Are ’Open File Formats’, like e.g. InDesign, Illustrator or Photoshop accepted?
Unfortunately we can't accept these kind of file formats as the risk of printing errors or font problems resulting out of using them will be unavoidable.
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'Open' file formats are formats, which have not been generated by any postscript process. Such files serve solely towards processing their respective content.
'Open' files are not intended for export to another computer. They contain a number of links, for example graphics and fonts, which will be lost if you open this file on another computer. To avoid this problem, your 'open' files always have to be converted into a postscript format.
If the file is not exported by the software used to create it, various errors may occur. Some very common are, for instance, different program versions which are not compatible among each other or fonts which are missing and will then be replaced by another available font.
Do files in RGB color mode cause problems?
The RGB color mode has been implemented for displays and digital screens. For offset printing the CMYK color mode is mandatory. RGB files will be converted to CMYK color mode automatically by our system. This may result to slightly color shifting.
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Files for offset printing have to be designed in CMYK mode as this is the color spectrum in which all litho printing machines do works (cyan, magenta, yellow and key color or black).
If, however, we receive files in the RGB mode, our system will automatically convert them to CMYK. This may result in slightly color deviations which we unfortunately cannot control as we do not know the original color you wished to have.
The RGB color spectrum is much bigger than the CMYK color spectrum and additionally it uses a fourth component, which printed material can't afford: The background light of a screen. For that reason, many colors in the RGB spectrum simply do not exist in the CMYK spectrum and need to be replaced by similar colors during convertion.
It is best practise to design your layout together with all needed components (like e.g. embeded pixel images) in CMYK mode from the right beginning. Worst would be, to generate your layout in RGB mode, place CMYK elements in there and finally convert your ready design to CMYK. In this case your CMYK design elements have been converted twice and color deviations will be most likely.
Do TrueType fonts generally cause problems?
The use of TrueType fonts will not cause problems in general, but still there is a high risk which can be avoided very easy: Please simply convert your TrueType fonts to paths before exporting your design to pdf.
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As a rule, postscript fonts are used for professional printing. However, there are many programs which do not use these sophisticated fonts and work instead with TrueType fonts, originally only intended for screen viewing in presentations.
In addition, numerous TrueType fonts are offered free-of-charge in the internet and are frequently of poor quality.
It is therefore essential to observe some important rules: TrueType fonts are only conditionally suitable for printing. If they are used, they must be converted to paths.
If you are unsure on how to do that, please also read the correspondent question below in this topic.
How do I convert my fonts to paths?
As a rule, fonts cannot be embeded in open and postscript files. Only the pdf file format allows it to embed the used fonts. In all other cases or if your font is a TrueType font, you need to convert your written text elements to paths or curves.
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This is an option that any professional graphic or layout software offers. It simply means that all text elements together with their styles are converted to vector graphic elements. Because of that, the font file is not needed anymore to be embeded or delivered together with your layout file.
It will be impossible to change the text content later on, but it will look exactly like designed on any computer, screen and, finally, on the printed result.
When Adobe Photoshop is used and the design is exported to JPG or TIF file format, the used fonts will be converted automatically. Hence, no action is required in this case.
If you export your file to a PDF document by using any other software, the necessary fonts will be embeded in the file. Be sure to enable the adequate option in the pdf export settings. However, if you are using TrueType fonts in your design, you should convert them to paths like explained above nevertheless.
If you need more details about the usage of TrueType fonts, please read the correspondent question above in this topic.
Is it possible to use Word, Excel or Powerpoint file formats?
We are sorry to say that any professional printing production out of these file formats are impossible. However, normally their content may be converted by our prepress team.
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Any file for professional printing should be prepared in one of the common graphic or layout softwares. These may be for instance Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop or Adobe InDesign.
However, by booking our Technical Correction Service to your order we may convert your office files to printable ones.
What does a maximum ink application of 300% mean?
The ink application is the sum of the four color components cyan, magenta, yellow and black within the CMYK color mode. The higher the ink application, the more color will be put on the concerned dot area within the printing machine and the longer it needs till this colored area will dry - till a certain point where drying is impossible within the workflow process.
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In your layout software, the color channels cyan, magenta, yellow and black are generally displayed in percent. Assuming that the file is created and saved with a CMYK color spectrum, the summation of the four colors must not exceed 300%.
If they do it may cause an above-average ink application and can therefore cause the ready printed sheets sticking together; at latest when the items are cut in the cutting machine with enormous pressure and the sheets have not been dried completely.
What exactly is Bleed or Trimming Edge?
Any modern cutting machine works with a certain tolerance. To prevent incorrect cuts and also to counterbalance this tolerance your file needs a 0.1'' (1/10) bleed all round on each side.
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This additional margin is absolutely essential in order to counterbalance the differences which inevitably occur when large stacks of paper are cut.
It is best practise that any graphical elements which should extend to the very edge of the page of the final printed product (like colored backgrounds) last till the outer border of the bleed. This ensures to avoid small white lines along the edges of the paper.
All important design elements (like images, text or similar) should be place with a certain space to the inner border of the bleed. Doing so will avoid them to be partially cut or appearing stuck to the edge of the page.
What Photoshop quality setting should I use when exporting a file to JPG format?
In general you should always use the best quality when exporting files to JPG format. However, if file size is critical you may lower the quality till level 8.
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The quality settings for exporting to JPG format was originally based on the fact that JPG files can be used for many other purposes than professional printing. With these other uses a small file size may be more important than perfect quality, for example for usage in internet.
However, files which serve as masters for printing should always be exported in the highest possible quality. It is not possible to obtain maximum printing quality with low quality files.
Exceptionally, posters will not be viewed at close distance so the slight quality losses are not of any significance. The reduction to level 8, however, reduces the file size considerably, thus allowing you to transfer your file more quickly to our system.
Which formats can I use for my files?
In general we prefer multipage PDF / X-3 documents (PDF Version 1.3)
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Multipage PDF means that your PDF contains the front and back as separate pages in the PDF file (for magazines, every page must be saved as a single page in the PDF file)
Alternatively you have the option of sending us your files in a EPS, TIFF or JPEG format. These file formats do not support multipage. In this case you have to send us one file for every page.
If you want to upload several files per ordered product you can use the correspondent option within the file upload mask. During our automated Preflight Check your files will be combined to a multipage PDF by our system. This file will be displayed on your screen afterwards in order for you to check and confirm the result.
We cannot accept PDF / X-4 or higher versions than 1.6 as they can cause problems and an unmeant printing result.
You will find more details about possible file formats here:
/Help-Center/Online-Printing-File-Formats/.