The life cycle of a print job starts with you! Your design concept is step one.
From there you’ll need to choose a print format, decide on specs like quantity, paper finish, inks, and determine your budget and timeline. Once you have all your info gathered, the next piece of the puzzle is to get pricing from your printer. That’s where we come in!
Quoting
With specs in hand, our estimator can determine best layouts for production and calculate costs. We’re happy to quote multiple options if you want to compare pricing for different quantities or even page counts, sizes, and paper specs.
Customer Service
Once your files are ready, submit your order to your customer service rep and they will get it in the works for you! Writing up a production order for your chosen option, submitting to prepress for file work and production to be scheduled and to order paper and any other supplies specific to your project.
Prepress
Prepress will preflight your files to make sure there are no issues. If there are, customer service will be in touch. If all is good, prepress will move on to ripping and outputting proofs, whether that be PDFs to send via email or hard copy proofs (high res for color and low res for content/construction) to ship out. If you have any edits that you catch during proofing, let prepress or your customer service rep know and we’ll make the changes and send a PDF proof out for review.
After proofs are approved (if you received hard proofs and we didn’t make a second set for us, we will need them back before we go to press please) and all production details are confirmed, prepress will output plates for press (if the job is offset). For digital jobs, the files are transferred to the digital press.
For offset print, the plates are hung, paper loaded, ink fountains filled and settings from prepress are imported. Color adjustments are made, registration is adjusted, all color is matched to proofs for 4 color jobs or to a PMS book for a Pantone color jobs. Projects are run to specified counts to make sure proper spoilage and finished counts are made at end of project.
Finishing
After printed sheets are off press, next up is finishing! Depending on what your finished piece is, your job may go through multiple processes. Trimming, folding, saddle stitching or another type of binding. It may get die cut, laminated, embossed or foil stamped. Or some combination of all of these options!
After it goes through the finishing process, we’ll pack it up and send it on its way!
Shipping
There are multiple options when it comes to shipping. For small jobs, we can ship via UPS or FedEx (Ground or Express). For larger jobs that are local, we can send with our driver in the MIGU van, or we can use a courier. Larger jobs going to farther locales will ship LTL on a skid.
If you have a shipping account you want us to use, we can ship third party. Or if you have a freight or logistics vendor, we’ll provide the shipping details and you can arrange pickup through them.
The life cycle of a print job is a choreographed process involving attention to detail at every stage. When the journey is understood, we can become better partners in navigating the process—starting with better files, allowing appropriate timelines, and appreciating the value of quality print production.
Next time you hold a beautifully printed piece, remember the journey it took to get there. From that first spark of an idea to the moment it reaches your hands, countless decisions, adjustments, and quality checks have ensured it perfectly represents your brand and message.
Photo by Mark König on Unsplash
