SCORING SUGGESTIONS It is important to finish a printing job properly by adhering to proper scoring techniques. Even experienced printers overlook important procedures. We recommend the following steps: Always score cover papers before folding. If a job on coated paper is laid out against the grain, it should always be scored to prevent cracking. Folding with the grain might also require scoring. For best results, scoring should be performed in a separate operation. This is especially true when scoring and die cutting are done together. The most satisfactory scoring results are obtained by using a male and female die on letterpress equipment. When offset printed paper is scored, it is important to retain the moisture introduced by the fountain solution. This added moisture can be maintained by covering the printed stock and by minimizing the time between printing and scoring. If a stock is not scoring well because it is too dry, the problem can often be corrected by running the stock through an offset press and applying fountain solution to remoisten the paper prior to scoring. For best results on the finished job, test the scoring design on the specified sheet prior to production. If the fold on a coated job runs through an area of heavy ink coverage, it should be scored. Any job with a gatefold should be scored at the thumb edge to help prevent cracking and to make the job lie flatter. The ridge or bulge from the score should usually be INSIDE the fold. Sometimes specific end uses, (such as inserting a signature for binding), can mandate that the score be inverted with the ridge on the outside. In instances such as this, all aspects of the job should be reviewed first to insure that this change will not adversely affect the finished product.

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