Ripping digital file help

[loco]

I have a file that is not very big compared to some of the file I rip to send to print to a wide format printer.

I think the problem is the gradient mesh backround I gave it in Illustrator

Does anyoneknow how to make the gradient mesh smaller or convert it.

I'm going to try a few things in the meantime

I have an Onyx rip and Mutoh Printer if that helps and a I converted the file to a PDF

-loco

[Unitus]

would it work, for your output purposes, to completely rasterize the file? (like, make it a tif or something)?

[loco]

The File is 6000 KB with the Gradient mesh backround.
When I remove the backround it jumps down to 157 KB in file size.

-loco

[Charles T. Duck]

Have you tried ripping it to a PDF then sending it?

[loco]

It's ripping right now as a PDF. Most files rip in a minute or less

I also rasterized the gradient mesh

This file is still ripping. It's been like 40 min. and it's at 32%

-loco

[loco]

I change the file to half it's size and saved it as a JPEG Maximum (eight) setting in export options in Illustrator and it ripped it in les than a minute

-loco