To compare DTF white choke in NestSheet, export the same final-size artwork at 0, 1 and 2 px, then inspect the W1 white separation in each file. Keep the artwork, layout and receiving queue fixed. Approve the result using the job’s actual small text, fine lines and isolated dots, followed by a controlled print.
NestSheet applies one choke value to the whole sheet. The default is 2 px. The production generator includes a rescue step for qualifying thin details, so a useful test includes both solid artwork and small features. This procedure covers the controls available on 2 October 2026.
Choose artwork that answers a real production question
Start with the design you expect to print. If the concern is small lettering on a label, use that lettering at the approved size. If the concern is a fine outline, include its actual curve, corner and connection to a larger shape.
Add a solid reference shape to the same test sheet. It helps you see the general inward movement of white beside the fine-detail result. Include a white-only mark and a deliberate transparent hole so the operator can also inspect the meaning and alignment of the white separation.
Keep the sample concise enough to inspect fully. Each region should answer a named question.
| Test region | Question to answer | Observation to record |
|---|---|---|
| Solid colour shape | How does the white edge sit inside the colour? | Edge position and symmetry |
| Small lettering | Is the intended backing present under the characters? | Character or stroke needing attention |
| Fine line | How does coverage behave along the complete line? | Continuity and narrow sections |
| Isolated dot | Does this small feature have the backing required by the job? | Coverage and sample appearance |
| White-only mark | Is intentional white artwork present? | Shape and coverage |
| Transparent hole | Does the opening remain clear in the intended result? | Colour and white at the opening |
Fix the print size before comparing settings
Record each design’s intended width and height. Upload the transparent PNG, check its placed dimensions and keep those dimensions fixed through the comparison. Review the actual pixel detail as well as the effective-resolution information.
Choke is expressed in pixels at the 300 dpi production resolution. A change to the artwork’s physical size changes the relationship between its fine features and that fixed output grid. Set the size first so the comparison answers the question for the garment that will actually be produced.
Keep the source filename and revision in the record. If the artwork changes during testing, save a new revision and begin a clearly labelled comparison for that source. This helps the operator distinguish a geometry change in the design from the effect of changing white choke.
Create a reference export
Build the test sheet with the intended roll width, gap and margin. Reconcile the pieces and review their positions. Record the sheet dimensions so you can check the same physical size after import into MainTOP.
Choose one choke value in the White control and record it. Open Export and confirm that the displayed W1 choke matches the selection. The Production DTF preset writes a mirrored 300 dpi TIFF with CMYK and one W1 white channel.
Use a filename that identifies the artwork revision and choke value. Save that downloaded TIFF as the reference. Repeat for the other available values while retaining the same source artwork, placed sizes and sheet arrangement.
Use the canvas for coverage inspection
Normal, White only, Art + White and Fabric help you inspect the artwork and its coverage on the sheet. Use a contrasting fabric colour when it makes a white or pale detail easier to see.
The White only view shows coverage before export choke. It is useful for finding the region you want to examine. The final comparison belongs in the exported W1 separation, where the selected choke and thin-detail handling have been applied.
Keep these two checks in the job record as separate observations: artwork coverage on the sheet, then final white geometry in the production file. This prevents a later operator from treating a canvas view as a measurement of the exported inset.
Compare W1 in the receiving MainTOP queue
Open each TIFF using the same MainTOP queue and confirm the reported physical dimensions and orientation. Inspect the white separation independently from the colour artwork where the queue provides that view.
Begin with the solid reference shape. Compare the edge at the same zoom and location in every file. Then inspect the small text, line and dot regions individually. Record which feature you examined and what changed, using concrete descriptions such as continuous backing, a narrowed section or an isolated feature requiring closer review.
The rescue step supports qualifying thin details. Very small text and dots deserve their own inspection because their geometry can differ from a continuous line or a large shape. Use the actual job artwork to establish whether the exported result meets its intended appearance.
If the files appear different in physical size or orientation, resolve that receiving-queue question before judging choke. The comparison is useful when each candidate represents the same approved design at the same scale.
Print the controlled candidates
Use the same printer, queue, film, ink, powder, curing and transfer process for the samples. Keep the intended garment or substrate consistent. Identify each candidate clearly so the operator can connect the observed result to its file and choke value.
Inspect the white edge around the solid shape, then the appearance of the fine features. Check the film and the transferred sample according to the shop’s normal approval process. Record the observed result rather than relying on a setting name.
A directional colour-to-white offset calls for investigation of alignment in the receiving setup. Source haze or a remote speck calls for review of the PNG artwork. The white-halo diagnosis guide helps separate those observations before another setting is changed.
Record the decision for the whole sheet
Use a compact comparison record and fill it with the actual job facts.
| Record field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Artwork | Filename, revision and approval reference |
| Placed size | Width and height of each test design |
| Sheet | Roll width, used length, gap and margin |
| Choke | The value attached to each export |
| Production file | Downloaded TIFF filename |
| Receiving setup | MainTOP version, queue and printer |
| Materials | Film, ink, powder, garment and transfer process |
| Observation | Solid-edge result and each fine-detail result |
| Decision | Selected choke and approving operator |
Apply the selected value to the production sheet and recheck the export dialog before the run. If the batch combines artwork with different small details, inspect those details together when choosing the sheet-wide setting.
Save the approved production file locally. The ready-export guide explains how to collect completed files while they remain available in the account.
Turn an observation into a specific follow-up
A useful comparison record names the feature and the first place its appearance changes. Keep the source PNG, each production TIFF and the receiving setup available while deciding the next test.
| Observation | Follow-up on the same job |
|---|---|
| The solid edge changes between choke candidates | Compare the same edge location and keep the physical size fixed |
| A fine line changes only along part of its length | Identify the narrow section and inspect it in each exported W1 |
| An isolated dot needs closer review | Compare that dot’s source pixels, placed size and received white coverage |
| The source artwork already contains a faint fringe | Review the fringe against the approval in the artwork editor |
| White and colour move relative to each other in one direction | Check relative alignment in the actual receiving and printer setup |
| A candidate looks different after a size change | Begin a comparison for the newly approved physical size |
Keep the solid shape and fine details in the same inspection. The solid reference shows the general edge treatment, while the actual lettering and dots answer whether the setting suits this order. Describe both results in the approval record.
If several designs share the production sheet, inspect each design’s critical feature before selecting the sheet-wide value. A single chosen choke applies across that layout. Keep the decision tied to the complete batch and preserve the source revisions used in the comparison.
After a correction, export a clearly identified candidate and revisit the same locations. Once the sample is approved, keep its filename and observed result with the production sheet. That record makes the selected setting an explicit job decision that another operator can inspect and repeat.
References
Current controls checked 2 October 2026: white underbase, Production DTF export and MainTOP handoff. Use the controlled test-file guide for the broader source-to-sample procedure.
