Printing problem

[Sydcee]

We are designing in photoshop & adobe & bringing the files into Flexi to print but are getting poor quality prints. Any tips?

 

[dypinc]

Define what you mean by poor quality?

Color off?

Pixelation?

 

[Sydcee]

Not vibrant colors. If I create a similar file in flexi the colors are much better. And the CMYK on both are the same

 

[rjssigns]

You're probably sending Adobe files with a color profile attached. I save without color conversion and let Flexi handle it. Been using a canned Flexi profile with great results.

 

[Sydcee]

I was thinking it had to be how it was coming over being I was using the same cmyk. Being I am just now dabbling into the adobe /Photoshop could you enlighten me on how to save it without the color conversion? would save me a lot of time

 

[rjssigns]

I was thinking it had to be how it was coming over being I was using the same cmyk. Being I am just now dabbling into the adobe /Photoshop could you enlighten me on how to save it without the color conversion? would save me a lot of time

Here ya go.

 

[myront]

... & bringing the files into Flexi to print...

By bringing in to print do you mean to the Flexi design program then to print? Why not just drop in a hot folder(print que) and print using Flexi Print Manager?

 

[Sydcee]

Ill try that. but should I save the file a certain way first?

 

[myront]

My guidelines for our printing
1st - PDF with fonts converted. Especially if gradients and/or pantone colors are present.
2nd - Tiff If all or majority is raster
3rd - eps Can be used but only if there are no gradients and color variation isn't a concern

That's as simple as I can make it.

 

[Sydcee]

Here ya go.

Thank You I will try it

 

[Sydcee]

My guidelines for our printing
1st - PDF with fonts converted. Especially if gradients and/or pantone colors are present.
2nd - Tiff If all or majority is raster
3rd - eps Can be used but only if there are no gradients and color variation isn't a concern

That's as simple as I can make it.

Thank You

 

[rjssigns]

Ill try that. but should I save the file a certain way first?

Nope, what you see in the dialog box I posted is it.

Open Production Manager in Flexi then add job.
Once loaded into PM you can double click the job. This will open up your settings.
I just ran a job like this using 3640 Orajet with the canned profile and it turned out great.(Mutoh 1624X)

 

[Sydcee]

Got it, trying to get back to shop to try it

 

[shoresigns]

We only use PDF for production here. If your RIP supports PDF, there's no reason to use anything else, as it's far more versatile than EPS or TIFF.

If you encounter problems with how your RIP interprets a PDF, there are several compatibility presets you can use called PDF/X, which will simplify the format of the PDF file. And if you ever really need to flatten the file to an image, you can do that in Acrobat, within the PDF file. No need to export to TIFF from Illustrator, which takes much longer.

 

[Sydcee]

pdf for large files also?
the pdf/x presets are in flexi's production manager?

 

[shoresigns]

pdf for large files also?
the pdf/x presets are in flexi's production manager?

PDF/X presets are in Illustrator/Photoshop/Indesign. I don't know which one works best with Flexi's RIP, but my approach is normally to use X1A on complex designs, because it's the oldest, most compatible, and part of that is because it flattens transparencies.

 

[myront]

pdf for large files also?
the pdf/x presets are in flexi's production manager?

Depends.
- A file that is all vector will produce the smallest file size when sent as pdf (quickest RIP speed).
- Raster images may be downsampled "too much" (depends on your specific pdf settings). If the majority is raster then tif is fine but no more than 150dpi.
- A file that is text heavy will "bloat" when choosing to convert fonts to curves in a pdf whereby increasing the RIP speed. (use tiff)
- Things can also get "out of whack" when transparencies and other odd effects are used (again tif)
- Almost all 3rd party pdf files we receive need to be fixed and or checked in some way and if you're not careful you won't see what anomalies have been dropped in/dropped out.especially text not converted that has characters "ti" the dot over the eye will drop out altogether. We've had to resort to opening the pdf file with photoshop/flatten and save as a tiff.