Commercial Printing

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Avoid Delays With a Preflight Checklist

Failure to include all items required by United Graphics or failure to properly prepare digital files or camera ready artwork can result in both time delays and create addtiional costs. Use of a comprehensive preflight checklist can save time, money, and frustration.

  • Extra charges may be incurred for such things as converting RGB images to CMYK, outputting laser proofs, creating bleeds, correcting artwork or other corrections.
  • Refer to this preflight checklist before submitting files to United Graphics in order to avoid printing and finishing delays and added expenses.
  • There is also preflight software which helps to automate the preflight process. However, it should never be used as a substitute for manually checking your files and submissions




File Prep

_____ Printing Setup Check placement of crop marks and bleed allowances. 1/8” for bleeds is typical.

_____ Font Styles Use ONLY the actual fonts for bold, italic, and other font styles. DO NOT STYLIZE.

_____ RIP Avoid problems that keep files from printing by cropping images before placing in document, simplifying blends, avoiding nested graphics. Do Not scale images below 60% in a layout program. If smaller images are needed, size them down to approximate printing size in a program like Photoshop.

_____ Trapping Find out in advance who will do trapping on the files and submit accordingly.

_____ Imposition Find out in advance whether file is to be submitted in reader spreads or printer spreads. United Graphics will impose your files for you - Please provide pages as single pages (reader spreads)

_____ Extraneous Elements Remove references to unused fonts and colors. Remove non-printing items from the pasteboard. Preflight Checklist Items for File Submissions

_____ Digital File / Camera Ready Artwork Use a digital format preferred and accepted by United Graphics. Verify software version and platform, PostScript or PDF requirements.

Preparing Files

_____ Fonts Send both screen and printer fonts for Type 1 fonts. Send the same format (Type 1, TrueType, OpenType) as used in the document. Send all the fonts used, including fonts in EPS graphics (or, convert fonts in graphics to outlines before placing in page layout application).
_____ Graphics Send all graphics used, in the right format and at the proper resolution for the output device. (usually 300dpi) Convert graphics from RGB to CMYK. Supply original source files for graphics. If providing images for scanning, mark them for cropping, include required size and placement information. Include FPO placeholders.

Sending Graphics

_____ Media / Transfer Protocol Label disks with your name, address, phone number, and any job number supplied by your customer service Rep. When sending files on disk, you can use CD or DVD, properly formatted for their platform, (prefered iso9660, and using a supported compression method. Include only the most current version of the document to be printed and no unneeded or alternate versions of text files, fonts, or images on the disk. Always use a compression method (ZIP, SIT.) when transferring files electronically. (See Sending files via FTP on United Graphics' Resource Page)

_____ Backup Copies Never send your only copy of a file to your service provider. Make backups. Keep copies of all application files, fonts, images, PostScript, and PDF files.

Items for Hard copy

_____ Proofs Include composite laser or color proof printed after ALL changes and corrections. Check proofs to ensure they accurately reflect the graphics, fonts, bleeds and include crop marks if required. Note on proof if it is not a 100% size representation of final product. Label all proofs with your contact information.