Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Hi all,
I'm new to the whole cutlines business and have watched countless youtube tutorials.
I'm trying to create a sticker of an irregular-shaped dot with no bleed, so no white border. But the machine keeps detecting it as a square outline.
Here's the link to my file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hxnw8p08b165ct2/sample.ai?dl=0
Here are my steps:
1) Open .png image file
2) Image trace with full colours
3) Expand, then i deleted the white background
4) Unite, then i changed from Fill to Stroke, and removed any colour from it (so both fill and stroke are transparent).
It would truly be super helpful if you guys could open up my file and give me a dummy step-by-step solution.
Thank you so much everyone!
So i went to vectorize my artwork, and left it 'expand'-ed instead of uniting like what i did previously. Then i created another layer for the outline, and gave it a red 0.25 stroke.
Just sent this to the printing company, hopefully it cuts properly now! Will update this post soon once i've heard from them.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Since the only other object in your file is the image within a clipping mask, have you tried removing that so you are left with this structure in Layers?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
I thought you were doing the printing.
I'm surprised another company who offers die cutting didn't catch that you're file was prepared incorrect.
If you like, post the file and I will check it for you
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Ok update, my revised ones also didn't work! It would truly be amazing if you could take a look at my file attached here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/53jyye4tstawnr4/sample%202.ai?dl=0
They said there's no proper route outline. Should I not have vectorised it and left it expanded? I'm so confused. This is like the 4th time I sent my file to them lol, I think they're sick of me haha.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Faniah,
You did not check the file i previuosly set up.
I have set the cut line in the lastest file you posted.
Take a look at the swatch assigned to the cut line.
Swatch name must be CutContour and be typed exactly as this uppercase and lowercase.
Color type must be spot color
The cut line color you use does not matter but it cannot be assigned to any other object in the file.
The printer RIP will not recognize Ai files. Here's a EPS
BR
Mike
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Your top path does not have fill and stroke.
Should it not have a certain color and size to be recognized by the cutter?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Thank you so much everyone!
So i went to vectorize my artwork, and left it 'expand'-ed instead of uniting like what i did previously. Then i created another layer for the outline, and gave it a red 0.25 stroke.
Just sent this to the printing company, hopefully it cuts properly now! Will update this post soon once i've heard from them.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Can you show us the requirements from the company?
Normally they want to have:
Normally you only need four paths - closed and not grouped.
But your paths are in deep nested groups! Ungroup it.
There should be four paths, but these are two paths and two compound paths. Release the compound paths and delete the unnecessary elements.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Maybe you could simplify your cut paths. Ungroup them, release compound paths, delete unnecessary path.