Preflight and Proofing Procedure

Purpose. This procedure sets the checks prepress must complete on supplied artwork and the way proofs are produced and approved.

1.Scope

This procedure covers all supplied and internally created artwork for offset, digital, label and wide format output. It applies to prepress operators and designers.

2.Preflight checks

Every file must be opened in the preflight application against the profile for the intended press. The operator must confirm page size, bleed, trim marks, image resolution, colour space, fonts, overprint settings and ink coverage before the file is imposed. Failures must be corrected in prepress where the fix is simple and returned to the client through Client Services where the fix changes the design.

• Trim size and bleed of at least 3 millimetres
• Images at 300 pixels per inch at final size for offset and digital
• Fonts embedded or outlined
• CMYK or named spot colours only
• Total ink coverage within the press limit
• Rich black and overprint settings checked

3.Imposition

The operator will impose the job to the press sheet or digital duplex layout recorded on the job ticket, checking pagination, folding sequence, grain direction and gripper allowance. The imposition must be checked by a second operator for jobs over 32 pages or any carton job.

4.Proofing

A colour managed proof must be produced on the calibrated proofer for every job unless the client has approved a soft proof in writing. The proof must be labelled with the job number, version and date. The client approval must be recorded on the job ticket before plates or digital files are released.

5.Plates and file release

Plates will be imaged from the approved imposition and checked for scratches, dot reproduction and correct plate identification. Digital files will be released to the press queue with the job number and version in the file name.

6.Version control

Every revised file must carry a new version number, and superseded versions must be moved to the archive folder, never deleted. The ticket must record which version was approved and printed.