Best suited
for the following signs:
Wide-Format Digital
Printing
Thermal Printing (Gerber EDGE)
Signs with Cut Vinyl Graphics
Vehicle Graphics
Signs with a Lot of Copy
Logos & Custom Designs
Shirts & Caps
Silk-Screen Printing
How your
Illustrator file can save setup expense:
For Wide-Format and
Thermal Digital Printing, your file can usually print as
is, with no additional design time.
For Cut Vinyl Graphics (typically less expensive), your
file can be imported into our vinyl-cutting software,
thus eliminating the usual digitizing necessary.
Please follow the
checklist below to avoid extra setup expense.
Pre-Flight
Checklist:
Specific instructions
for making your file suit our equipment.
1. Convert
all Type to Outlines
HOW: Select all type.
Choose Type > Create Outlines. If the option is
disabled, you may need to release clipping masks and/or
ungroup objects.
NOTE: You may skip this step if your are running Windows
and your version of Illustrator allows you to activate
Embed All Fonts upon saving.
2. Provide
linked or placed files separately
Not all file formats
include copies of themselves when placed.
Placed images should be about 150 dpi at final output
size.
3. Save as
version CS2 or earlier
HOW: Choose File >
Save As... In the Illustrator Native Format Options
dialog choose a suitable version in the Compatibility
drop-down. Please save as either .ai or .eps.
4. Provide a
printout of the design
Or provide a .pdf or
.jpg so we can verify that your Illustrator file opened
correctly.
Additional
Checklist For Cut Vinyl Graphics:
5. Eliminate
all paths that should not cut
It is common practice
to create a complex shape by stacking simple shapes of a
common color.
However, a vinyl cutter's knife will follow EVERY path.
Please simplify your shapes so that the only path is
around the outside of the shape (and any voids within
the shape).
HOW: Select objects. Choose Window > Pathfinder. Press
Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and click the Add button
(the left button under Shape Modes).
Also, please make
sure objects are closed ...the knife will not follow a
path segment that's not there.
Please avoid duplicates of paths superimposed over each
other.
6. Eliminate
all print-only attributes
Cut Vinyl Graphics
are only capable of reproducing type and shapes of solid
color.
Eliminate all gradients, strokes, drop shadows, glows,
styles, effects, clipping masks, etc. ...The knife is
only going to follow the path itself.
7. Convert
all Type to Outlines
Even if you embed
your fonts, this is a must for cut vinyl. The cutting
software does not recognize TrueType, Type 1 or Mac
fonts.
8. Save as
version 5.0 to 6.0
