#93 Work & Turn
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“Work & Turn” is a term used by printers to print both sides of a sheet of paper with just one plate & one press set-up.
Find a complete list of printing terms at wcbs4printing.com. For more information about this outstanding full-service printer, see the “chaz sez” column below.
What is “work & turn”?
In the case of a two-sided flyer, the work & turn job’s plate & paper will be large enough to contain two full flyers. The plate is set up to print both the front & back images of the flyer in just one pass. The printed work & turn sheet will look like the AmperArt Work & Turn art, above, containing two full flyers where the front side is adjacent to the back side.*
Then then the paper is flipped end-for-end (after the ink is dry) so the printed side is down and the blank side is up, & then printed again with the same plate. In this way, the front of each flyer will contain the opposite image on the back. (It’s important to flip the paper the right way, or each flyer could contain two “front” sides or two “back” sides. Yes, I’ve made that mistake.)
The sheets are then cut apart in the center to make two finished items, like this — each work & turn flyer will have a front & a back side:
Although one plate could be used for a 1‑color work & turn job, several plates would be required for full-color printing such as shown in the AmperArt Work & Turn artwork. Still, only one press set-up is required with only one set of plates, not a separate set for front & back. The paper is passed through, flipped, & passed through again.
*Technical note: The Amperart Work & Turn image would actually be printed full-bleed (not shown in the AmperArt Work & Turn piece), then trimmed on all four sides as well as in half. But full bleed is another discussion. “Bleed,” “work & turn,” and other printing jargon is explained in a comprehensive glossary page at wcbs4printing.com. For more information about this outstanding printer, keep reading…
Here’s a real coincidence: I searched Google for “work & turn” to find a simple definition which I could modify for my readers. The page I was lead to is wcbs4printing.com printing terms, an excellent list of printing terms provided by a full-service printer in Palm Desert—just a few towns over from me! Of the thousands of printers all over the world, I find this to be quite a coincidence…like an invitation for a short drive to take in the wonderful smell of ink & hear the roar of the presses.
The full list of services & outstanding testimonials have enticed me to ask wcbs4printing.com for a quote on an upcoming print job. And when a client needs custom-printed bags, badge holders, bookmarks, luggage straps & tags, magnets, mugs, name badges, passport wallets, pens or post-it notes…
their specialty division, wcbs4LogoProducts.com, handles all those items.
Small world. Or as the TV soap goes, As the World Work & Turns.
Production notes for #93 Work & Turn:
Original size: 20x30 inches
Program: Adobe Illustrator
Fonts: Rockwell, Bodoni, DIN Schrift
Ampersand: DIN Schrift, modified
Related article in the Printing & Publishing series:
#63 Upper & Lowercase
For professional graphic design, please visit Desimone Design.