File setup, printing & color.

Aim for 150–300 ppi at finished size for close-viewed graphics. Artwork viewed farther away may work at lower resolution; send it for review. Enlarging a small image does not restore missing detail. Keep logos and type vector where possible.

Check effective resolution at output size: a 2,700 × 3,600-pixel image printed at 18 × 24 inches is 150 ppi. Enlarging it to 36 × 48 inches reduces it to 75 ppi. Changing a resolution label alone does not add detail; resampling adds or removes pixels. PPI describes artwork pixels per inch, while printer DPI describes the output device.

An ICC profile identifies how the color numbers in your file should be interpreted. Keep the original embedded profile with the artwork. A profile helps preserve color intent; it cannot make every screen color printable.

The printer, ink, substrate, white-ink backing and finish all affect the result. A generic offset-print profile is not a guarantee of the appearance on PVC, ACM or acrylic.

Small black text and fine rules: use a single black channel in CMYK artwork (C0 M0 Y0 K100) unless the job specification calls for another treatment. Keep text and linework vector.

Large black areas: identify whether a deep black or a specific neutral appearance is important. Rich-black mixtures vary with the output process; there is no universal CMYK recipe that guarantees the same result on every material. Request a production sample when the appearance is critical.

Do not use the Registration swatch for printable black artwork. It is intended for production marks across separations. Do not add your own registration marks to the supplied design.

Use consistent color definitions across adjoining objects. Different black or gray builds can look alike on screen but print differently. Flag neutral grays, black backgrounds and replacement panels that must match existing work.

Inspect the exported PDF, including gradients, clipping masks, shadows, blend modes and transparent objects. In Illustrator use View → Overprint Preview; inspect separations in a production-capable PDF viewer when available.

Overprint allows underlying inks to remain instead of knocking them out. It can change the appearance of overlaps. Accidental overprint on ordinary white artwork can make that artwork disappear; a dedicated white-ink separation needs its own reviewed instructions.

Keep an editable original. Do not flatten or rasterize the entire job simply to remove a warning: that can destroy vector cut paths, fine text or spot-color separations. If an effect renders incorrectly, submit it for review and resolve only the affected artwork. Modern PDF formats can retain live transparency; the exported appearance still needs checking.

Provide a normal-reading appearance reference. If production artwork is already mirrored, label it clearly so it is not mirrored twice. Plain white objects in a CMYK PDF do not, by themselves, specify a white-ink layer. White-mask names and production setup are checked during preflight.

Specify the viewing side, clear areas, white coverage and intended finish. White-ink coverage, acrylic thickness and the viewing background affect perceived color and opacity. For a critical result, approve a sample with that same construction.

1. Use the finished dimensions at 1:1; state any reduced scale and the final output dimensions.
2. Outline fonts and embed linked images in the production copy. Retain your editable original.
3. Preserve embedded color profiles and named spot colors. Do not convert to an unconfirmed output profile.
4. Retain the required bleed. Exclude printer marks and do not gang or nest designs.
5. Keep contour paths, hole geometry and white-ink separations distinct from the printable artwork.
6. Avoid export settings that downsample images below the intended resolution at finished size.
7. Open the exported PDF and check dimensions, spelling, orientation, effects and color separations before upload.

A PDF file extension does not guarantee that the file is production-ready. Preflight and approval still apply.

For the application controls behind this guidance:

• Adobe Illustrator: PDF export options
• Adobe Illustrator: overprinting and preview
• Adobe Illustrator: saving transparent artwork
• Adobe Photoshop: embedding color profiles
• Adobe Photoshop: print dimensions and resolution

Keep embedded color profiles with the artwork and identify whether files are RGB or CMYK. Do not convert to an unfamiliar output profile. Screens and printed materials can show color differently.

Pantone and other named targets: include the complete reference, including its library or coated/uncoated suffix. Preserve the named spot swatch in vector artwork; a similar-looking CMYK mix can lose that target information. Identify the physical reference for an existing sign, paint or other sample. Color-matching requirements and any measurable tolerance must be agreed for the actual construction before acceptance; no blanket Delta E guarantee is implied.

Critical brand or architectural color? Identify the Pantone or other specified color target in the job notes. A named color is a target, not a guarantee of an exact process-ink match. Material, white ink, print surface and protective finish affect the result.

Color-critical production sample: request a paid sample on the specified substrate, with the intended print surface, white ink and finish, before authorizing the full run. Sample size, price and schedule are quoted separately from the material sample kit. Approve the physical sample before the full production run is scheduled.

Use Download proof (PDF) in the pricing calculator for all sheet layouts and individual artwork views with calculated finished sizes, quantities and artwork assignments. Download sheet image saves the sheet currently shown as a PNG. Both are available in the expanded workspace and omit wholesale prices and supplier branding. JPG and PNG artwork appears in the proof; PDF, vector and unavailable artwork is identified for separate review.

Downloaded proofs are review copies. Changes require a new download, and production approval is separate. Neither a screen preview, a PDF nor a production photograph establishes printed color. Photos document the output and inspection; lighting and cameras can alter apparent color. A repeat run may also differ from aged or weathered existing signage. Check spelling, phone numbers, quantities, orientation and dimensions before approval.

Supply a clean, closed vector outline for each finished contour on a separate, clearly labeled layer. Remove duplicate paths and stray points. Identify internal cutouts and keep cut geometry separate from printable artwork.

For mounting holes, provide diameters and center locations in a dimensioned drawing. For white ink, identify spot/image-area white or full flood and supply the white artwork separately from CMYK. Specify first- or second-surface printing and the intended viewing side.

We check paths and white-ink instructions during preflight. Uploading a vector file to the calculator currently attaches it for review; it does not automatically extract its contour or establish the final manufacturing layout.

Bleed is artwork beyond the cut. Spacing is room for the cutting tool. Neither is a manufacturing tolerance or permission to reduce your finished size.

Frames, replacement faces, architectural fits and hole-critical parts: choose Exact Finished Dimensions and supply the required fit tolerance. This prevents a nesting-related size reduction; it does not imply zero manufacturing variation. The achievable tolerance is confirmed for the material and process before acceptance.

Most standard stock is 48 × 96 inches. A panel requiring routing on all four sides needs room for perimeter clearance; a finished 48 × 96 routed panel may need oversize stock or project pricing. Send oversized designs for a paneling or fabrication quote.

Preflight checks file integrity, artwork size against the order, image resolution, required cut paths and white-ink instructions. Check transparencies, overprints and effects in your exported PDF; flag anything whose appearance depends on a special setting.

If a file needs correction, we identify the issue at no charge. You can correct and resubmit it, or approve our quote for production-file repair. Graphic design, recreation and content changes are quoted separately.

File work is charged for the work required, not repeated for every sheet using the same corrected file. Changes to artwork, geometry, text or appearance are returned for approval before manufacturing.

You are responsible for supplied text, content and approved dimensions. Production preflight is not proofreading. The two-business-day production clock begins after artwork approval and payment requirements are met; corrections can change the ship date, and rush availability is checked again.