Vector File for Signage
Sign printers and large-format print shops require vector artwork to print logos and text crisply at sizes ranging from 30cm to 30 metres. If your logo is raster-only, vectorize it before placing a signage order.
About Vector file for signage
Signage production relies on vector artwork precisely because signs vary dramatically in output size. A logo that looks fine on screen at 200px wide will appear blurry and pixelated on a 3-metre banner if it has not been vectorized.
Large-format inkjet printers (for banners, building wraps, and rollup stands) operate at 72–150 DPI at full size. This is lower than photo printing but the sizes are much larger — meaning your image needs extreme resolution in raster form or, better, be supplied as a vector.
Vinyl sign cutters (for shop window graphics, vehicle wraps, and cut vinyl lettering) require vectors as paths — they cut along the path outlines, not pixels. These machines cannot work with raster files at all.
For sandblasting and engraving signage, vector silhouettes are used as stencil designs. The crisper and cleaner the vector, the better the finished carved or blasted result.
To prepare your logo for signage: upload it to the Logo Vectorizer to convert PNG or JPG to SVG. Download the SVG and open in Illustrator to add text, adjust layout for the sign dimensions, and export as a print-ready PDF. Specify the final sign dimensions in your PDF export so the print shop receives an at-size file.
Always supply signage files with at-size dimensions — 1:1 with the intended final output — rather than scaled-down representations.