Bringing artwork and cutting geometry onto one production reference
Print-register cutting dies
A dimensionally correct die can still cut printed work in the wrong place. The die geometry is only one part of the system: artwork, sheet layout, gripper orientation and the press reference must share one coordinate system. This service is not graphic redesign; it aligns approved artwork with production cutting geometry.
Which jobs need closer register control?
Dark full-bleed graphics, framed artwork, small labels and multi-up sheets make small shifts more visible. If a barcode, text block or key visual sits close to a cut, the safe area and bleed must be reviewed with the same geometry.
- Printed folding cartons and labels
- Framed or full-coverage graphics
- Multi-up sheet layouts
- Critical artwork close to a cut edge
How are the files aligned?
Cut, crease and perforation lines remain on separate technical layers. Artwork is placed against the structural drawing without rescaling; sheet size, orientation, gripper and registration references are compared. If the PDF page box and structural file use different outer bounds, visual centring on screen is not treated as proof of alignment.
- 1:1 scale in millimetres
- Separate cut, crease and perforation layers
- One sheet orientation and reference corner
- Visual check of bleed and safe area
What should be sent for assessment?
Send the approved print PDF together with the exact structural file intended for production. If the job has already run, two complete printed sheets and a cut sample help separate a file issue from print position, sheet variation or press setup.
- Approved final artwork PDF
- AI, PDF or DXF structural drawing
- Sheet size, gripper and orientation
- Printed sheet and cut sample when available
Frequently asked questions
1Do you redesign the artwork?
The service focuses on production alignment between approved artwork and cut, crease and registration geometry, not on graphic redesign.
2Does every shift come from the die?
No. Print position, sheet variation, gripper behaviour and press register can create the same symptom.
3Is a PDF alone enough?
It may support an initial review, but production assessment also needs the structural drawing, sheet information and preferably a printed sample.