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FAQ’s on Large Format Printing

ICL Imaging understands the complexities of large format printing and we’d like to help you understand them, too. To that end, we have created an FAQ guide to help you learn from our experience.

We have grouped questions into categories to make your life easier. This FAQ is part of an ICL Imaging series that will continue to evolve and have you – the customer – in mind, with helpful tips and answers to the challenges of the ever-changing large format printing industry.

You will be able to stay up to date with the latest trends here. Download our E Book here or scroll down for more information.

General Questions

Trade show graphics, banners, posters, window displays, POP displays, building wraps, outdoor signage, vehicle graphics, fabric graphics, museum graphics, backlit displays, retail signage, vehicle wraps, custom wallpaper, movie set backdrops, wall and floor graphics

We act as the general contractor, contracting and overseeing your installation projects. We have a national list of qualified installers from coast to coast. Our installation projects range from corporate lobbies to airports.

Large format printed products are flexible enough to be placed almost anywhere, which can increase your target audience.

The larger the image, the greater the chance that customers will see and remember your product and/or services.

Vinyl banners can really draw a customer’s attention to your products. They are easy to clean and durable enough to be left outside.

Large printed materials are great for entrance halls/reception areas of your buildings, where your potential clients can easily view them and be attracted.

Job Specific Questions

Lead times can vary depending on pre-­production services needed, the size of the order and what other jobs are running in house at the time. Generally speaking, however, proofs can be generated from a print ready file in 24 hours. Once the proof is approved, most jobs are completed within 2-­3 days.

Yes, priority services are for those jobs that are needed in less time. To accommodate these expedited jobs, there is usually overtime involved and the rescheduling of other jobs. Because of this, additional charges are required.

Maximum sizes vary due to the width of the material available and what the output device can accommodate. Our output devices can accommodate roll widths from 50 to 194 inches. The print area in most cases is generally 2 inches less than the width of the material.

We can print photographic materials up to 50 inches wide and we can print vinyl up to 192 inches wide.

For a list of sizes on our individual output devices, please view our Equipment List Page.

Yes

Yes. For fabric banners, our dye-­sublimation process is fade resistant and colorfast.

Yes we do. Our in-­house stitching department finishes all of our fabric graphics. They can provide you with hemming, pole pockets, seam matching and fitting to tension fabric structures.  We can also mount and laminate your graphics, provide cut-­outs, shapes and radius corners.

Yes we can.  Sorting, kitting and packaging are something we do every day.  We can bulk ship to your distribution center or custom ship to your mailing list.

Yes. All of our proofs are printed on the final output device and material that will be used to produce your end product.

The largest standard substrates we offer are 60 x 120 inches; ultraboard, clear acrylic, gatorfoam, komotex, clear polycarb, coroplast.

Large Format Printing File Preparation

File size of Vector art created in Illustrator or InDesign will vary depending on the complexity of the artwork.  Non-rasterized art provides little limitation of how large the artwork can be produced.

Raster art, or art work produced in Photoshop or taken with a digital camera, can limit how large the artwork can be produced.  The easiest way to determine if your rasterized art has enough information is to set the artwork’s resolution to 100 ppi at its final size output.  For example, a 30” x 40” will require a resolution of 100 ppi.

We can print from your PDF files.

1) We can output your pdf as is and provide you with the best color fidelity that our printers are capable of, which typically results in acceptable quality. If color matching is required, it would be best to give us the native file and all imported elements, i.e., Illustrator and Photoshop images.

2) If color matching is required and Pantone named spot colors needs to be defined within the PDF files, i.e., PANTONE 125 C, we can control the color enhancement through our color management system.

3) If you do not have the native application and supporting elements for image and color manipulation, we can extract most elements from the PDF file for an additional cost.  Please contact our Customer Service Representatives or your Account Executive for pricing.

We support Adobe products such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop and Acrobat. We support PDF, Tiff, EPS & JPEG file formats.

Color and Resolution

You may work in either RGB or CMYK.   We will convert your files into our color space according to the output device being used.

100 DPI at final size.

From 600 dpi to true photographic resolution.

Care and Maintenance

This depends on a number of variables. Direct sunlight is the cause of most fading. Fading can be minimized by using certain inks and laminates and by positioning the graphic, when possible, out of direct sunlight.

Warm colors are the first to fade, so you will notice reds, oranges and yellows fading faster than blue and greens. Fading is a very slow process.  It may take years before you notice any significant fading.

If fading is a concern for you, have your prints over-­laminated with a UV protective film.

Yes. Our dye-­sub fabric graphics are color fast and fade resistant. You can wash them on the gentle cycle in warm water. Tumble on low heat or hang up to let dry. Iron only on a low setting. Fabric graphics can also be dry cleaned.

Store graphics flat whenever possible. Store them in a cool dry place away from heat and moisture. As a last resort, flexible graphics may be rolled and put into tubes no smaller than a 12 inch diameter if flat storage is unavailable.

Graphics maybe rolled, but not tightly – especially if laminated. Laminated graphics should not be rolled less than 12 inches in diameter.

ICL has over 55 years experience getting it right

Our Account Executives have, on average, over 18 years experience

We have New England’s largest selection of printing options

ICL has the widest selection of inventory in the area

We offer seamless printing up to 16 feet wide

ICL runs a 24 hour operation as needed

Our in house courier service picks up and delivers consistently on time