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Laminated Printing: 3 Reasons to Laminate Flip Books & Flip Charts

January 31st, 2012 by formax

Coil-Bound Flip Books Used for Educational Purposes

Flip Books and Flip Charts contain pages that turn, or flip, easily. They are usually created as a simple ring or spiral coil bound document that either lays flat or forms a self-standing easel shape.

Designed primarily for table or desktop use, flip books and flip charts provide a convenient and low-tech way to convey information to a limited audience.

Popular Uses of Flip Documents

Flip books and flip charts are popular for promotional purposes. They can be part of a sales presentation or designed for customers to browse through on their own, such as part of a showroom or lobby display.  They are also frequently used for tabletop dessert or drink menus in restaurants.

Flip books and flip charts are also commonly used for educational purposes, such as in a classroom, business meeting or other instructional setting. They can be used to compliment a lecture or provided for self-instruction.

3 Reasons to Apply a Clear Laminate:

1) Lamination Increases Rigidity – pages which have been laminated become stiffer. The laminate coating also helps the pages separate easier. This makes the pages very easy to flip.

2) Lamination Adds Protection – plastic lamination protects the frequently-handled pages and cover of a flip document against tears, stains, smudges, moisture and other contaminants. This greatly increases the useful life.

3) Lamination Enhances Appearance – lamination enhances the vibrancy of the underlying ink colors and adds sheen. This gives the content a more attractive, professional appearance and helps hold attention.

If you have a need for custom-printed flip books, booklets or charts, give Formax a call at 866-367-6221. We can professionally print, laminate and assemble your flip documents to your exact specifications.

Take care!  Keith

Trade Show Solutions: Custom-Printed Table Throws and Runners

January 26th, 2012 by formax


Whether you are participating in a trade show, meeting, conference or other important event, a colorful throw or runner will add the finishing touch to your display table.

A custom-printed table throw or runner is a reasonably priced method for prominently displaying your logo and marketing message to visitors.

Available in a wide variety of colors, imprinted throws and runners attract attention…which enhances brand awareness and maximizes your promotional efforts!

Full Table Throws

A full throw covers the table top and also drapes over the sides of the table, extending to the floor on all four sides.

A full throw is ideal when you wish to keep items stored under the table and out of sight. Also, because it covers the table completely, a full table throw is recommended for tables that will be visible from all angles.

Open-Back Table Throws

An open-back throw covers the top of the table, plus it extends to the floor on the front and sides of the table.

An open-back throw does not cover the back of the table, leaving it open for exhibitors who require easy access to items stored underneath.

In addition, an open-back throw is essential if you wish to sit behind the table, such as to greet or register visitors.

Table Runners

A colorful table runner is an economical way to add visual impact to your display table. A runner covers the mid-section of the table, draping over both the front and back.

Imprinted with your logo and message, it provides the perfect accent to a white or solid-color table throw. A custom-printed table runner even maximizes the appearance of a bare table.

Designed to Fit Common Table Sizes

Full and open-back table throws are designed to fit the most common sizes of folding tables, such as table lengths of 4’, 6’ and 8’.

Table runners generally range from 2’ to 5’ in width, which accentuates the majority of display table sizes.

Custom-printed table throws and runners are a very affordable and practical way to enhance your organization’s presence at important exhibits and business gatherings. Give Formax a call at (866) 367-6221 if you’d like to learn more. We’ll help you create a custom-printed table cover to ensure your next event is a resounding success!

Large Format Printing: An Overview of Custom Map Printing

January 23rd, 2012 by formax

Custom Printed Maps Can Serve a Wide Variety of Purposes

Maps are used to share details
of a large geographical area, so they are usually printed in a
large format.

This is true whether the map is designed to be hung on a wall or folded into a portable size.

Who Uses Custom Maps?

Custom-printed wall and folded maps are used by a variety of organizations, including businesses, schools, park departments, event and
project planners, utilities and government agencies.

Some maps are used to share information with the general public while others are designed to share information within the organization.

A Few Examples
of Custom-Printed Maps…

> Chamber of Commerce Maps: Shopping Districts, Local Businesses
> Maps for Tourists and Visitors
> Maps of Public Transportation Routes
> Industrial and Utility Company Maps: Facilities, Branches and Service Centers
> Specials Event Maps: Fairs or Festivals, Parade or Marathon Routes
> Educational Maps: Geography of Countries, States or Regions
> Travel Maps: State, County or City Road Networks
> Maps of Parks and Recreational Complexes
> Hiking, Walking and Biking Trail Maps

Map Printing is a Specialty

Large format map printing requires specialized presses that can handle very large sheets of paper. Plus, if the maps are to be folded down, additional equipment is needed to apply a series of accordion and parallel folds. It is the need for special presses and folding equipment that explains why relatively few printers are able to produce large maps.

If you need large maps printed, Formax Printing Solutions can assist you. We can print custom 1-sided or 2-sided maps to your exact specifications, up to 54” x 77” in size (500 piece minimum). If you choose, we can also fold your map down to a compact and easy-to-handle size. Just give us a call at 866-367-6221 to discuss your map printing project in more detail.

Take care!  Keith

Promotional Printing: Custom-Printed Child Growth Charts

January 19th, 2012 by formax

Great for Promotions or Retail

Growth charts are a popular printed item. Parents enjoy tracking the progress of their child’s height, as do the children themselves.

Growth charts are usually hung on a wall in a bedroom or playroom and remain in place for years, eventually ending up as a keepsake. Because growth charts have such a long life, they make great promotional giveaways, especially when designed to include an organization’s name and marketing message.

Well-suited for Health or School-related Promotions

In addition to a fun and colorful appearance, growth charts are often designed to be educational. This makes them particularly well-suited for health or school-related promotions. For example, a dentist or pediatrician’s office may design a growth chart to give to young patients. Police stations and fire departments often give them out after a station field trip or classroom visit. Custom growth charts also fit well with the promotional efforts of daycares, preschools and elementary schools.

Can Also be Designed as Saleable Items

In addition to being provided as a free giveaway, a growth chart may also be created as a saleable item. Any place that offers items related to young children can also offer custom-printed growth charts. You may see them in gift shops at zoos, museums, and other attractions, or offered at stores and online outlets that sell children’s books, toys and other kid-related items.

Very Versatile

You can design child growth charts with any colors, design or theme you choose, making them extremely versatile. But bear in mind that not all printers can produce growth charts. Because of their size, growth charts require a special printing press that can produce a large format print.

If you have a need for a colorful, family-friendly growth chart for promotional purposes or to sell outright, give Formax a call. We’ll take your design and produce high-quality growth charts up to 77” high using a large-format offset printing press (500 piece minimum for custom growth charts). Why not grow your own success while helping parents capture their child’s growth?

Take care!  Keith

Printing Lingo: What is Large Format Printing?

January 16th, 2012 by formax

A child's growth chart is an example of Large Format Printing

Large Format Printing refers to print materials that are too large to be printed on the most readily available sizes of commercial printing presses.

Sometimes called wide-format printing or grand-format printing, large format printing requires the use of specialty production equipment that can accommodate bigger-than-normal print dimensions.

In the print industry, “large format” is actually a relative term because maximum print sizes vary from printer to printer. But generally speaking, large format refers to the following categories of print materials:

> Window and Wall Posters
> Maps, Diagrams and Charts
> Event Announcements
> Large Wall Calendars
> Store Displays
> Promotional Signage
> Child Growth Charts
> Important Notices for Employees, Students or other groups
> Standees
> Horizontal or Vertical Banners

As you can see, large format printing has many uses. It can be used to get attention from afar, to provide quick reference, or to provide a large visual for use in a classroom or other instructional setting. Also, most businesses use large format print materials for promotional purposes.

Large format printing is most commonly designed as a flat wall-hanging, but it can also be made to fold or in some cases made to be free-standing. Whatever your need for large format printing, get in touch with Formax Printing Solutions. Though we don’t offer large format printing as a one-off or in small quantities, we can help you with projects of 500 pieces or more. Give us a call on your next large format printing project!

Take care!  Keith

Here’s a Couple Tips for Saving Money on Laminated Printing

January 4th, 2012 by formax

Depending on your Project, you may be able to Reduce your Cost for Laminated Printing

Print lamination involves bonding a clear plastic film onto printed materials. Lamination offers many benefits: added protection, increased rigidity, enhanced ink colors, and greater sheen.

As a printer devoted to helping customers reduce their costs, we often provide ideas for saving money on various print projects. That said, below are a couple ways which may help you save money on laminated printing.

1) Combine Heavier Paper with a Thinner Laminate –

If you need your printed piece to be rigid, one tip that can generally save you money is to use a heavy paper cardstock to print on and then apply a thinner laminate film…as opposed to printing on a standard weight of paper and then applying a thicker laminate film. The resulting overall thickness will be the same with both methods, but using a thinner laminate will almost always result in a lower cost.

2) Use a Flush-cut edge instead of a Sealed Edge –

Unless your laminated project requires the extra protection of Sealed Edge encapsulation, you should consider the more economical Flush-Cut edge method.

With the Sealed-Edge method, the lamination extends beyond the edge of the printed sheet to completely enclose the sheet in plastic. This means the printed sheet must first be trimmed to the desired size, then encapsulated with lamination, and then the plastic edges must be trimmed again.

However, with a Flush-Cut edge, the plastic laminate does not extend past the edge of the printed sheet. This allows the laminate and printed sheet to be trimmed to size at the same time, which reduces the overall production cost.

If you have any questions about lamination or have an upcoming project that requires printing and laminating, give Formax a call. We have excellent pricing on laminated printing and can offer you very helpful guidance and advice.

Take care! Keith

Custom-Printed Labels: Here’s What Your Printer Needs to Know…

December 15th, 2011 by formax

Custom labels are one of the most diverse printed products available. They can be created in virtually any size, shape or color, and can be constructed using a variety of materials, adhesives and coatings.

Sometimes referred to as stickers, decals or adhesive tags, labels are primarily used to communicate important information. Printed labels can provide identification, assist with distribution, give instructions, issue warnings, display promotional messages or serve a variety of other important purposes.

When you have a custom label project, you can expect your printer to ask a series of questions in order to accurately quote and produce the optimal label solution for you.  Below are some questions your printer will likely ask and the corresponding aspects for you to consider.

How will the Label be used?

When a customer requests custom-printed labels, the first question we ask is how the label will be used. Knowing the label’s purpose, what it will be affixed to, and the environment and handling it will be subject to, helps us determine its basic physical characteristics…

Base Material
Paper (the most economical choice)
Plastic – Vinyl, Polyester, Mylar, etc.
Metallic Foil

Adhesion Method
Permanent Bond
Removable/Repositionable
Static Cling

Protective Coatings
UV Coating
Plastic Lamination
Chemical/Moisture Resistant

How will the Label be applied?

After we know more about the label’s basic physical characteristics, we want to learn how the label will be applied and if the label will be printed upon or otherwise marked on by the customer or another party. This helps us determine the optimal format for dispersing the label as well as factors that may affect the durability of the label and its ink…

Format
Flat Sheets, multiple labels per sheet
Individual Labels
On Rolls
Fan-folded

Durability
Standard or Heavy-Duty Thickness
Subject to Heat, such as a LaserJet?
Written on by Pen, Marker, Pencil?
Matte or Gloss Finish

How will the Label look?

Determining the dimensions and appearance of the label is usually the next step. The options here are virtually endless, so it helps to discuss the most economical choices that meet the customer’s needs. Design elements to consider include…

Size and Shape
Stock or Custom Size (a Stock size avoids any die expense)
Rectangular or Square, Sharp or Rounded Corners
Oval, Circle or Other Common Shape
Specialty/Die-cut Shape

Ink Colors
Full-Color (CMYK)
PMS/Spot Colors
Black Ink Only

Other Features
Embossing
Consecutive Numbering

Because you want labels that are ideally suited for your specific application, we always recommend to our customers that they get us involved early in the process to make sure all aspects of the label are addressed. This includes pre-testing a sample of the recommended label stock.

In addition, Formax has a vast library of stock die shapes to help you avoid the expense of a custom-shaped die. We can produce just about any type of custom-printed label you might need, so let us know if you have any questions or need help with an upcoming project.

Take care! Keith

Fulfillment Lingo: What is a Corporate eStore?

November 29th, 2011 by formax

A Corporate eStore makes it easy to distribute supplies and merchandise to branch offices, field reps, franchisees, or other affiliate locations

A Corporate eStore is an online shopping application from which branch offices, dealers, franchisees, field reps, employees or other authorized affiliates can browse and order company-specific items. These items may include printing, marketing and promotional materials, samples and displays, business and office supplies, branded apparel or merchandise, or anything else offered by the company for internal use.

Provides Ease of Use and Brand Control

A corporate eStore streamlines operations by providing a single, designated resource for ordering promotional and operational materials. Because it is provided online, the eStore is a convenient, self-service application that can be accessed from anywhere, at any time. Also, the corporate office mandates all items offered through its eStore, so there is better control and company-wide uniformity for its brand.

Not Publicly Accessible

Unlike a retail eStore, a corporate eStore is not accessible to the general public. Access to the corporate eStore is granted only to authorized affiliates or employees and is log-in protected.

Often Part of a Third-Party Fulfillment Program

In many cases, a corporate eStore works in tandem with a third-party fulfillment partner that warehouses, processes and distributes the orders. The fulfillment partner may also develop and provide the eStore, tailoring it to the unique needs, features and offerings of the company.

Products in the eStore are displayed in an easy-to-use format, with descriptions and photos, making the selection and ordering process very intuitive. An order form calculates the total, plus any shipping or other charges. Depending on the arrangement, credit cards may be used as payment, affiliate offices could be billed directly, or an invoice could be sent to the corporate office.

Examples of eStore Applications…

Branch Offices – For companies with multiple offices, a corporate eStore can help distribute important documentation and supplies. The home office can order items to be sent to each affiliate office or the items can be requested by each individual location as they are needed. Training materials, operation manuals, price lists, employee benefit information, stationery, and office supplies are some of the items that can be efficiently dispersed this way.

Dealers / Franchisees – A corporate eStore can streamline the ordering and distribution of frequently-used supplies to a company’s dealer or franchise network. Each dealer or franchisee can conveniently place orders online, without having to contact the home office each time something is needed. Items commonly ordered this way include branded apparel, brochures and sales literature, business printing and stationery, banners and displays, promotional giveaways, and POS supplies.

Sales Reps / Field Reps – If a company has a sales force or service reps scattered around the country, a corporate eStore can simplify the distribution of support materials to them. Using online ordering, company reps can easily request literature, presentation folders, order forms, contracts, product samples, warranty certificates, repair parts, tools, and any other support items as they need them.

Managers / Employees – Sometimes a company chooses to let managers and certain employees order things from an online eStore rather than stocking them in-house. Any frequently-used, work-related item is a good candidate for inclusion in the eStore catalog and payment is usually made through a departmental or corporate account.  Examples of things offered to managers and authorized employees via an eStore include work shirts, hats or other apparel, operational supplies, office and desk accessories, training courses, instruction manuals, and so forth.

If your company has multiple branches, dealers, franchisees, field reps or other affiliates all sourcing the same items, either directly from you or from their own vendors, you should seriously consider an eStore with a corresponding fulfillment program. Give Formax a call at (866) 367-6221 to learn more. If you’re looking for more efficiency with less hassle, we can definitely help.

Printing Lingo: What is a Print-Ready file?

November 10th, 2011 by formax

Most commercial printers prefer that you submit a Print Ready layout file to avoid delays and unforeseen issues

Print-Ready is a term used to describe a file that has all the
specifications necessary to produce high-resolution printed output, without requiring any additional alteration or intervention.

In other words, a commercial printer can use the file “as submitted” to successfully create the desired print materials.

Common factors that prevent a layout file from being Print-Ready include…

a) Document sized improperly.

b) Colors set to RGB instead of CMYK.

c) Spot colors not properly defined.

d) Not allowing ample margins (putting information or borders closer than 1/4” from any trimmed edge).

e) Resolution not high enough (should be minimum 300 dpi at 100% size).

f) Bleeds not set up correctly (artwork should extend at least 1/8” past crop marks).

g) Crop marks missing or incorrectly placed.

h) Missing fonts or images.

i) Poor contrast between text and background.

j) Spelling and grammar errors.

The File Type is also Important…

The type of file you submit is also an important factor in determining whether a commercial printer can successfully print your layout. For example, high-resolution Adobe PDF files are universally accepted (and preferred) by commercial printers. Layout files created with other Adobe products  – such as InDesign, Illustrator or PhotoShop – also have widespread acceptance, as do QuarkXpress files. EPS and TIF files are also usually good formats for commercial printing.

Conversely, files created with Microsoft programs – such as Word, Publisher or PowerPoint – often require some intervention and conversion to make them Print-Ready. The same holds true for many other popular software programs, especially “non-professional” versions of desktop publishing packages. The file may output to your desktop printer just fine, but these types of software are rarely well-suited for output on a commercial printing press. When in doubt, check with your printer about acceptable file types beforehand.

If you have additional questions about Print-Ready files, give Formax Printing Solutions a call. We know printing concepts can sometimes appear involved or confusing. Since 1985, our goal has always been to simplify the printing process for you.

Take care!  Keith

Printing Lingo: What are Crop Marks?

November 2nd, 2011 by formax

The Crop Marks placed at the corners of this artwork layout indicate where this business card (with bleed) will be trimmed after printing

In printing, Crop Marks are thin lines placed at the corners of an image, page or artwork layout to indicate where the paper should be trimmed after printing. Because Crop Marks designate trim lines, they are sometimes referred to as Trim Marks.

Crop Marks are crucial for any piece that will be trimmed after printing, but especially if any part of the design will bleed. In printing, a bleed means that the printed design extends all the way to one or more edges of the finished document (as opposed to leaving an unprinted margin or blank area along the document’s edges).

To create a printed piece with a bleed, the original artwork must extend beyond the desired document size by 1/8” or so. Extending the artwork past the trim size prevents any unprinted paper near the edge of the finished document, which could occur if there was no allowance for bleed and the paper shifted slightly during the trimming process.

The same business card after it has been trimmed at the Crop Marks

Basically, whether there is a bleed or not,
any piece that will be trimmed after printing needs Crop Marks. Crop Marks are generally added with the same software used to create the original design. When your printer receives the artwork, it is printed onto paper that is larger than the actual document size desired. Then, using the Crop Marks as a guide, your printer trims the paper down to its final size.

Crop Marks are extremely important to ensure the project is trimmed in the proper place(s) and to the proper size. As a commercial printer, we see a lot of artwork submitted with the crop marks omitted and/or bleeds improperly set up, which unfortunately delays the turnaround time for all involved.

If you are unsure how to properly set up a bleed or add crop marks, you should notify your printer for advice before submitting your artwork for output. This is one area that cannot always be corrected downstream. Give Formax Printing a call if you have any questions about the proper use of Crop Marks in an upcoming print project.

Take care! Keith