PDF files are the basis for our direct-to-plate workflow. PDF files are composite files generated from documents created in other applications. The PDF contains all of the fonts, graphics, and other layout information necessary to print a high-resolution version of the document. It eliminates the possibility of incorrect output due to font substitution, copy rewraps, incorrect graphic linking and postscript interpretations.
PDF files also have the benefit of being much smaller than the original document files, along with all graphic files. A 35mb Quark document and related graphic files will reduce to a 13mb PDF file.
When created correctly for high-resolution printing, PDF files are the preferred format for submitting files to PrintCo.
PrintCo can only accept PDF files which have been created as PressOptimized or with the Distiller settings as shown on page 14. All other PDF formats will not have the high quality required for commercial printing.
Do not use PDFWriter to create PDFs. They are not optimized for high quality printing.
Creating a PDF takes the following steps:
Some applications, such as Freehand and Illustrator, offer the ability to save a document as a PDF. Since not all applications with this ability offer all the same options as Distiller, we cannot guarantee that this method of PDF creation will work. If this is the only method available to you for PDF creation, try to match the application’s options for PDFs as closely to our recommendations as possible.