Designer Guide to Blu-ray Disc™ Labels

To prevent delays or problems in production, please indicate in writing if a deviation from the following criteria is intentional at the time the electronic files are submitted.

Sony DADC will make alterations to existing designs upon request. Graphics labor is priced according to our pre-press services hourly rate. Please note that changes to electronic files may add at least 48 hours to production time. Sony DADC requires final customer approval on any changes made.

Print Area
The Blu-ray disc image area falls between 116 mm and 23 mm. A full-face white flood background must print first to help the offset inks adhere to the disc. The white flood print area is from 115 mm to 24 mm. This flood must print solid and must be void of any knock-out areas. The disc also has a translucent center, which may cause a slight color variance depending on the ink density covering that area.

Due to the transparent nature of the Blu-ray disc, the print image will be visible on the disc’s mirror side.

Printing Process
Offset printing and direct to plate imaging are used in the Blu-ray manufacturing process requiring electronic file submission. Please supply all files in Adobe Illustrator. Files supplied in other software packages must be converted by Sony DADC, which may result in additional graphics charges. The maximum number of colors for the Blu-ray offset process is 5, screen print white for the first color followed by offset print for cyan, magenta, yellow and black.

Maximum Ink Density
Offset printing - No Limit on ink density. Sony DADC recommends adding additional color to large areas of black to achieve a richer black. In some cases a 400% black looks best.

Screen Tints
Offset Printing - Avoid using screen tints lower than 5% or higher than 95%.

Trapping
Please provide untrapped files when possible. Otherwise .25 pt trap for offset print should be sufficient in most cases.

Vector Graphics
Vector graphics are resolution independent. They are not defined by a fixed number of pixels and are automatically scaled to appear crisp and sharp on any monitor or output device at any resolution. Vector graphics are the best choice for type (especially small type) and bold graphics, such as logos, which require crisp, clear lines that can be scaled to many sizes.

Because a computer display is made up of a grid of pixels, both vector and pixel images are displayed as pixels on-screen. Vector based programs render their shapes into pixels for display.

Bitmap Images
Paint and image-editing software generate bitmap images or raster images. These images use a grid of small squares (pixels) to represent graphics. Each pixel has a specific location and color value assigned to it. When working with bitmap images, pixels are edited rather than objects. Bitmap images are the most common electronic medium for continuous tone images such as photographs or images created in painting programs. Bitmap images are resolution dependent. They represent a fixed number of pixels and can appear jagged and lose detail if they are scaled on-screen or printed at a higher resolution than what they were intended. All placed raster images must be at least 300 PPI and are output at 150 LPI.

Text
Minimum type size is 4 points positive and 5 points reverse. Avoid dropping small text out of halftones. Small text may appear 'choppy' or unreadable when dropped out of halftone areas. Sony DADC does not recommend building small text with percentages of process colors. Small text should be built with 100% ink coverage when possible.

Fonts
Sony DADC supports the entire Adobe Font Library. Make sure that all non-Adobe fonts (screen and printer) are provided with the files.

Line Sizes
To assure legibility and avoid a broken appearance, the minimum thickness for lines within positive images is .25 pt; and for reverse or negative images .5 pt.

Submitting Electronic Files
Files can be uploaded through the Sony file submission website https://graphics.sonydadc.com/. A user name and password is required for access. To gain access to the site, please contact your Project Coordinator.

Files can also be mailed on hard media. Accepted media types are CR-ROM, Zip cartridge in 100 and 250 megabyte formats, DVD-ROM.

File submission check list:

• Please include all placed images and fonts.
• Please provide a PDF soft proof or a color hard copy.
• Please be certain that all colors are named consistently in all files.
• Make sure that all linked file names match exactly to what is placed in the layout file.
• Please compress your files if uploading through the file submission site. The .sit format is preferred.

Proof Approvals
Please indicate whether or not proof approval is required, and if so which type of proof you would prefer. An additional 48 hours is required for mailing if a digital proof is sent and returned. Proofs available are:

• Digital Fuji Final Proof
• Color Laser Print with or without separations
• PDF Remote Proof for content and color placement

The Blu-ray disc image area falls between 116 mm and 23 mm. A full-face white flood background must print first to help the offset inks adhere to the disc. The white flood print area is from 115 mm to 24 mm. This flood must print solid and must be void of any knock-out areas. The disc also has a translucent center, which may cause a slight color variance depending on the ink density covering that area.

Due to the transparent nature of the Blu-ray disc, the print image will be visible on the disc’s mirror side.