If you print labels from PDF, read this...

[Bishop Vogue]

Hey guys, I accidentally stumbled on a mistake I've been making for a YEAR  and wanted to share it in case anyone else is doing the same.  Not sure how, but I noticed that when I turn my WORD documents (where I layout my labeling sheets) into a PDF for the printer, the PDF gets slightly resized.  The PDF is about 5% smaller than the WORD document.  For a long time now I have been printing the word document and using it as my drilling template, and then applying the labels printed from PDF and wondering how on earth my drill bit had skated so much.  Turns out I was applying a smaller label than my template but it was close enough that I'd never noticed before... I just took it for granted that it was the same size.  Anyway, if your process involves converting a file to PDF for the printers, be sure to compare the 2 images and make sure they are the same.

Now I'm stuck trying to find a way to make the PDFs correct... compensate by making them too large on WORD, I guess.  What program do you guys use for your label sheets?

[ubersam]

When you're printing a pdf doc and don't want the image shrunk, make sure that you have "Actual Size" selected under "Page Sizing & Handling". "Fit" and "Shrink oversized pages" will shrink your image. Be aware though, there is a 0.25" (or so) margin around the page.

[PRR]

Yes, Adobe Reader (maybe others) tends to allow good margins to be "sure" nothing runs off the page. It is about a readable document, not the exact size. And as noted, you can tell it "Actual Size". (Even this is sometimes a hair off.)

Some printers claim a DPI which is not exactly right, can be 1% or 2% off. (There is some idea that this is to make self-printed money easier to detect, but I think it is just careless design.)

If at all possible, include a "ruler" on your layout. This can be as little as two dots exactly 8 inches or 200mm apart (smaller for small layouts). Or if you know that pot 1 and pot 7 should be exactly 167mm apart, remember that. When the paper comes out, lay your good ruler on the dots and check what really came out.

If you download enough odd PDF manuals you will find some with dots and crosses and color-bars in the margin. (Also if you rip-open some printed cardboard boxes.) When we did good printing on large sheets of film, the layout person included notes about these extra marks, distance and Panatone color. The camera tech adjusted his (huge) camera to get the marks right. The press-man selected his inks to get the colors right. Today you only have yourself (and Adobe and printer) to blame, so you have to check all steps yourself.

[karbomusic]

There is an adjustment or setting off somewhere. Even if due to margins it shouldn't really be due to margins but rather some setting shrinking to fit the margin. There shouldn't be a problem getting most major apps to print exact sizes. Think about it, it would be impossible to print some of the PCBs we print here if apps and printers couldn't print with high accuracy.

PDF can add a layer of complexity though, for example, I typically use Photoshop. If I had a PDF loaded, I'd need to worry about Photoshop's print settings, the printer's print settings and the PDF print settings. Tbh, the only time I use PDF is when someone sends to me. The format is fine, its just that extra layer of sizing complexity that sometimes rears it's head. However, in this case we can't let Word of the hook during the conversion either but nevertheless it should be entirely possible to print accurately (enough), most anything we need around these parts.