A NestSheet file for MainTOP is a mirrored 300 dpi TIFF with CMYK colour and one W1 white channel. Prepare it from approved transparent PNG artwork, check the sheet against the order, and inspect the actual exported file in the receiving queue. Keep the artwork, export and approval record together so the next operator can repeat the same job.
This checklist follows the current Production DTF preset, checked on 2 October 2026. Use the export specification as the short reference and this article as the working procedure.
Start with the approved artwork and order record
Collect the source PNGs, intended print dimensions and required copies before building the sheet. Give artwork revisions distinct filenames. If the customer has approved a particular edge, shadow, distressed area or white-only mark, keep that approval with the source.
Open the exact PNG against contrasting backgrounds. Check the visible edge, intentional transparency and any remote specks. Review the artwork at its intended print size so small text and linework are judged at the scale the garment will carry.
When a source needs correction, return to the artwork editor, export the approved transparent PNG and reopen it. Record which version goes into the batch. This keeps a change to the source separate from a change to the sheet or receiving queue.
Match the placed sizes and copies to the order
Upload the PNGs and check each design’s physical dimensions. A resolution label and a physical print size describe different facts: the source pixels must support the size assigned to the artwork. Read the effective-resolution information, then inspect the actual detail in the design.
Set the copies for each file from the order record. Reconcile by filename and revision as well as quantity. A sheet can contain the correct total piece count while assigning the wrong number to a particular design.
Use an order table such as this one. Fill it with the actual job data before packing.
| Artwork | Approved revision | Print width and height | Required copies | Copies on sheet | Checked by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File or design name | Revision identifier | Job dimensions | Order quantity | Placed quantity | Operator |
The order-reconciliation guide develops this record for batches drawn from several orders.
Set the usable sheet and review the layout
Choose the roll width used for the job. NestSheet provides width presets from 300 to 1800 mm and custom width controls. A new sheet starts with a 600 mm width, 2 mm gap, 5 mm margin and automatic height. Adjust these values to match the production and finishing process.
Auto-nest arranges rectangular artwork bounds and turns pieces 0° or 90° to fit. Review the result against any orientation requirements in the order. Manual mode lets you place artwork by hand when a particular arrangement matters.
Check the outer pieces and cutting lanes after the layout settles. Confirm that every required copy lies within the intended sheet and that the finished pieces can be handled and sorted. Record the used sheet dimensions before export; those dimensions become a reference for the receiving queue.
Choose the white choke for the complete sheet
The White control offers 0, 1 and 2 px, with 2 px as the default. The selected choke applies to the whole sheet. NestSheet uses it when generating the exported W1 separation and includes rescue for qualifying thin details.
Use the canvas views deliberately:
| View | Inspection task |
|---|---|
| Normal | Read the colour artwork and review layout |
| White only | Inspect canvas white coverage before export choke |
| Art + White | Compare the artwork and white inspection layers |
| Fabric | View artwork against the selected fabric colour |
For the final white edge, inspect the exported file. Include the job’s small lettering and isolated dots in that check. The small-text choke test explains how to compare the available settings while keeping artwork size and the receiving queue fixed.
Read the export dialog as the file specification
Open Export and confirm the Production DTF preset. The dialog shows the file’s production settings together.
| Setting | Current value |
|---|---|
| Format | TIFF |
| Colour | CMYK |
| White | One W1 white channel |
| Total channels | Five: C, M, Y, K, W1 |
| Resolution | 300 dpi |
| Transfer orientation | Mirrored |
| Operator choice | Whole-sheet choke: 0, 1 or 2 px |
Check the displayed choke and choose a descriptive filename. If an artwork source needs attention, follow the message for that file and review the sheet again after resolving it. Start the export when the source, quantity and layout checks are complete.
Collect the ready result and keep the exact downloaded TIFF. Recent exports provides another way to retrieve an available completed file from the account that created it.
Inspect the actual TIFF in MainTOP
Open the downloaded file in the MainTOP queue that will run the job. Compare the reported physical dimensions with the sheet record. Review the queue’s scaling and media settings, then confirm orientation with readable asymmetric text or another clear reference in the artwork.
Inspect W1 as the white separation. Use known regions from the approved artwork: a solid colour area that needs backing, a white-only mark, a transparent hole and fine lettering. Check that the white is assigned to the intended ink role and that its coverage aligns with the colour.
Keep the production file fixed while investigating a receiving setting. This lets the operator identify whether the difference began in the source, the export or the queue. The white-preview guide provides a more detailed inspection sequence.
Approve a sample and keep a repeatable record
For a new job setup, run a small sample through the intended printer, film, ink, powder, curing and transfer process. Inspect the result on the intended garment. Record the actual observation: physical size, orientation, colour appearance, white edge and the survival of fine details.
Store the approved PNGs, TIFF, sheet record, selected choke, queue details and sample reference together. Ready exports have a 72-hour default download window, with the expiry shown in the app. Uploaded artwork is retained separately for 90 days. Your own archive gives repeat work a stable source and print-file reference.
A useful handoff to the next operator is a short statement: which artwork revision, which quantities, which production file and which receiving setup produced the approved sample. That record is the final item in the checklist.
Use the first changed checkpoint to choose the next action
Keep the approved source and completed TIFF available during a handoff investigation. Compare the job at each boundary in order. This makes the next action specific and helps another operator reproduce the same observation.
| First difference observed | Check next | Record before continuing |
|---|---|---|
| The uploaded artwork differs from the approved design | Source revision, exported PNG and transparency | Corrected artwork filename and approval |
| The placed design has a different size | Intended physical dimensions and the size set on the sheet | Approved width and height |
| The sheet has a quantity mismatch | Copies for the affected design and the order table | Corrected sheet assignment |
| The exported white edge needs attention | Selected choke and the actual W1 separation | Candidate TIFF and detail location |
| MainTOP reports a different physical size | Receiving scaling and media setup | Queue dimensions and the exported reference |
| The file checks agree but the sample differs | The documented printer and material process | The unchanged test file and observed physical result |
Use the app’s source message when a named artwork file needs attention. Restore or correct that source, then review the intended size and copies again. An artwork change can also require a new layout review, so reconnect the source to the sheet record before exporting.
For a white-edge comparison, keep the production dimensions and queue fixed while changing the sheet’s choke. For a receiving-scale investigation, keep the downloaded TIFF fixed while checking the queue. Naming the variable under review prevents several simultaneous changes from obscuring which step produced the difference.
When the job is approved, write the resulting action into the record in operator language: which source to use, which sheet to print, which choke was selected and which queue produced the sample. Retain the actual files alongside that statement so the next shift can verify the same handoff.
References
Product specifications checked 2 October 2026: Production DTF export, white-underbase control, MainTOP handoff and artwork and export retention.
