Helpful Printing Information
Products / Ordering FAQs
Is there an extra charge for bleeds?
No. Unlike many other print companies, all our prices include full bleeds free of charge.
How do I order multiple pieces?
To keep things simple, please place a separate order for each different printed piece you want produced. For example, if you want 3 different 8.5″ x 11″ tri-fold brochures, please place 3 orders. Obviously, the price for 2.500 of one brochure is not the same as the price for 1,000 brochures.
What kind of paper will my job be printed on?
We have several paper types available, depending on what you are ordering. To name a few, we offer different cover and book, Premium Uncoated Text and Linen stocks. Also several options for finishes; Gloss, Satin, Matt/Dull, UV, Spot UV Coating, Uncoated, Metallic, Pearl, Silk Laminated, Spot Silk Laminated.
I need to get marketing pieces printed but don't yet have a design or finished file to print, can Maxam Agency help?
Absolutely! We specialize in affordable print design and can create your marketing piece from scratch and print directly after your 100% satisfied.
What types of printing can you handle for my business?
We specialize in affordable 4-color offset printing as well as digital printing, screen printing (t-shirts and promo items), label printing, oversize prints and banners. For local San Diego clients, we also offer color or B&W copy printing.
How well will my job match what I see on my monitor?
Most people are surprised at how well their job matches what they see. But because of wide differences in monitor calibrated colors and printed colors may not exactly match the colors on your specific monitor. Monitors emitted colors as a RGB process while offset printing is on paper using CMYK colored inks. Furthermore, EVERY computer screen is color calibration differently. If colors are critical it’s suggested to use a pantone color swatches for a perfect match. Be sure to convert all your Pantone colors into CMYK before submitting your order to avoid transparency issues.
How long does it take for me to get the proof of my job?
Once you have placed your order, you should get it within 1 business days after we receive your electronic files.
How long will it take to get my order?
Most jobs will be shipped within 2-4 business days after you approve your proof online. If there is bindery (folding, gluing, staple stitching, etc.) the production time increases. Before you place your order, we can give you a fairly accurate timeframe. Shipping by UPS takes from 1 to 5 business days to get to you depending on your location but we do offer expedited production and shipping for an additional cost.
What if I want to change something on my order after I've placed it or approved the proof?
We require an electronic “paper trail” for all changes made after your initial order is placed. You may make changes to such things as shipping method or shipping address.
Can I pickup my completed order directly?
Not. We ship directly out of production locations that do not at this time offer customer pickup. All order come out of production and go directly into shipping departments that process for UPS shipping.
File Preparation FAQs
What file formats can you accept?
We recommend saving as a .PDF. You may also send the file in the following types: jpg, jpeg, tif, tiff, eps, and png. We prefer that you send .PDF with embedded or outlined fonts. .PDF’s are easier to handle and will likely speed up your turn-around. Remember to flatten your files before uploading.
What resolution should my file be?
Low resolution files may be printed as is or will be placed on hold until we receive new files, slowing your turn-around. For quality assurance, we only accept 300 dpi files and no less.
What color mode should my files be?
If you send us an RGB file, there is a chance that a color shift may occur and you may not be satisfied with your job. You should always start and finish your designs in CMYK color mode.
Do I need to setup my business cards 8-up or 10-up on a single sheet??
No, send us a single card layout file of your job. Just one card at size. If it has bleeds, please include them in the artwork with crop marks (trim marks).
How should I set up my bleed?
Bleed must extend past the cut-line and will be trimmed from the product during the final cutting phase. When the image is required to extend all the way to the edge, bleed is needed to preserve the finished look and the quality of the final product.
Please keep all text at least 0.125″ inside the cut-line.
– The bleed for Standard Products is 0.125″.
– The bleed for Booklets and Presentation Folders is 0.25″.
Can I submit a front and back in the same file?
No. We are now specifically set up to process one side at a time, and this requires that each side of a job must be on a separate file. Not separating files will cause delays and you might have to send the files again. Remember to separate the pages of your .pdf files as well.
EXAMPLE: If you are submitting a 2-sided flyer, we will need 2 files from you. The front side an individual file (“name-front.PDF”) and the backside an individual file (“name-back.PDF”)
How do I export a .pdf correctly?
When exporting from any program such as Indesign or Illustrator, use these settings to make sure your .PDF files export correctly.
– Adobe PDF Preset is set to: Press Quality
– Compatibility is set to: Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3)
– Compress Text and Line Art is set to: “Off”
– Adobe PDF Preset is set to: Press Quality
– Compatibility is set to: Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3)
– Compress Text and Line Art is set to: “Off”
NOTE: Due to Adobe limitations, this preset will not convert all colors into CMYK. You must convert all colors to CMYK before saving your file.
What is rich black and how can I get it?
Rich black is an ink mixture of solid black, 100% K, with additional CMY ink values. This results in a darker tone than black ink alone. If you print black alone as 100% K, the resulting black may not be as dark as you might like. We recommend using C 60 M 40 Y 40 K 100. This will give you a deep, dark, rich black.
Why does my business card crack around the edges?
Cracking of the edges of a business card sometimes occurs when the card contains high values of ink, as in dark colors. This usually happens on a small amount of cards in the run. To prevent this, use lighter colors or if you must use dark colors, use as little ink as possible.
NOTE: If you need assistance setting up your file(s), we can advise OR, for a nominal fee, we can setup your files for print. We also offer complete graphic design services for those that need a starting point.
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