Prepress checklist
How to check a dieline before printing
A dieline can look tidy at a glance and still contain two cuts on top of each other or a score that stops a fraction short.
Check your dieline
From flat to finished.Quick answer
Check the file in this order: confirm its units and finished size, map cut and crease layers, find gaps or doubled knife lines, verify that folds divide the blank into connected panels, then inspect the closed 3D form and artwork orientation. Ask for a physical sample when the closure or fit is critical.
First, check the geometry
Read the blank dimensions in a known unit. A 300 mm blank interpreted as 300 inches is immediately obvious; an SVG whose unit is missing can be more subtle. Compare the measured width and height with the printer’s drawing or purchase order.
Trace the outer knife path. It should meet itself with no open ends. Look for overlapping lines, tiny slivers, and stray circles on cut layers. Any one of these can affect tooling or make automated panel detection unreliable.
- One continuous outer cut contour
- No doubled segments or stray cuts
- Plausible blank dimensions and units
- Any internal windows or slots intentionally specified
Then check the fold map
Creases need their own line type. Each one should sit where the board is supposed to hinge and connect the expected panels. Map perforations separately; a tear strip is not a crease. If you import a supplier DXF, confirm that its layer names or colours mapped correctly before judging the fold.
Watch the lid and bottom as the blank folds. A generic 90-degree preview can leave tuck flaps hovering or overlapping. Adjust the fold angles to the intended assembly and compare with a physical sample or the supplier’s reference.
Finish with the printed pack
Put each headline, barcode, and legal block on the correct panel. Rotate the drawing mentally or use a 3D proof; top and base panels often become inverted when they are laid flat. Keep registration-critical details away from the score and knife.
Check that colour or photography reaches into bleed and that no essential copy sits too close to trim. Keep glue areas free of inks or coatings if your converter requires it. Finally, export a fresh proof from the exact production file so the approved image and manufacturing file agree.
Common questions
Why does an imported dieline fold incorrectly?
The file may have a crease mapped as a cut, a crease that does not fully join the expected panels, or default fold angles that do not match the real assembly. Correct the layer mapping first, then set the angles in the studio.
Can a 3D preview approve a pack for production?
It is a strong visual check for geometry and artwork placement. Fit, locking force, board spring-back, and print finish still need a physical proof and printer review.
Which source files can I check online?
DielineMaker’s checker reads SVG and ASCII DXF. A PDF dieline can be imported directly in the editor (Size tab), where cuts and creases are mapped as geometry.
Put it into practice.
Start with the structure, check the fold, and make the file your printer needs.
Check your dieline