Quick answers to what Preflight does, who it's for, and how the engine handles real packaging and label files. Have a question that isn't here? Email hello@preflight.art.
Spot colors and plate count, dieline detection, bleed measurement, image resolution, barcode validation, font embedding, total ink coverage, and structural geometry checks. An AI cross-validation pass then reviews the findings for inconsistencies before the report is written, catching the kinds of mismatches a rule engine alone would miss. Reports are advisory and meant to assist your prepress judgment, not replace it.
A typical analysis takes a few minutes per file. Larger or more complex files (gang sheets, multi-page artwork, files with many embedded high-resolution images) take longer. You'll see progress in the live view while the engine works.
PDF (exported from any application: Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, ArtiosCAD, and others) and native Adobe Illustrator (.ai) files. The engine handles single-page artwork, multi-page packaging files, multi-up gang sheets, and structurally complex packaging formats.
Yes. The flexo label and flexpack profiles are currently in partner testing. If you'd like access, contact us at hello@preflight.art. Digital labels are the only profile publicly selectable on the live tool today, but the engine itself supports all three profile families.
No. Preflight is fully browser-based. No Acrobat plug-in, no desktop client, no IT involvement. Upload a PDF and get a structured web report with a downloadable PDF export.
PitStop and pdfToolbox are general-purpose PDF preflight tools that need trained operators to configure profiles. Preflight is packaging-native, runs in a browser with no install, and costs $50/month per seat. The architectural difference is the AI cross-validation layer. Rule engines alone don't catch inconsistencies between findings.
Many shops use both: Preflight as a first-pass filter on incoming customer files, PitStop or pdfToolbox for hand-editing in Acrobat. See vs PitStop and vs pdfToolbox.
After the rule-based checks have analyzed the file, an AI pass re-reads the whole report and flags inconsistencies between findings, the kind of mismatch a rule engine alone wouldn't catch. The AI also pulls context from any notes the customer sent with the file and feeds those hints into the validation pass.
No. Preflight handles the routine first-pass checklist, freeing your team for the edge cases that actually need their judgment. Most shops use it as a first-pass filter, not a replacement.
The engine is calibrated against real-world packaging files, validated against ground-truth prepress notes. Every report includes a correction UI. If something looks wrong, you can flag it directly, and the correction feeds back into engine calibration. Reports are framed as advisory.
The engine handles dielines encoded the common ways packaging files use them. It supports ArtiosCAD-exported keylines and multi-up gang sheets.
Each profile applies thresholds and checks appropriate to the print method. Digital labels are tuned for HP Indigo and Xeikon work. Flexo profiles weight plate count and ink coverage differently because every plate has a real setup cost. Flexpack adds structural geometry checks.
Yes. ArtiosCAD-exported PDFs are recognized out of the box, including files from brand customers with Esko-equipped studios.
Files are encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM. Ownership checks gate every download so only the account that uploaded a file can retrieve it. Self-service account deletion is live. Full security details at /security.
Limited reports per month so you can validate on real files before paying. No credit card required. Reports include a "Generated with Preflight" branding line. Paid plans remove the limit and the branding.
The v1 API is currently in beta and available on the enterprise tier. It slots into print MIS systems, Enfocus Switch, Esko Automation Engine, or custom workflow dispatchers. Contact hello@preflight.art to join the beta.
$50 per month per seat for the self-serve tier. Free tier with limited reports, no credit card required. Enterprise pricing (API, webhooks, hot-folder integration) is set per customer. Contact hello@preflight.art.
Michael Bolland, who spent years in packaging sales working with label and flexpack converters before founding Preflight. The engine reflects that domain experience. It understands the file types, conventions, and failure modes real packaging files exhibit, because Michael spent years watching prepress technicians work through them manually.
Upload a packaging PDF you've seen go to press before. See what Preflight catches in a few minutes. No credit card to try.
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