F.A.Q.

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CDR Graphics can process / print / copy almost any size that you require!  Anything from small format postcards, letterhead, or specifications up to grand format exterior display graphics on the side of a building; CDR can handle it all!

There are many factors that determine how fast we can process your work order, but typically we can process most requests in under 3 hours or less

Please contact us directly @ 310-474-7600 / 213-441-7416 / 213-441-7586 / 213-441-7583 and we can provide you with an approximate time estimate for your specific time and day needed

• Orders for plans and specs are typically ready for pick up within 2 to 3 hours, with exceptions for high-volume orders.
• Standard graphic items such as business cards and posters, are typically completed in 1 to 3 business days for digital printing and 5 to 8 business days for offset printing. Turnaround time begins after proof approval. Please contact us directly for turnaround times on custom items.
• CDR Graphics is committed to meeting all customer deadlines to the best of our ability. If your job is time-sensitive, please call us at 310-474-7600 / 213-441-7416 / 213-441-7586 / 213-441-7583 for information regarding expedited turnaround options.
• Please note that changes to active orders will delay turnaround. Your order will not be added to the production queue until we receive a print-ready file. If your order requires layout or design, we will not start on the design until we receive all necessary copy and images.
• Multiple file resubmissions for the same order may incur additional fees and will delay your job. The best way to ensure a fast turnaround is to submit a print-ready file at time of order placement

Simple jobs are often completed in less than an hour. Some jobs however, may take several days to complete depending on their complexity and size or volume. We always strive to provide an accurate estimate of the turnaround time for each job we do and we will always work with you to find ways to complete your project on time and when you need it. 

Yes, you can email our processing department directly at plotting@cdrgraphics.com 

Keep in mind that most email hosting can only handle transmittal of files that are under 20mb 

When we use the word “plotting”, we are referencing our large format printing machines that are also called “plotters”.  These machines are traditionally used for CAD printing of blueprints and similar. 

We always prefer your printing files to be as high resolution as possible and preferably saved in a high-quality press production .pdf for the fastest processing. --- when sending us a PDF document please make certain that all images and fonts are embedded in the file

However, we also work with many other software platforms / file formats as well.  If you are unsure if you can provide a high-quality file format, please call us at 310-474-7600 / 213-441-7416 / 213-441-7586 / 213-441-7583

to discuss your project.

Yes – every CDR office is staffed with our own messenger drivers which will help ensure you the fastest turnaround times on any requested work order / job. 

We are a full-service reprographics company and offer a wide range of products and services. To see a full listing and description of what we can offer you, please check out the Products & Services area in the “Our Services" Section of our website.

Well, since you are here, we would suggest you use our online estimate request form. Otherwise, the best way to ensure that we get all the information necessary to provide an accurate quote is to give us a call at 310-474-7600 / 213-441-7416 / 213-441-7586 / 213-441-7583 and speak with one of our customer service representatives.

Resolution should be set to 300 dpi (dpi = dots per square inch) or higher. 

• Pictures and graphics pulled from the internet are often low resolution, typically 72 dpi or 96 dpi. Avoid these graphics, as they will appear pixilated and blocky when printed.

• For printing small format images (12″ x 18″ or less) the image should be set at 300 dpi or higher. (dpi = dots per square inch)
• For a large format print, images can be as low as 150 dpi, depending on viewing distance. Please note that graphics pulled from a website tend to be 72 dpi or similar resolution and reproduce in printing very poorly. Avoid using those graphics because they will look pixelated when printed.

In short, printers and monitors produce colors in different ways.

• Monitors use the RGB (red, green, blue) color model, which usually supports a wider spectrum of colors. Printers use the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color model, which can reproduce most—but not all—of the colors in the RGB color model. Depending on the equipment used, CMYK generally matches 85– 90% of the colors in the RGB model.
• When a color is selected from the RGB model that is out of the range of the CMYK model, the application chooses what it thinks is the closest color that will match. Programs like Adobe Photoshop will allow you to choose which color will be replaced where other software programs may not. 

Not typically because white is the default color of paper and is simply recognized as the absence of any ink when printing. However, CDR Graphics does have the capability to print with white ink and when using colored paper, clear transparencies, or similar, white ink may be used if any text or graphic requires it. 

You can use any type of postscript font that you wish, provided that you either outline the font or embed them directly into your .pdf file. Some fonts may be native only to your operating system and without the fonts embedded, parts of your graphic or text may be distorted or missing when opened on another computer. 

The distinguishing factor in the size difference between large format and small format is the type of machine that we use to process the copy or print. Our small format process uses sheet fed material that is capable of a little larger than 13″ x 19″ and smaller sizes, while our large format printers utilize roll fed material between 36″ to 60″ maximum widths. 

Yes! We have sample sets for every department and whether you are setting up your next color graphics project, proposal, or looking at supplies for your office, we are able to provide you with beautiful samples. Contact us today to request yours! 

Bleed is the industry term for any color or image that when printed, goes right to the edge of the paper. What actually happens is that the picture or other graphic extends beyond the edge of the page and that excess image or color is then cut off as a part of the bindery or finishing process. The way to create bleed is to simply make certain that the image or graphic extends off the edge of the page to a distance of 1/4″ wherever you want something to bleed.

A proof is a way of ensuring that your end product will meet your needs. Upon request, we will provide a proof which will be sent to you online or printed on paper which can be viewed in our store or delivered to you in person

We are open Monday thru Friday from 8 am to 6 pm. If you need us outside of those hours we suggest you call us to inquire if we can stay late or open early in order for you to be able to pick up your job or meet with us. 

We do provide this option for our professional clientele and especially for large development projects that need printing / plotting / scanning / reprographics on a daily basis. If you would like more information about the requirements for a NET 30 Monthly Billing account, please call us at 310-474-7600 / 213-441-7416 / 213-441-7586 / 213-441-7583 and request our credit application.

While we strive to provide you prints in any size, sometimes files are not setup to be printed in larger sizes and cannot be enlarged because they become pixelated, blurry and unfocused. If you have any questions about printing your file to a special size, please contact us and we will let you know. 

We provide an upload form on this site that will let you send us individual documents or a compressed file (zip or rar). Please note that depending on the file size(s) and you connection speed, it can take some time for the files to finish uploading. Once you're upload has completed, you will be taken to a thank you page. Until then, please make sure to keep your browser open and on the upload page.

Jobs uploaded or dropped off before 2pm (PST) are normally ready same business day. However, depending on that day's current production queue, it may not be ready until the next business day.
If you absolutely need your job same day, we will make it happen, but we might charge a rush processing fee and or rush delivery fee where applicable.

Pricing can vary based on size, color, binding, type of paper, and so on. We suggest you contact us for more information on pricing. You can also inquire about our bulk purchasing program

Yes, if you need prints done and they need to be shipped to your client instead of your office or location, you can send us the files and specify the shipping address to be different. We do recommend that you call us after submitting your files to verify this information accurately

When it comes to printing / plotting / scanning / reprographics, there isn't much in our 20+ year history that we haven't processed ourselves or seen processed by a trusted business partner.  If you need something specific we do recommend that you call us at 310-474-7600 / 213-441-7416 / 213-441-7586 / 213-441-7583 and inquire about the specific product you are looking for.

We provide local deliveries and UPS shipping to anywhere in the United States. For more information on shipping and delivery, please view the shipping and delivery page. 

If you need prints overnighted or guaranteed next day, we do suggest you call us to make all the arrangements. Start by sending us the file so we can take a look at the print time needed for the job, then we can evaluate if we are able to get it out that day. The last pickup of the day is at 6 pm PST. 

Make them print ready and acceptable for us to print.

COREL DRAW:

• Saving your Corel Draw file as an Adobe Illustrator EPS
• Embed all Images
• Convert all your text/copy to outline fonts
• Export as Illustrator EP

FREEHAND:

• Embed all Images
• Convert all your text/copy to paths
• Export as Illustrator EPS or PDF 

PAGEMAKER:

• Saving your PageMaker file as an EPS
• Embed all Images
• Convert all your text/copy to outline fonts
• Export your file as an EPS using the below settings:
• Postscript Level 2
• CMYK Mode
• TIFF format and Binary

PUBLISHER:

• You will need to have the full version of Adobe Acrobat PDF. If you don’t please download and use our Adobe Job Ready Program. If you do have the full version of Adobe Acrobat PDF please follow the steps below.
• Under File, Print, select Adobe PDF writer
• Under Properties select Press Quality and Save your PDF

If your company has established a Net 30 account with CDR Graphics, you do not have to pay upon pick up. You will receive a statement at the beginning of each month for the previous month’s balance. If you do not have a Net 30 account, your order may require a 50% deposit and payment in full is expected upon pick up.