PROOFING:
- If you order a "Preflight and PDF proof", your production time begins as soon as you approve your proof in our system.
- Allow up to 24 hours for delivery of 1st Preflight and PDF proof".
- If your files do not meet file requirements, we allow one free file resubmission to correct the problems.
- Subsequent file resubmissions will be charged $10.
If you order "None - My File is Press Ready" your production time begins when your order is approved (only recommended if you are certain you want us to print what you sent as is).
PRODUCTION TIME:
- Production times begin when proof(s) are approved.
- All times are based on standard business days Monday through Friday excluding weekends (Saturday & Sunday) and holidays.
- Files must be uploaded or approved before the cut off time, which is 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time for production to begin on the following day.
- Files uploaded after the cut off time will be processed the following business day.
- Production time does not include shipping time.
What type of files can I send to Printville?
The best type of file to provide is a print ready .PDF file. We recommended a minimum of 300dpi, converted to CMYK colorspace, all fonts embedded. Make sure you have a minimum of 1/8" (0.125") BLEED on all edges of your job, and a 1/8" (0.125") SAFE area that has all critical design element such as text, pulled away from trim.
Following these guidelines, and CAREFULLY CHECKING THE RESULTING PDF before uploading will greatly reduce the possibility of error and accelerate your job through production.
PDF print ready files:
• Minimum resolution of 300 dpi
• CMYK colorspace
• All fonts embedded
• Artwork should have 1/8" (0.125") bleed from trim line
• Information content ("Safe Area") should be 1/8" (0.125") away from trim line.
What color mode should my files be?
If you send us an RGB file, there is a chance that a color shift may occur and you may not be satisfied with your job. You should always start and finish your designs in CMYK color mode.
What resolution should my file be?
Low resolution files may be printed as is or will be placed on hold until we receive new files, slowing your turn-around. We recommend 300 dpi for your file resolution.
How should I set up my bleed?
Bleed must extend past the cut-line and will be trimmed from the product during the final cutting phase. When the image is required to extend all the way to the edge, bleed is needed to preserve the finished look and the quality of the final product. The bleed for standard products is .125" (1/8").
What is a "safe zone"?
The safe zone is the area inside the cut line that should be kept free of type or other detailed elements. Please keep all text at least 0.125" inside the cut-line.
Does Printville accept borders on jobs?
Yes, but if the border is too close to the cutline, it may be cut off-center slightly.
How should I set up my file for proper rotation?
Printville requires print ready files with proper rotation. Files submitted are printed HEAD to HEAD as-is based off your files. The HEAD is always the top of your file.
Make sure to set up your files so that when we print them HEAD to HEAD the final product will read the way you would like. Also, front and back files need to be set up either both sides vertically or both sides horizontally. If you would like your back file to be upside down, please send your artwork as upside down.
For files not properly set up, Printville will use best judgment and will not be responsible for improper rotation.
How can I avoid transparency issues?
Never use shadows, glows, or any other transparency (image or otherwise) on top of a spot color. Always convert your spot color to CMYK and flatten before sending.
Should I send a proof or sample file?
When sending artwork, do not send extra files, like proofs or samples, because they might get printed. Only send the files you need printed. Unless requested by one of our employees, DO NOT send files that you do not want printed.
What is overprint, and how can it ruin my print job?
Overprint is primarily used to intentionally overlap inks for a number of reasons, overprint can cause unexpected results. We suggest that you turn all overprint objects off before submitting your files.
How should I set up a Spot UV job?
When creating a Spot UV job, You must include a Spot UV template file along with the regular full color file. The Spot UV template file is used to show where the UV will be placed. Use 100% K (Black) to indicate where you would like the UV. White will indicate no UV.
How can I make sure my blues do not come out purple?
When using a blue in your design, always make sure to leave at least a 30% difference in your Cyan and Magenta values. Blue is close to purple in the CMYK spectrum. Remember, use a low amount of magenta whenever using high amounts of cyan to avoid purple. Example: C-100 M-70 Y-0 k-0
How do I export a .pdf correctly?
When exporting from any program such as Indesign or Illustrator, use these settings to make sure your .PDF files export correctly. Make sure the Adobe PDF Preset is set to: Press Quality and the Compatibility is set to Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3)
What is "rich-black" or "super-black" and how can I get it?
Rich black is an ink mixture of solid black, 100% K, with additional CMY ink values. This results in a darker tone than black ink alone. If you print black alone as 100% K, the resulting black may not be as dark as you might like. We recommend using C 60 M 40 Y 40 K 100. This will give you a deep, dark, rich black.
Why does my business card crack around the edges?
Cracking of the edges of a business card sometimes occurs when the card contains high values of ink, as in dark colors. This usually happens on a small amount of cards in the run. To prevent this, use lighter colors or if you must use dark colors, use as little ink as possible.
What is banding?
Many things can cause banding. Banding can be caused by the program that it is exported from, such as Indesign or Corel. Also, too many gradient steps, for example going from a very light color to a dark color, in a small area will cause banding.
How can PMS or Pantone colors affect the way my job prints?
Sending your job with Spot or Pantone colors will result in a color shift or other imaging issues if it is being printed using CMYK ink. Printville will convert your spot colors to CMYK but will not be responsible for the color accuracy of the conversion.
How do I set up a Foil Job?
We offer 2 types of foil, Silver and Gold. Each order can only have one type of foil, Gold or Silver. You can't order a Foil job with Gold foil on the front and Silver foil on the back. Foil mask files are set up just like our Spot UV mask files. The file can only be black and white. Black in the areas you want the foil and white in the areas you do not want the foil. If you order a Foil job with Spot UV, you must provide separate mask files for the Foil (foil mask) and UV (spuv mask), in that case up to 6 files will need to be provided.
However, please keep in mind that the Foil and UV can't overlap. Also please avoid using small / fine text or fonts for foil objects. For best results, please make sure that foil coverage is less than 50% of the artwork area. Also, be aware that there may be up to 1/16" shift on the placement of the foil. Keep this in mind if you are trying to align foil with other printed artwork on the card.
What is Printville's standard round corner radius?
We offer 1/4" and 1/8" radius round corners.
Refund & Cancellation Policy
Due to the speed of our turnaround, you may only cancel a job the same business day you place your order. The cancellation must occur before the cutoff time that applies to your order and the related product(s) that were ordered. A minimum charge of $35 + 3% of total job cost (includes shipping) is applied to jobs canceled. No refunds will be issued for orders cancelled after the business day order was placed. In those instances we will issue store credit.
If a refund is issued it can take up to 12 days for the funds to be released back to your account, we have no control over this process and it cannot be expedited.
