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:

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.

 

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

 

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...

 

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:-(

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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