Question
What cutting tolerance should I expect for my printed order?
Answer
Printed sheets are stacked and guillotine-cut in batches, so a small amount of shift is normal across a run and no printer can promise identical cuts on every single piece.
- Expect cuts to vary by up to about 1/16 inch across a job.
- Perfectly identical trims on every piece cannot be guaranteed with batch cutting.
- Keep important text and logos away from the trim edge.
- If color needs to line up across sides, build safe margins into your file.
| Guideline | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Cut tolerance | Up to about 1/16 inch |
| Safe margin | Keep text and logos about 1/8 inch from the trim |
| Thin borders | Avoid thin symmetric borders, since any shift shows |
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