Frequently Asked Questions

Are LEDs still a more expensive option?

It depends on how you look at it. If you just focus on upfront price, then probably yes, LED-based products can cost more. However, if you consider longevity, maintenance, energy savings – the overall total cost of ownership - then they offer real value for money. Customers can expect a return on their investment on average within two years.

What are the components of an SSL system?

SSL is a sophisticated system incorporating a number of different technologies, including:

  • Power converter: A transformer or power source to convert the mains AC voltage into low DC voltage.
  • A control system: This may be as simple as an on-off switch, or as complicated as to drive a Las Vegas light show.
  • Thermal and environmental management: The LED must be protected from moisture, and heat must be effectively dissipated.
  • Light delivery: This refers to the optics of the sign itself. The design of the sign has an impact on the success of the SSL system.
  • System integration: All components of the SSL must be integrated and working together. Early failures in the history of the LED resulted more often from failure of components rather than the LED itself.
What are the real benefits of LEDs?
  • Reliability and durability - LEDs have no filaments, glass tubes or electronics giving more predictable lifetimes with no burnouts (LEDs just gradually lose brightness over time) which enable planned maintenance and replacement.
  • Power efficiency - An average 40-90% power saving, environmentally friendly (plus no mercury – mention reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions?) with a Low voltage.
  • Design – LEDs allows innovative and variable design with the potential to incorporate color changing effects
  • Lower heat – means no damage to graphics, no fires and no room heating effect • Controllability - Infinitely variable light output with digital colour mixing, pulsing and switching without damage.
What’s happening in LED the market?
  • Reliability and durability - LEDs have no filaments, glass tubes or electronics giving more predictable lifetimes with no burnouts (LEDs just gradually lose brightness over time) which enable planned maintenance and replacement.
  • Power efficiency - An average 40-90% power saving, environmentally friendly (plus no mercury – mention reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions?) with a Low voltage.
  • Design – LEDs allows innovative and variable design with the potential to incorporate color changing effects
  • Lower heat – means no damage to graphics, no fires and no room heating effect • Controllability - Infinitely variable light output with digital colour mixing, pulsing and switching without damage.
What are LEDs?

An LED is a small semiconductor chip with the unique property of emitting light when an electrical current is applied through it. The chemical makeup of the chip determines the colour of the light, while a number of other factors—including size, shape, package design and construction materials—contribute to the amount of light emitted and the way that light output degrades over time.

One of the key features of LEDs is that electricity is converted directly into light and not used to heat a filament or excite a gas. The electronic process is inherently efficient at converting up to 90% of the electricity into light, as opposed to a 50% or less conversion rate with conventional light sources. It is this enormous potential for energy savings that has caught the attention of both the sign and lighting industries.

Energy is just one factor in LEDs favour. As electronic components, LEDs have the potential to last as long as most corporate identity programs. Compared to other sources, they operate at safe, low voltages—typically less than 40 V. They also emit light in a very narrow band of colour, meaning little energy is wasted producing other, unwanted colours of light.

LEDs are:

  • LEDs are small and versatile
  • LEDs are solid state
  • LEDs are low voltage
  • LEDs operate with minimal heat
  • LEDs are very energy efficient
How many trees does it take to make one tonne of paper?

This is impossible to answer accurately. The most common figure reported is 17 trees for one tonne of paper. However, other figures are also given by different sources, with for example Friends of the Earth claiming 6 mature trees.

Neither of these figures can easily be substantiated as it depends upon so many variables; the size of the tree, the tree species, the pulping method (mechanical or woodfree), type of paper etc. In addition, paper manufacture does not normally use a whole mature tree but rather thinnings (small trees removed to allow room for others to grow), smaller branches and sawmill residues that are unlikely to be suitable for other uses - and the tree would still be cut down for other uses such as timber for construction.

What are the international paper and board sizes?
  • A Sizes (mm)
  • A0 841 x 1189
  • A1 594 x 841
  • A2 420 x 594
  • A3 297 x 420
  • A4 210 x 297
  • A5 148 x 210
  • A6 105 x 148
  • B Sizes (mm)
  • B0 1000 x 1414
  • B1 707 x 1000
  • B2 500 x 707
  • B3 353 x 500
  • B4 250 x 353
  • B5 176 x 250
  • B6 125 x 176
  • C Sizes (mm)
  • C0 917 x 1297
  • C1 648 x 917
  • C2 458 x 648
  • C3 324 x 458
  • C4 229 x 324
  • C5 162 x 229
  • C6 114 x 162
  • RA Series Formats
  • RA0 860 x 1220
  • RA1 610 x 860
  • RA2 430 x 610
  • RA3 305 x 430
  • RA4 215 x 305
  • SRA Series Formats
  • SRA0 900 x 1280
  • SRA1 640 x 900
  • SRA2 450 x 640
  • SRA3 320 x 450
  • SRA4 225 x 320
  • Envelopes
  • DL 110 x 220
  • C6 114 x 162
  • C5 162 x 229
  • C4 229 x 458
  • C3 324 x 458
Do I need to take any special precautions when printing or designing on an uncoated paper or board?

The following hints and tips should help when designing for or printing on an uncoated stock:

  • Sealing: Sealing using a breathable machine varnish can help prevent solvents getting trapped in the paper reducing problems such as gas ghosting and ink rub – particularly when heavily inked areas come into contact with white paper. However, waterbased (Aqueous) sealants can cause excessive curl in the paper due to the added moisture. Please also note that sealing changes the surface character of a paper, an important factor when choosing to print on uncoated paper.
  • Retaining Detail in Darker Shadow Areas: Conventional half tone printing has a variable dot size which can close up in the three quarter and shadow tones because of the spread or ‘gain’ of the larger dots. One way to avoid this is to use a repro technique called Stochastic or FM screening where the dots are all the same small size, relying on a greater or lesser number of dots to create the various tonal areas. Because the dots are all the same size there is no detail loss in the darker shadow areas.
  • Scan Format: If scans are to be supplied to the printer they should be as RGB files rather than CMYK files. This way the printer has access to them and has the possibility of adjusting the scan curves. Scans that have been previously archived as CMYK files can be converted to RGB but this risks detail loss. This also applies if the image has been generated as a digital photograph rather than a scan.
  • Spot Varnish: A gloss litho printed varnish works best on a smooth polished surface, so the natural texture of an uncoated sheet reduces this effect. An alternative way of creating the highly reflective ‘spot gloss’ effect is to use a transparent printing foil.
  • Folding & Cross-Folding: All papers can crack when folding unless simple rules are followed. Always crease the paper before folding and whenever possible fold with the grain of the paper. Paper is usually bought with the grain running along the longest dimension (Long Grain) but sometimes it is better to have the grain running across the sheet (Short Grain). The heavier the paper weight the more relevant this decision.
  • Whenever you cross-fold a broadsheet there is always the danger of creasing or ‘crows footing’ where the two creases overlap. This can be greatly reduced by keeping the paper weight and consequently the bulking down.
  • Bright Colours: We see colour as reflected light so the softer, more textured surface of uncoated paper reduces this reflection. Colour strength or brightness can be enhanced by the use of high density pigment inks or simply by double hitting colours. An extreme example of this is the use of fluorescent inks.
  • Contrast: Instead of keeping the entire image ‘open’ at repro stage, which can produce a flat result, increase the visual contrast by keeping shadows strong (90-95%), the mid and three-quarter tones open and the highlights bright (0% in the catchlight areas).
  • Ink Drying Time: In theory it would be possible to print 100% (solid) of each of the four colours giving a coverage of 400%. When printing in four process colours the amount of ink on the paper should not exceed a maximum coverage of 240% in any one area. Keeping overall ink coverage within these parameters reduces the risk of problems associated with rubbing and transference of ink to another page (set off). The way in which ink dries on uncoated paper can be improved by the common practice of turning and airing paper stacks. Even better performance can be achieved by the use of fully oxidising inks. Press Open inks should be avoided.
  • Choice of Weight: Paper weights are the same for coated and uncoated paper (measured in g/m2 -grams per square metre) however the greater bulk or thickness of uncoated paper means that generally, a lighter weight can be used to achieve the same volume. Printing on a lighter grammage of uncoated paper has the added benefit of saving costs on distribution and mailing.
  • Printing Detail: The amount of detail in a picture is more to do with the screen resolution used than the paper it is printed on. In the past printers have been inclined to use coarser half tone screens (as low as 133 dpi) when printing on uncoated papers. A screen ruling of 175 dpi will give better detail, provided the repro has been adjusted correctly. Stochastic screens when available will give even better detail retention because of the way it maps the image more closely.
  • Suitable Images: Illustrative techniques such as watercolour, crayon and pastels are far more complementary to uncoated paper than coated as the natural paper texture retains the subtlety of tone better. The use of one of several undercolour removal repro techniques such as UCR, GCR or PCR helps to improve both the contrast and shape of metallic and highly reflective subjects such as glassware. Keeping the shadows dense, the mid tones open and the highlights bright increases the illusion of contrast.
  • Large solid areas of colour will look different on uncoated paper but this is part of its surface character and not a printing problem. If you want a totally smooth flat colour then you have to use a totally smooth or coated paper. Uncoated paper is neither better nor worse than coated paper but it is different in character. Choosing images that are best suited to the paper is one way of achieving exceptional printed results.
  • Further information and printed samples may be found in ‘Old Wives Tales’ – please contact your local Robert Horne representative to request a copy.
Can plastics be recycled?

Yes, most plastics can be recycled. However, plastic needs to be well segregated and it will depend on the quality, quantity and market conditions as to whether recycling companies want to collect it. There is a healthy market for acrylic, polycarbonate and polypropylene in particular.

What are ISO14001 and EMAS?

ISO14001 is an internationally recognised standard that specifies the requirements of an environmental management system. It enables a company to identify where it has an impact on the environment and implement a plan to reduce that impact.

The European Union’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) has a similar purpose to ISO14001 but goes beyond it in a number of ways. Most significantly, EMAS requires an organisation to publish details of their environmental management system and places more emphasis on reducing environmental impact. EMAS also has a logo that can be used on relevant publications, such as environmental reports.

These environmental management systems do not automatically mean that the certified organisation is performing brilliantly. However, they do mean that the organisation is aware of how it impacts on the environment and is committed to the continuous improvement of aspects like energy efficiency, waste reduction and pollution control.