The SRA3 format measures 320 × 450 mm (32 × 45 cm). “S” stands for supplementary and “R” for raw: it is a raw press sheet which, after printing and trimming, yields a clean A3 (297 × 420 mm). The extra 11–15 mm per side accommodates bleed, crop marks and the press gripper margin.
SRA3 and related formats
| Format | Size in mm | Size in cm |
|---|---|---|
| SRA3 | 320 × 450 mm | 32,0 × 45,0 cm |
| A3 | 297 × 420 mm | 29,7 × 42,0 cm |
| A3+ (Super A3) | 329 × 483 mm | 32,9 × 48,3 cm |
| SRA4 | 225 × 320 mm | 22,5 × 32,0 cm |
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm | 21,0 × 29,7 cm |
Why do printers need SRA3?
A design with edge-to-edge background cannot be printed on a sheet equal to the final format, the background must extend past the trim line (bleed, usually 2–3 mm). Digital presses therefore print on SRA3 sheets and the work is trimmed afterwards. One SRA3 sheet fits e.g. 2 A4 flyers with bleed or 4 A5 flyers.
Large-sheet printing at Barwa
We also print on sheets larger than SRA3, our XL format is 330 × 700 mm, enabling jobs unavailable on standard digital presses, such as 3×A4 folders. See how to prepare sheet-fed printing and the full paper format table.