Design

Gripper Margin

The gripper margin refers to the unprinted space deliberately left along the edge of a printed page to accommodate the mechanical grippers of a printing press. This area allows the grippers to securely hold the paper without interfering with the printed content.

Synonym

Grip Space

Examples

Commercial Printing: In commercial printing, the gripper margin is essential for magazines, brochures, and other publications to ensure smooth feeding and accurate registration during the printing process.
Packaging: In packaging printing, especially for labels, cartons, and packaging materials, the gripper margin prevents ink smudging or damage to printed designs as the materials move through the printing press.
Book Printing: Gripper margins are also used in book printing to maintain consistent alignment and prevent page misfeeds or registration errors.

Recommendations

Size Consideration: Determine the appropriate size of the gripper margin based on the printing press specifications, paper size, and type of printing job.
Design Placement: When designing printed materials, ensure that critical content, images, or graphics are positioned within the safe area and away from the gripper margin to avoid any interference or printing issues.
Quality Control: Conduct thorough quality checks during pre-press and printing stages to verify that the gripper margin is maintained correctly, and there are no registration or alignment issues.
Collaboration: Communication between designers, printers, and press operators is crucial to ensure that gripper margins are correctly implemented and that printing processes run smoothly without disruptions.

To learn more about margins or other print attributes, contact AP&B today.