Will printers accept PDF files for *EVERY* type of project?

I touched on this accidentally in another thread, but just wanted it confirmed (and invite whatever Devil's advocates might be out there to chime in and challenge the notion).

The notion is : Can PDF files be used to produce EVERY type of graphic project imaginable?

We're talking numeric, but also (and more importantly) FLEXOGRAPHY, as well as SILKSCREENING (aka, serigraphy).

Booths, product packaging, outdoor signage, lamination guides... EVERYTHING.

Printers can all accept a single PDF file to handle ANY of these things?

I've been using HIGH QUALITY PRINT for most numeric jobs. Would that preset work for ALL of the above, including silkscreening? Or are there specific settings I need to pay attention to for specific types of print jobs?

Thanks.

Adam schreef:

I touched on this accidentally in another thread, but just wanted it confirmed (and invite whatever Devil's advocates might be out there to chime in and challenge the notion).

The notion is : Can PDF files be used to produce EVERY type of graphic project imaginable?

We're talking numeric, but also (and more importantly) FLEXOGRAPHY, as well as SILKSCREENING (aka, serigraphy).

Booths, product packaging, outdoor signage, lamination guides... EVERYTHING.
Printers can all accept a single PDF file to handle ANY of these things?
I've been using HIGH QUALITY PRINT for most numeric jobs. Would that preset work for ALL of the above, including silkscreening? Or are there specific settings I need to pay attention to for specific types of print jobs?
Thanks.

Yes and sigh.
As long as the original is OK. Please google on Creating PDF's or whatever. Essentially PDF's do all what you want.

Assuming you work in Adobe. You will find pre-sets. Talk with your printer. He/she may have other pre-sets. He/she will mail them. But the regular Hi Res PDF like I gave you yesterday works out fine.

Not sure what you mean with "numeric". But Flexograph and Silk Screen is really no problem. The printer deals with that, sending it to the plate. Then again, is your printer up to date.

Thing is, the printer we deal with is one of the biggest ones in town, and he wants nothing to do with PDFs for anything but numeric printing (stuff that doesn't require creating plates).

Now I know what YOUR experience and opinion on this subject are, you've been very candid and helpful on that front... but I started this thread to find out just how universal your position on the subject is. I can't do that if you're going to be the only one replying to the thread. :-)

"steggy" wrote in message

Yes and sigh.
As long as the original is OK. Please google on Creating PDF's or whatever. Essentially PDF's do all what you want.

Assuming you work in Adobe. You will find pre-sets. Talk with your printer. He/she may have other pre-sets. He/she will mail them. But the regular Hi Res PDF like I gave you yesterday works out fine.
Not sure what you mean with "numeric". But Flexograph and Silk Screen is really no problem. The printer deals with that, sending it to the plate. Then again, is your printer up to date.

On Jan 22, 10:06 pm, "Adam" wrote:

Thing is, the printer we deal with is one of the biggest ones in town, and he wants nothing to do with PDFs for anything but numeric printing (stuff that doesn't require creating plates).

Now I know what YOUR experience and opinion on this subject are, you've been very candid and helpful on that front... but I started this thread to find out just how universal your position on the subject is. I can't do that if you're going to be the only one replying to the thread. :-)
"steggy" wrote in message

Yes and sigh.
As long as the original is OK. Please google on Creating PDF's or whatever. Essentially PDF's do all what you want.

Assuming you work in Adobe. You will find pre-sets. Talk with your printer. He/she may have other pre-sets. He/she will mail them. But the regular Hi Res PDF like I gave you yesterday works out fine.

Not sure what you mean with "numeric". But Flexograph and Silk Screen is really no problem. The printer deals with that, sending it to the plate.. Then again, is your printer up to date.

We print college textbooks -- four color, four-hundred or more pages -- and submit nothing BUT PDF files. Haven't for many years. And as far as moving outside paper printing, as has been said, the PDF generates/rasterizes from the original application, and doesn't run into problems that i know of. I've had a lot of experience with the application in commercial environments, too. I wrote a book in 1986 about using PDF as a common workflow format. It's working now -- we weren't sure way back then. But that should give you an idea of how 'up to date' your local printer actually is.

Get a new printer and move to PDF workflows. They work, and they work perfectly. Something that MIGHT be happening at your printer is that he/she's having RIP problems. I have had font problems coming out of CS3 and CS4 InDesign-generated files being output on a Fiery RIP. On CREO rips, we've never had problems with PDF files -- even font problems, which are the ones you're most likely to run into with PDF workflows.

gary in florida

On Jan 22, 9:06 pm, "Adam" wrote:

Thing is, the printer we deal with is one of the biggest ones in town, and he wants nothing to do with PDFs for anything but numeric printing (stuff that doesn't require creating plates).

Could you explain "numeric" printing again? You must be referring to "digital" printing?

Most modern up to date printing companies will accept PDF files for most projects provided they are created properly. However, of course any company can create and enforce any parameters they want to. If you want to use any particular company it's best to follow whatever guidelines they give you, regardless of what the rest of the industry is doing. If said guidelines are not acceptable to you maybe look for another printer...

That being said, it has been my experience in both sending and receiving files that printers will sometimes create individual "rules" for each customer. What I mean is, if a customer consistently provides problem PDFs the prepress department might inexplicably(from the customer's perspective) start enforcing the "rule" that all files submitted must be native(not PDF). Prepress tends to be impatient...

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:35:18 -1100, "Gemini"
wrote:

God man, *ANY* printer who won't accept PDF files is working in the dark ages of making plates by taking photographs of artwork and developing a film they print the plates from. Historic stuff and hugely costly.
G

Idiot..! Why do you address a normal human as a God-man? Not worth reading anything more from your idiotic on-your-knees attitude when talking to a normal human being:-(

Dave wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:35:18 -1100, "Gemini"
wrote:

God man, *ANY* printer who won't accept PDF files is working in the dark ages of making plates by taking photographs of artwork and developing a film they print the plates from. Historic stuff and hugely costly.
G

Idiot..! Why do you address a normal human as a God-man? Not worth reading anything more from your idiotic on-your-knees attitude when talking to a normal human being:-(

Dave, major interpretation error!

Good grief, man, *ANY* ...

See?

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:34:22 -0600, John J wrote:

Dave wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:35:18 -1100, "Gemini"
wrote:

God man, *ANY* printer who won't accept PDF files is working in the dark ages of making plates by taking photographs of artwork and developing a film they print the plates from. Historic stuff and hugely costly.
G

Idiot..! Why do you address a normal human as a God-man? Not worth reading anything more from your idiotic on-your-knees attitude when talking to a normal human being:-(

Dave, major interpretation error!

Good grief, man, *ANY* ...

See?

No John, it was about the use of God's Name..!
Unless he meant to say 'good man'.
But then should have used his spelling facility.

"Adam" wrote in message

I touched on this accidentally in another thread, but just wanted it confirmed (and invite whatever Devil's advocates might be out there to chime in and challenge the notion).

The notion is : Can PDF files be used to produce EVERY type of graphic project imaginable?

We're talking numeric, but also (and more importantly) FLEXOGRAPHY, as well as SILKSCREENING (aka, serigraphy).

Booths, product packaging, outdoor signage, lamination guides... EVERYTHING.

Printers can all accept a single PDF file to handle ANY of these things?
I've been using HIGH QUALITY PRINT for most numeric jobs. Would that preset work for ALL of the above, including silkscreening? Or are there specific settings I need to pay attention to for specific types of print jobs?

Thanks.

PDF = Portable Document Format ...from the inventors of Postscript, the page description language that revolutionized the printing industry and is responsible for today's ease of producing printing plates and direct computer to press printing.

God man, *ANY* printer who won't accept PDF files is working in the dark ages of making plates by taking photographs of artwork and developing a film they print the plates from. Historic stuff and hugely costly.

Just don't expect to make a PDF with black text in it with Photoshop and have your printer jump for joy. Composite black is a mess at the best of times. From an amateur's attempt, it's bound to give problems.

G

"Dave" wrote in message

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:35:18 -1100, "Gemini"
wrote:

God man, *ANY* printer who won't accept PDF files is working in the dark ages of making plates by taking photographs of artwork and developing a film
they print the plates from. Historic stuff and hugely costly.
G

Idiot..! Why do you address a normal human as a God-man? Not worth reading anything more from your idiotic on-your-knees attitude when talking to a normal human being:-(

A bit ambitious calling yourself normal, isn't it?

"Dave" wrote in message

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:34:22 -0600, John J wrote:

Dave wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:35:18 -1100, "Gemini"
wrote:

God man, *ANY* printer who won't accept PDF files is working in the dark
ages of making plates by taking photographs of artwork and developing a film
they print the plates from. Historic stuff and hugely costly.
G

Idiot..! Why do you address a normal human as a God-man? Not worth reading anything more from your idiotic on-your-knees attitude when talking to a normal human being:-(

Dave, major interpretation error!

Good grief, man, *ANY* ...

See?

No John, it was about the use of God's Name..!
Unless he meant to say 'good man'.
But then should have used his spelling facility.

No. I used the expletive "GOD" (of which I've noted there are at least 900 figures from mythology called "GOD"). I could just as easily said "Shit man", any... but chose to use the word God.

If you are so touchy about your version of religion as opposed to the Samoan's version of GOD that you take offense at the use of a three letter word uses as an expletive... Maybe you'd be more comfortable with four letter words?

G