Rule height is not a single number picked from a catalogue. The thickness of the material, whether it sits on a carrier liner, the creasing requirement and the pressure balance on the press are read together; only then are the height, thickness and edge form of the steel rule chosen. The same drawing is cut with a different rule on a different material.

Material thickness is where the decision starts

Carton, label stock, corrugated board, gasket sheet and foam do not respond to the same rule in the same way. Thin, stiff material separates cleanly under a sharp edge, while thick, flexible material compresses first, cuts second and springs back when the rule withdraws. As the material gets thicker, the depth the rule has to reach and the job of the ejection rubber both grow.

On standard carton work the 23.8 mm steel rule is the usual starting point; the barcode cutting rule used for sheet-fed labels is a separate specification at 12 mm height and 1.5 point thickness. Which one applies is decided by the material and the cut type, not by habit.

  • Material type and thickness are written in the quote request.
  • Where there is a carrier liner, the kiss-cut requirement is stated separately.
  • A material sample visibly shortens the decision.

The type of steel rule changes the job

In one die, cutting rule, blunt-edged creasing rule and toothed perforating rule sit side by side, each at its own height and thickness. Cutting rule separates the material, creasing rule leaves a fold line without cutting, perforating rule opens a controlled tear line.

With the wrong rule type the result is crushing, burrs or an uncontrolled tear instead of a clean cut. When cut, crease and perforation lines come in separate colours on the drawing the workshop puts the right rule on each line; tight-radius turns are then checked against what the rule can physically bend.

  • Cut, crease and perforation lines are prepared in separate colours or layers.
  • The perforation tooth ratio follows how the product is meant to tear.
  • Sharp turns are assessed against the bending limit of the rule.

Press pressure and tolerance are read together

Even a die built with the right rule gives a different result at the wrong pressure. Too much pressure crushes thick material and shortens rule life; too little leaves an incomplete cut. The aim is not merely to cut but to run at the lowest pressure that cuts through completely; rule height and rubbering are set up for that aim.

Knowing the machine type lets that setting be anticipated: an automatic line, a semi-automatic press and a hand press want a different pressure balance and a different make-ready time. On repeat jobs, a note on how the old die behaved on the press lets the new die be built to the same setting.

  • The machine type the die will run on is shared at quote stage.
  • If make-ready time matters in the production run, that expectation is stated up front.
  • On repeat jobs the behaviour of the old die is carried into the new build.

What is settled together in the quote

Alongside the drawing, four pieces of information are enough for rule height and rule selection: material type and thickness, expected quantity, machine type and any note left over from a previous run. With these the workshop chooses height, thickness and rubbering without guessing.

Height and point thickness are written on separate lines of the quote, each tied to the line it applies to. A single number leaves it unclear whether height or thickness is meant; writing the two measures separately removes that confusion from the start.

  • The PDF, AI or DXF file is attached at 1:1 scale.
  • Material thickness is stated in millimetres or grammage.
  • Height and point thickness are requested on separate lines.

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