Prepress considerations

 

Files. If possible, please send your print jobs as composite PDF files. The files should meet the PDF/X-1a requirements, i.e., they should be CMYK or CMYK and spot composite PDF files. A pre-flight check of the files is recommended. All PDF fonts have to be embedded or outlined. A composite print file has to be made before distilling a PDF.

Please use only one of the following software applications to ensure trouble-free processing:

Adobe Illustrator, QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign, Corel Draw.

Microsoft software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is not suitable for prepress.

Bleed. To ensure that all colour surfaces extend evenly to the edge without any visible white margins, an extra cutting margin – bleed – has to be added in the file. A bleed of 3-5 mm should be added evenly to all sides.

The cutting format (clear format) should be positioned in the centre of the PDF page. The size of the page should be the cutting format + bleed, preferably without cutting marks.

Name your files in a simple and clear manner, including a reference to the particular job and customer. The file name should indicate the bleed width and clean size of the print.

Page order. Please do not mix up the page order in a file and do not piece together random pages. As an exception, brochure covers may be pieced together.
Images. For good quality, we recommend using images with a resolution of 300 dpi.
Black. To ensure accurate black areas in CMYK, we recommend using the following scheme:
C 80%, M 40%, Y 40%, K 100%.

Overprint. We do not change the overprint settings for colours when processing clients’ materials, except for the forced overprint during the RIP process on 100% black areas. Overprint should not be used for a white text (patterns) in coloured areas.

The method of binding should be taken into account when designing a bound publication.

Adhesive binding. The easiest solution for images and design elements running from one page to another is to make sure that there are no objects at the transition point (the inner or binding margin) in which trimming a few millimetres would be immediately noticeable. To prevent any problems, use a necessary amount of overlap on images, i.e., by repeating 5 mm of the picture on the left-hand page also on the right-hand page.

Saddle stitched booklets have to be prepared in coordination with the printing house to allow for creeping: the inner sheets are narrower by a few mm. If there are no images, which run from one page to another, the printing house will be able to compensate for this by shifting the pages in the centre inside; an alternative would be a design, which takes into account the loss of a few mm from the outer edge of the sheet.

Die cutting blueprint. Please mark the blueprint in a spot colour in PDF. A 5 mm bleed over the cutting blueprint has to be followed when designing such publications.
The file of a die cut publication has to be submitted in three parts:
1. A separate die cutting blueprint with the cutting line marked in red, the creasing line in green and perforating line in yellow;
2. Die cutting blueprint positioned on the image;
3. Publication design without the die cutting blueprint.

Note! The die cutting blueprint should not be submitted as a picture.

Model. To avoid any misinterpretations, please send us a paper model of your publication. Make sure that the model is made of the final version of the product, not an intermediate version.

Envelopes. Leave at least 10 mm free space on the flap side for grippers when designing envelopes. This applies in case of printing on the front and on the flap (back) of the envelope.

Numbering. The height of the number is 5 mm and width (6 digits) is 30 mm with an asterisk. If you want to position the number on a framed area, we recommend leaving a few mm of free space around the number to avoid any defects due to waver of the number.

If you have any special requirements, please inform us in advance.

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