Steel rule tooling
Steel rule cutting dies for accurate form cutting
A steel rule cutting die turns flat material into a finished shape in one press cycle. In packaging it forms cartons; in industrial work it cuts gaskets, foam, leather and other sheet materials.
Where this die fits
Material hardness, thickness, grain direction and production quantity matter before rule height is selected.
A carton die and a gasket die use the same principle, but they are not solved with the same blade setup. The use case is clarified before production.
- Carton, kraft and board shape cutting
- Label and sticker custom shapes
- Gasket, foam, leather and EVA cutting
- Promo cards, hang tags, samples and short runs
Checks that set the tool structure for the material
The same outline does not behave the same way in board, leather, foam or gasket sheet. Hardness, thickness, grain or stretch direction, tight turns and press conditions are read together before the rule structure is selected.
- Rule height for the material
- Corner radius and narrow inner cuts
- Base strength and channel fit
- Durability expected from run quantity
Production data needed for a form-cutting job
The actual material, finished-part dimensions, quantity and press information form the quote basis. When no drawing exists, the measured sample and the geometry to be treated as the reference are agreed first.
- Material name and thickness
- Shape drawing
- Quantity and repeat-order expectation
- Machine or press information
Common questions
1 Which materials can steel rule dies cut?
Carton, paper, label stock, board, gasket materials, foam, leather and some plastics can be cut with the right blade.
2 What is a steel rule die?
It is a die system where hardened steel rule forms the cutting line and is mounted into a base.
3 Can you make a single die?
Yes. One-off dies can be produced for samples and short runs.