Sending via EMail

Only for files smaller than 5 MB. Use your email application, attach files to your message and send to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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Sending via FTP:

Any file size. Using an FTP client application, you can transfer files to our server more reliably. You can access this server at ftp://ftp.sos.com.au/.

provide the following details to log into our generic upload account;

User: uploads

Pass: sosuploads

Use the following log on details:

User: uploads

Password: sosuploads

 

We recommend using the free Filezilla FTP client (download here).

For simple file upload/download you may use the web based client : http://www.sos.com.au/ftp/login.aspx

If you would like to send us files on a regular basis we are happy to set up your own secure directory on our server. Please get in touch with your sales representative or send us a This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it !

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When naming your files and folders, please remember that we are working in a mixed environment, ie. we are using Macs as well as PCs. Please don't use any special characters (eg. !@#$%^&*()_/+|\) or the PCs won't understand and don't use names longer than 36 characters.

To understand the difference between dots per inch (dpi) and lines per inch (lpi), look at the way laser printers and printing presses create grey by using only black ink or toner.

To produce shades of black, any picture that has to be printed must first be broken up into a raster. Through this raster the black toner (or ink) can the distributed on the paper as dots of a varying size. The size of the black dot and the white paper around it create the impression of greys. Light areas have small dots and darker areas or shadows have larger dots. The image broken up by the raster is called a halftone, the raster is a halftone grid, divided into halftone cells.

The halftone grid is dependent on the fineness of dots the output device can produce. In other words, if you have a 300 dpi laser printer, your grid can only be produced using 300 dots per inch, which means that you are limited in the variance of your halftone dot, much more than with a 3600 dpi imagesetter.

This limitation means that the distribution of your halftone cells depends on your grid, if your cells are too close together, the grid will not allow the printer to vary the size of your halftone dot and you cannot produce enough shades of grey, the image becomes blotchy. The closeness of the rows of halftone cells is measured in lines per inch or the line screen.

In printing the number of lines per inch used depend on the dpi of the output device and also on the type of press used and the paper. A small instant print press cannot print dots as fine as a big, commercial printing press. Jobs printed on uncoated paper or newspaper typically require a coarse line screen (85lpi) because these papers absorb a lot of ink and the dots spread out (dot gain). High quality commercial printing is usually done on high quality coated paper, on which a much sharper dot can be produced (150-200lpi). The dots in coarse line screens can easily be seen by the naked eye whereas fine line screens look almost like a continuous tone.

While the above related to output, dpi and lpi are already very important when scanning your images. To reproduce with clarity at a certain line screen, a scan needs to have a certain resolution. A rule of thumb is to scan in at approx. twice the final line screen, e.g. a picture printed at a 150 lpi needs to be at a resolution of 300 dots (or pixels on screen) per inch.

The image will be broken up into a raster determined by the line screen. There needs to be enough information in the picture to support the line screen, superfluous information, e.g. more than 300 dpi at 150 lpi, will be discarded.

Another way of producing shades of black or a colour is by varying the number of very small dots on a page, as opposed to the size of the dot. This technique is used in most inkjet printers and produces very good, photo like results. It is called stochastic screening, or frequency modulation. It has the advantage of producing relatively good results, even when the image resolution is below 300 dpi.

 

At SOS we have extensive bindery equipment which allows us to finish most multi-page publications in house. You can choose between the following forms of binding:

Padding:

Glue is applied to one or several edges of the sheets, holding them together. Most suitable for notepads and other items where single sheets need to be torn off without affecting the sheets left. - Cost: low | Durability: low

 

 

Side-stapling

Staples can be applied at the side or at the top corner of the sheets. As this can be done inline on our laser printers, this is a very cost effective and fast way of holding together items like handouts.

Cost: low | Durability: medium

 

Plastikoil binding

A spiral plastic cord is threaded through holes that were punched at the long or short edge of the sheets.

Cost: medium | Durability: high

 

 

Wiro Binding

A metal wire is clamped into holes that were punched at the long or short edge of the sheets.

Cost: medium | Durability: high

 

 

3-, 4-, or 5-Ring Binding

Ring binders are popular were sheets have to be able to be taken out or replaced from a publication. Most popular with training companies.

Cost: high | Durability: medium

 

 

Saddle Stitching

A fast way of binding booklets with up to approx. 80 pages, it is used in publications such as Time Magazine. Sheets are folded, collated and then stitched along the spine by 2 metal staples.

Cost: low | Durability: medium

 

 

Perfect Binding

Single Pages are collated into book blocks, hot melt glue is applied along the spine and a soft cover is drawn on, which is usually thicker than the text.

Cost: medium | Durability: medium

 

Burst Binding

Similar to perfect binding but more durable because sheets are folded into sections and punched along the spine before collating, to allow the glue to penetrate further into the book block. 

Cost: medium | Durability: high

 

Section Sewing

Similar to Perfect & Burst binding; it is the most durable; folded sections are collated into book blocks then sewn together with thread before gluing and drawing on a soft cover.

Cost: high | Durability: high

PUR Binding

Similar to perfect binding but using a more durable glue. This glue is extremely strong. It requires 24 hours drying time and it is much more expensive than normal glue. PUR binding is replacing section sewing as a high quality binding option.

Cost: high | Durability: high

There is an almost unlimited number of ways paper can be folded. To communicate the way your brochure should be folded it is important to use accurate descriptions. Shown below are some of the most common folding methods.

Keep in mind that folding is a mechanical process that may vary slightly depending factors such as paper thickness.

Half Fold

Most common type of fold. Examples: A3 fold to A4 or A4 fold to A5.

Roll Fold

Panels fold in on each other. Each panel, from the outside in must be successively smaller to allow for the paper thickness.

Gate Fold

Two end panels fold inward, then folds again vertically down center of page.

Parallel Fold

This type of fold requires the finished piece to be folded in half, then in half again – final, folded size is one quarter the original width by the same height.

3 Panel Fold

A common layout is the three-panel, two fold brochure on A4 size paper that folds down to fit into an envelope. Example: A4 fold to DL.

Concertina or Z Fold

Panels fold on top of each other like an accordion. Called a Z fold when there are 3 panels. The resulting brochure can be unfolded and laid flat to be read from side to side.