Die Cutting for Printing

Die cutting changes the physical shape of a printed piece after printing and finishing. A project may use a through-cut for the outer shape, a kiss cut for a peel-away label or a perforated line for a removable section. Each cut must be identified separately because the required depth and cutting pattern are different.

Through-Cut or Kiss Cut?

Full Die Cutting

A full die cut passes through the entire material. It can shape the outside edge of a cover, card or packaging panel and remove internal areas such as tabs or openings.

Very narrow sections may bend or tear, while sharp internal corners can be difficult to cut cleanly on thick material. Small loose pieces also need enough space to release without damaging the surrounding surface.

Kiss Cutting

Kiss cutting passes through the printed face material but leaves the backing liner intact. It is mainly used for stickers, labels and other peel-away elements.

The cut depth must match the combined thickness of the face stock, adhesive and liner. Cutting too deeply can score the backing, while insufficient pressure may leave the label difficult to remove. Laminated or heavily textured face materials may require testing before production.

Window Cut-Outs Affect the Structure

A window can reveal an inner page, contrasting material or product inside the packaging. Its position must match the element beneath it, but a narrow printed border around the opening can make normal cutting movement more noticeable.

Removing material also weakens the surrounding area. Leave enough space between the window and any trim edge, fold, spine joint or hinge groove, especially on book covers and folding packaging.

For a mounted hardcover, confirm how the covering material will finish around the opening. It may wrap into the cut edge or expose another material beneath it, depending on the cover structure and required appearance.

Specify the Rounded Corner Radius

Rounded corners soften the outer edge and can reduce visible wear on cards, notebooks and frequently handled covers. The radius should be stated in millimetres rather than described as slightly or heavily rounded.

Standard radii may be produced with corner-rounding equipment without a custom die. Unusual radii or corners that form part of a larger custom shape may need to be included in the cutting die.

When both the cover and page block have rounded corners, their radii and positions must align. Small differences are especially noticeable on thick books or products with contrasting paper edges.

Perforations Must Tear at the Right Time

A perforated line uses alternating cuts and uncut ties so part of the printed piece can be removed. The balance between them determines whether the section stays secure during handling or tears away easily.

Paper weight, grain direction, coating and the length of the perforation all affect the result. A tear-off page, reply card or packaging opening may therefore require a different perforation pattern even when the printed line looks similar.

Keep important text away from the tear line and avoid placing perforations too close to binding edges or folds. These positions can make the section harder to remove or cause it to tear unevenly.

Keep Every Cutting Rule Clear in the Dieline

Supply the cutting path as vector artwork at the final size. Place it on a separate layer in the Prepress Artwork and label each rule clearly.

Remove duplicate paths and show which internal pieces should be removed. Printed backgrounds should extend beyond the cut edge, while text, logos and narrow borders need enough distance from it to allow for production tolerance.

Complex shapes, closely aligned windows and kiss-cut materials should be checked with the intended stock before bulk production.