Register (registration)

The degree to which printed colors or images are accurately positioned in respect to alignment and contiguity with other colors or runs through the press.

The registration determines the clarity of process color, and whether gaps appear or alignment is correct on multi-spot-color or multiple-pass printing.

If running more than one pass through the press (e.g. 2-sided or multi-color or process color on a 1- or 2- color press) the feeding of the press is the first place where registration is critical.

If running a 2- or 4- color press registration between units can be adjusted as well as skew on the fly to achieve perfect registration.