Production files and preflight
The files every order arrives with (print-resolution PNG, production PDF, vector SVG, cut-path die-line) plus live print guides, DPI maths, and preflight checks.
The app's core promise: what customers design is what your printer receives. That rests on three things: real print dimensions, live guides, and preflight.
Play with the print maths#
Bleed, trim & safe zone, live
(3″ + 2×0.125″) × 300 DPI = 975 × 975 px
The production PNG is rendered at exactly these pixel dimensions, no upscaling, ever. Guides are drawn live on the customer's canvas so designs arrive printable.
Real dimensions, real pixels#
Every canvas is defined in physical units (inches, cm, or mm) at a target DPI (default 300). The production render is calculated exactly as the playground shows: (size + 2 × bleed) × DPI. A 3″ × 3″ label with 0.125″ bleed at 300 DPI is rendered at 975 × 975 px. Never upscaled, never guessed.
Bleed, trim, and safe-zone guides are drawn live on the customer's canvas while they design (toggleable per template), so staying in spec doesn't require knowing what "bleed" means.
The files on every order#
| File | Format | Use | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design preview | JPEG | Cart drawer, checkout, order confirmation | All plans |
| Production PNG | PNG at full print resolution | Raster printing, RIP software | All plans |
| Production PDF | PDF at exact physical page size (trim + bleed) | Send straight to the printer | Starter+ |
| Vector SVG | Traced single-colour curves | Laser software (LightBurn, Inkscape), plotters | Starter+ |
| Cut path | SVG die-line following the trim edge | Die-cutting, digital cutters, embossing | Starter+ |
Download them from the Designs gallery in the app, or grab the URLs straight off the order's line item properties (see The storefront block).
On the Free plan the customer-facing preview carries a small "Powered by Design Studio" watermark. Production files are never watermarked, and the preview watermark disappears on any paid plan.
Free also gates downloads rather than sales: past 10 custom orders in a calendar month, further orders keep their preview but their print files stay locked until you upgrade. See Plans and billing.
Vector tracing for engraving#
Templates flagged for vector trace export render their SVG through a tracing pipeline: the design is supersampled at 4× DPI, thresholded to pure black-and-white, and traced into clean vector curves. The stamp starter templates use this by default, and the output drops into laser and engraving workflows unchanged.
Preflight checks#
Before submit, the app checks the design and warns about the three classic print failures:
- Safe-zone violations: an element extends beyond the safety margin and may be cut off during trimming
- Tiny text: text that will render too small to read at physical size (flagged with its approximate point size)
- Bleed coverage: the background doesn't fully cover the bleed area, risking white edges
Warnings explain the problem in plain language so customers fix it themselves, instead of you discovering it after the order lands.
Related guides#
- Images and background removal for engraving filters (threshold, grayscale, invert)
- Templates and the starter library for per-template print specs
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