Prepress in General
aL Printing has an extensive Prepress department. We have the latest graphics industry software packages so we can handle the files you submit in the most efficient manner. Efficiency saves you money, especially if you deliver your files in accordance with our submission specifications (you can download them in PDF format from this website). This is one of the ways we keep the costs to a minimum. After all, particularly during startup, we don’t want to lose any time.
We therefore recommend, especially for larger runs, that you contact us in advance and send us a sample so we know the requirements in advance and the means by which you or your agency can supply a technically correct specification.
Specific technical modifications at image level, necessary for the flexo printing technique, are carried out by our specialists.
Corrections to supplied digital files
If corrections are necessary to the supplied files, which comply with the submission guidelines of aL Printing (see PDF), you will be presented with a written specification of the costs.
Technical aspects
The objective of our Prepress department should be clear: Optimising the supplied file for use with the printing technology we use (flexo or digital printing). That means that modifications must often be made to your files in order to print them correctly. Sometimes we opt to use a PMS colour if transparent text is used on a 4-colour background; this prevents register problems. Images or colour shifts are often given a minimum raster point size of 2%. Naturally all of this takes place in consultation with you, and we will present you with a proof that matches the final product as closely as possible. This is not printed on the actual material that will be used for production, however. Thus there will always be a discrepancy between the colour proof that we present to you and the actual printing on the press.
Our sales advisors can show you the differences and assist you in this matter.
Colour proofs supplied by your agency will not have been produced on our printing system and can therefore hardly be used as a reference for our printing process. We will therefore always present a new reference that is based on our flexo printing system.
 In addition to the colour proof, a printed proof can also be provided. Such a proof can be used as a reference because it is printed on the actual substrate used for the run. This is essential, because printing inks are – to a greater or lesser degree – transparent (more or less opaque) and will always be influenced by the specific whiteness or colour tone of the substrate.
Mixed colours in the form of PMS or a supplied colour sample
In addition to the full-colour work, the other reference colours must be defined in the form of a PMS or a supplied colour reference (colour sample).
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