Print on Demand

Content

About Print on Demand
How to add print area to your product
How to prepare files for Print on Demand
How to download the print files
Configurator view appearance

About Print on Demand

With our Print on Demand Widget, your customers can easily put their own images or designs (like logos, stickers, photos, etc) on all kinds of products. They'll use a simple tool to add and move their images, and they can even see how their designs look in 3D or in their room with AR. This guide will show you how to get your products ready in our app for the best results.

How to add print area to your product

Admin Settings

Open product, navigate to the Options tab, and click "New Option Block."
Select "Print on Demand" as the mode type.
Configure parameters for your print area and Save your work. Below is a table detailing various options for the print area and their descriptions.

	Name	Description
1.	Max Number of Logos	Specify the max number of logos that can be added to a print area.
2.	Select Material	Choose the default material for your print texture. The printed item will use the properties of the default material, example glossiness level.
3.	Texture size, Mobile Texture Size, AR Texture Size	Specify texture sizes for different devices. This overrides the default 3D product settings.
4.	Code	Used in various places. For example, in SKU.
5.	Full Screen View	If enabled, allows full screen editing.
6.	By default open as	Defines if the widget opens in an options panel or goes directly to full screen.
7.	Print Area	Upload layers to define the print area. Follow the provided order guide for your layers bellow.
8.	2D Preview	After uploading layers to define the print area, a 2D preview of the print area will be displayed here.
9.	Measurement Type	Select whether the print area is measured in inches or centimeters.
10.	Real Width and Height	Set the real-life width and height of the print area on the product.
11.	Required DPI	Define the print file's resolution in dots per inch. The higher the DPI, the sharper the printed result will be.
12.	Description	Provide details or instructions for the widget, displayed below the title (optional)
13.	Accepted Formats	List the file formats that can be uploaded for printing - PNG, JPG, WEBP, SVG, AI, HEIC, EPS or PDF files. File size can not be larger then 50 MB

How to upload layers

To set up the print area, start by uploading layers in the correct order. Begin with the base layer, which will act as the 2D preview image of your product. This image helps guide users and doesn't have to be grey — it can be any design you choose. Next, add a mask layer on top of this guide image. The mask must be in SVG format and defines the printable area. Usually, these two layers are enough.

However, if you need to include fixed elements in the design, like non-removable labels, upload these as additional layers above the mask. Remember to leave the "Exclude from texture" option unchecked for these layers, so they remain visible and intact on your product.

Note: The mask should be an SVG file and it's automatically excluded from the final texture. Your guide image can be a PNG or JPG, and you can choose to include it in the texture or not.

How to prepare files for Print on Demand

As you already know, to set up the Print on Demand widget, you'll need to create at least two files: a user guide and a mask.

1. Create a user guide image: If you've got your product ready in our app, you can generate an image of the part you'd like to print on. This will be your user guide. Alternatively, you can prepare this image with any other tool or resources that you have. Save it as a PNG or JPG file. On this image, mark out the print area. You could outline it or shade it in — whatever helps your customers see where their design will go.

2. Prepare a clipping mask: After you have 2D preview of you product with printed area, define a mask using app like Photoshop. The mask tells the widget where designs can be printed. Save this mask as an SVG file with the vector object (once a user uploads an image, it will only be visible in this mask area) and transparency (uploaded images will not be visible on this part of the mask).

Important: Uploaded images will only be placed within the mask area. You can clip in multiple areas of the mask, but any part of the image outside the mask will be trimmed off. In the example below, notice the mask has a circle in the center, meaning the image will not be displayed there. This feature allows you to create any complex mask you desire.



3. Map UV texture: To make sure your designs show up correctly in 3D, the mask you make must match the UV texture of the 3D model. If you need a hand with 3D models or UV maps, just get in touch with us.

4. Organise your Files: We suggest storing these files in the Media Library. For each product, create a "POD" folder within its product folder and upload your files there. This keeps everything tidy and easy to find.

How to download the print files

To download print files that customers have uploaded, go to the Media Library. Then, choose Download POD files, enter configuration shortcode and click Download Files. This will give you a ZIP file with all the designs customers added for the product in their original format.

Configurator View Appearance

With Print on Demand widget your customers can bring their custom designs to life on your products and see them in 3D instantly! Here’s what your customers can do:

Upload graphics to a library and organise them in layers
Rotate, resize, duplicate, and move their designs within the specified print area
Share their created designs easily with a URL



All features are fully optimised for a seamless experience on mobile devices 📲



Here is a working example to try

Happy configuring, and let the creativity flow! 🥳

Updated on: 24/04/2024