Before you start
- What goes in
- The intended package structure, dimensions, unit, dimension reference and board.
- What comes out
- A generated flat dieline and folded preview, with the setup available in the editor for design and export.
A practical example
Create a template before designing the artwork
Size the tea carton first, inspect its flaps and printable faces, then use the matching template as the basis for the artwork. This avoids designing to a generic box net that no longer matches the production structure.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Pick the construction
Use the structure choices or All box styles. Match closure and number of parts to the physical package you intend to make.
Set material and dimensions
Choose Board, Units and My numbers are. Enter the style’s dimensions and inspect the inside, outside and manufacturing readouts.
Inspect the generated blank
Review the flat preview and line legend. Locate cuts, folds, tabs, slots and any separate parts. Compare the blank footprint with the paper or tooling area you expect to use.
Inspect the folded form
Use the available folded preview to understand how panels join. Check the opening, closure and orientation; a valid-looking net still needs a physical fit check.
Open in the editor
Continue with the generated setup to add artwork, fine-tune supported structural parameters, review checks and choose the appropriate PDF, SVG, DXF or other production export.
Options at a glance
| Control or choice | What it changes | How to use it well |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | The parametric construction that creates the cut and crease paths. | Choose the physical construction, not just a similar silhouette. |
| Board and caliper | Material assumptions used by the structure. | Change the board before preparing full-dieline artwork. |
| Inside / Outside / Manufacturer’s | The reference for input measurements. | Use the mode corresponding to your source specification. |
| Flat / Folded preview | The generated blank and its assembled interpretation. | Inspect both; one view can reveal issues hidden in the other. |
| Continue in editor | Carries the setup into the complete design workflow. | Use the editor for detailed parameters, artwork, checks and gated production exports. |
Detailed control reference
Find the control, understand its effect, and choose it for the job you are making. Available controls depend on the selected structure, object, workspace and output.
Calculator/generator → Structure
Structure, quick picks and All box styles
Selects the construction used by the sizing engine. Quick picks are shortcuts into the same available style choices.
- When it helps most
- Choose a physical construction matching the contents, opening and board family. Read the labels of the dimension fields for that style.
- Impact and trade-offs
- Switching a style may change supported boards, dimension fields, valid ranges and part count. Previously edited dimensions can remain, so inspect the results rather than assuming a style switch restores every default.
Calculator/generator → Board
Board and displayed caliper
Chooses a compatible stock preset and uses its stated caliper in the dimension/blank calculations.
- When it helps most
- Use for an early comparison of inside space, external footprint and material needs before continuing in the editor.
- Impact and trade-offs
- The standalone tool uses the preset thickness. Use the full editor for measured caliper/converter-specific production settings. Do not substitute grams per square metre for millimetres of thickness.
Calculator/generator → dimension mode
My numbers are: Inside, Manufacturer’s, Outside
Selects which reference the entered numbers represent; the report calculates the other two sets.
- When it helps most
- Inside suits a product-space brief; Manufacturer’s suits score-to-score specifications; Outside suits a finished envelope constraint.
- Impact and trade-offs
- Changing the mode changes the interpretation of the entered numbers. Compare the “You entered” indicator and the deltas versus inside. Do not copy one numerical set into another mode and expect the same physical package.
Calculator/generator → Units and Dimensions
Units, dimension fields and range messages
Units controls displayed measurements. The style exposes the applicable axes and their limits; some constructions have two named dimensions instead of a conventional three-axis box.
- When it helps most
- Enter values from the real measurement source and read the field-specific labels. Use the stated range to understand supported sizes.
- Impact and trade-offs
- If the tool adjusts a value to a supported range, read the warning and the resolved output rather than assuming the original request was accepted unchanged. Width may follow length for a structure without an independent W field.
Calculator/generator results
Dimension sets, Flat blank, Folded preview and metrics
Shows the calculated Inside, Manufacturer’s and Outside sets, the unfolded geometry, folded view, blank/material measures and relevant technical lengths.
- When it helps most
- Use the flat view to judge the total sheet footprint and the folded view to understand which panels form the package. Fold/play helps connect those two views.
- Impact and trade-offs
- Blank area/size includes closure and assembly geometry beyond the assembled product envelope. A visual fold is not a physical fit or strength test. Multi-part structures require reviewing all listed parts.
Calculator/generator → editor/download actions
Continue in the editor and download
Passes the selected structure, solved size and board into the full editor, where artwork, detailed production settings and exports are available.
- When it helps most
- Continue when you need an editable project, artwork placement, a supplier-specific caliper, a sheet plan or a particular technical format.
- Impact and trade-offs
- Inspect the transferred settings and resolved dimensions in the editor. Sizing/preview access and production download access are distinct; use the live entitlement explanation for the selected output.
Choose the file around the recipient
A PDF is convenient for a dimensioned structural review. SVG is useful for vector editing and compatible cutting workflows. DXF or CF2 may be requested by a die maker. The full editor’s Download panel explains these outputs and their options.
Generating a dieline is a starting point for production, not supplier approval. Print a sample at actual size, assemble it and agree material and tolerances before a full run.
Check your work
- The generated construction matches the intended package.
- Scale, units and dimension reference are correct.
- Every required part is present.
- The production recipient accepts the chosen export format.
Troubleshooting
I need to upload a drawing rather than generate one
Use Dieline to 3D or the editor’s Import dieline workflow for supplier SVG, DXF or supported vector PDF.
The artwork template changed after I selected another board
Caliper affects structure. Finalise board and size before exporting a template for external artwork.