Cambrian Printers have the latest digital prepress and computer-to-plate (CTP) technology, using PC, Mac and Unix computers. Our technical support team want to help you send us files which will work efficiently with regard to cost and turnaround time. We can provide consultancy and training services should you require.

Preferred data file types

• PDF
• PostScript
• Application files of the following types:
  • QuarkXPress for Mac or PC
  • Adobe PageMaker for Mac or PC
  • Adobe InDesign for Mac or PC
  • Adobe Illustrator for Mac
  • Macromedia Freehand for Mac
  • Adobe PhotoShop for Mac
• Microsoft Word and Publisher files may be acceptable depending on content and use of colour.

Digital file delivery - We are happy to accept files on our FTP servers. We can supply FTP sites free of charge for customers to transfer files to us. Files over 200 MB in size are best sent by post or courier on CD or DVD as they may take several hours to transfer via FTP. We are happy to accept files of up to 20 MB via e-mail although some Internet Service Providers may not allow this.

Removable Media - We support:

• CD ROM
• DVD ROM
• USB memory stick
• 3.5 inch floppy disk

Page specification - Ideally, for magazines and journals, a single multi-page press-ready PDF file should be supplied for the text pages with the cover sent in a second file, made up as two pages of spreads. If there is a spine for the cover, this should be included in the spread – please ask for our spine width calculator spreadsheet if required. If bleed is required (images and colour going to the edge of the trim size) then this should be included in the digital files with crop/trim marks. 3mm bleed is the standard, with the trim marks outside the bleed area. For example an A4 perfect bound publication would have a trim size of 210mm x 297mm, a bleed size of 216mm x 303mm and a media page size of approximately 236mm x 323mm in order to accommodate the trim marks. Pages in PDF files should be centred on the media page size. Please ask for examples if required.

Graphics - Colour scans should be CMYK. If RGB or Lab colour files are submitted, we will need to change these to CMYK, involving extra cost and requiring proofs. EPS, JPEG, TIF and DCS files are supported. Scans for bitmap graphics should be at 300 dpi resolution. Line art should be scanned at 1200 dpi although 600 dpi may be acceptable.

Proofs - We can supply proofs in the following formats:

• HP5500 DesignJet proofs , up to B1 size (1020mm x 720mm). 300 dpi. Useful for checking position and text above 9 pt. Not colour accurate.
• Soft Proofs. These are low-resolution PDF files made from the RIPped page data. They are useful for checking page running order when several different files have been submitted and amalgamated into one file, such as advertisements. They are also useful for checking overprint and knock-out in complex designs made in Illustrator or Freehand. Text under 16 pt will be illegible due to the down-sampling. Soft proofs are too big to send by e-mail, we will send them out via FTP.
• Laser proofs. These are black-and-white or colour page proofs, up to A3 size. They are useful for checking mono work and checking text.

For more detailed explanations see following pdf file.
Supplying Digital Data pdf