Printers and print service bureaus are experts at converting your Illustrator files into the desired final output. As early as possible in the development process, you will want to establish a relationship with a printer and a service bureau, explain to them exactly what kind of final output you want, and carefully note and comply with the advice they give you for preparing your artwork in Illustrator.
The following checklist will help you prepare your illustration for commercial printing:
Which version of Illustrator or EPS file will the printer and service bureau accept?
How do they want fonts handled? Do they want you to embed fonts? Do they have a set of fonts that you are allowed to use? Or do they want you to convert fonts to outlines? (If so, select all of the type in your document and choose Type Create Outlines before submitting the file to the printer.)
If you are doing two- color printing, which set of spot colors do they use, and what advice do they have about how they come out?
How should you handle sizing and scaling?