All commercial printing companies want to ensure that prints come out exactly as planned, especially for large batch orders. If there is even so much as a smudge or small error within the main print, then the entire batch will be ruined and your order will not have your intended effect.
This is why print proofing is essential. It is the last chance for our team to catch any errors or small mistakes that may have slipped through the cracks on a project. At Professional Graphics Inc., we always ensure that your print comes out exactly as you want, and the print proofing process is one of the main ways we ensure consistent quality.
What Exactly Is Print Proofing?
In the printing industry, a print proof is a print that is an exact replica of what the end result will be. This proof is the last item to be examined prior to an order being sent to production.
Print proofs are essential because they are the last chance for any errors to be caught prior to an order being executed. Before production begins on a large order, you want the proof to be examined thoroughly so materials, effort and money are not wasted on a faulty product.
Proofs use all of the same materials and calibrations as the final job will in order to provide a perfect representation of what to expect from the batch. The end results of the proof should be a sample that is indistinguishable from the final product. Although the proofing process may seem unnecessary, it is actually one of the most important parts of the printing job.
The Importance Of Print Proofing
Print proofing is a very important process that can save businesses a ton of time and effort while minimizing the chance of errors. Not only that, but it also leads to a better quality product project after project. Some of the main reasons that professional printing companies use proofs include the following:
Save Time and Money
Without a proof, the number of errors that can slip through the cracks increases. Nobody wants a project where a lot of time, effort and resources have been used only to get canceled due to a small mistake that could have easily been spotted on a proof.
By proofing, we don’t have to reset the entire production process. Instead, we only need to make minor adjustments between each round of proofs. The end result does include more steps, but it is actually much faster than simply sending a job to be printed and hoping that it works out.
Technical Considerations
When you look at an image on different computer screens, you will notice small differences in a picture that may go unnoticed versus just checking it on a single monitor. This same principle applies to printers as well. Large-scale printers are very precise and require special tuning and calibration to make a high-quality batch of products.
Print proofing allows us to show clients exactly what to expect from the final product, leaving no room for interpretation or error due to machinery or production issues. Any adjustments you make to your proofs will appear on the final print exactly as you expect.
The Print Proofing Process
The proof is normally completed about halfway through the entire process after the design and planning stages have been completed. The steps involved in the proof process include:
Convert To PDF
First, the finalized print is converted to a pdf format. This is then sent to the client for review.
Print The Proof
Secondly, we print a high-quality proof using the same materials that will be used on the final job. When this is finished, we show it to you so that you can make any corrections or suggestions. A clear plastic overlay may be applied to allow you to write or mark specific areas of the proof.
Make Any Adjustments
After we receive any edits (which are usually related to color shifts) we print out another round of proofs for final verification. If this new copy has no edits, the proof is completed and moved along to final production based on the order.
Get Started With Commercial Printing Today
Overall, print proofing is an essential process to meet quality standards both at the printer and with you. It drastically reduces the chance for error and helps save clients and businesses valuable time and effort.
If you want consistently high-quality prints, don’t skip out on the all-important proof! Professional Graphics Inc. is a full-service commercial printing company that has over 40 years of experience in the printing industry. Our team treats organizations like family and always works diligently to provide clients with the highest quality products at competitive rates. Contact us online to get started with us as soon as today.