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Orders received by 10:00am EST will be processed that day if all information needed is received.

Eastern Time

Ordering Tips

When you are ready to place your order with us, our team is committed to making the process easy and pleasant – from start to finish. Friendly service, backed up by our high quality products, is what we’ve become known for in the industry.

We stand behind our commitment to product quality and customer satisfaction with warranties and by offering same day service on most dies, with a few exceptions.

OWOSSO also makes reordering easy! We keep files for 6 weeks for all copper & magnesium dies. All you need to do is notify us before 10 a.m. EST/EDT and your re-order will be included in that day’s production.

Please call us if you don’t find the answer you are looking for in the following links:

Credit Application

Credit Terms:

OWOSSO offers the convenience of Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express for automatic billing!

Payment on new accounts may be made by either credit card, C.O.D. or advance check. Open accounts are available to established businesses once full credit has been approved.

Open account terms NET 15 days. A 1.5% finance charge per month (18% APR) will begin accruing after 15 days. Orders for accounts 60 days past due will be shipped C.O.D.

Click here to download our Credit Application

OWOSSO forms are in Adobe PDF format which will require Adobe Acrobat Reader. These forms are fillable and printable. Click the Adobe link to download the latest version. To save a PDF document from the OWOSSO website to a computer, click on the save icon in the upper left corner of the PDF document.

Crop Marks vs Corner Marks

When plates sizes are required, please show the size with crop marks as opposed to corner marks. Please see attached pdf for example:

How to Convert to Outlines

Guidelines for Electronic Ordering

By following the tips included in this section you can enjoy cleaner, crisper images on your dies.

See the following links for more details:

If it all still seems a little intimidating, call us! We are here to help and we want to make the entire ordering and production process simple for you!

Give us a call at 1-800-444-5552 or email us!


Software Program Compatibility—Copper and Magnesium Dies

To send your order electronically to OWOSSO you can use any of the following programs
to create your files:

  • CDR– Corel Draw
  • AI– Adobe Illustrator
  • FH– Freehand
  • PM– Pagemaker
  • QXD– Quark
  • IDD– In Design
  • PSD– Photoshop
  • EPS– Encapsulated Postscript
  • PDF– Portable Document File
  • JPG– Jpeg, only in 100% black and white, 600 DP (Jpeg’s not acceptable for certain applications like hot stamping, embossing, soap & pottery stamps)
  • TIF– Tiff bitmap, only in 100% black and white, 600 DPI
  • Microsoft Word and Excel files need to be saved as a PDF. We do not accept MS Word or Excel files.

Here are a few important software tips to remember:

  • When using PageMaker or Quark Express you need to also send OWOSSO your fonts. No big deal! Just find that font folder on your hard drive, make a copy of that folder, and put it in the same folder that will hold the file you are sending us.
  • With Corel Draw, Illustrator or Freehand you do not need to send fonts, however you need to change your type into “outlines or paths”.
  • Don’t forget to always include your placed images unless they have been embedded in the file.
  • When setting type, avoid using the control palette to create bold or italic fonts. It may print okay on your computer’s printer, but it will not translate on our postscript imagesetters. PDFs created in this manner will also default. Yikes!!
  • Remember — always avoid typesetting in Photoshop. It’s a great program but does not produce clean, crisp type.

Software Program Compatibility—Brass Dies

All Brass dies need to be vector based. Preferred files are:

  • CDR– Corel Draw
  • AI– Adobe Illustrator
  • EPS– Encapsulated Postscript
  • IDD– In Design
  • Colors may be used to show the different levels.

Scanning Instructions and Recommendations

Although original files are preferred, high resolution tiffs are also acceptable. Scanning poor copy with ragged edges will produce a file with, you guessed it, ragged edges. Printing it to your ink jet or laser printer may not tell you the whole story on the quality of the file.

At OWOSSO, we use computer-to-plate technology. It is not as forgiving as your printer. Every little jagged line will look like a jagged line. Some good rules for scanning include:

  • Scan line art at 600 to 1200 dpi and save as a “bitmap tiff” to remove the screens around the edges of the image.
  • Scan halftones at a dpi of 2 1/2 times the linescreen you want to print at. Save the file as a “grayscale tiff”.
  • Crop the image down to just what you need to send to us. Scanning a small piece of art on an 8 1/2 X 11 page will be a huge file because all of the empty page around the image will be part of the scan and will be represented by pixels. The more pixels, the bigger the file. Monstrous files go nowhere via e-mail.
  • Refuse Jpegs and Gifs from your customers. They are great for viewing on your computer screen but are rarely high enough quality for printing.

The Importance of Compressing Your Files

Compressing your files will help avoid the dreaded call from OWOSSO’s Imaging Department letting you know that we were not able to work with your file because it didn’t come through the internet safely. Compressing your file to a “ZIP” file is a better way to get your files across the types of server/computer platforms. Your PC & MAC’s have this compression utility built-in (Win 7 or newer and Mac’s OS10 versions), allowing you to compress your files/folders safely.

Right “clicking” your file (where you have saved it) on a Mac or PC, you’ll have a little window open and one of the options will be “compressing” your file to a “ZIP” file. Windows and Mac’s word this a little differently, but you’ll figure it out.

Another advantage to compressing your files is you can add more files to you order than attached file limit of 10, as long as your “ZIP” file isn’t larger than 50mb.

Shipping

For dependability, we recommend UPS or FedEx for the shipping of your products. Both companies offer very detailed websites explaining the various shipping options available.

When your product is complete, OWOSSO will ship your order per your instructions. If no specific shipping instructions are provided, we will ship your order by UPS Ground

Shipping charges plus a handling charge will be added to your invoice. Handling charge is 1% of die order with a minimum of $1.00, maximum of $25.00.

How to Gang your Artwork

When sending several images, you can “gang” your artwork. Setting up your artwork correctly saves us time and can save you money.

Artwork should have 1/2” between each image—see examples below of correct setup and “bad” setup.

For large orders the ideal document size is 17” wide x 23” long for unmounted dies and14” wide x 23” long for MOUNTED dies.

Limited Warranty

OWOSSO is committed to product quality and customer satisfaction! Please examine your order immediately upon arrival. Call us if you have a concern or a problem and we’ll see if one of our technical staff can help you solve it over the phone. Inquiries concerning defects, errors, or shortages need to be made within 10 working days of the receipt of your order.

If there is a manufacturing defect in the die, we will replace it immediately at no charge. We may ask you to return the original die and product samples so we can evaluate the problem for continuing quality improvement.

Our warranty covers replacement of the die that has a manufacturing defect. OWOSSO is not liable for any other warranties expressed or implied, or for damages which may be direct, incidental or consequential to use of the die.

Dies made per incomplete or incorrect instructions do not qualify for no-charge warranty replacement.

Who to Call at OWOSSO?

Contact A Team Member

Call us – We’re Here to Help!

800.444.5552 (U.S. & Canada) | 989.725.7112 (International)


 

Craig Ellenberg
President
Since 1982
craig@OWOSSO.com

 


Joe Holden, Tech Support ManagerJoe Holden
Tech Support Manager
Since 1984
joe@OWOSSO.com


 Doug Pendergast, National Account DirectorDoug Pendergast
National Account Director
Since 2003
doug@OWOSSO.com
Phone: (989) 277 8369

Brandie Cords
Customer Service Specialist/Billing
Since 2004
brandie@OWOSSO.com


AndyAndy Huff
Imaging Specialist
Since 2000
andy@OWOSSO.com


Tia Blue
Imaging Specialist
Since Since 2015
tia@OWOSSO.com


Brad

Brad Wirostek
Imaging Specialist
Since Since 2016
brad@OWOSSO.com


Dottie RoyDottie Roy
Office Manager
Since 2001
dottie@OWOSSO.com

Ordering via E-mail

We encourage you to use our online ordering system. If you prefer to email your order please use the following guidelines:

  • Please compress all your files to avoid corruption (Use programs like Stuffit or PKZip)
  • Please put your company name under the Subject heading.
  • Product Order Forms
  • Send your files by e-mail to: imaging@OWOSSO.com

Last but definitely not least – Please confirm your order by FAXING a Proof Copy of your file and an Order Form to: 989-725-8084. This allows us to compare your FAX proof to what we received by e-mail to make sure your file came through okay.

Mac or PC files are accepted as well as all major software including files created in Illustrator, CorelDraw, PageMaker, Freehand, QuarkXpress, and Photoshop. Please call ahead for special instructions for DXF and DWG files.

Our Imaging Team is ready to answer your imaging questions every weekday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST/EDT at 1-800-444-5552.

Product Order Forms

Help us serve you better! Please submit an OWOSSO order form to each piece of copy. The accuracy of your order depends on the completeness of your order instructions. Incomplete order information may delay processing.

Reordering: OWOSSO makes reordering easy! Notify us before 10 a.m. EST/EDT for your re-order to be included in that production day.

You can download the order forms from the following list.

What Is OWOSSO’s Artwork Specifications and Electronic Ordering Process?

So, you’re ready to order a die from OWOSSO for your Howard Imprinting Machine… here are a few things we’d like you to know to make this a successful ordering experience.

Artwork

Whether you’re sending us black & white artwork in the mail, or e-mailing a file to us, the quality of your die depends entirely upon the artwork you supply. OWOSSO dies are photoengraved; the artwork is actually photographed onto a piece of magnesium metal that has a photosensitized coating then etched in a nitric acid bath. This means your die is going to look exactly like the artwork you send us!

Image Size

This is a very important bit of information. If you send us a piece of artwork that is 2” x 3” and don’t tell us you need it to be ¾” in height, you’re going to receive a die that is 2” x 3”. If you are e-mailing a file to us, please make sure that the file is the SAME SIZE you want the die to be. Ideally, e-mail files should be ready to go when we receive them.

Preparing Files

If you use any of the following programs to create your files, you’re halfway there: InDesign, QuarkXpress, Corel Draw, or Illustrator. QuarkXpress requires you to send us your fonts. No big deal. Just find that font folder on your hard drive, make a copy of that folder, and put it in the same folder that will hold the file you will be sending to us. The other programs have the option to change your type into outlines or curves so there is no need to send fonts along. Don’t forget to always include your placed images unless they have been embedded in the file.

Setting Type

When setting type, avoid using the control palette to create bold or italic fonts. They print okay on your printer, but will not translate on our postscript imagesetters. PDFs created in this manner will also default.

Scanning

Although original files from the above programs are preferred, high-resolution tiffs are acceptable. Scanning poor copy with ragged edges will produce a file with; you guessed it, ragged edges. Printing it to your ink jet or laser printer may not tell you the whole story on the quality of the file. Here at OWOSSO, we send your files right to the imagesetter and spit out a film at 2400 dpi. It is not as forgiving as your printer. Every little jagged line will look like a jagged line.

Three important rules for scanning are:

  1. Scan line art at 600 to 1200 dpi and save as a “bitmap tiff” to remove the screens around the edges of the image.
  2. Crop the image down to just what you need to send us. Scanning a small piece of art on an 8 ½ x 11 page will be a huge file because all the empty page around the image will be part of the scan and will be represented by pixels. The more pixels, the bigger the file. Monstrous files go nowhere via e-mail.
  3. Do not send Jpegs and Gifs. They are great for viewing on your computer screen but are rarely high enough quality for imprinting. Stick to high-resolution Tiffs.

Stuff It!

Stuffing all Mac files will help you avoid the dreaded call from OWOSSO’s imaging department letting you know that we were not able to work with your file. Stuffing (or compressing) files encodes them to travel safely across all the PC and Unix servers before reaching their destination. If you don’t have a program similar to Stuffit, visit the following links www.stuffit.com Stuffit® or www.pkware.com PKZip®

Call us at 800-444-5552 if you have any questions!

Thanks! We look forward to receiving your order.