Which statement correctly defines an ink trap and its trap width?

Which statement correctly defines an ink trap and its trap width?

• A. An ink trap is the chemical treatment used to make ink adhere to paper.
• B. An ink trap is the intended overlap between inks to prevent gaps; trap width is defined by printer specs and can be a percentage or fixed measure.
• C. Trap width is always 2 mm regardless of printer.
• D. Ink trap refers to the time delay between applying different inks.

Answer: (B)

An ink trap is the intentional overlap where one ink extends into the area of an adjacent ink to cover gaps that can occur from misregistration or ink spread. This overlap keeps color boundaries looking solid rather than showing thin white slivers. The trap width is how much of that overlap you apply. It isn’t a fixed value; it’s defined by printer specifications, the substrate, ink behavior, and the design’s tolerances. It can be expressed as a percentage of the design area or as a fixed distance, depending on the workflow and equipment. For example, a given press might use a trap width of a small fixed measurement or a small percentage to balance avoiding gaps with not overloading colors. The other statements don’t fit because the trap isn’t a chemical treatment, it isn’t about timing, and the width isn’t universally fixed at one value for all printers.

An ink trap is the intentional overlap where one ink extends into the area of an adjacent ink to cover gaps that can occur from misregistration or ink spread. This overlap keeps color boundaries looking solid rather than showing thin white slivers. The trap width is how much of that overlap you apply. It isn’t a fixed value; it’s defined by printer specifications, the substrate, ink behavior, and the design’s tolerances. It can be expressed as a percentage of the design area or as a fixed distance, depending on the workflow and equipment. For example, a given press might use a trap width of a small fixed measurement or a small percentage to balance avoiding gaps with not overloading colors. The other statements don’t fit because the trap isn’t a chemical treatment, it isn’t about timing, and the width isn’t universally fixed at one value for all printers.