Frequently Asked Questions

Equipment, Materials, Sizes
Q1 What kind of equipment do you use, and what are its size, quality, and speed limitations?
A1 For INDOOR products (Trade Show, ShowRoom) we use a  Colorspan Displaymaker Mach12. It will print on material up to 60" wide by virtually any length (limited by the software) and
uses a 12 head inking system, employing either a standard 4 color (CMYK) color model, or a special 6 color (hexachrome) color model.  The Displaymaker is a "heavy duty" machine meant to lay down lots of color as quickly as possible. It is capable of stunning color quality with deep, dense, vibrant tones. It is a 600 dpi system employing imaging techniques that simulate an even finer resolution.

For OUTDOOR products (PhotoSigns, Banners, Vinal Decals) we use a Roland Solvent Jet II. This machine uses solvent-based inks that withstand outdoor conditions such as UV and water exposure. The Solvent Jet will print up to 1440 dpi, and achieves stunning colour reproduction quality.
 
Q2 What kinds of material can you print on?
A2 There are hundreds of stock variations. Most Indoor products are printed on a high quality Satin Photobase paper which is then either laminated and/or mounted.

To create our "Duralex" product (for detachable display graphics used with popups) we print on special durable film material which is then laminated with a floorguard quality covering. We also print on backlit film, cling vinyl, textured materials such as "canvas", and banner materials. There are really too many types of material to mention. If you have a specific request, just ask us about it.

Most OUTDOOR products, such as our PHOTOSIGNS, CHAMPION DECALS, and VEHICLE GRAPHICS are printed on self-adhesive glossy VINYL. This material is then laminated and/or mounted on the appropriate base.
 
What can be printed
Q3 What kind of images can be printed?
A3 We can print any image that can be incorporated into a standard page layout program such as Quarkxpress, Pagemaker, or CorelDraw. That includes images from digital cameras, scanned photographs or illustrations, vector graphics created in an illustration program (like Illustrator or CorelDraw). And of course text can be integrated with these images right in the page layout program.
 
Q4 I want to enlarge and print a color photograph. Is this possible?
A4 Yes. The photograph must first be scanned (digitized), then dropped into a page layout program. We can do this for you for the normal scanning charge.
 
Q5 Can I mix logos, headlines and illustrations with photographs; or could I have more than one photograph on a poster?
A5 Yes. You do all of this in the page layout program.
 
Software Used, File Formats
Q6 What page layout programs can I use?
A6 The "industry standards" are Quarkxpress, Adobe Pagemaker and Coreldraw. Some clients use Microsoft Publisher, and sometimes even Microsoft Word will work. You can also use Adobe Acrobat to create a .pdf file. For an explanation of why and how to do this, see below. Before assuming a specific file format will work, please consult with us.
 
Q7 Do you work with both Mac and Windows versions of these programs?
A7 Yes. No problem.
 
Q8 What is a .pdf file? What are the advantages of .pdf?
A8 A "portable document format" file is a version of your file that can be viewed and printed without having to open it in the original application, or on the original platform (mac or pc). The utility that turns it into a .pdf file will collect all the graphics and fonts (within limits) and create a self-contained file with these things embedded in it. It also compresses the file to make it smaller than the non-compressed native version. So it is ideal for transporting from computer to computer.

These are the biggest advantages: 

  1. The .pdf version of your file is platform-independent. It can be opened on and printed from any system with a .pdf reader (like Adobe Acrobat Reader.)
  2. The .pdf version is self-contained, so you don't have to worry about sending graphics or fonts along.
  3. The .pdf version can be used for "soft proofing" on a computer monitor, even over the internet.
  4. The .pdf version is significantly smaller since it is compressed. Graphics are compressed the appropriate amount for the application it is being used for.
Q9 How do I create .pdf files?
A9 You will need a program like Adobe Acrobat (not just the "Reader", but the full "Deluxe" version). With Acrobat Deluxe installed you can often print directly to a .pdf file. Alternatively, you can create a print file (.prn or .ps), and then "distill" it using Acrobat Distiller (part of Acrobat Deluxe).

There are two or three settings that are important to ensure that your file works properly. First, be sure to "embed fonts", and second, be sure to select the correct level of compression. There are three default options: "press optimized", "print optimized", and "screen optimized". For posters, choose one (or create one) that uses a resolution of 600 dpi, and downsamples graphics to 100 dpi (at 100%). Resolutions higher than this result in larger files with more information than the printer can use.
 
Q10 How should I save my bitmap images (scans)?
A10 We recommend you save them as .tif or .jpg with an effective resolution of 100 dpi (at 100%). We also recommend you convert them to CMYK separations in a program like Adobe Photoshop, rather than letting the rip software create the separations. The colours are more predictable that way.
 
Image Quality, Quantity Printing
Q11 How large can a photograph be blown up?
A11 Images can be enlarged at two different stages: the scanning stage, and the printing stage. At the scanning stage, you can build greater "resolution" into the image file. Enlarging it at the printing stage just takes the built-in resolution and spreads it over a larger surface -- giving a fuzzier printed result.

So while there are no theoretical limitations to how large a photo can be enlarged, there are two very important practical limitations. First, the more a photo is enlarged, the less "sharp" it is (especially when it is enlarged at the printing stage.) Second, the more an image is enlarged at the scanning stage, the larger the files become. This can be very significant for large images, because if you build too much resolution into a very large image file, the file may be too large to transport (either on a disk or via the internet.) So the best solution is to find the "point of adequate resolution". This is the point at which greater resolution does not result in significantly improved image quality.

We find that an image scanned at 300 ppi and incorporated into a normal letter size page (8.5" x 11") can be enlarged at the printing stage (display printing, not imagesetter film) up to 4 times (or 400%). That gives you an effective resolution of 75 ppi. 

So, for example, say you take a 4 x 5 print and scan it at 200% to give you an image that is 8" x 10" at 300 ppi. This file (CMYK) will be approximately 28 mb. If you sent this image to one of our display printers at 400% you would get output that is 32" x 40", and the quality of the printed image would be perfectly satisfactory (depending, of course, on the quality of the original photograph, and the quality of the scan.) For a much more complete discussion of these issues, go HERE.
 
Q12 Is it practical to print more than one copy?
A12 Yes. Our graphic printers are ideal for short runs of up to 200 or so copies. Beyond this number it may be cost-effective to use a different printing process.

Second (and successive) copies of the same file can be printed without the initial scanning or printer setup charges, but the printer still has to print each graphic one at a time. Printing the second graphic takes just as long as printing the first one, so unlike with traditional offset printing, any "quantity breaks" are relatively minor.
 
Encapsulation and Mounting
Q13 What is the difference between "encapsulation" and "mounting"?
A13 An unmounted print is "encapsulated" in order to protect it and make it more durable. This involves putting a vinyl or polyester coating on both the front and back, and sealing the edges. Some encapsulation materials are ultra-violet resistant (because most graphics printed for indoor usage will fade in bright sunlight).

A graphic is "mounted' in order to give it rigidity, and usually so it can be hung on a wall, or in a display structure.
 
Q14 I see you have 4 or 5 different kinds of laminate material. What is the difference?
A14 Generally there are three relevant options to consider: 
  1. Type of finish (glossy, satin, or matte).
    Choose the one that best suits your application. Matte is often easier to read than glossy. Satin is a compromise.
  2. Type of material (vinyl or polyester).
    Vinyl is generally more stable and sticks better than polyester. It is also more expensive.
  3. Type of decal material (heat activated or cold, pressure sensitive). Pressure sensitive is generally more stable and creates a better adhesive bond.

You should also consider the amount of UV protection built into each laminate material. Generally, the thicker the material, the more UV protection. For a UV rating chart of various laminates, click HERE.