Automatically sized substrates

You can configure the Pandora software to automatically size substrates according to job elements (die, plate, film, or step-and-repeat), plus margins that you specify.

For example, you may receive a die from a die maker, and want to reduce paper waste by using the size of the die to determine the size of the substrate.

You can create default settings in the Preferences dialog box so that Pandora always creates substrates based on these settings, or you can have the software prompt you each time you add a job element (die, plate, film, or step-and-repeat) to the layout view.

1. Select Pandora > Preferences (Macintosh) or Edit > Preferences (Windows).
2. In Preferences, select the Substrate tab.
3. In the Automatically Sized Substrate area, select the object on which to base your substrate in the job: Die, Plate, Film, or StepRepeat.
4. In the Margins area, perform the following actions:
   1. Type an amount for the margins. The substrate cannot be larger than 482.6 x 482.6 cm (190 x 190 in.).
   2. If you want the margins around the die to be equal, select Center die on substrate. If you want the plate or film centered, select Center substrate horizontally (because plates and film have no bottom margin, the substrate trailing edge will be positioned by your press settings).
   3. Select a grain for the substrate: Long, Short, or None.
   4. In the Units list, select millimeters, centimeters, or inches.
5. (For die only) In the Size Based On area, select one of the following options:
   1. All lines in die file to base the die size on the outermost lines in the die.
   2. All die stations to base the die size on all the stations in the die.
   3. Line type to specify a line type to use to size the die.
6. You can avoid an oddly sized substrate by rounding the measurements up or down.
   1. Select Round to nearest. In the box, type a number.
   2. Select Up or Down.
      Note: It's not possible to round down unless the margins are big enough to prevent a negative margin value.
7. If you always want to create substrates based on your settings in Preferences, select Always create substrate with these default settings. If you want to control the size of the margins when adding the die, plate, film, or step-and-repeat to the job, leave this check box clear, and Pandora will prompt you to review substrate settings when you add the element to the job.
8. Click OK.