Are you facing issues or making mistakes when working with digital prepress services? Do you encounter printing problems that you'd rather avoid during prepress? If your answer is yes, you've come to the right place. Here, we'll outline the primary mistakes often encountered in digital prepress services and printing. Let's embark on a journey through the entire packaging printing process.
The journey begins with a digital file before a flexible package can be printed. These files contain more than just the design, as each part allows a pre-press coordinator to prepare your design for transitioning from a digital file to a physical stand-up pouch, lay flat pouch, or roll stock.
Once you've submitted your artwork to your flexible packaging company, the subsequent step involves making your files “printer-ready.” This stage, which occurs after receiving the order and design file but before any actual printing occurs, is known as pre-press. During this phase, a pre-press coordinator carefully examines your files to prepare your project for printing.
We understand the urgency of getting your package to the printer quickly. The quicker it's in production, the faster your product can be delivered to consumers. However, delays can occur when your file encounters issues or if you inadvertently overlook filing requirements. To prevent these delays and speed up the availability of your package, we will highlight several common mistakes that can disrupt the printing process.
What Are the Primary Digital Prepress Mistakes You Need to Consider the Most?
Color Choices Matter
Choosing the right colors for your flexible package design is of utmost importance. There are two key color models to be aware of: RGB (red, green, blue) and CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, also known as key).
The RGB color model is employed for designs intended for electronic displays like the one you use to read this article on your iPhone or laptop.
In contrast, the CMYK color model is suited for digitally printed designs. Digital printers, such as the HP digital presses and the printers you might have in your office, rely on CMYK. CMYK also allows for additional colors like orange, green, and violet, expanding the range of hues, often called “extended gamut,” making it easier for printing presses to match a wider spectrum of colors.
It's common for files to be submitted in the RGB color model, which works well for computer displays but isn't ideal for digital printers. To expedite your designs onto the digital press, ensure they are set in CMYK before sending them to your pre-press coordinator.
Mismatched Package Dimensions
Creating a design that perfectly matches your package dimensions is essential. While you may know your package's precise size, you'll encounter delays if your artwork doesn't align properly. It's crucial to ensure everyone involved, especially your artwork designer, is in sync regarding the required size. This alignment will help prevent discrepancies and keep your project on track, particularly in Digital Prepress Services.
Blurred Images
Unclear pictures lead to blurry packaging, making it hard for designers and consumers to see properly. You must include top-notch images in your designs to ensure the best possible print quality. Whenever feasible, utilize either vector- or pixel-based images with a resolution of at least 300 DPI. Images with lower resolutions than 300 DPI will look pixelated or hazy once printed. It's a wise practice to consult with your package designer to ensure the quality of the images before finalizing your design.
Hard-to-Read Text
Every great design includes text, whether your brand's story or product information. But the text can become difficult to read if you're not careful. Things like how the text is displayed or how much text is on the package can make the text hard to read and unattractive to consumers.
Blurry Barcodes
A barcode is mandatory for every product according to the rules and regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It enables consumers to purchase your product easily, benefiting all parties involved. However, if the barcode is not correctly formatted, it may appear too blurry to be read accurately. Therefore, ensuring the barcode is correctly formatted is crucial for seamless and accurate scanning. Make sure to send a high-quality barcode image in a vector file format. Your barcode should be black, not navy or other dark colors, to ensure it works correctly.
Spelling Mistakes
Mistakes in spelling happen more often than you think. We all make spelling errors occasionally, but this can be a significant issue when creating business or marketing materials. It can lead people to question your professionalism. Ensuring the accuracy of your materials is crucial to dispel doubts about your reliability, and this will benefit your business in many ways. Sometimes, spelling and grammar errors can be overlooked, so it's advisable to have someone review the text before printing it, especially when considering prepress solutions.
Ignoring Quiet Borders
One printing error you can avoid once you know about it is not using quiet borders. These borders are like buffer zones and should be at least 5 mm away from the document's edge. No text or other elements should intrude into this quiet border. Sometimes, you need some space to prevent the material from looking overcrowded.
Using Images Incompatible with CMYK
Always make sure that the images you use can be changed to CMYK. This mistake can be easily avoided by discussing requirements with the printing company. You may need to change certain files if you want exact color matching.
Trust the Experts for the Right Guidance on Digital Prepress Services
Ensuring your design and digital files are print-ready is crucial for successfully bringing your design to life, stocking it on shelves, and reaching your target audience. Now that you know of some common printing mistakes, you can outsource digital prepress services. These services provide expert guidance and support throughout the printing process and avoid costly mistakes. If you have questions about the printing process or want to learn more about digital prepress, we recommend contacting a professional prepress service provider with years of experience in digital prepress services that provide error-free results.
