Guide
Print Unit guidelines
Updated on 7 July 2023
The Print Unit provides a full range of professional print and finishing services for all university staff, students and the general public.
Creative Services
The Print Unit are based as part of a wider team, Creative Services. Creative Services are the overall guardians of the university’s visual brand. We cover three areas: design, photography and brand.
To help ensure that we present the university to its best advantage and with consistency, we always work within our brand guidelines. If you need to produce/print anything in the university brand, please contact the below services:
Design Services
We have a team of four Graphic Designers, based in the Tower Building on city campus. We provide an extensive range of work for departments, services and organisations (both on and off-campus). Whether you are looking for simple leaflets or large publications, we can guide you from the original brief stage through the design process to the print and finishing.
Media Services
We have a team of three Photographers/Filmmakers, based in the Tower Building on city campus. We provide video and photography to support university needs (e.g. for recruitment, research, PR). We have developed photography and videography guidelines as part of our brand toolkit, and also an image library full of photographs for staff members to use.
Setting up your file for print
Sending us your file
- We only accept files that are saved as a PDF.
- All print jobs should be supplied electronically via email, or via USB at our counter service.
- Save your artwork to the correct page size in the application, e.g A4, A3 etc.
Image specifications
- Supply colour images in CMYK.
- A minimum input of 300dpi is recommended. Images of 72dpi are only suitable for web and will print poorly. They can’t be improved by increasing the resolution in Photoshop.
- Add bleed around the edge of your document, minimum 3-5mm.
- Always include crop marks and bleed (where applicable).
Paper stock
- The paper weight we can print on ranges from 80gsm to 300gsm.
- We will accept paper stock brought to us within this weight range, but please bring it cut to size.
- We will not accept paper that is highly fibrous, pulpy or ragged edged.
- Acetate and tracing paper can be supplied, both in A4 and SRA3.
Things to note
- There’s no such thing as white toner.
- The colours produced on a monitor to print can differ.
Page sizes
With all the different sizes available, it can sometimes be confusing trying to understand what size paper you need. From the biggest, A0, to the smallest, A8, the different sizes are designed to fit a range of different purposes. Here are the page sizes we offer:
A0 – 1189 x 841mm
A1 – 841 x 594mm
A2 – 594 x 420mm
A3 – 420 x 297mm
A4 – 297 x 210mm
A5 – 210 x 148mm
A6 – 148 x 105mm
A7 – 105 x 74mm
A8 – 74 x 52mm
Maximum page size
- SRA3 (320mm x 450mm) is the maximum dimensions which can be digitally printed.
- SRA3 is the largest size we can print double sided.
- Any page sizes larger than SRA3 become wide-format inkjet prints.
Wide format print
- Maximum width for printing is 1 metres.
- The maximum length we can print varies between 12 metres and 60 metres (depending on stock type).
Types of folds
We can create a range of fold types that can be used for leaflets, flyers etc. Here are some examples of what we offer.
Business cards
University branded business cards
- If you are a new member of staff, we have an existing template created for university business cards. If you are needing some created, please contact creativeservices@dundee.ac.uk, and they will arrange the artwork for you.
- Prices for university branded business cards differ from regular business cards.
Print specifications
- Business card size is 55mm by 90mm.
- Add bleed around the edge of your document, minimum 3-5mm.
- Always include crop marks and bleed (where applicable).
Postcards
Print specifications
- Postcard size is A6, 105mm x 148mm (most commonly).
- Add bleed around the edge of your document, minimum 3-5mm.
- Always include crop marks and bleed (where applicable).
Booklets – Saddle Stitch
Saddle Stitching refers to a very popular book binding method in which folded sheets are gathered together one inside the other and then stapled through the fold line with wire staples.
Page count
- Your final page count must be divisible by 4.
- For a saddle stitch booklet, the minimum number of pages is 8 and the maximum is 100 pages (depending on stock type).
- PDF must be supplied as single pages, and in reading order.
Print specifications
- Please add bleed around the edge of your document, minimum 3-5mm.
- Do not put text or page numbers close to the edge of the page. Please allow a 10mm margin around all edges.
- Always include crop marks and bleed (where applicable).
Booklet sizes
- Most common saddle stitch booklet sizes are
- A3 folded to A4
- A4 folded to A5 or
- Square booklets (210 x 210mm).
- We can’t do A4 landscape.
- If you require a custom size, please set this up before hand or contact us regarding the dimensions.
Cost
These booklets are priced depending on page count, quantity ordered and finishing time required.
Booklets – Perfect Bound
Perfect Binding is a widely used soft cover book binding method. With this binding method, the pages and cover are glued together at the spine with a strong yet flexible thermal glue.
Page count
- Your final page count must be divisible by 2.
- For a perfect bound booklet, the minimum number of pages is 30 and the maximum is 200 pages, or a spine width more than 3mm (depending on stock type).
- The inner pages of the booklet must be supplied as PDF, as single pages, and in reading order.
- The wrap round cover of the booklet must be supplied as PDF and as a spread, showing both front and back
Print specifications
- Please add bleed around the edge of your document, minimum 3-5mm.
- Do not put text or page numbers close to the edge of the page. Please allow a 10mm margin around all edges.
- Always include crop marks and bleed (where applicable).
Booklet sizes
- Maximum size is A4 portrait.
- We can’t do A4 landscape.
- If you require a custom size, please set this up before hand or contact us regarding the dimensions.
Cost
- These booklets are priced depending on page count, quantity ordered and finishing time required.
- 3 - 4 working days turnaround time.
Thesis binding
Full thesis and dissertation binding service available ranging from simple soft-binding (SureBind and metallic spiral bind) up to 600 pages, to University-standard hardback thesis binding up to 280 pages.
Hardback binding is available in black leather (Magister) or cloth (Buckram) finish with metallic gold or silver lettering. Available for University of Dundee or any other university on request.
Contact us for further details.
Print finishing
Wire / Sure / Glue binding
- For these types of binding, the minimum number of pages is 2 and the maximum is 200 pages (depending on stock type).
- Up to 600 pages can be bound using Sure binding
- Maximum size is A3 landscape, and any sizes in between.
- If you require a custom size, please set this up beforehand or contact us regarding the dimensions.
- These binding is priced depending on page count, quantity ordered and finishing time required.
Laminating
- We offer two types of lamination, gloss and matt.
- The maximum size for lamination is 61cm wide, and 75 metres long.
Wide format print
- Maximum width for printing is 1 metres.
- The maximum length we can print varies between 12 metres and 60 metres (depending on stock type).
- The stock list we have for wide format print is below:
- 170gsm matte
- 170gsm silk
- 170gsm gloss
- 300gsm artistic (smooth)
- 300gsm artistic (texture)
- Banner vinyl
- Tyvek
- Polycotton (fabric)
- Canvas
- Acetate
- Backlitfilm
- Tracing paper
- Adhesive vinyl
- Print priced according to stock and quantity
Downloads
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