How sign imposition works

From art to files in four steps

1. Add your approved PDFs

   One sign design per PDF. The finish size and bleed are read from each file's trim box. If a file has no trim box, ImposeMe works out the size when the page is a standard bleed larger than a round size, or asks you for it.

2. Set quantities and the material

   Each material has its own sheet or roll size, spacing and margins. A change of material means a separate set of files.

3. Choose bleed and corners

   Every piece prints with the same bleed (0.125 in by default). Extra bleed is trimmed back; files with less can have it added by mirroring or stretching their edges. Rounded corners change only the cut line.

4. Lay out sheets and download

   Check the to-scale preview, then download each sheet's Art and Cut PDF, or everything at once as a zip.

Preparing your files

• Export PDFs with bleed and a trim box (InDesign and Illustrator do this when you export with document bleed).
• Outline or embed fonts before exporting.
• Approved art is never scaled. If a file doesn't match the size you give it, ImposeMe tells you instead of guessing.
• Files are read and laid out in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

What's in each file

• Art PDF: the imposed artwork with bleed, five 0.25 in registration dots (three across the top, two at the bottom corners) and the file name in the bottom-right corner. Each piece is a single group, so it can be moved without leaving its bleed behind.
• Cut PDF: 0.25 pt, 100% magenta cut lines at finish size (square or rounded), the same registration dots, and the same file name label.
• One Art and one Cut file per sheet or roll file, named Job_1of3 Art.pdf, Job_1of3 Cut.pdf and so on.
• When a job mixes files, each piece also gets its own file name printed just under its bleed, so pieces are easy to sort after cutting.

Materials and spacing

Board sheets are laid out portrait (48 in across, 96 in along the length). Only a completely full sheet is made at 48 × 96; the last sheet of a job is trimmed to the art plus margins so it can be ganged with other work. Roll files are always trimmed to fit, up to 120 in long.

Registration dots and margins

Dots are 0.25 in, 0.5 in in from the edge of the file. Cut lines stay 0.25 in clear of the dots and bleed stays at least 0.125 in clear, so at the standard bleed the top and bottom margins are 1 in.