What we check, what blocks, who owns it.
This page is three things at once: the configuration of our automated file check, the specsheet you design against, and Exhibit A of the terms of service. A file that passes every rule prints without a human touching it. A warn pauses the order until you approve it in one click — that approval is stored with a timestamp and the file hash, and from that moment the file is locked. A block cannot be approved away.
File opens and is not corrupt
✗ Block — must be fixedContainer parses as PDF, AI, EPS, TIFF or PSB; page tree readable; ≤ 5 GB.
Binary — it opens or it doesn't. Nothing is charged for a file we can't open.
Scale detection
! Warn — you approve, then locked · if ambiguousDocument size vs ordered size. Accepted scales: 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:10, 1:20.
Derived factor within 2% of a standard scale passes. Otherwise you confirm the scale in one click — and the confirmed final size is the contract.
Fits the roll
✗ Block — must be fixed · over 59 inFinal image width at confirmed scale.
≤ 59.0 in — 60" roll minus 0.5" edge grip per side. A 60" image on a 60" roll cannot exist; split into panels or rotate.
Measured size vs ordered size
! Warn — you approve, then locked · 1–10% · block >10%Final length at confirmed scale vs the length ordered in the calculator.
< 1% difference: billed as ordered. 1–10%: price recalculated to the measured file before payment. > 10%: blocked — we never stretch or crop artwork to match an order.
Bleed
! Warn — you approve, then lockedMediaBox minus TrimBox on all four sides, at final size.
Vehicle wraps: 2.0 in per side. Flat work: 0.25 in. Approving a low-bleed warning means panels may trim into artwork on deep recesses — that trim is yours.
Effective resolution at final size
! Warn — you approve, then locked · 100–119 dpi · block <100For every placed raster image: pixel width ÷ placed width at final size. The worst image governs.
≥ 120 dpi passes · 100–119 warns · < 100 dpi blocks. Below 100 dpi at wrap viewing distance the print is visibly pixelated — blocking protects both sides. Vector-only files always pass.
Total ink coverage
! Warn — you approve, then locked99th-percentile TAC from separations.
≤ 280% on latex · ≤ 300% on solvent. Over the limit we reduce it safely in the RIP; deep shadows may flatten slightly — you approve first.
Colour mode
! Warn — you approve, then locked · on RGB or mixedColour spaces in resources and image streams.
CMYK with embedded ICC passes. RGB is converted through our GRACoL-calibrated profile — saturated blues and greens will shift. Colour-critical? Order the $45 hard proof.
Spot colours & overprint
! Warn — you approve, then lockedSeparation colour spaces and overprint flags.
Spots are converted to process, overprint is flattened — disclosed, never silent. Exception: a spot named CutContour (100% magenta, hairline) is the contour-cut path and is never printed.
Fonts
! Warn — you approve, then locked · embedded · block missingLive text objects; embedding status per font.
All outlined passes. Live but embedded warns. Live and not embedded blocks — we won't guess a substitute. Outline your text and re-upload.
Transparency
✓ Pass · with noteSMasks and transparency groups.
Flattened at RIP, noted on the report, never gates the order. Warning on every drop shadow would teach you to ignore warnings — the report only speaks when it matters.
Panel split & registration
✓ Pass · automaticRuns longer than 300 in.
Tiled into panels with 1" overlap and registration marks. The panel map is shown before payment, ships in the box, and is part of the order contract.
File setup, answered.
What file formats does A3WH accept for wrap printing?
PDF (preferred, PDF/X-4), AI, EPS, TIFF and PSB, up to 5 GB per file. Files upload directly in the browser and are automatically preflighted within seconds.
What resolution do I need for a vehicle wrap print?
A minimum of 100 dpi at final printed size, with 120 dpi or higher recommended. Files below 100 dpi effective resolution are blocked because they print visibly pixelated at wrap viewing distance. Vector artwork always passes.
What scale should my wrap file be set up at?
Any standard scale: 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:10 or 1:20. Our preflight engine detects the scale automatically by comparing the document size to your order, and you can override it in one click.
How much bleed does a wrap print need?
2 inches on all four sides at final size for vehicle wraps, 0.25 inches for flat work such as wall graphics and decals. Low bleed triggers a warning you can approve.
Should wrap files be CMYK or RGB?
CMYK with an embedded ICC profile. RGB files are accepted but converted through our GRACoL-calibrated profile, which can shift saturated blues and greens — for colour-critical work order the $45 hard proof.
What is the maximum print width on a 60 inch roll?
59 inches of printable image — the 60" roll needs half an inch of edge grip per side. Wider artwork is automatically tiled into panels with 1 inch overlap and registration marks.