SRA3 Paper – What Is It?

In the busy world of commercial printing, the familiar A4 and A3 paper sizes often take a backseat. Instead, a unique set of paper dimensions, known as the SRA series, dominates the printing landscape. But what exactly is SRA paper, and why is it so prevalent in professional printing?

In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the world of SRA paper. We'll explore the specific dimensions of each SRA size, from the grand SRA0 to the compact SRA8. We'll also discuss the diverse applications of SRA paper, uncovering its role in high-quality printing projects. By the end of this post, you'll have a solid understanding of SRA paper and its significance in the printing industry. 

SRA stands for “Supplementary Raw format A.”

This essentially means that SRA papers are slightly larger than their corresponding “A” papers. Think A4, A3, A2 etc. SRA is a little bigger than A3, SRA2 is greater than A2, and SRA4 is greater than A4. This allows for extra room for ink to bleed to the edge of the paper. Once printed, the paper is trimmed to match the required A-size paper (or divisions thereof).

Let’s break this down into a table and then give you some use cases.

Printing to SRA size paper doesn't just stop that pesky nonprintable area from creeping into artwork. One of the main advantages of printing with SRA is that it saves a lot of time during production. With many artworks being imposed onto the same sheet, less time is required to actually print. This time can then be better spent on the more time-consuming processes, such as gluing and painting edges.

Printers cannot print to the exact edge of a sheet. SRA paper prevents this nonprintable area from cutting into artwork space. Another wonderful advantage of printing with SRA is less overall material is needed to print. If we attempted to print at the exact size, to number of misprints and inevitable reprints would be sky-high.

With SRA, there is less chance of a misprint. And, if one happens to occur, the rest of the sheet can still be saved.

The B Series represents an alternative ISO standard for paper sizes, employed by printers for projects that exceed the dimensions of standard SRA sizes. This paper series is frequently utilised for printing professional folders with pockets that aren't cost-effective to produce on SRA sheets. The B series finds its application in various specialised industries that demand slightly larger finished products, including music,media, and bespoke luxury items.

Try as you might, inserting a piece of paper into any printer and wanting your print to flow right to the edge, can’t be done without the right paper and machinery. Fortunately, we’ve got the best stock and the machinery to match! So next time you want something beautiful printing with crisp lines, think of Aura Print.

And that’s about the size of it!