Folding carton
Creases and glue areas define the erected shape. Board thickness and grain interact with folds; test cracking and closure on the actual construction.
Read guide
Packaging structure
Fit the product before fitting the artwork.
A dieline is the flat geometry for a specific construction. Start with the contents, usable cavity and assembly sequence; an attractive flat layout alone cannot prove fit.
Define the space the contents will use.
| Input | Record | Why it changes the structure |
|---|---|---|
| Product envelope | Length × width × height in mm, orientation and weight | Include lids, caps, handles and other protrusions. |
| Internal cavity | Usable space after assembly and insertion of the liner | External dimensions include walls and cannot be substituted. |
| Clearance | Room for insertion, restraint and removal | An exact product-size cavity may bind; an oversized one may permit movement. |
| Delivery condition | Flat or assembled, individual or grouped | Fold direction, closure, packing volume and assembly labor differ. |
Keep manufacturing instructions separate.
Use named vector paths for cutting, creasing, perforation and any other agreed operation. Define the legend in the file; line color alone is not a universal machine instruction.
Keep artwork, manufacturing guides and finishing masks identifiable. Confirm which layers are output and which are instructions. Preserve glue areas as specified for the selected adhesive and surface.
- Extend backgrounds to the bleed specified on the approved dieline; the usual 3 mm flat-sheet allowance is not a universal packaging rule.
- Check the outside print face, panel rotation, barcode position and closure overlap on an assembled paper mock-up.
Compare what changes after folding.
Wrapped rigid box
The board shell, wrap turn-ins and liner are separate components. A folding-carton file does not describe a rigid-box wrap.
Read guidePaper bag
Gussets, bottom folds, handles and reinforcement change usable space. Measure the intended contents in the carrying orientation.
Read guideTest the assembled configuration.
| Check | Method | Failure to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Insertion and removal | Use the actual contents or a dimensionally representative object | Scuffing, forced closure or an inaccessible finger grip. |
| Closure and print orientation | Open and close the sample in its intended direction | Upside-down panels, hidden information or flap interference. |
| Insert and accessory fit | Install all components together | An insert, leaflet or ribbon reducing usable cavity. |
| Packing and handling | Evaluate the intended packed configuration | A display box being mistaken for sufficient transport protection. |
Common questions
Can I scale an existing dieline to a new size?
Scaling also changes tabs, slots, allowances and board relationships. Rebuild the geometry for the intended material and confirm it on an assembled sample.
Does a FEFCO style code define a ready-to-print file?
It describes a structure family. Dimensions, board, print face and construction allowances still belong to the project-specific dieline.
Sources and scope of this guide
Reviewed October 21, 2026. Industry references explain selection. The approved specification defines the actual materials, processes and acceptance conditions for your order.
- Holmen: paperboard creasing and folding
How a crease forms a controlled fold; the selected board and tooling still require an assembled sample.
- FEFCO: corrugated design styles
A common structure vocabulary; a style code does not specify dimensions, strength or the complete finished package.
Build a specification we can quote.
Tell us the product, finished size, quantity and destination. Include the feature you need the sample to check.