Why should you understand the die lines of a gift box?
The term "dieline" will be used quite often when you're purchasing new custom boxes for your branded products!
Although this term may seem complicated and confusing to the uninitiated, it’s actually quite simple and crucial to the production of your custom packaging. In this article, we'll explain what dielines are and how they can be effectively used for custom packaging.?
What is dieline in packaging and printing?
Dielines serve as templates for packaging that ensures proper layout for printed products. They are diagrams that show all the cut lines and folds of a package in flattened form. They can be used to make envelopes, pocket folders and more. Packaging designers usually create dielines; they can also be created with packaging companies.
By utilizing dielines, you are able to see all sides of your box through its flat construction. Imagine your dieline as your canvas!
Different lines in the dieline
A dieline shows your packaging's cutlines, fold lines, crease lines and bleed lines so your die-cutting machines and printers know exactly where to cut, fold, and print.
Fold lines (soft crease) – Marked in red, this fold line indicates where your packaging will be folded for the construction of your box. These fold lines ensure accuracy in the construction of your packaging.
Cut lines – Shown as black lines and it is where the die-cutting machine will cut.
Bleed lines - Mark as a solid green line, map the extra space to account for any substrate movement during printing and prevent wavy or jagged edges in your artwork creation.
These specific processes do not occur at the same time; rather, the printer handles the performance process in one stage and the cutting process in another.
Why do you need dieline for your packaging
Your packaging design begins with dielines. It serves as the primary template for artwork design and is essential in the die-cutting process and the construction of any packaging. Consider it a blueprint that ensures the accuracy of all physical elements of the final printed product, such as:
When you create dielines, you can get a pretty good idea of how the end package will look.
You might think dielines are an easy way to begin your custom packaging project, but they are actually much more complicated than they appear.
In order to ultimately create your desired box, a lot of thought goes into dimension, placing, and designing your dieline.
Editing and repositioning artwork will be involved before die-cutting begins.
Before moving onto the die-cutting process, all proofing stages of your dielines must be completed.?
Very often, clients would ask for a white sample of their packaging box with desired deline as a final proof of the box structure.
Create dielines for your packaging box
In most cases, you won't have to worry about how the dieline is created when you're working with a packaging designer or manufacturer.?
When creating a dieline, computer software such as Adobe Illustrator or ArtiosCAD is typically used.
Tools are not completely superior to one another, and choosing one often comes down to personal preference.?
In order to ensure deadlines are accurate for your custom packaging vision, provide packaging designers with existing packaging designs or boxes that are closest to what you envision.
In this way, you give the designer a good starting point for further modification until the final packaging is agreed upon.
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Most manufacturers will provide you with a dieline that includes bleed requirements and notes.?
Creating a dieline in this way is the easiest way since all you need to do is position your artwork on the dieline and ensure that the colors match.?
Dieline requirements
Dielines should be created as vector art, since computers require mathematically described lines.
To determine the exact size, you should use Artioscad or Adobe Illustrator first before placing the file in an InDesign document. This will ultimately save you time and money.
A hard copy of the dieline might also be helpful for inexperienced designers when sending the design to print. This stage can help you catch any unforeseen errors in advance.
Getting to know the die-cutting process
The die-cutting machine cuts your packaging out with a die. A die is a specialized tool used in the manufacturing industry to cut or shape materials with the aid of a press.
Die sizes are generally based on the items they are used to produce.
Using a die-machine properly requires that you first create a set of dies that match your flattened, unassembled dielines.
In packaging, die shapes are thin metal shapes with raised outlines on one side.
After you create a dieline, rollers and cutting plates push through the package's material to create a precise shape and size.
Dielines are created by die-cutting your packaging design. Dielines create a precise guideline for die-cutting machines.
Based on dielines printed onto large sheets, a die-cutting machine precisely cuts the material on a large scale. As you might just learned, dielines play a significant role in the final appearance of your packaging, so it's critical to understand how they are created.
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