Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE:
Crop marks and colour bars are NOT needed;
1mm of bleed will be assumed on jobs that are "cut to colour";
i.e. for an A4 job with colour to edge then the file would be 299 mm x 212 mm, if size is critical please state in special instructions.
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Q. At what sort of quantities are you most cost effective?
A. Because we use digital presses we are able to offer much better value on relatively short-run jobs (typically up to 1000 SRA3 sheets) than traditional offset printers. However, even for larger jobs than this, if time is a factor, the use of digital presses, aligned with our advanced workflow system, mean we are able to turn work around more quickly than an offset printer could.
Q. Is the quality of your digital print as good as offset?
A. There are two answers to this question! The short answer is "No". However, the longer answer would say that no digital print is as good as the best offset. Our digital is about as good as it gets and will be as good as the best offset on most jobs.
Where all digital machines fall short of offset is in the reproduction of certain specific Pantones and tints. Plain text, photographs, simple solids, etc., are usually excellent. We always suggest that before you start to use our service you order a free sample.
Q. What is the estimated delivery time for all orders?
A. In most cases orders placed before 5pm will be dispatched next working day by Parcel Force 24hr service. However, lamination, large jobs and/or complicated finishing may require up to 2 extra days.
UPDATED Q. How are delivery charges calculated?
A. In all cases the delivery charges we apply are intended only to cover the costs of packaging and sending out your orders by next day courier service (based on UK delivery).
Q. Do you do any other paper types than the ones listed?
A. No, the paper types listed are the only ones that we use.
Q. Can you print specific Pantone colours?
A. Unlike offset printers, who can use specific inks to match specific colours, we use digital presses which means that all our printing is done using a combination of CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and blacK) dry inks ("toner"). So while we can get close to specified colours, and can consistently reproduce that colour, we can not guarantee an exact match.
Q. What format do my files have to be in?
A. We currently only accept PDF files (version 1.3). Click here for more information about converting files to version 1.3. Also ALL fonts must be FULLY embedded, embedding multiple subsets of fonts can lead to font substitutions by acrobat.
Q: Why must pdfs be saved at version 1.3?
A: PDF versions higher than 1.3 contain information to allow, for example, some editing of the pdf, along with many other features. Some of this information can interfere with the printing process. We recommend that if you are in any doubt you use the “preflight” option in Adobe Acrobat to confirm your settings. (Tools > Print Production > Preflight > Digital Press (Colour)).
Q. What page size do you print on?
A. All Non-laminated jobs are printed on SRA3 (450x320mm).
Q. What is the maximum printable area on the SRA3 sheet?
A. There is an un-printable margin of 7mm on all edges + 4mm on each short edge for job details slugline. Therefore the maximum printed area is 428x306mm.
Q. What size is the maximum area that can be laminated?
A. Laminated jobs are printed on oversize paper (460 x 320mm). The lamination process requires a 15mm lead and tail edge, so the maximum area that can be laminated is 428x306mm.
Q. I’m having trouble with my order, can you help?.
A. We are happy to help you to get used to using our website. However this is in addition to our "normal" service and extra work can only be carried out when we are able to do so.
If this FAQ section hasn’t helped, check out our contact page for ways to get in touch.
