is engage their audience to take
action the kind of action that results in successful sales.
If you are not convinced, check your mail more
carefully next time. Sift through and separate the "junk" from what
really catches your attention and leads to something you are truly interested
in. Now analyse the junk mail. What is it about it that is not working? Is it
the impersonal appearance of the envelope? Is it that nothing pulls you in to
open it? And once you do open it (if you do!), is there nothing worthwhile
within, no enticing message, no interesting call to action?
And this applies to postcards or any other format,
where glossy and colourful might be the main focus...focus for them, but not
for you! You quickly spot it and toss it in the trash. You have to if you are
going to stay sane...
So what can you do on your next Print piece to avoid
these common and expensive pitfalls? Here are some ideas that have worked time
and time again:
1. Your piece needs both to inform and to prompt your
audience to take action. For example, sending out a "we've
moved" card and including a coupon for 10% off the next purchase or
project. Or, sending a holiday card for Thanksgiving and providing space for
listing people to whom to give thanks. In both cases, you get your audience to
participate and, in doing so, make a contribution to them.
2. You need a headline that grabs and copy that flows. To come up with a strong headline, focus on the purpose of the
piece, on the main message you are trying to convey. Is it to thank the
receiver? Is it to announce a change at your company? Is it to invite them to
participate in some event?
Develop copy that stems from the headline and stays on
course. Be concise and to the point, unless you truly have a great deal to say
and can keep it interesting for the reader. Remember: it is all about them, not
you.
3. Design needs to appeal.
Be sure to keep taste in mind! Spend time on font, colour, and the few, but
well-selected elements (for example, taking the time to have a good photograph
taken, which makes a huge difference). Do not overdo it, though, as with the
text, unless it contributes to the message. Visuals should never overpower the
copy, and vice-versa.
4. Beware the clutter. Too
many messages, too much uninteresting text, too many flashy graphics and that
card will be tossed. Keep it simple and do not forget that you are competing against
many, many other mail pieces.
