If you are someone who loves to draw and cut perfect shapes, whether it is for crafting, packaging, or designing purposes, then you must be aware of die cutting. Whether you are making a greeting card or a sturdy packaging product, die-cutting is a game changer as it offers unique and intricate designs for all industries. But before we start, what is die-cutting? How does die-cutting work? Let’s dive into it together!
What is Die Cutting?
The term die cutting comes from the word “die,” which is a custom-made blade that is used to cut materials into beautiful and perfect shapes. Die cutting is also a process in which a sharp, custom-made blade is used to cut materials into perfect and intricate shapes. This method is highly effective as it ensures high-precision cuts that are intricate for mass production. This method is commonly used in custom packaging boxes where intricate and unique designs are needed.
So whether you are making wedding cards, birthday cards, or invitation cards, the die-cutting process is so versatile it caters to all!
What is a Die?
A die is usually a pattern that is used to create duplicates out of different materials. The materials can be cotton, cork, paper, or any other fabric, and a die is used to create identical duplicates out of these materials. A die is a piece of metal that will help cut the shape once you apply some pressure to it. Depending on what kind of shapes you want, these die’s come in various sizes and shapes. While cutting, make sure to see the two sides of the die where one is the smooth one and the other one is the sharp one which is used to cut your shape out.
Die Cutting Machine: How Does it Work?
First of all, to create a die-cut, you need a die-cutting machine. This machine is very important as it applies pressure to the die and helps it cut in the shape you want. A die-cutting machine usually has a set of different plates and to cut in a specific shape, you place the card and the die with the raised edge face down on the cutting plate and add the top plate that is fed through your machine, generally on a set of rollers. If you are using an electronic die-cutting machine, then you press a button where it will feed the plate through the machine itself, but for a manual die-cutting machine, you would have to feed the plates through a handle.
How Does Die-cutting Work?
There are some steps that you must follow that are needed to create a die-cut, these steps involves;
1. Create a design – select a shape that you want to create.
2. Select material – this can be foam, paper, plastic, etc.
3. Die Cutting – the die is pressed on the material, and then it cuts into that shape.
4. Final Touches – add finishing touches according to your preferences, like embossing, scoring, or perforation. This step is optional.
Different Types of Die Cutting Techniques
There are several die-cutting techniques and you can use any of these techniques according to your preferences. These techniques includes;
1.Flatbed Die Cutting
This is one of the most famous die-cutting techniques in which a hydraulic or mechanical press is used. This technique is normally used to cut out hard and rigid materials like cardboard, etc.
2.Rotary Die Cutting
In this technique, it typically uses a rotary cylindrical die cut that cuts materials as they pass through rollers. This method is commonly used in industries since it produces in bulk that too quickly. You can produce different labels and stickers with this technique.
3. Laser Die Cutting
In this technique, you use a laser, which cuts intricate and unique designs. This type of die-cutting is perfect for complex and highly intricate designs and with the help of a laser, you can create them.
What is Die Cutting in Printing?
A custom-made steel blade, which is usually known as a die, is shaped into the desired pattern and then it is pressed onto the printing material. This process is widely used in various industries since it’s hard to achieve intricate and complex designs manually. Die cutting in printing is widely used in different industries and the following are some common applications of die-cutting in printing as it is used to make:
- Business cards
- Stickers
- Labels
- Custom packaging boxes
- Greeting cards and invitation cards
- Marketing brochures and booklets
Benefits of Die-cutting
Now that we know what die cutting is, there are various reasons as to why different businesses and industries prefer die-cutting. According to Cognitive Market Research, the global die-cutting market is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 8.50% till 2030. Here are some reasons that might even compel you to incorporate die-cutting in your business:
- Highly precise and consistent
- High-speed production
- Cost-effective and less waste
- Allows customisation
Wrapping Up
Whether you are in the manufacturing or packaging industry, knowing and understanding what is die cutting is very important. Die cutting is not just a technique but a solution that brings creativity and precision. So if you ever see an intricate invitation card or a green card, you’ll know that it was made possible with die-cutting!
