1. Mission Statement
ADG Printing is a full service printer, providing layout, scanning, color separation, color printing, large format digital printing (giclée), trimming, folding and direct mailing at an extremely low cost for short run, full color projects. In order to keep our prices as low as possible, and maintain a high standard of printing, we ask that you follow the simple guidelines below when preparing your projects. By doing so, you enable us to provide high quality printing at very competitive prices with quick turnaround times. Following these guidelines will ensure successful results and will prevent costly mistakes in terms of both money and time.
2. Timing & Payment
Our policy is to turn around projects as soon as possible. Once all files are ready and a final approval is received, our turnaround time is same day or 1 or 2 business days. To keep our prices as low as possible we must receive payment in advance. The savings achived from this policy, we pass on to our clients.
3. Proofing & Pickup
Typically we provide fax or email proofs within two to three business days of receiving your order, althoug large scale projects like catalog or multiple paged jobs may require more time. The best way to proof your color is to come in and see your images on our monitors which are calibrated to our press; otherwise we will try our best to match the color proofs you have supplied with your order.
We accurately calibrate your projects throughout the production process, but the most critical of color projects color proofs are available at an extra charge. By concentrating on 4 color process printing and limiting printing stock choices (see 7. Paper Stock), we are able to work consistently without the surprises that can result from too much variety. We strive to supply our clients with high quality pleasing colors, consistent and solid ink coverage, and accurate registration in a timely and affordable manner.
Once we have received an “OK to Print” on your project we will complete the printing process within same day or 1 or 2 business days. Completed projects can be picked up, or for a nominal charge delivered by UPS or courier to you or blind shipping to your client is also available.
4. Media
Materials submitted for printing can be brought to us a number of ways: simple hand-drawn layouts, 35 mm slides, medium and large format transparencies, negatives (accompanied by a color proof), high quality prints, or digital files on any of the following media: • CD • DVD • Flash Drive
FTP UPLOAD, see side bar or email to: orders@adgprinting.com
5. File Format and Software Programs
Ready to print Files must be supplied in high resolution file format (300 dpi) as PDF, TIF, PSD, High Res JPG, EPS, AI. No other file format will be accepted as ready to print. Layouts, examples, or text can be sent as: BMP, INDD, PM, PUB, DOC, WMF. We proudly use & support the Adobe Creative Suite CS3 or lower.
Recommended:
• Adobe Acrobat 4.0 or higher
• Adobe Photoshop 2.5 or higher
• Adobe InDesign 2.0 or higher
• Adobe PageMaker 5.0 or higher
• Adobe Illustrator 5.0 or higher
Supported, but not recommended due to problems with Postscript compatibility:
• Macromedia Freehand 3.1 or higher (OK for EPS files)
• Microsoft Publisher**
* If setting up your page layouts in Quark, please follow the Design Guidelines with regards to links and fonts. We will output all files from InDesign, so your Quark documents should be easy to recompose in InDesign.
** Not a professional layout program! Use Publisher to show basic layout, we will need to rebuild your project in InDesign.
6. Text
You can supply unformatted copy that you want ADG to typeset which can be as simple as handwritten or a typed page of text, or supply text in an InDesign filter-supported format (i.e. WordPerfect, Word, MacWrite, ASCII, RTF, etc..).
* If you have a particular font or layout you want to use, see item 15, Font Issues.
7. Technology
We print from computer directly to a full color press.
8. Paper Stock
To keep our prices as low as possible we order the following papers in large quantities, we always keep these in stock to expedite your projects and meet your deadlines:
• C2S 12 point (glossy on both sides) for postcards and business cards
• 100 lb text (glossy on both sides) for flyers
• 80 lb cover (glossy on both sides) for brochures
Ultra-violet cured coatings can be applied on our C2S 12pt and 80lb cover, at a nominal cost. This provides a high gloss finish to the project.
9. Resolution
In-house, we scan slides, negatives, transparencies, high quality prints and 3 dimensional objects. If you will be providing scanned images on disk, bear in mind the final output. Please submit images at the actual size they will print, including bleed with the following resolutions for best results:
RGB, 300 ppi (pixels per Inch); CMYK, 300 ppi; Grayscale, 300 ppi; Bitmap (i.e., B&W line art), 600 - 1200 ppi. To calculate resolution: see our Digital Camera Settings (PDF)
10. CMYK Images
When converting RGB images to CMYK in Photoshop you must set your conversion settings to match our calibration. You will find the “Color Setting” in Photoshop 5.0-6.0 under the Edit Menu, or in Photoshop 7.0-CS under the Photoshop Menu. Change the “Settings” to (Web Coated (SWOP) v2) Leave all settings to their default. If you have any questions please email us at support@adgprinting.com
11. Black & Photoshop
Make certain that all black type is created only in the black channel. It is very difficult to keep registration on multiple colored black text. Also, create drop shadows only in the black channel for best printed results by switching to the black channel to create them, or click on the foreground color and set colors to C, M, & Y to 0% and K to 100% before creating your shadows. Make all backside of postcards grayscale - images, logos and text.
12. Black Backgrounds
To achieve a rich black for background in any application, create a new color that is a mix of C: 10% M: 10% Y: 10% K: 100%. Use only 100% K for text.
13. Layout and Bleeds
Please allow 0.1” extra image area on any edge that bleeds off the edge of your project. See our DMS template for post office regulation layout. For example on a 6” x 4” postcard with a full bleed image, your provided file should be 6.2” x 4.2” at the appropriate resolution (see 9. Resolution).
14. Links
Please include external links to your publication. Do not embed links into your files. By creating link elements that are streamlined and easy to position, your job will be easier to recompose as an InDesign file if you’ve used another page layout program, and it will download quicker to the image setter. As an example, a fairly complex looking postcard could conceivably be stream-lined to include only 2 or 3 links. Either by composing all your image files into one TIF file per side, or by layering your text (as an EPS) over the top of a TIF image file. As far as positioning goes, a very easy way to position files into your page layout document is to create all your links at the size used in of your piece.
15. Font Issues
To eliminate font issues please send high resolution PDF files. Some fonts may have licensing restrictions, make sure when you export the PDF all fonts are available.
To streamline the output process, keep costs low and assure foolproof results, whenever you supply your project on disk we request that all fonts be converted into paths or outlines.
To accomplish this, create your layout in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign or Macromedia FreeHand. After proof-reading and spell checking your document, make a copy to work from. Carefully select all text and convert it to Outlines in Illustrator and InDesign or Paths in Freehand, check to see that all fonts are converted in Artwork or Keyline Mode (converted letters should now appear as outlined letterforms instead of black letterforms), files with converted fonts should then be saved as EPS files in Illustrator and Freehand or an InDesign file in InDesign.
Please note that because of our very low prices on postcards and business cards we cannot accept fonts, this is without exception! They must be converted to paths and supplied to us as an EPS file or a PDF file. If you are not able to convert fonts, please provide us with a rough layout, typewritten format and specs, and we will be more than happy to do the production ourselves at no additional charge.
16. Knockouts & Strokes
Black text and any black design elements with fine lines should be set to overprint instead of knocking out. Do not overprint colors (unless you are aware of the effect this will produce.) Many software programs default to knockout any object when laying over a color. To override the knockout default, create and name a new black and select overprint. For best results using strokes, keep black strokes 0.5 pt. or larger, and colors strokes at 2 pt. or larger. Printing smaller may cause registration problems on press.
17. Trapping
It is the designer’s responsibility to ensure appropriate trapping for all their designs. Because of our tight press tolerances and experienced pressmen, however, trapping is generally only necessary in extreme cases of color differences. We recommend Illustrator and Photoshop trapping features, especially for colored text.
Design revisions, color matching, trapping, or any other file changes that ADG needs to make to output your project properly, will be charged the hourly rate of $65.00.
Thank you for considering ADG Printing
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