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Crease and cut is how cards, folders and cartons are finished on a plotter. One tool presses the fold. The other cuts the outline. If both paths go to the blade, the blank falls apart on the fold line.
This guide from Skycut India covers the process: how to set the paths, when to crease first, and which machine to use. Hardware is in dual head. Finished cartons are in box making machine. Scoring types are in scoring machine.
Quick answer
What crease and cut means
A crease tool presses a line into the board so the panel folds on that line. A cutting blade goes through the sheet for the outline, windows and slots. Crease and cut means both happen on the same blank before you fold it by hand.
On a dual head machine both tools stay fitted, so the job finishes in one pass. On a single-head machine you change tools between passes. The file rule is the same either way: fold lines and cut lines are different paths.
Crease and cut vs kiss cut
| Kiss cut | Crease and cut | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Vinyl, radium, sticker sheets | Card, paperboard, carton blanks |
| What the blade does | Cuts the face, leaves the liner | Cuts the outline through the blank |
| Second tool | Not needed | Crease tool for fold lines |
| Typical product | Stickers and labels | Cards, folders, boxes |
| Skycut example | V24 / C Series | A3 Max 5 / D Series |
How to set up the job
Draw two path types
Outline and slots are cuts. Fold lines are creases. Keep them on separate layers so each tool gets the right path.
Fit blade and crease tool
One head holds the blade. The other holds the crease tool. On a single-head machine you will run two passes with a tool change.
Test the crease on scrap
Fold the scrap. The line should bend cleanly without cutting through or cracking the print face.
Test the cut on the same blank
Confirm the outline weeds and that nothing that should fold was cut through.
Run the full blank
On the A3 Max 5, feed the next sheet. On the D Series or flatbed, place the next blank and repeat.
Crease first or cut first?
- Dual head, one job: assign crease paths to the crease tool and cut paths to the blade. The machine runs both without you choosing an order by hand.
- Two passes on one head: crease first on thin card so the blank stays in one piece, then cut the outline.
- Thick board: test one blank. If the blank shifts after the outline is free, crease while the sheet is still held, then cut.
The wrong tool assignment is the usual failure, not the order. Fold lines sent as cuts will tear. Cut outlines sent as creases will not release.
Making cards or small boxes?
Tell us the blank size and the board. We will confirm a crease and cut setup and share the Skycut price.
Jobs that need crease and cut
- Invitation and greeting cards with a fold line and a finished outer edge.
- Folders and sleeves that must bend without cracking.
- Small cartons where every panel fold is a crease and every outline is a cut. See box making machine.
- Short packaging samples when a steel die is not worth ordering yet.
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Skycut machines for crease and cut
| Job | Machine |
|---|---|
| Sheet cards, labels and small cartons | A3 Max 5 |
| Wider or thicker cut-and-crease blanks | D24 / D48 |
| Rigid board that must stay flat | F6090 flatbed |
| Vinyl stickers only | V24 – kiss cut, not crease and cut |
Call +91 9990391515 or send an enquiry with the board and the blank size.
Common problems
| What you see | What to change |
|---|---|
| The fold tears open | That path was a cut. Move it to the crease tool |
| The panel will not fold | Raise crease force a little, or check the tool is fitted |
| Print cracks on the fold | Lighten the crease and test again on the same board |
| Outline will not release | That path was creased. Send the outline to the blade |
| Blank moves mid-job | On a flatbed, turn the vacuum on. On a feeder, square the stack first |
Frequently asked questions
Final thoughts
Crease and cut succeeds when fold lines and outlines stay on different tools. Use the A3 Max 5 for sheet cards and small cartons, the D Series for wider dual head work, and a flatbed when the board will not roll. Vinyl stickers stay on a kiss-cut plotter.
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