PRINTING FAQs
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING
Everything went as scheduled, and we are very appreciative of the work you do.
Joan S. Indianapolis IN
AlphaGraphics always does a great job with our order and is very customer service oriented. It is a pleasure to work with Michael and his team.
Marsha L. Indianapolis IN
I am thrilled to work with you and your whole team!
Maria M. Carmel Indiana
Always professional, communicative and on time.
Mo M. Carmel IN
Everyone is great to work with.
Sue L. Carmel IN
Always prompt, professional, and transparent of all costs. Great work .
Chuck L.
Top to bottom, extremely professional staff. Quick to offer suggestions, assistance, and communication that ensures a fantastic product.
Brian M. Carmel Indiana
The AG Team is always wonderful to work with.
Greg W. Indianapolis IN
The staff at Alpha Graphics is your nucleus & they are extremely helpful, talented and professional in all that they do!!!
Brad M. Indianapolis Indiana
I greatly appreciated the last minute help perfecting our postcard as I was using a loaner computer and didn't have all my usual tools. Friendly help and quick service.
Lisa L. Indianapolis IN
Professional, courteous, efficient, always on time. Excellent service!
Ibrahim K. Indianapolis IN
Lillian did a wonderful job listening to our needs and creating a beautiful product for us.
Nancy F. Carmel Indiana
AlphaGraphics was very responsive to our needs, even with a last minute change that they were able to accommodate us. Our main client was very pleased the end product!
Alexander L. Indianapolis Indiana
worked quickly and efficiently for my "Save the Date" wedding cards. Excited to use them for my Wedding documents.
Kendall W. Carmel IN
very professional! Always very quick to respond to our request, no matter the need. Finished product is always excellent.
Karla M. Carmel IN
Very friendly, professional, efficient.
Daniel S.
I've been using Alphagraphics for years, and they are always courteous and professional, and the quality of their work is consistently high.
Charlene B.
Quick and painless process. Excellent turn-around time for a small decal project. Appreciated the friendliness of the team!
Austin S. Carmel IN
Great customer service.
Jeff S. Indianapolis IN
This was a very small job (a photo enlargement for a last-minute Christmas gift) but Alpha Graphics handled it with professionalism and courtesy -- and the result was beautiful! I would definitely work with AlphaGraphics again in future.
Stephanie D.
Excellent communication and top level quality when we had an urgent need requiring a short turnaround. Your support is much appreciated!
Jim M. Noblesville IN
Great customer service and timely responses.
Robyn N. Noblesville Indiana
I receive professional and friendly customer service from start to finish every time I work with Alpha Graphics
Trina G. Carmel IN
We always enjoy using alphagraphics!
Jack R. Fishers IN
You have always been on your game and made the effort to make sure I am pleased with both your product and efforts.
Jeff V. Carmel IN
Great customer service easy to work with!
Adam J.
Michael and his team are always very responsive. They provide a high quality product at a reasonable price.
Craig S. Siler City NC
Alphagraphics is so helpful to our company and staff and assisting us in working out how we want to do projects-- factoring in design, cost, and timeline. We appreciate all of your help!
Libby M. Indianapolis IN
My experience with AlphaGraphics was wonderful. They completed the job quickly and professionally.
Kathryn K.
The design of the business cards is beyond amazing and shows the great standards that Alpha Graphics upholds for its design capabilities.
Benjamin K.
Always a great experience - efficient, excellent customer service and reliable!
Renee S. Carmel IN
Fast, quality, convenient & competitive prices
Heather M. Indianapolis IN
We asked for the cards on a quicker turn around time than normal - you all delivered! Thank you so much!
Sheena C. Fishers IN
I have been very pleased with Mike and your entire staff!
Kristen H. Carmel IN
We are always pleased with AlphaGraphics. Our orders are completed in a timely manner. We have never had an issue with the quality of any product that AlphaGraphics has provided.
Dawn D. Fishers IN
quick, easy and great quality
Kelli V. Carmel IN
Always great service. And the final product totally met our expectations. Can't thank you enough for helping make our event successful.
Joe C. Fishers IN
We are very pleased with your service and dealing with us in a timely manner. Carmel Rotary
Sharleen M.
For my first time using AlphaGraphics I was so impressed with the speed, the accuracy and the design suggestions which completely elevated the business cards I was printing. I will definitely use them for future print work
Linky M. Indianapolis IN
Michael was great and extremely helpful :)
Tarah P. Greenwood IN
Mike was very helpful and accommodating with our order and processed it quickly
Allison P. Carmel Indiana
I really appreciated the accuracy and creativity of your staff. My project was done on time, which was important.
Terry M. Carmel IN
Great people, great service, great product.
Jeff W.
They are always polite and very professional.
Jane B. Fortville IN
Michael and his team went above and beyond the normal scope of a common sign or print project; they managed, produced & installed a variety of different large format & signage applications as well as last minute printed items and the result THRILLED our client! Their contributions to this outdoor experiential event for a major gaming software company are the exact reason why this client keeps coming back to us to harness the power of our nationwide network of AlphaGraphics Business Centers. I can't thank you enough Michael Kile, Mike MacKool and the rest of the AG Carmel team!
Scott W. San Diego CA
we had our rehearsal dinner envelops printed and our table place cards. The product was beautiful and well executed. We also received the product very quickly within 3 days from start to finish.
Melissa S.
We can always count on your great customer service and quality product!
Debbie F. Carmel IN
Very attentive to the quality of work produced. Appreciated them letting me know how I can improve my printing initiatives for the company.
Haide V. Indianapolis IN
Very knowledgeable and helpful throughout the process of sending out our direct mail campaign. Thanks!
David B. Indianapolis IN
An absolute pleasure to work with! Thank you for your flexibility and prompt communication.
Tiffany G. Lakewood CO
ALL ABOUT PRINTING
ARE THERE PRINT SIZE LIMITATIONS?
Yes, and no. Our digital copiers will take sheet sizes as small as 4.25” x 5.5” up to 13” x 19”. Traditional offset can accept sheet sizes up to 12” x 18”. Our in-house large format printers can produce graphics up to 41.5” wide. If you have specific questions about our sizing options, please do not hesitate to give us a call.
WHAT IS A PROOF AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
In printing terms, a proof is a one-off copy of your document after all modifications and printing setup processes have been completed. It is your last, and best, opportunity to make sure that your print job comes out the way you envisioned. By carefully inspecting the proof, you can help ensure an accurate, flawless delivery of your print job the first time.
DO YOU REQUIRE MINIMUM QUANTITIES ON ANY OF YOUR PRODUCTS?
Nope! Some printing methods may be more cost-effective than others, but our professional staff are happy to work with you to determine which printing method is best for your project.
DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COLOR SEPARATIONS OR HALF-TONE PRINTING TO GET MY JOB COMPLETED?
Absolutely not! We handle all the "back-end" production for you.
The terms are pretty easy to understand, though. Color separation refers to our offset printing process, where we use cyan, magenta, yellow, and black in four separate plates that go directly to the press. These four colors can create almost any color you can imagine!
Half-tone printing refers to converting a solid tone of black ink or one color into tiny dots that are invisible to the eye to create your image. You see a solid image, but it’s really created from the spacing of these tiny dots.
IS WHITE CONSIDERED A PRINTING COLOR?
Not typically. Because white is the default color of paper, it is simply recognized as the absence of ink.
WHAT PAPER TYPES DO YOU OFFER?
We have a large collection of “house” stocks in our production area. If you have a specific style in mind, we can check our in-house inventory to see if our selection is able to match your tastes. Or, we’ll check with our paper vendors to see what they have on hand. Keep in mind that special stocks or materials may require bulk purchasing from suppliers.
WHAT IS THE PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM?
The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a color reproduction standard in which colors all across the spectrum are each identified by a unique, independent number. The use of PMS allows us to precisely match colors and maintain color consistency throughout the printing process.
WHY DO THE PRINTED COLORS LOOK DIFFERENT THAN THE COLORS ON MY SCREEN?
In short, printers and monitors produce color 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 the closest matching color. Programs like Adobe Photoshop will allow you to choose which color will be replaced; others may not. We’ll provide you with a sample print right before we print your job to ensure a "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" final product.
COMMON PRINTING TERMS
BIND: To fasten sheets with wire, thread, glue, or by any other means.
BINDING: A name given for any of many procedures used to put pages together.
BLEED: Printing that goes to the edge of the sheet. Trimming is required to make the printing run to the edge of a sheet.
CAST-COATED: Coated paper with a high- gloss reflective finish.
COATED PAPER: Paper with a clay or other coating applied to one, or both, sides. The coating can be dull, gloss, matte, or a number of other finishes. Coated paper generally produces sharper, brighter images and has a more refelctive quality than uncoated paper.
COLLATE: To put pages in a certain order for binding.
COLOR CORRECTION: Methods of improving color separations and definition.
COVER PAPER: A heavy printing paper primarily used to cover books or make presentation folders.
SIDE-STITCHING: Stapling through the spine from front to back. The publication will not lay flat when opened.
CROP: To trim a picture, image, or printed sheet.
CROP MARKS: Printed lines showing where to trim a printed sheet.
GLOSS: A shiny paper coating that reflects light.
LAMINATE: To cover with protective film. Also used to bond or glue one surface to another.
MATTE FINISH: Dull paper or ink finish.
OFFSET PRINTING: Printing which involves a plate that makes an inked impression on a rubber-blanketed cylinder, which, in turn, transfers it to the paper.
PERFECT BINDING: An unsewn, flat-spined book binding made with glue.
RESOLUTION: The degree of sharpness of a computer-generated image as measured by the number of dots per linear inch in a hard-copy printout or, the number of pixels across and down on a display screen.
SADDLE-STITCHING: A type of binding that uses wire stapling at the center of a magazine or pamphlet.
SCORE: Creasing paper to help it fold more neatly.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
WHAT TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE?
AlphaGraphics is a full service marketing communications provider, and offer a wide range of products and services. To see a full listing of our services, check out the Products & Services area of our website.
WHAT TYPES OF MARKETING TECHNIQUES CAN YOU ADD TO MY PRINTED MATERIALS?
OUR MULTI-CHANNEL MARKETING OPTIONS INCLUDE:
- QR Codes
- PURLs
- SMS and MMS marketing
- Video production and editing
- Variable mapping
- Social media marketing
- Mobile optimized websites, and so much more!
Call our team today to learn more about the tools we can use in concert with your printed communications to improve your ROI.