How accurate is your die-cut contour cutting?
Our cutters use optical registration: they read printed marks on the sheet and correct for stretch and skew as they go, holding roughly ±0.1 mm on the contour. That is why die-cut shapes stay centered on long runs instead of drifting a millimeter more with every sticker.
| Cut tolerance | About ±0.1 mm |
|---|---|
| Registration | Optical mark reading with skew and stretch correction |
| Cut types | Die cut, kiss cut, sheet outline, perforation |
| Recommended safe margin | 1/8 in from the cut line |
Why registration is the whole game
A cutter that just follows coordinates will drift, because vinyl stretches slightly as it feeds. Optical registration solves this: the machine finds printed marks, measures the real position of the sheet, and adjusts the path continuously.
What that means for your artwork
- Keep important content 1/8 in inside the cut line. That absorbs tolerance and looks intentional.
- Add 1/8 in bleed past the cut line so a hair of drift shows more artwork, not white liner.
- Avoid hairline borders that hug the cut edge. A 1 mm outline that ends up 0.9 mm on one side and 1.1 mm on the other is visible; a 3 mm outline is not.
Cut types we run
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Die cut | Cuts your exact shape through vinyl and laminate, liner intact |
| Kiss cut | Cuts the sticker shape on a square or custom sheet so it peels off individually |
| Sheet outline | Cuts the outer sheet shape |
| Perforation | Tear lines on sheets and multi-part items |
Complex shapes
Intricate outlines, interior cutouts and thin appendages are all possible, but very thin fingers of vinyl (under about 1/8 in wide) get fragile during weeding and application. We will flag those in preflight and suggest a slightly simplified path.