Print-Ready Sticker Files: Prepress Checklist for Roland & Graphtec

Shipping print-ready sticker files that cut cleanly on Roland and Graphtec starts with a tight prepress checklist. Use this step-by-step to avoid cutter rejections, blade chatter, or mis-registration.

1) Document setup

• Artboard to trim size or to sheet layout; units in mm or inches.
• Color mode: CMYK (plus spot if needed). Raster effects at 300 ppi.
• Bleed: 2–3 mm (⅛″) outside the cut line.

2) CutContour spot color

• Place the CutContour path on a dedicated top layer.
• Stroke weight: 0.25–1 pt (stroke only, no fill).
• Use smooth curves; avoid nodes < 0.5 mm apart.
• Knife-friendly corners: add tiny radii (0.3–0.5 mm) instead of sharp spikes.

3) Registration & alignment

• Add device-appropriate registration marks (VersaWorks/Graphtec mark sets).
• Keep marks outside artwork and outside bleed.
• Group each sticker’s artwork + cut path for stability.

4) Ink & substrate sanity checks

• Total Ink Limit: ≤ 280–300% (profile dependent).
• Convert spot effects to process unless brand-mandated.
• Black text < 10 pt as 100K; large rich blacks as C60 M40 Y40 K100 (typical).

5) Preflight

• Outline or package fonts; embed linked images.
• Expand appearance on strokes/effects that could rasterize unexpectedly.
• Remove hidden layers and stray points.

6) Export for device

• Roland VersaWorks: PDF/X-4 or EPS; preserve spot CutContour; include bleed.
• Graphtec: PDF with vector cut path; ensure mark set matches cutting controller.
• Name files clearly: Client_Job_Size_QTY_Cut.pdf

Quick troubleshooting

• Cutter not reading cut path? Verify the swatch is Spot and spelled exactly CutContour.
• Chatter on tight corners? Add corner radii and simplify nodes.
• Offset after lamination? Re-calibrate pinch/roller pressure and adjust cut offset in the RIP.

Need help? We create production-ready sticker files and CutContour paths for Roland and Graphtec, including bulk orders and outsourcing.