| Ever wonder how printers cut odd or irregular | | | | done by mounting the steel rule die on the platen |
| shaped products like pocket folders out of paper? | | | | of a diecutting press. The platen is a flat surface |
| It is a process called diecutting and it uses a steel | | | | that can be locked down to hold the steel rule die. |
| rule die to actually cut through the surface of the | | | | The paper is then fed to make contact with that |
| paper. The steel rule die is made of cutting rules | | | | platen and pressure is applied to cut through the |
| and scoring rules. Scoring rules are metal with a | | | | paper. Nicks are usually put in the sheet to hold |
| rounded edge where cutting rules are metal with | | | | the diecut portion in the rest of the sheet so it |
| beveled sharp edges. These are usually mounted | | | | does not fall out in the press. The diecut piece is |
| on a base made of wood. | | | | then removed from the press in lifts and the |
| The common products that are diecut are: pocket | | | | diecut piece is "scrapped out" of the remaining |
| folders, door hangers, store signage and | | | | sheet. |
| brochures to name a few. Any product can be | | | | A few of the most common diecutting machines |
| diecut in any shape you can dream up in your | | | | are: Kluge's, Heidelberg Windmills and Cylinder |
| head. We have diecut cowboy hats, popcorn, cars | | | | presses. |
| and many other non conventional shapes. This is | | | | |