Imagesetting and Service Bureaus

Prepress is the process of preparing digital files for printing once the design is completed.
Prepress tasks will vary depending on file complexity and printing method but some may include
• double-checking fonts,
• making sure graphics are in the right format,
• creating color separations,
• adding crop marks,
• trapping,
• imposition,
• producing prepress proofs, and
• obtaining film for creating printing plates.
• check resolution
• check color mode

A ServiceBureau provides prepress services that may be beyond the scope of the designer. However, today most printshops have internal service bureaus. Some prepress tasks, such as trapping and proofs, are best handled by a service bureau or commercial printer.

Hand-in-hand with prepress is preflight. A preflight checklist (yes, like airplane pilots use) is simply a final check to insure that you've done your prepress tasks. Most service bureaus have specific software to do the preflighting.

Printing to a high-resolution imagesetter to provide film for producing printing plates are common service bureau offerings.

Although specific services may vary, typically a service bureau can do trapping of digital files, high-resolution color or black & white scanning, color correction or other image editing, color separations, and preflighting of digital files.

A service bureau may do digital proofs, produce transparences or color negatives, and provide typesetting services.

Not every print project will require the use of a service bureau.

Output Specification Form
Each printshop or service bureau will have their own form for the customer to complete.
These forms give the service bureau all pertinent information necessary to complete the job correctly.

What to send to the Print shop or Service Bureau
- Native file: page layout file (InDesign, Quark or Pagemaker) which contains all information

- Graphic files: any images you have placed (and are linked) in your layout and which have been altered in Photoshop or Illustrator.

- Fonts: every font used in the document

Packaging files for Print shop (all of the items mentioned above): InDesign saves a PACKAGE which automatically stores a copy of your document as well as fonts and of every file necessary for the document to print.

An information sheet should also be printed.

- Hard copy: always include a color printout of your finished piece or a mock up of a larger publication

- Separations: always include color separation proofs from your laser printer.

Disk: Today most files are burned to a CD or the printshop will have you FTP your file to their server.

PDF: becoming more popular for sending files to the printer.

Be sure to check with your printer before you send a PDF. Not all printers are using them yet.

When sending a PDF be sure to get the correct specs for that specific print shop.