File specifications for folding-carton artwork. Follow these and the press hits faster, the proofs come back cleaner, and the carton looks like the comp.
Adobe Illustrator is our primary format. We accept files up to Version 23.0.1. Fonts must be supplied or outlined, and all links must be included or embedded. Print-quality PDF is also accepted; low-resolution PDFs will be rejected. Photoshop files at 300 DPI minimum are accepted but text will be rasterized. InDesign, Quark, Corel Draw, and Microsoft files must be exported to PDF; contact pre-press before submission.
CMYK is required for all color work. RGB files will not be converted manually for multi-color jobs - our pre-press team handles conversions offline and will let you know what we did. We always print up to 7 colors (excluding aqueous coating), so if your job needs more, we'll build it into the 7-color space and walk you through it.
Verify there are no duplicate colors with different names. Use the correct Pantone C-Series names. Do not convert spot colors to CMYK.
For large black areas, use rich black: C=60, M=40, Y=40, K=100. Drop shadows should be created as black-only whenever possible. Black line copy must be 100% black, not built from CMYK.
All images at 300 DPI minimum, placed at 100% scale. Avoid JPEG compression where possible.
Build artwork to exact package dimensions. Bleeds: 1/8 inch preferred when color runs to the edge. Margins: 1/16 inch minimum, 1/8 inch preferred.
UPC codes must be placed at 100% scale. All bar codes must be composed of 10% black. We verify every barcode at the plate stage, not after the fact.
We scan every PDF through GlobalVision - a third-party AI proofreader - before and after the file is RIPed. It catches missing characters, font substitutions, image swaps, and color shifts that would slip past a human reviewer. Independent verification on top of our pre-press team.
Provide all fonts including those used in embedded or EPS files. For Type 1 fonts, include both Screen and Printer variants, or outline and provide the unconverted version. Include all scans, imported artwork, linked files, EPS, TIFF, and raster art.
Contact your sales representative to set up an exclusive FTP site. Setup typically takes 1 to 2 hours.
Send art to info@eppbinc.com or use the upload link your sales rep provides. Include the PO number and dieline reference in the filename.
Our pre-press team flags any spec issues before plates are made. UPC and barcode verification happen at the plate - not after the run.
Color-accurate proofs reviewed and approved before any plate hits steel. What you sign is what runs on the press.
Email it over, we'll pre-flight and tell you what we'd change before plates.
