Press checks – or press passes – used to be much more common in commercial printing than they are today. There are several reasons for this: equipment has gotten much better and registration and colour control are much easier to achieve on press so results are much more predictable. Colour standards and certifications have substantially improved the colour matching between proof and printed sheet so that we can reliably show you before what you will get later, whether your job is a book or a postcard. SOS is certified to ISO 12647 which means that we can print accurately to numbers, exactly as other certified printers around the world and exactly as last time we printed your job, one month or one year ago.
So, your job is in safe hands. If anything does not go according to plan (or look like the proof), we’ll raise our hands and call you. If the paper does not give the expected result or if there is an issue in finishing, we’ll let you know.
However, despite all modern equipment and rigorous standards, there is still art in printing. There is some tolerance when a job is on the press. The stock may have an influence on the appearance of colours and images. The printer can adjust colours to a certain extent and improve outcomes. There are decisions to be made on press and the printer will make them as best as she can.
If you have spent weeks designing this job you will want to make sure you get the best possible result. You can talk to the printer and explore the options or you can simply make sure the images look the way you had planned.
Of course not every job needs to be checked on the press and not always is it convenient to come in. Most printing presses run around the clock and many jobs are printed in the middle of the night. Many jobs are repeats and it is most important to match previous outcomes.
But we like press checks because they gives us the opportunity to talk to our clients and discuss challenges and opportunities, and we like clients who are proud of their job, as we are printing it, so please: Come for a visit!
