In printing, a “register mark” (or registration mark) is a symbol used to align color plates or film. Typically, it is a cross (X) or set of crossed lines.
Color separations must be perfectly aligned (registered). If they’re not, the colors won’t line up on the final print — and the result will be subpar.
In printing, a “register mark” serves as a visual indication to assist in aligning the different color plates. It is printed on each color separation so the printer can correctly line up the plates.
When images are scanned, register marks may be employed as well. In this context, the mark indicates where an image should sit on the scanner bed; this ensures that the entire image is captured and that none of it gets cut off through cropping.
An essential aspect of printing involves register marks, which must be present to guarantee top-notch prints.
A cross, plus sign, or other emblem is a “register mark.” Printers place these symbols on plates or in print margins; such markings show where plates should go—or indicate where images should appear on paper.
The purpose of register marks is to guarantee the accurate placement of an image on a printed page. An image that needs a proper register cannot be centered correctly and may not align with other elements on the page as intended, resulting in substandard quality through misprints.
Register marks are critical to both the printing process and the quality of finished images by ensuring that said images appear where they should on a page that will eventually be reproduced in quantity.