Your Step-by-Step Guide to the Map Printing Process
Your Step-by-Step Guide to the Map Printing Process
Trying to create a map? If you’re new to the map printing arena, you may not realize your first step in the map printing process should begin — not end — with your printer. MapPrinter understands not everyone is an experienced cartographer (and experienced cartographers are likely not reading this post). Just one of the many reasons why we offer free expert consultation from the onset of your map printing journey. Because ultimately, mistakes are much more easily avoided than corrected.
Step 1: So You Want to Create a Map?
First and foremost, you must envision what you’d like the end result of your map to be. This will be essential to the designing process. Consider: The layout and design of a tri fold versus a quadruple-fold brochure would be quite different within your software. Thus you must have your final design in mind before beginning. Now’s the time to gather your sources, shopping for a map that looks and folds as closely as possible to your desired project result to use as your guide.
Step 2: Printer Consultation
Taking your shopping paraphernalia and job specifications, it’s time to contact a professional map printer. Only they will know the ins and outs necessary to ensure success on your map printing journey, helping you avoid common map printing pitfalls. This team approach ensures a smooth process from start to finish.
Step 3: Final Decisions
After consulting with the printer, final decisions affecting the completed look of your map should be made before beginning to design. This includes:
● Size
From 3×3 cards, to HUV-printed 28×40 inch foldable maps, and projects up to 3 meters wide on our LX800 digital latex printer.
● Substrate
Essential to pricing, availability and thus delivery timing, choose from commonly used mattes or glossy, coated or uncoated varieties, as well as Hop-Syn synthetic papers and printable plastics in a variety of weights.
● Ink/Color Process
MapPrinter provides B&W, 4-Color, PMS, metallics, and more — up to 8 colors per project.
● Fold Style
What’s best for your project?
● Finishes
Consider your final product, and necessary trimming, drilling, binding, stitching, lamination or varnish and aqueous coating needs.
● Shipping Requirements
Including shrink-wrap, final packaged size and timetables for scheduling work.
Step 4: Design Your Map
Once this myriad of decisions has been made, mapmaking can (finally) commence via color mapping, desktop publishing, or in a GIS environment, with the help of base maps sourced on the world wide web, digitally, or scanned in from other sources.
Step 5: Submit Your Digital File
Once your file is complete and has been thoroughly reviewed by yourself (and preferably a project cohort), submit your high-resolution PDF or other compatible file to the printer. Your area copy shop won’t do. Only specialized map printers have the knowledge and equipment necessary to produce high-quality, correctly folded maps.
Step 6: It’s Proofing Time!
As a certified G7 master printer, MapPrinter will produce a flat proof on our color calibrated inkjet printer, an Epson 9900 Color Plotter, that will be color-matched your final printed results exactly. If any issues in color are apparent, they must be addressed in the digital file now, not further down in the process. In addition, a lower resolution proof will also be created and folded, illustrating what the final product will look like. Placement of artwork on panels on the folded proof must be carefully checked before going to print. Any other revisions must also be addressed at this time. For customers who are not local, this is not done digitally. Hard-copy proofs will be shipped overnight for immediate review.
Step 7: Final Review & Approval
Once everything looks perfect, it’s time for you to sign-off and approve your project for printing.
Step 8: Printing
Now that your proof has been approved, the prints will be sent to press, and substrate ordered. Larger or specialty projects may be sent to our other cutting-edge map printers. Most projects, however, are printed in 4 color process on our Komori G40 8-color HUV printing press using stochastic screening technology. Extremely high-resolution 20 micron dots boost detail, ensuring clean, crisp map text and features. The special HUV curing process of the printer presents no dry-back issues, allowing maps fresh off the press to be transferred directly into production. Occasionally PMS colors are added/used for branding, to sharpen lines, or to achieve specific color results. Once printed, maps are then transferred to the cutter for trimming to final dimensions.
Step 9: Folding
Map sizes up to 28 x 40 inches are then transferred to our specialty folding machines, equipment which is only seen at a true map printer. In the first unit, parallel folds are completed — up to 10 in total. In the second unit, up to six horizontal folds are added. The proof you approved at the beginning of the printing process ensures no surprises here.
Step 10: Packaging & Shipment
Folded maps are now prepared for shipment. Most are shrink-wrapped into specified quantities and boxed. Some are shipped flat, on skids, and protected with plywood. Others are prepared per bookstore or retail publishing requirements. All maps are shipped via truck freight, as shipping companies typically do not deliver the proper care your carefully boxed maps deserve. Commercial delivery is preferable, as home delivery presents some unique (and fatiguing) unloading challenges. From file transfer to shipment, the whole process takes an amazingly fast 1–3 weeks.
Need a bit of handholding? We’re happy to guide you through your first map printing endeavor… Ensure a smooth journey. Please contact the experts at MapPrinter before beginning your map printing project today. We’d love to hear from you.
This post was originally published at http://mapprinter.com/2017/07/10/step-step-guide-map-printing-process/
