Capabilities
What happens to your artwork once the order is placed.
Most packaging problems are not design problems. They are a design that one machine cannot hold, or a finish that was never tested against a fold. This page lists the processes we run, the tolerance each one holds, and where a file usually breaks.
Process list
Seven steps, one site.
Printing, die-cutting, finishing and assembly happen in the same building in Longgang. Nothing is subcontracted except external laboratory testing and metal tooling for magnet boxes.
| Process | What it does | Tolerance held | Where files break |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offset litho | CMYK plus up to 2 Pantone on sheet board | ±0.1 mm register | RGB files, no bleed, type under 5 pt in reverse |
| Flexo | 1–2 colours on corrugated liner | ±1.0 mm register | Fine gradients and photographic images |
| Die-cutting | Cutting and creasing from a steel-rule die | ±0.2 mm on cut, ±0.3 mm on crease | Crease on a coated stock without a score line |
| Lamination | Matte or gloss film on one or both sides | Full coverage, no visible join | Film over a fold line — splits on the crease |
| Foil and emboss | Hot foil stamping, blind or registered emboss | ±0.15 mm registration | Foil on uncoated board without a primer |
| Window patching | PET or PLA film glued behind a die-cut window | ±0.5 mm film position | Window edge under 12 mm from a crease |
| Thermoforming | Blister cavities, clamshells, trays from sheet | ±0.3 mm cavity depth | Draw depth over 3× the cavity width |
| Hand assembly | Rigid box wrapping, magnet fitting, insert gluing | ±0.5 mm wrap alignment | Wrap paper thinner than 100 gsm on a sharp corner |
Pre-press
What we check before a plate is made.
Files and colour
- Dieline checkBleed, safe area, fold direction, glue flap
- Colour conversionRGB to CMYK, Pantone matched to a physical book
- TrappingSet where two solid colours meet on a crease
- ProofDigital proof for layout, press proof for brand colour
Structure and materials
- Board matchingGrade chosen for fill weight, not for habit
- Crease testingScored and folded on the actual stock before the run
- Fit samplePlain white sample cut before print is approved
- Insert checkProduct seated with the real item where possible
We ask for a physical product or an accurate drawing before quoting a structural job. A 2 mm error in a cavity is a tool that has to be cut twice.
Where we are honest about limits
Things we cannot do in-house.
Metal and magnets
Magnet insertion and metal plate work are done by a partner workshop we have used for years. We quote it as part of the box and take responsibility for the result, but we do not own that line.
Certified lab tests
We run in-house drop, compression and seal checks and report what we see. Formal ISTA or ISO reports from an accredited laboratory have to be commissioned externally, and we will tell you which one a program actually needs.
Food-contact migration
We supply food-grade board and can source food-contact-declared films, but migration testing for a specific food belongs with a laboratory and with the brand owner's compliance file.
Quality
How a run is checked.
Incoming material
Board weight, calliper and liner checked against the approved sample on arrival.
First-off
The first 20 pieces of each process are measured and signed off before the run continues.
In-process
Hourly sampling on size, print register and glue position, recorded on the job sheet.
Final AQL
Batch inspection to AQL 2.5 on major defects, with photos of any failure sent before packing.
If a batch fails final inspection, we tell you before the container is booked, not after it arrives. Read the full inspection sequence.
Production questions
Capability FAQ
Which processes stay outside the plant?
Magnet insertion and metal tooling are subcontracted, and accredited laboratory testing is always external. Each of the three is named on the quote line rather than folded into a general price, so you know which lead times are ours to control.
What tolerance do you hold on a hand-wrapped box?
±0.5 mm on wrap alignment is the band we quote for hand assembly, which is looser than die-cut tolerance. If your artwork relies on a hairline register between the wrap edge and a printed border, that gap has to be designed for, not requested as a tolerance.
Can I see the job sheet for my run?
Yes. The incoming material check, first-off measurements, hourly in-process samples and the final AQL result are all recorded on the job sheet, and a copy goes with the shipment on request.
How quickly can you tell me a file will not print?
Pre-press review takes one to two working days and is part of every quote. Problems with bleed, reverse type under 6 pt, total ink coverage or trapping come back as a marked-up PDF, not as a question you have to answer blind.
File intake
Four files, and the run can start.
01 · Dieline
AI or PDF, drawn at 1:1 with the cut and crease on separate layers. A sketch with dimensions works for a first quote; a drawn dieline is needed before a plate is cut.
02 · Artwork
CMYK with Pantone references listed, fonts outlined, images at 300 dpi at final size. If you only have RGB, we convert and send the proof back for approval.
03 · Insert spec
What sits inside, its weight and whether it must not move. That single answer decides between a paperboard fitment, a pulp tray and a foam block.
04 · Barcode and legal panel
Send the barcode as vector with the quiet zone drawn, and the legal text as live text, not an image. Too many programmes discover at plate stage that the panel is 1 mm short.
What we do not offer
We are not a design studio. We will re-draw a dieline for production, flag structural problems and propose a cheaper construction — but the brand design and the artwork stay with you or your agency.
Have a file you want checked?
Send the dieline and a photo of the product. Pre-press will tell you what will not hold on press before you pay for a plate.