Hardware
We predominantly use Apple Macintosh hardware and software in our prepress department, however we also have Microsoft Windows PC’s to ensure compatibility with as many file types as possible.

Software
We support the all the latest professional graphics software including:

If you do not see your software listed here then please call us and ask, as there are other software applications, such as Microsoft Powerpoint, Microsoft Word and OpenOffice, which although not designed for professional printing, can be used in most cases.

We prefer to receive the native application files if possible, as the artwork may need extra work to produce correctly, such as adding cutting paths, colour correction and specialist finishing requirements.

We can also except other print ready formats such as pdf, jpg, tiff, eps, bmp, png, but we may be limited in what we can do to these file types if they need to be altered for the presses.

Supply your prints as individual files, do not supply multiple prints ganged up into one file, unless you are sure of the material sizes. Keep each print as a separate file, our RIP software will nest them together to fit the material in the most economical way.

Colour Proofs / Matching
Colour proofs are an essential way of communicating colour so please supply a colour proof with all colour critical prints. Any important pantone colours must be indicated so we can ensure the best match possible.

All of our presses and material are ICC profiled to ensure maximum accuracy and consistency of colour and quality, but this still has its limitations of achievable colour. The presses use a 4colour printing system, CMYK. Certain pantone spot colours are not achievable in CMYK process printing, so we advise the use of a Spot to Process Colour Pantone Chart to check the CMYK equivalents of Pantone Spot Colours.

Alternatively we can supply a pantone chart printed on our printers to give you a guide to colour.

Typefaces
We hold an extensive font library, but there may be a font we won’t have such as corporate fonts or specially designed fonts etc. so please supply all required fonts in your artwork.

When using different weights of fonts always use the listed weight in the font menu, do not use the bold/italic typestyle buttons that some applications let you use.

If you cannot supply fonts then please convert the characters to outlines/paths.

If the fonts are being sent via email or ftp then please compress the font folder into a Zip or Stuffit file. Certain Mac fonts can become corrupt if sent via email or ftp, (the compressed folder protects the data/resource forks of the files).

How to send your files to us
FTP - We have a file delivery system built into our website. It is a simple to use solution to upload files direct to our ftp server.

Please contact us, and we will create a drop folder for you to deliver files straight into the prepress studio.

We can also download from your own web links

DVD, CD-Rom, USB Pocket Drives, USB Firewire, External Hard Drives.
Email - if you have a large file to send then avoid email as it can clog up mailboxes.

Click here to visit our upoad area.

Illustrator Files - Printing
Do not float any artwork with crop marks in the middle of a larger page. Use the edge of your page as the edge of your print, put a white box the size of your page plus bleed to define the printing area.

When picking colour swatches in Illustrator use the Pantone Solid to Process Swatch.

Illustrator files Should be saved as an eps, to the latest version your software allows. When using transparency, ensure overprint is on discard, and the preset is on Low Resolution for artwork at 100%, if your artwork is 400% of size then use Medium Resolution and if your artwork is 1000% use High Resolution preset.

Check the Embed Fonts, Include Documents Thumbnails and Compatible Gradient and Gradient Mesh Printing

When using transparency, drop shadow effects, or other similar effects in Illustrator be sure to not to use spot colours within these effects. Also either flatten the artwork at the correct resolution using a preset or when saving the file use postscript level 3.

Illustrator Files - Cut Vinyl
For artwork that needs cutting on our vinyl cutter you must use Illustrator files. All elements must be in outline/vector form, and fonts must be outlined/converted to paths.

Ensure any pixel based files (ie: jpg, bmp etc..) are converted to an outlined/vector format.

Also any lines must be converted to shapes using the Outline Stroke command (see below)

Save the files as an Illustrator eps, version 8.

Photoshop Files
Click the link below to downloaded our preset colour space settings. Using this will improve the colour accuracy of your prints. This preset can be used in all of the Creative Suite Applications to ensure consistency of colour.

Download Our Preset Colour Space Settings

RGB Colour Space that we use is Adobe RGB
CMYK Colour Space, EuroscaleCoated

Photoshop files can be supplied as 8bit CMYK or RGB, although CMYK files will give you more predictable colour as all our presses are cmyk based. (Do not use 16bit or 32bit colour mode)

Please flatten any layers remove any alpha channels or masks, and convert any duotones to cmyk

Save the file as an eps with jpeg encoding on maximum. Do not check any of the other boxes in the EPS Options.

InDesign Files
Do not float any artwork with crop marks in the middle of a larger page. Use the edge of your page as the edge of your print. Allow extra bleed on the document.

PDF
PDF’s are best supplied to us without crops and extra information around the print, as this has to be cropped off to fit the material, it can also cause longer print times.

Acrobat Professional Distiller Presets are available for download on our website. They are optimised for our RIP’s and Presses.

QuarkXpress
Use the “Collect for Output” function in every instance. It will ensure linked images and fonts are not missed when the files are sent to us.

When linking images/Photoshop files into quark picture boxes, please ensure the Photoshop elements have been saved correctly as an eps (see Photoshop prep guidelines)

Do not float any artwork with crop marks in the middle of a larger page. Use the edge of your page as the edge of your print. Allow extra bleed on the document.

If a low resolution image has been placed in Quark please ensure the high resolution image that replaces it has the same dimensions, so that they swap over in the same place and size.

Freehand
Do not float any artwork with crop marks in the middle of a larger page. Use the edge of your page as the edge of your print. Put a white box the size of your page plus bleed to define the printing area.

Freehand has a bleed option in the document inspector. Set the amount of bleed required in this field, otherwise any graphic off the page area will not be included in the file when exported as an eps.

CorelDraw
Do not float any artwork with crop marks in the middle of a larger page. Use the edge of your page as the edge of your print. Allow extra bleed on the document.

Image Resolution

LARGE FORMAT
HP, Grenadier, Inca, Anapurna
(Close-up exhibition panels)
70dpi-150dpi at ‘finished’ print size.

ULTRA LARGE FORMAT
Vutek, Fresco (Large Graphic Areas, Vehicle
graphics, Outdoor display graphics, etc.)
40dpi-70dpi at ‘finished’ print size.

(Resolutions lower than specified may pixelate.)

Downloadable Templates
We have a number of template files created in Adobe Illustrator for Popup Displays, Rollup Displays, Cardboard engineering and many other graphics systems. Click here to view our templates

Hems For Banners
Please allow 50mm extra bleed area all round your visual size, which folds behind and is welded to create a hem.

Please indicate on your supplied proof the visual size.

Pockets
The size of pockets depends on the diameter of the pole or dowel being used. Use this equation to calculate extra area required
for a pocket with 30mm diameter pole:

Pole diameter 30mm X 1.6 = 48 + 25mm for weld
= 73mm extra material for each pocket.

If you require a flat pocket then just add 25mm to
the flat pocket size:

Flat pocket 50mm + 25mm for weld = 75mm extra
material for each pocket.

Extra Bleed For Mounted Graphics
Graphics being mounted to foamex should include ‘bleed’ ie: 5-10 mm all round to allow our finishing department to mount the graphic without effecting final printed visual area.

If the graphic is to be wrapped around the edge of the panels, then allow the thickness of the panel plus 20mm

The Inca UV press which prints direct to media requires no more than 2mm bleed on all sides.

Canvas Wraparound Frames
Please allow an extra 100mm bleed all round the size of the frame, as this extra wraps around the sides and back.

Popup Display Systems
Please supply the artwork as one complete graphic to the overall size of the stand then allow 5mm bleed on all sides.We will then tile the print in to the required sections for our systems.

Rollup Display Systems
Please supply the artwork as one complete graphic to the overall size of the stand then allow 5mm bleed on the top and sides and 200mm on the bottom.This is to allow material to fasten to the mechanism.

I-Cut System
If you wish to supply files for our icut system please see the separate sheet for instructions.

Artwork Changes
If Light Brigade needs to make changes to any artwork, costs will be charged on an hourly basis. Lightbrigade will provide proofs via fax, e-mail or lazer proofs which will have a Lightbrigade Sign-Off label. When clients are entirely satisfied with artwork, it is required that ‘Signed-Off’ proofs are signed with a clear authorised signature on the appropriate part of Sign-off label, and sent back to Lightbrigade offices via fax/bike/post. No work will commence until this has been done.

FTP Server Account Details
We have created an ftp folder for yourselves, so you can transfer files direct to us over the internet. It has a unique login that ONLY YOU can access.

Please compress all your files into a stuffit archive or zip archive before transferring to ensure shortest transfer time.

Please notify our Sales Team the name of the file and when it is ready, Thank you.

Preferred Method
Please click the link below, or copy and paste the link into your web browser. Your browser will ask you do you trust the content, please click trust as this allows the upload software to run.
(This method allows you to UPLOAD files only).

http://www.lightbrigade.co.uk/upload

This link takes you to the upload page, all you need to do is click ADD to add the files to the list.Then click UPLOAD, and enter your login details when prompted.

Your login details are
address - 88.96.23.11
user - ?????
password - ?????

Alternative Login with an FTP Client
You can use an FTP Client, such as Cyberduck (free),Transmit, Fetch on the Macintosh, or FileZilla (free), SimpleFTP, etc... on Windows. (This method allows you to VIEW your folder, UPLOAD and DOWNLOAD files).

address - 88.96.23.11
user - ?????
password - ?????

Alternative way to view folder
contents only.
If you just want to view the contents of your account and download data only, you can use your web browser (cannot upload files this way)

Click the link below
address - ftp://?????@88.96.23.11
user - ?????
password-?????

This should open internet explorer and go straight to your folder, you will just need to enter your password when prompted. (This method allows you to VIEW your folder and DOWNLOAD files only).

NB - Replace ????? with you own personal login supplied by us.

Important Note
To keep your data safe and secure please keep these login details private and confidential. We reserve the right to withdraw this facility immediately if we find it is being mis-treated or abused by non-responsible users.

If you have any problems regarding the connecting/sending files then please contact:

Shawn Wickens
Lightbrigade
Colour/Prepress Manager

01932 568555