What is 2-Up Printing, 4-Up Printing, N-Up Printing, etc.?

What does "Up" mean in Printing?

In printing, the term "Up" refers to how many pages or images are designed to print during a single press impression.

For example, a layout designed to print "2-Up" will print as two separate pages or images on a single sheet of paper. It doesn't matter whether the two images print side by side or one above the other, it is still referred to as 2-Up printing.

Similarly, "3-Up" printing refers to three pages or images printed per impression, "4-Up" printing refers to four pages or images printed per impression, and so on.

What is "N-Up" Printing?

The term "N-Up" is used as a generic placeholder, where the "N" represents a Number that varies depending on the project. The "N" in N-Up will always be a positive integer.

N-Up printing is often referred to as Multiple-Up printing, especially if the "N" has not yet been defined for a particular project.

After being printed, Multiple-Up sheets are trimmed down to separate the individual pages or images.

What about 1-Up Printing?

Of course, it is extremely common to just print a single page or single image at a time. This is known as "1-Up" printing. However, 1-Up is a seldom used term. Because single images are so prevalent, there is rarely a need to describe them using the "Up" nomenclature.

Multiple-Up Images can all be the Same or they can all be Different

Images that print multiple-up can all be identical, such as the same 3.5" x 2" business card designed to print 10-Up on a standard 8.5" x 11" sheet. Or, the images can all be different, such as the pages of a 6" x 9" book or brochure designed to print 8-Up on a larger sheet-fed press or 16-Up on a web-fed press.

Who sets up the artwork files for Multiple-Up Printing?

In most cases, it is the pre-press department at the printing company that determines the imposition of the pages or images. So it is common for submitted artwork to be repositioned or rearranged into a configuration that achieves optimal production efficiency.

That said, graphic designers will sometimes create the artwork layout to be multiple-up before submitting it to the printing company. Of course, this requires familiarity with the printing equipment and sheet sizes of the printing company chosen to produce the project.

How the individual pages or images are set up to print is governed by which row, column, or grid arrangement yields the most efficient use of a given paper size. The larger the printing press, the more pages or images that can be printed in a single impression.

The Benefits of Multiple-Up Printing

Faster production - because more pages or images are being printed with each press impression, the press won't need to run as long to complete the project. Also, offset projects will need fewer printing plates so less time is needed for plate creation.

Reduced wear on printing plates - because multiple-up plates created for an offset press will print many pages or images at once, the plates will not have to cycle through as many impressions. This extends the useful life of the plates.

Do you have a need for Custom Printing?

Whether your project will print 1-Up, 2-Up, 4-Up, or another multiple-up configuration, be sure to get in touch with Color Vision Printing. We have offset and digital printing presses, so we can assist with just about any print project you may have. We also offer a wide range of finishing and bindery options to enhance the appearance and function of your projects.

By the way, if you have an upcoming print project and would like a quote, just submit our easy Quote Request form by clicking here and we will email a quote to you. Or, we can be reached by phone at 800-543-6299. We look forward to hearing from you and hope you will give us the opportunity to assist with your custom printing needs!