A carton dieline has one job: to say without ambiguity which line is cut, which line is folded and which line is perforated. This guide covers the line language, the grammage-based allowances, the physical bending limits of steel rule, and the file delivery rules.
Line language: cut, crease and perforation must never look alike
A dieline uses three line types and they must never look the same: cuts as solid lines, creases (folds) in a different colour or dashed, perforation in a third style. The safest method is one layer per type, named “cut”, “crease” and “perforation”.
The drawing is prepared at 1:1 scale in millimetres. A scaled file, or one with an unclear unit, forces every dimension to be re-verified — and that comes back as question-and-answer rounds on the lead time.
- Cut, crease and perforation live on separate layers in separate colours.
- The drawing is delivered at 1:1 scale, in millimetres.
- Layer names can be in any language, as long as they are consistent.
Allowances follow the grammage: folds, locks, glue flap
Board caliper changes the folding geometry. An allowance you can ignore on 300–350 gsm carton must be added per panel on corrugated board — roughly the flute caliper — or the box will not close, or will bulge. Lock tabs typically carry a tightness allowance in the 0.2–0.5 mm range.
The glue flap is kept 10–15 mm wide on most boxes and cut at the same angle as the edge it bonds to. Perforations and windows are never placed on the glue line.
- On corrugated board, add the material caliper per panel to the fold allowance.
- Lock-tab tightness is chosen in the 0.2–0.5 mm range for the use case.
- Keep the glue flap at 10–15 mm and free of any holes.
Bending limits: not every drawn shape can be bent
Steel rule is a strip with physical bending limits. Very tight inner radii, parallel lines closer than 3–4 mm and thin sliver shapes mean rule that cannot be bent, does not fit side by side in the board, or tears the sheet during cutting.
When a detail is in doubt at design time, ask the workshop: often a 0.5 mm increase in a radius, or merging two lines into one, makes the die both cheaper and more durable.
- Tight radii and slivers raise bending and cutting risk together.
- Parallel rule lines have a practical minimum spacing.
- Critical details are reviewed with the workshop before production.
File delivery: vector, outlined text, one reference
The delivery format is vector PDF, AI or DXF; a JPEG or screenshot only counts as a starting point for measuring. Any text in the file is converted to outlines — a missing font can shift geometry. On printed jobs, sending the dieline in the same file as the print layout, on its own layer, guarantees centre alignment.
The file name carries the job name, date and revision number: “product-box-R2-2026-06.pdf”. Which revision goes to production is then never a discussion.
- Vector files are the standard; image files are only a starting point.
- Outline all text and include the print layout as a separate layer.
- Put the revision number and date in the file name itself.
Quote details we clarify together
When the file, material, quantity and deadline are clear, the quote conversation moves faster and with less back-and-forth.
- Current revision file
- Material and quantity details
- Critical dimensions or production notes
- Deadline expectation and delivery preference
