If you give us TIF, PDF, or DWF files that are named in alphanumerical order (i.e. 001, 002, 003, etc.) we will waive the processing fee. This may require you to rename your files before giving them to us. Consider adding a “001-“, “002-“, etc. before your drawing name, specifying the order they would go in the set.
Note: Files named “CoverSheet”, “A101”, “S101”, and “E101” are NOT alphanumerically ordered, and would incur additional fees to place the set in order.
Get the best quality prints from your computer files
- Convert any gray tones to halftones (black dots) or lines.
- Avoid very light/thin lines.
- Avoid image within ½ inch of the edge of the page.
- include a 1-inch binding margin.
- No colors
- TIF, CAL and raster PDF files are the best!
- PLT, DWF or vector-PDF files may print with subtle differences or unexpected results.
- No DWG’s, they do not have enough information for us to print from, as several variables (scale, fonts, line width, etc.) are not set in such files. For this reason, we do not print from DWG’s.
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Why do my grays look different on the copy?
Since the ink in the printer is black, anything gray must be approximated by patterns of dots. To get a good print, make all of your grays into patterns of dots or lines before we print.
Why do my half size look different than my full size?
When reducing to half size, the printer must squeeze four pixels of image area into one pixel. Since the printer can only print black, any 4 pixel group with something other than black in it must be interpreted as either black or white. That means that what may look gray on a full-size could be interpreted as near-black. To get a good copy, make all of your grays into patterns of black dots or lines before we print.
More about file types
(see the section on how to save money when printing from file)
File Formats Best to Worst:
Tif Group 4 or CAL files at 400 DPI are the standard for high-volume printing of drawings. These always work the best, and take the shortest amount of time to process. Other DPI’s work, but lower resolution can create lower quality. Files named in numeric order will save you money when printed.
Flattened-Vector-PDF files (made up of lines and fonts from a CAD program and not “printed to image”) work fine. “Flattened” means that they do not have any layers embedded in the PDF itself. However, subtle differences in line quality and fonts may show up depending on the software driver used to print/view the file. Creating a multi-page PDF of all your files in order (one file that contains all your sheets) will save you money when printed.
DWF files work fine, although subtle differences in line quality and fonts may show up depending on the software driver used to print/view the file. Creating a multi-page DWF of all your files in order (one file that contains all your sheets) will save you money when printed.
Layered-vector-PDF files (non-flattened) can take up to 4 hours per sheet to process and some simply will not process. To avoid this, if you have the option when creating your PFD from a CAD program, choose “flatten”. Subtle differences in line quality and fonts may show up depending on the software driver used to print/view the file.
PLT files work okay, but have many variables in them which could change the way your print appears, in terms of line opacity, shaded areas, screens and patterns.
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