A blister card is the board that both hangs the product on a rail and seats the clear blister against it. A single vacuum cutting die cuts the outer card form, the euro (hang) hole and the window for the blister in one stroke. This guide covers the hang-hole centre, the seat allowance and how to cut the PVC/PET corner without cracking.

What does the die cut on a blister card?

On a blister card the die does more than one job: the outer card contour, the euro hole that carries the card on a rail, and usually a window or recess where the clear blister sits are all solved in the same die. The board side is shaped by cutting and creasing; the PVC/PET side is thin and flexible and reacts to the rule differently from board.

So at the drawing stage you fix where the card hangs from, which way the blister seats, and how the card closes (heat-seal or fold). The die positions these three zones relative to each other; deciding later to “shift the hole a little” breaks the whole balance.

  • The outer card form, euro hole and blister window are solved in one die.
  • Board is cut and creased; PVC/PET behaves thin and flexible.
  • The hang direction and closing method are defined in the drawing up front.

The euro (hang) hole: centre, form and strength

A euro hole is not just a round hole; the standard euro slot shape (typically a 6 mm hole with a slot beneath it) lets the card hang on a rail without tearing. Its centre sits on the card’s horizontal mid-axis, a safe distance from the top edge (typically 8-12 mm), so the hanging weight does not tear the hole toward the edge.

For heavier products the hole form is strengthened: a small radius is added at the end of the slot, and the card may be doubled or reinforced in that area. In the die this form is cut with a soft transition, not a sharp corner; a sharp inner corner is exactly where a crack starts under load.

  • The standard euro slot spreads the hanging load over a wide area, not one point.
  • The centre sits on the horizontal axis, a safe distance below the top edge.
  • A radius at the slot end removes the corner that starts a tear.

Blister seat allowance and corner radius

For the clear blister to seat cleanly, the window or recess is cut a little larger than the blister’s outer size. Too tight and the blister is forced in and the board bulges; too loose and the blister floats and the bond weakens. In practice an allowance of about 0.2-0.4 mm per edge is chosen by material and closing method.

On PVC and PET, a sharp corner is the weakest point: cracking under cold and impact starts there. A corner radius (2-3 mm on most blister cards) both cleans the cut and clearly reduces corner cracking over shelf life.

  • Seat allowance is about 0.2-0.4 mm per edge, tuned to the material.
  • A tight allowance bulges the board; a loose one lets the blister float.
  • A corner radius reduces PVC/PET cracking and cleans the cut.

Double blister and the kiss-cut vs full-cut decision

On clamshell cards where two blisters close back to back, the die solves the fold line by creasing and the outer contour by full cut; the crease allowance is calculated by board thickness so the two halves register. The most common mistake here is trying to cut the fold line with a normal rule; that gives a card that opens or tears when closed.

Whether a full cut or a kiss-cut (half cut) is needed depends on material thickness: the board is cut through, but if there is a laminated or self-adhesive layer, that layer is often separated by kiss-cut. Rule height and base (rubbering) selection change depending on what you decide.

  • On clamshell cards the fold is creased and the outer contour is full-cut.
  • The crease allowance is set by board thickness, not cut with a rule.
  • Thickness and layer build decide the full-cut/kiss-cut choice.

Quote details we clarify together

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  • Deadline expectation and delivery preference