Frequently Asked Questions

Stages in the Manufacture of a Folding Carton?
  • Dieline Design
  • Prepressing
  • Die Making
  • Printing
  • Cutting & Creasing
  • Waste Stripping & Recycling
  • Other Processes
  • Gluing
What is SBS?

Solid Bleached Board (SBS) is a premium paperboard grade produced from bleached virgin fiber. It features a lower stiffness ratio to allow more flexibility in carton design and a consistent, bright appearance for excellent printability.

Why do I need a dieline?

CMYK color is cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink. Each color prints from a separate plate as dots and screens in layers to create colors. CMYK is also known as process color or four color printing.

PMS stands for Pantone Matching System. This system was developed in the early 1960s and is internationally recognized and used in print, graphic, fashion and interior design. PMS colors are assigned numbers and formulas for ink mixing. A palette of 14 basic colors are used to mix inks according to the formulas. The color PMS 285 printed in two parts of the world on the same paper will match due to the consistency of the formulas. Printers can order the colors by numbers or use the formula to mix the ink color themselves.

CMYK will always be the standard in most color printing, however PMS offers an expanded horizon of choices.

Why is prepress?

After designing a document comes prepress. It is the process of preparing digital files for the printing press making them ready for printing (pre > before and press > printing on a printing press). Prepress or make-ready tasks will vary depending on file complexity and printing method but some may include:

  • Double-checking fonts
  • Making sure graphics are in the right format
  • Preparing camera ready artwork
  • Creating color separations
  • Adding crop marks
  • Trapping (done to prevent color gaps when colors touch in a layout)
  • Imposition (putting pages in the right order for printing)
  • Producing prepress proofs
  • Obtaining film for creating printing plates
What is a die, how is a die made?

The structure of the box and layout is used by the die maker to create a steel rule die. Die boards are cut by laser, insuring a much higher degree of accuracy and consistency between dies. Steel rule knives are then bent and cut to the required shape and fit into the slots burned by the laser. Where the design calls for a crease, the steel rule has a rounded edge that creates a score around which the carton will fold.

What is Embossing?

Embossing is the process of creating either raised relief images and designs in box panel. An embossed pattern is raised against the background.

How can printing promote my business?

Printing is designed to help promote your company. Any type of high-quality color printing will expose more people to your product or information, and this is true whether it is a catalog, small brochure, booklet, or something else. High-impact color photos and graphics can help promote your business and sell products. Our prices are competitive, so they fit your bottom line as well as your marketing needs. for orders in such cases please contact our sales representative through toll free number 1-888-247-7075 or email to sales@customboxestech.com for accurate quotation.

What is window patching?
Window patching provides a see-through plastic viewing panel of one box panel.
What is Print Coatings?

Print Coatings: Understanding UV Coating, Spot Varnish, and Aqueous Coating Before ordering any type of custom packaging, it helps to be aware of the various print coatings to choose from. Just like the rest of your packaging, you can completely customize the print coating to meet your specific needs. The various types of print coatings that you choose from include:

Aqueous Coating: refers to a fast-drying and water-based coating that is clear in color and designed to protect various printed pieces. This particular coating will give you a matte or high-gloss surface, which is able to deter both fingerprints and dirt. The coating will also improve the durability of mailed pieces, such as postcards, during their trip through the mail system as well as protect business cards that go in a wallet. In addition, it adds a nice finishing touch to presentation folders, catalog covers, and brochures. An aqueous coating is better at resisting scuffs compared with varnish, and it is usually the last step on the printing press and applied over the entire piece. The water base also makes for a greener coating compared with UV coatings or varnishes.

Varnish: is a type of clear ink and may appear in matte, satin, or gloss. One type, a flood varnish, will cover the whole printed page, adding sheen and protection. Another option, spot varnish, lets you highlight particular areas within a printed piece, adding depth and shine to specific elements, such as the image or logo. Varnishes are applied on-press, but may be applied (via inks) to only certain parts (such as spot varnish) and are heavier-bodied. Artwork is needed for spot varnishes, so a plate needs to be created first.

UV Coating: is cured via ultraviolet light exposure, letting it dry quickly while hardening the coating. This coating provides the highest amount of gloss, but it might crack if it is scored or folded, depending on the hardness and thickness of the coating. Some people see UV coatings as too shiny. These can be applied as floods (over the entire sheet) or spot coatings, as well as either on or off the press. UV compatible inks need to be used with a sheet that will use UV coating, and these sheets can’t be foil stamped. You must emboss after the coating process is done if you would like to do any embossing on the printed product.

Soft Touch Coating: will make the paper develop a texture that is “soft” and velvety when touched as well as increases its tactile appeal. This particular coating will also give a softer feel and look to printed materials compared with UV or aqueous coatings. At the same time, it still manages to create a barrier that is resistant to fingerprints. Soft touch coating also dries quickly, making the printing process shorter, and as a bonus, it is also ecofriendly and does not yellow over time. Many people associate the soft touch coating method with the words “sophisticated” and “luxurious” due to the results and ecofriendly process.

What is not folding carton?

When you think of folding cartons, you are not generally thinking of shoe boxes or jewelry boxes. For the most part, this type of packaging, called a rigid, or setup box, is one of the oldest forms of packaging. The panels of these boxes are made from thick, unbending chipboard which are taped or otherwise attached to each other to form the container. They cannot be folded flat, but are constructed in their final, three-dimensional shape. These boxes usually have a top and a bottom, and may be wrapped with printed or foiled paper Folding cartons are also if rarely used as shipping containers that would be corrugated boxes.

What is the lead time from art approval to production completion?

A typical job could take between 2 weeks to complete depending on the size of the order. There are many steps involved; from the ordering of paperboard, creating the die, sheeting the material, printing the cartons, die-cutting, and gluing. Once we have your information we will be able to better approximate the turn around time.

What does "folding carton packaging" refer to?

Folding carton packaging is designed to catch the attention of consumers. As such, it helps provoke emotions in addition to providing information. Effective product packaging will have an attractive appearance and impress consumers with its creativity. We work to help you produce packaging that is creative and communicates your product.

How are the folding cartons shipped?

You dictate your preference as to how you want the cartons shipped. It is dependent on the size of the order as if you will need a truck. Quotes typically do not include the cost of a delivery, but the shipping cost may be requested to be added to the cost of the cartons. Smaller orders can ship UPS. The cartons are placed in a corrugated case. Each carton is flat when packed. The number of cartons in a case can vary depending on size of the carton when folding. A request can be made as to how you would like the carton packed.

Can I order the same carton with multiple versions of artwork?

This is normal during the printing process. We refer to the different artwork as copy changes. A change in the printing requires new printing plates to be created.

However the price wouldn’t be version qty times per version total, more close to one version total with additional charge over it, for orders in such cases please contact our sales representative through toll free number 1-347-389-8435 or email to sales@customboxestech.com for accurate quotation.