Using Dieline Templates In Product Packaging
The packaging and printing industry has some terms for product packaging that are not known by the general public. For example, many people do not know the answer to the question, “What is a dieline?”
“Dieline” refers to a template that is necessary to ensure the correct layout of the final package. The template can be considered a diagram that is used to mark all of the cut lines and folds that make up a package. Dielines can be created by design and production professionals including die cutters,graphic designers, and printers. Dieline templates are used as part of the production process for various types of packages and some of the most popular items include envelopes, pocket folders, and boxes of multiple shapes and sizes.
In this article, we will cover exactly why dielines are so important as well as the type of dielines that can be used in your print packaging design and production process.
Why Dielines Matter In Print Packaging
Because dielines provide the main template for the product artwork, it is not an understatement to say they play an extremely important role in the die-cutting process. You can think of it as the blueprint that ensures the correct production of each of the printed physical elements of the final product including:
- The size of the package along with its scale and dimensions
- The proper placement of the visual elements such as the logos, images, and text
- The placement of necessary cutlines, creases, folds, glue tabs, eye marks, and other connection points
- The specific manufacturing notes and bleed requirements of the product
Once these elements are drawn, the designer has a better visualization of the desired final look of the product. If you need an idea of how this process works, go to the kitchen of your office and grab a cereal box. Take the box and unfold all of the tabs until you are able to flatten the box. Once the box is flat, you will be able to see how the folds, creases, and other visual elements work in coordination with each other on the front, sides and back of the box.
It should be noted that dielines are also used in the creation of other products such as brochures, beverage and/or food packaging, and almost any product that requires custom packages.
Types of Lines in the Dieline
In general, dielines are composed of three types of lines:
- A dotted perforation line
- A cut line
- A fold line
Once your package design is ready to be printed, the dielines can guide the machines in making the proper cuts and perforations that enable the package to be properly folded. The perforation lines and cutting lines are considered to be separate pieces of information that the printer receives. Because they are separate pieces of information, these two items will appear as different colors on different layers so the printer knows what part of the package to trim and what part must be folded separately.
Keep in mind that these specific processes are not performed at the same time. The printer handles the perforation process as one task and the cutting process as another task.
Call Graphic Solutions Group about our wide selection of short-run and/or digital dielines that can be adjusted according to the specific needs of your product and your preferred size requirements.
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