File Preparation

General guidelines

File format

Printing house Jelgavas tipogrāfija accepts PDF files for print jobs according to the PDF/X-4 (ISO 15930-1) standard, which can be obtained using the graphic software commands Export to PDF, Save as PDF or Publish to PDF with PDF/X-4 settings. To find out more about exporting PDF files click here.
If the submitted work consists of several parts, each part must be prepared as a separate PDF file (inner page, end paper, inserts, cover).

Page order

Pages of books and brochures must be included in a single file. Pages in the file must be the same size with the same orientation (portrait or landscape), in the correct order (first to last) with the blank pages, if any. If the file size exceeds 2GB, it would be better to split it into a number of smaller files.

Bleed and dimensions

If the document has a background color or images placed along the edge where the page is cut, they must be extended beyond the trim line to add a bleed. Bleed should be at least 3 mm but for hard covers 16 mm.
The size of the document should match the size of the finished product, and the size of bleed should be indicated in the Bleed section. For documents created in MS Office or similar, as well as Adobe Photoshop, where it is not possible to specify the size of bleed, you must increase the size by adding twice the bleed size to the width and height. For example, if the size of the finished product is 210 x 297 mm, the submitted file has to be 216 x 303 mm if the bleed is 3 mm.

Cutting and folding marks

Cutting and folding places should be noted with marks. All markings must be outside the printable area. You do not need to add a color bar.

Safe area

Important design elements such as text, logos, page numbering, chapter titles should preferably be at least 3 mm inwards from the cut and fold lines. Anything closer, due to production offsets, may be partially or fully cut or folded.

Image resolution and color depth

Color and black and white images must have a resolution of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch), but their color depth should not exceed 8 bits per channel. For 1-bit images, the resolution should be 1200 dpi.
For the preparation of images use our recommended color profiles that you can find here.

CMYK, RGB, Black and Saturated Black

For color elements it is preferable to use the CMYK color system. If the RGB color system is used, colors will be automatically converted to CMYK using the Jelgavas tipogrāfija’s settings.
Black text and black fine objects should be made of one color – 100% Black. If they are made of several colors, printing may result in color misalignments that will adversely affect their appearance and readability of the text.
The following Saturated Black recipe can be used to increase the intensity of black: C60, M40, Y30, K100.

Overprint settings

We will automatically activate the Overprint setting for all black objects while processing your files, while for all white objects it will be deactivated.

Fonts

All fonts used must be included in the PDF file.

Varnish, foil and dieline

Varnishes, foils and dielines are made either in a separate file or in a print file as separate objects with the Overprint setting turned on and 100% color filler, with the name of the varnish, foil or dieline respectively named.

Raised impression

The raised impression should be made in a separate file and only in vector graphics.

Preparation of covers

The covers must be prepared in according to the drawing provided by the printing house. Ask your project manager about this. Please indicate the places of spine and folds with markings that must lie outside the print area. The spine of the glued-in brochure cover inside must be free of print; this will ensure better adhesion of the cover and the pages.

Line thickness

The minimum thickness of a single color line must be 0.05 mm. The minimum thickness of the multicolor or white line must be 0.2 mm.

Color proofs

Customer-provided color proofs must conform to the ISO 12647-7: 2016 standard with FOGRA51 or FOGRA52 print simulation. They must also contain the UGRA/FOGRA MediaWedge v3 control scale and the date of manufacture. If printing is done on a paper or material with a different surface whiteness to that used on color proof, the print may not match the color proof. Color proof is a target for the printing process and it may not match the final product if product is laminated or UV varnished after printing.

Exporting of PDF/X-4 files

You can obtain a PDF/X-4 file from Adobe InDesign using the Adobe PDF Presets command in the Edit menu. Choose PDF/X-4 settings with the most recent year available in your software.

Adobe PDF Presets

There is no need to change the default settings in the General section.

General tab

Also, you do not need to change the default settings in the Compression section.

Compression tab

You need to turn on Crop Marks and Page Information in the Marks and Bleeds section. Bleed must be at least 3 mm in all directions and Offset must be the same size as Bleed.

Marks and Bleeds

In the Output parameter section Color Conversion must be changed to No Color Conversion, but in the parameter Output Intent Profile Name the appropriate color profile for the paper should be selected. For example, if you are printing on coated paper, you should choose PSO Coated v3, and if on uncoated, choose PSO Uncoated v3 (FOGRA52).

Output tab Coated Output tab Uncoated

No changes are required to the default settings in the Advanced, Security, and Summary sections.

Advanced tab Security tab Summary tab

How to evaluate a file for approval

Jelgava printing house produces rasterised PDF files with 300dpi resolution for approval with the client. Rasterising the approval file, we use the same rasterisation process applied to a printing plate, ensuring the same result in both the approval file and the printing plate. Color management process is provided in the approval file, so it can accurately simulate the print result on the screen. For the simulation to be correct, the approval file must be opened in Adobe Acrobat with the Simulate Overprinting and Simulate Black Ink parameters enabled, and your screen must be calibrated.

Output Preview

If you don’t have Adobe Acrobat, you can use the free Acrobat Reader as an alternative, but you can’t activate the Simulate Black Ink parameter in Acrobat Reader. If this parameter is not activated, the black color simulation on the screen will not be correct (the screen will be darker and more saturated), especially when printing on uncoated paper. It is important to set the Use Overprint Preview parameter in Acrobat Reader to Always.

Page Display Preferences

 Here is a test file to determine if the Overprint simulation in your PDF software is correct.
We do not recommend using other software because we do not know of an alternative that can render a PDF document correctly!

ICC color profiles

How to prepare images, using ICC color profiles

There are many types of paper that can produce different results when printed, because the color reacts differently to different surfaces of paper. For example, on uncoated paper, the color is more absorbed into the paper fibres, whereas on coated paper, it mostly dries and remains on the coating. There are many other chemical and mechanical processes that are different for various papers.
However, it is important to consider all of these processes when preparing images for printing. This is best done by using the appropriate ICC color profiles.

PSO Coated v3 PSO Coated v3 color profile is for all coated paper, both glossy and matte. The total amount of ink is limited to 300%.

PSO Uncoated v3 (FOGRA52) PSO Uncoated v3 (FOGRA52) color profile is for uncoated papers containing high amounts of optical brighteners. The color of the paper is blue-white (M1 L*93.5 a*2.5 b*-10). The total amount of ink is limited to 300%.
This profile can be used for papers such as Amber Graphic, Amber Volume, Fedrigoni Arena Smooth Extra White, Geltex, MaestroPrint, Maxima Natural, MultiOffset UPM, Munken Kristall, Munken Kristall Rough, Munken Polar, Munken Polar Rough, Print Speed, Scandia 2000 White, Serixo.

MunkenLynx (JT) 2023 MunkenLynx (JT) 2023 color profile is for uncoated papers containing small amounts of optical brighteners. The color of the paper is neutral white (M1 L*95.2 a*1.3 b*-3.5). The total amount of ink is limited to 300%.
This profile can be used for papers such as Efalin Highwhite, Fedrigoni Arena Smooth White, Fedrigoni Old Mill Premium White, Munken Lynx, Munken Lynx Rough, Munken Premium White, Munken Print White, Nautilus Classic, Scandia 2000 Natural, Wibalin White.

MunkenPure (JT) 2023 MunkenPure (JT) 2023 color profile is for uncoated papers with a yellowish paper shade (M1 L*95.6 a*-0.7 b*4.6). The total amount of ink is limited to 300%.
This profile can be used for papers such as Creamy, Fedrigoni Arena Smooth Ivory, Fedrigoni Old Mill Avorio, Holmen Book, Holmen Book Cream, Munken Premium Cream, Munken Print Cream, Munken Pure, Munken Pure Rough, Scandia 2000 Ivory.

You need to copy the profiles to C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\color for Windows workstations, for MacOS X workstations copy them to /Library/ColorSync/Profiles or /Users/YourName/Library/ColorSync/Profiles.
The image you want to create for one of the paper types must be opened in Photoshop and converted to the appropriate profile using the Convert to Profile dialog box in the Edit -> Convert to Profile menu.

Covert to Profile

You should select a paper profile as Destination Space Profile (e.g. PSO Coated v3 for coated paper, or PSO Uncoated v3 (FOGRA52) for uncoated paper).
We recommend that you choose Adobe (ACE) as Engine and enable the Use Black Point Compensation and Use Dither parameters.
It would be desirable to select the Intent parameter between Relative Colorimetric or Perceptual, giving preference to the screen result you prefer.
When you save the converted image, include the color profile in the file. You can do this by turning on the Embed Color Profile parameter in the Save As dialog box.

Special profiles

PSO Coated v3 GCR70 (JT) PSO Coated v3 GCR70 (JT) color profile is for black and white images that will be printed in CMYK on coated paper. It has an increased amount of black and the total amount of ink is limited to 300%.

PSO Uncoated v3 GCR70 (JT) PSO Uncoated v3 GCR70 (JT) color profile is for black and white images that will be printed in CMYK on uncoated paper with blue-white paper shade. It has an increased amount of black and the total amount of ink is limited to 300%.

MunkenLynx GCR70 (JT) 2023 MunkenLynx GCR70 (JT) 2023 color profile is for black and white images that will be printed in CMYK on uncoated paper with neutral white paper shade. It has an increased amount of black and the total amount of ink is limited to 300%.

MunkenPure GCR70 (JT) 2023 MunkenPure GCR70 (JT) 2023 color profile is for black and white images that will be printed in CMYK on uncoated paper with a yellowish paper shade. It has an increased amount of black and the total amount of ink is limited to 300%.

Black Ink - PSO Coated v3 Black Ink – PSO Coated v3 color profile is for black and white images that will be printed on coated paper.

Black Ink - PSO Uncoated v3 (FOGRA52) Black Ink – PSO Uncoated v3 (FOGRA52) color profile is for black and white images that will be printed on uncoated paper.

Uploading files

Files can be uploaded via our website.

You can also use the FTP service. We recommend using one of the popular FTP client software, such as FileZilla or Cyberduck.
FTP server address: ftp.jt.lv
(user: klients, password: jtftp; put jobs in UPLOADS folder)

You can also use other file sharing services like WeTransfer or Failiem.lv.

The files should preferably be compressed using Zip, Rar or 7z.
Once the job has been sent, notify your contact by phone: +371 63 024 501.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Prepress department by email: repro@jt.lv

 

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