File Prep

Helpful tips for prepping your folded carton file.

With shrinking timelines and increased demand for quality, we understand the need to get things right the first time. When your digital art files are set up correctly on the front end, it also helps us execute your project with the greatest accuracy in the shortest amount of time. Below, we’ve compiled a list of handy tips to help you properly prep your files for prepress.

1. When sending files, make sure to use the die line from the signed prototypes. We produce prototypes for customer review and approval for all projects—whether we get a supplied die line file or we engineer one from scratch. Once approved, we send this updated die line template to be used for art creation to ensure all design elements fit within the parameters. We then process those files for production and provide proofs for final review. If the approved die line file is not used, it can cause issues with the artwork not fitting properly, increasing the chance of a delay.
2. To set up a job for success, please send the full “packaged” Adobe Illustrator files—this includes the original Adobe Illustrator (ai) file, included fonts and linked assets.
   • Make sure to collect all fonts with submission.
   • Make sure the images included are high resolution for printing (300 dpi).
3. Don’t forget your special finishing layers! Example: Spot Gloss, UV Coating, Embossing, Foiling, etc. Set this layer as a spot color and label accordingly.

If you have any questions, please contact your customer service representative at SPC. If you would like more information or need specific details on prepping your files, our prepress team can work with you to get you on the right track.