Frequently Asked Questions

Gang Sheet Automator is a Windows desktop application that automatically packs your DTF artwork files onto wide-format print sheets. Instead of manually arranging designs in Photoshop or Illustrator, you drop your files in, set sizes and quantities, and the software builds an optimized, print-ready gang sheet in seconds.

A gang sheet is a large print file that groups multiple artwork designs together onto a single sheet of DTF transfer film. By packing designs tightly together, you maximize the usable area of your film, reduce material waste, and lower your cost per print.

Gang Sheet Automator is built for DTF printers — anyone who prints Direct-to-Film transfers for garments, hats, bags, or other heat-press applications. Whether you run a small home setup or a high-volume print shop, the software scales to your workflow.

Yes. Gang Sheet Automator is a product by UploadDTF.com — a DTF printing service based in Southern Illinois. The software was built to automate the same gang sheet workflow used in-house at UploadDTF, and is now being made available as a standalone tool for the wider DTF community.

Gang Sheet Automator supports PNG (raster with transparency), SVG (scalable vector), PDF, and Adobe Illustrator .AI files. You can mix formats in a single job — drop in whatever you have.

Yes. Transparency is preserved through the entire pipeline. PNG alpha channels, SVG transparent backgrounds, and PDF/AI transparent layers are all handled correctly in the output.

Yes. Modern Illustrator files (CS and later) are valid PDF files internally, and Gang Sheet Automator handles them through the same PDF pipeline. The first page of the file is rasterized at 300 DPI for packing.

You can export your finished gang sheet as a high-resolution PNG or as a PDF. PNG output includes correct 300 DPI metadata. PDF output wraps each design in a Form XObject, which means designs remain individually selectable if you open the PDF in Adobe Illustrator.

Gang Sheet Automator uses the MaxRects bin-packing algorithm — one of the most efficient 2D layout algorithms available. It runs multiple trials with different rotation configurations and picks the arrangement that fits the most designs with the least wasted space. The result is typically far denser than anything you'd achieve manually.

The default export resolution is 300 DPI — standard for print-ready DTF transfers. DPI is configurable per design. The output file includes proper DPI metadata so your RIP software reads the resolution correctly.

Each design in your job list shows a quality dot based on its native resolution compared to your target print size. A green dot means the artwork is high enough resolution for crisp output. A yellow or red dot warns you before you waste a sheet on a blurry print.

Gang Sheet Automator uses Lanczos3 resampling — one of the highest-quality resizing algorithms available — when scaling artwork. As an additional optimization, if a design is already the exact pixel size needed for the output, it is copied without any resampling at all, preserving it pixel-for-pixel.

Yes. CSV import is supported. Your spreadsheet columns should be: file path, width (inches), height (inches), quantity, and rotate (true/false). You can also export your current job list to CSV for record-keeping or re-importing later.

Yes. Save your entire job layout — artwork paths, sizes, quantities, and sheet settings — to a JSON file. Load it back any time to rebuild without re-entering anything. Useful for recurring orders or reprint requests.

Yes. If your designs don't all fit on a single sheet, Gang Sheet Automator automatically generates additional sheets. Each sheet is exported as a separate file in your output folder.

Gang Sheet Automator currently runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit). It is a native Windows desktop application — not a web app. Mac support is planned for a future release.

Builds run fully offline — no internet connection is needed to pack and export gang sheets. An internet connection is only used for license validation when you activate a paid plan, and for background auto-updates.

Yes. Every download includes 10 full gang sheet builds completely free. No account, no credit card, no time limit. Build 10 real sheets and evaluate the software on your actual work before deciding on a plan.

The app is currently in final development. Join the waitlist at the link above and you'll be the first to know the moment it's available for download.