Marking a hole in a tag to be punched

Report · Feb 08, 2019

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if you could help me with a thing I’m stuck on on InDesign. I’m a complete begginer so apologies if this is very basic.

I’ve designed an eco-tag to go with one of our products and the printers have told me that they needed the hole at the top so they know where it should be punched.

I’ve added a a circle with the dimensions specified for the hole 6mm but i'm worried that if it is not punched correctly and a little off that bits of the black line will show. Im sure there has to be a better way of doing this, so the printer knows where do punch the whole but it can't be seen? I'd appreciate any help you can give me! Thanks in advance!

Report · Feb 08, 2019

So you have a direct contact to printer? Then simply ask them! Usually small circle is OK (say, 3 mm in your case), or a small cross at preferred hole center. Maybe worth to ask about color, too - Registration, Black, maybe even special PMS color? It all depends, they will know better what's best for them.

Report · Feb 11, 2019

Thank you!

Report · Feb 08, 2019

The circle should be used for reference only and not included with art that will print. What I do is create a layer named punch/drill hole, create the circle on this layer. When exporting final print pdf, turn off the punch/drill hole layer. Also, I will turn off the art layer and turn back on the punch/drill hole layer, and create a second PDF. The file will be named as such project-drill hole ref.pdf

Report · Feb 08, 2019

Sure, that's one of the possible methods. I usually don't bother the printer and myself with two separate files when a single one is just enough - with a special PMS channel for complex / non standard die cut. Advantage of this is a possibility for everyone quickly check how the cut sits on a design. Just turn on/off the channel! Well, the printer should be not a total newbie…

But again: whatever floats your boat.

Or I should say: whatever floats your printer's boat

Report · Feb 08, 2019

i have made two different .pdf files. one with and one without the circle. just so they can set it up on the machine with the one that has the circle. print a few to test. and than you have your print run without the circle.. just so no outline of the circle gets left in as they are running the whole puncher. some of these machines are old and shake.