The printed packaging industry is constantly advancing with modern customer preferences, technological developments, and sustainability apprehensions. The brands are rushing towards eco-friendly packaging manufactured using recycled cardboard, bioplastics, or paper pulp to elevate biodegradability. The packaging designs are customized to satisfy the product requirements and brand needs to attract potential buyers.
Die-cutting plays a vital role in printed packaging with its great functionality and impressive aesthetic appeal. This enables the creation of intricate cutouts, patterns, or designs and customizes the packaging to perfectly fit the product for optimum protection. Die-cutting makes packaging convenient for users and offers them an amazing unboxing experience. To know more about die-cutting, let’s have a look at the article below:
What is Die Cutting?
Die-cutting is a fragment of the packaging production process that uses specialized machines and tools for material cutting, foaming, or trimming. The primary goal is to create packaging with intricate shapes and artwork designs. This is widely used for customized boxes, window packaging, inserts, or labels.
Die-cutting has become imperative for various applications to ensure consistency and accurate cutting of packaging materials. This minimizes the wastage of resources and works well for high-volume packaging production.
What is the Role of Die Cutting in Packaging?
Die-cutting plays an important role in crafting customized packaging solutions. This ensures accuracy, consistency, and precision in the packaging production procedure. Die-cutting makes innovative shapes and sizes to design snug fits for the products. The brands use die-cutting to achieve a wide range of designs and patterns for their multi-layered packaging structures. The process generates packaging in accurate dimensions to ensure the optimal protection of the products during storage or transit. This prevents product damage and makes the packaging visually appealing for retail store shelves.
What is the Process of Die Cutting?
The process of die-cutting involves various steps to cut, foam, and shear different materials. This utilizes specialized machines and tools to create precise cutting of materials. This brings accuracy and consistency while minimizing the wastage of resources. To understand it more, let’s have a look at the breakdown:
Design and Engineering
The designing process initiates with the identification of product type, its accurate dimensions, and intended use. The product features and shapes are then digitally designed using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. This is a digital blueprint of the die. After creating the die design, the steel element is shaped according to the CAD software. The steel component is then mounted on the sturdy die base board to precisely cut the packaging material.
Die Creation
After the detailed design of the desired shape or pattern with CAD software, it’s time to create the dieline. The blueprint highlights the cutting lines, creasing lines, and other specifications. The steel rule is applied to the die for precise cutting and shaping of the intricate designs. The die assembling is crucial yet imperative to bring accuracy to the packaging production process.
Material Selection
The chosen material is processed through the custom-made die to create the desired cuts and shapes. For this purpose, the material is placed on a flat surface, and a die is pressed into it through a rotatory die cutter to craft clean cuts. This action creates the desired shapes in the packaging material and separates it from the surrounding waste.
Cutting Process
When the die is pressed into the material, it applies pressure to ensure precise cutting and formation of desired designs or patterns. The rotatory die cutter passes through the material to create accurate cuts and bring consistency to the packaging production procedure. The pressure separates the waste material and ejects the cut pieces from the machine.
Assembly and Finishing
After the completion of the cutting process, the cuttings are folded and glued to create boxes, trays, or 3-D packaging structures. The packaging could also be passed through different types of finishing processes to create attractive designs. Embossing, debossing, Hot foil stamping, or Spot UV coating can be applied to give your packaging a luxurious outlook.
What are the Different Types of Die Cutting Techniques?
Following are the different types of die-cutting techniques:
Flatbed Die Cutting
Flatbed Die cutting uses a mechanical press to press the die onto the packaging material. This cuts the material into desired shapes and sizes. The technique is best for thick packaging materials like corrugated cardboard, plastics, or rigid. This ensures accuracy for complex designs but holds a slower production speed than other techniques.
Rotary Die Cutting
Rotary die cutting holds a cylindrical die to cut the material while passing through it. This is a high-speed production process that works well with thin packaging materials like paper, foil, or film. The technique is mostly used for large-order production. This is not suitable for thick materials or complex packaging designs.
Digitalized Die Cutting
Digitalized die cutting is an advanced method that eliminates the need for traditional metal dies. Instead, this technique uses computer-controlled machinery to cut, score, and engrave packaging materials with high precision. The machine operates with pre-programmed designs, making it highly efficient for custom and short-run production. Unlike flatbed and rotary die cutting, digitalized die cutting provides greater flexibility and reduces setup costs.
What are the Types of Die Cutting Machines?
Following are the different types of die-cutting machines:
Manual Die Cutting Machine
A manual die-cutting machine is a handheld tool to cut the packaging material into precise shapes and sizes. This consists of a base, a cutting plate, and a handle. In this process, the material to be cut is placed on the metal die and pressure is applied to achieve the desired design or dimensions. This requires effort but is relatively effortless to maintain.
Digital Die Cutting Machine
Digital Die cutting is dieless cutting that uses computer-controlled machinery to cut and shape the packaging materials. This is a modern production process that does not need any physical dies. The machine holds various cutting tools to cut the materials into desired shapes and sizes through the programmed instructions. This is quite easy to adapt and is considered ideal for small orders.
Why Choose Die Cutting?
Die cut boxes offers you a wide range of benefits across various industries:
- Ensure accuracy and consistency in the packaging order.
- Perfect for products requiring precise fits.
- Create intricate designs, shapes, and patterns.
- Minimize errors or variations.
- Suitable for high-volume productions at fast turnaround time.
- Reduce the wastage of resources.
- Hold lower production costs with increased efficiency.
Can Dies be Used More Than Once?
Yes, dieline templates are designed for repetitive use. These are manufactured using durable materials like steel or metal to keep their shape, design, and size intact. Dies bring consistency among the packaging materials with precise cuttings. To extend the life of the die, regular cleaning and sharping are significant.
Where To Get Customized Die Cut Boxes?
To get customized Die cut boxes, contact a leading packaging manufacturer offering packaging at competitive prices. Box Agency is a hub of packaging professionals, who hold great skills to design the perfect packaging solutions for your products. Our exceptional team of designers holds no compromise on the quality of packaging materials and services. We allow our clients to discuss their requirements and get the dieline designed to fulfill their product packaging requirements. So, what are you waiting for? Get in contact with us and give your product packaging an eye-catching outlook to impress potential buyers.
