Cylinder-Ready Artwork: What Your Packaging Printer Needs From Your Designer
Many flexible packs, such as milk pouches, spice pouches and snack packets, are printed using rotogravure. In this process, each colour in the design is engraved onto its own metal cylinder. Cylinders are expensive to make, so a mistake in the artwork can mean paying for new cylinders and reprinting the whole run.
That is why packaging artwork needs more preparation than a social media post or a brochure. Here is what a printer usually needs from your designer, explained in plain language.
1. Correct colour separations
Every colour in the design must be separated onto its own plate, matching the number of cylinders the printer will use. Brand colours are often printed as special spot colours rather than mixed from standard process inks, so they stay consistent from batch to batch. Your designer should agree the colour list with the printer before finalising the artwork.
2. The right dimensions and die line
The artwork must match the exact size of the pouch, including seals, folds and any gussets. Printers or converters usually share a technical drawing, often called a die line or keyline. Designing without it is a common cause of text or logos being cut off at the seal.
3. Bleed and safe areas
Background colours and images should extend beyond the cut line, which is called bleed. Important text and logos should stay well inside the safe area, away from seals and folds.
4. Text that survives printing
Very small or thin text can fill in or break up on the press, especially when it is printed in more than one colour. Mandatory details such as ingredients, FSSAI licence number, net quantity and MRP must stay readable. Fonts should be converted to outlines or supplied with the files.
5. Barcodes and QR codes that scan
Barcodes need enough quiet space around them, the correct size, and a dark colour on a light background. Always test-scan the final artwork, not just the first draft.
6. A final proof signed off by everyone
Before cylinders are engraved, the brand, the designer and the printer should all approve a final proof. It is the cheapest point at which to catch a mistake.
The takeaway
A beautiful pack design is only half the job. The other half is preparing artwork that prints correctly the first time. With experience as senior graphic designers in the packaging industry, we prepare cylinder-ready artwork and colour separations alongside the creative design.
Preparing a new pack for print? Read about our packaging design and cylinder consultation or send us your brief.
