{"id":7998,"date":"2011-04-21T22:49:47","date_gmt":"2011-04-22T06:49:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/?p=7998"},"modified":"2024-04-05T07:04:58","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T07:04:58","slug":"die-cutting-scoring-folding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/die-cutting-scoring-folding\/","title":{"rendered":"Die Cutting, Scoring, and Folding"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Custom CD\/DVD boxes, gatefold cases, invitation cards, and almost all <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/portfolio\">custom packaging boxes<\/a> require professional die-cutting, scoring, and folding. These are finishing techniques that require much care and attention if you want your custom pieces to look good. With proper planning and execution, these techniques add a quality look and feel to the finished piece.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Die-cutting<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Much like embossing and foil stamping, die-cutting adds dimensional impact to a\u00a0piece. A die-cut shape or design can open a &#8220;window&#8221; to reveal contrasting colors,\u00a0finishes and\/or a printed image. Die-cuts can also be as simple as a slit to hold a\u00a0business card in a pocket folder.<\/p>\n<p>Die-cutting is a press operation that can be combined with scoring and perforating.\u00a0A die-cutting rule is made of metal strips that are bent to the desired shape. The\u00a0dies are pressed into the paper to cut it. Laser die-cutting is used for more complex\u00a0shapes. Labels and decals are made by a process called kiss die-cutting and run on\u00a0a letterpress or flexographic press.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/o1NKLPYS0Vo?si=PmNkNX3huAyZ98Na\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>If you are planning on anything other than a business card slit, consult with your\u00a0printer in the planning stages of the project. The printer can create the die-cut art in\u00a0Illustrator which can be used as a template in the document file to prevent reworking later. Make images 1\/16&#8243; larger than the die-cut hole that will expose them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Scoring<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Scoring is often a necessary step to prevent paper from cracking when folded.\u00a0Scoring is often recommended for all folds, ensuring that they look crisp and lay\u00a0flat. Watch this video to know what scoring is for.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9xvHV_qBq3g?si=PYZlY38zBfVHTIOE\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Letterpress scores are superior to litho scores and those made on folding\u00a0machines and are crucial for weights heavier than 80 text and for coated papers.\u00a0Scores for text weight papers are sharp and narrow; scores for cover weights are\u00a0round and wide. The thicker the paper, the wider the score&#8211;as wide as twice the\u00a0caliper thickness of the paper. When paper is scored, an embossed ridge is formed.<\/p>\n<p>This ridge belongs on the inside of the fold. (This may be the opposite of what you\u00a0expect.)<\/p>\n<p>Scores can be made in any direction, although they are more difficult across the\u00a0grain of heavily-inked areas. Binderies prefer to fold parallel to the grain because\u00a0parallel folds present less resistance, result in fewer wrinkles, lie flatter, and create\u00a0smoother lines. If a format requires two folds at right angles, the primary fold will\u00a0be made parallel to the grain; the secondary fold will be against the grain.<\/p>\n<p>To perforate the paper, a perfing score with &#8220;teeth&#8221; is used to make cuts in the paper.\u00a0There are various sizes to accomodate all types of paper; a designer will specify\u00a0either a simple perf or a micro perf. Perfing can be done online, on the folder, or\u00a0offline (on a letterpress if running with other scores and diecuts).<\/p>\n<p>For the best results, make sure the paper has retained enough moisture from the\u00a0printing press before it is scored and folded. If the paper is too dry to score properly,\u00a0try running it though the press again to remoisten it with fountain solution.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Folding<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Folding is done by machines which work within a tolerance of about 1\/32&#8243; per fold.\u00a0The more folds, the more carefully the job must be planned. A 1\/32&#8243; variation in the\u00a0first fold can shift the second fold 1\/16&#8243;, and the third fold 1\/8&#8243;.\u00a0Paper lighter than 50 lb. text can wrinkle in folding machines; paper heavier than\u00a080 lb. text, especially coated paper, must be scored before folding. In general,\u00a0binderies are better able to handle multiple folds better than a mailing house.<\/p>\n<p>To prevent cracking, score at every fold and do not print solid colors on coated stock\u00a0at the fold line. Scores and folds that run parallel to the grain will present less cracking and lay flatter. If a format requires two folds at right angles, the primary fold will\u00a0be made parallel to the grain; the secondary fold will be against the grain.\u00a0Make a paper dummy to test your folds on the specified stock and plan for\u00a0crossovers. Printing copy across folds can be done with large type and spacing to\u00a0allow for the 1\/32&#8243; variation.<\/p>\n<p>This useful article is from mohawkpaper.com and originally appeared on their website. Some of the text above were modified by Scott Yankton. Videos courtesy of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/liltex10\">LILTEX10<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/ThePaperPlace\">ThepaperPlace.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>__________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unified Manufacturing<\/strong>\u00a0is an L.A. -based one-stop-shop that offers very affordable CD\/DVD\/USB replication, custom printing, promotional products, warehousing and fulfillment and many more. If you need an Instant Quote on a project and you want FREE SHIPPING, simply\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/instant-quote\/\">CLICK HERE<\/a>.    \t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Custom CD\/DVD boxes, gatefold cases, invitation cards, and almost all custom packaging boxes require professional die-cutting, scoring, and folding. These are finishing techniques that require much care and attention if you want your custom pieces to look good. With proper planning and execution, these techniques add a quality look and feel to the finished piece. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":8010,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cd-manufacturing"],"contentshake_article_id":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7998"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7998\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39450,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7998\/revisions\/39450"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}