Tips to Produce Perfect Designs Using Shim Tapes and Die-Cutting Machines

Do you like to bring creative designs to life? Is art and craft your passion? Do you like making something new and unique from the scratch?

Then, the die-cutting process has been handmade for you to give your ideas a new dimension in the physical world. With the help of die-cutting machines and various tools, you can easily give shape to your creative ideas on paper, plastic, leather, cloth, or any type of low-strength materials.

Now, if you are a novice to this form of art, it is better to give you a comprehensive introduction of the die-cutting process before delving into the specifics of the die-cutting machine and the uses of the shim tape.

To design a material you would need to cut it into different shapes and sizes before making the final structure. This is what dies help you to do. Basically, dies are metal objects of different shapes and sharp patterns used for cutting. Among all die-cutting equipment, dies are an indispensable part of the process. So, ensure that you buy dies according to the requirements of the design you have chosen to produce.

The die-cutting process involves using a die to shear through the webs of low tensile strength material to cut them into specific shapes. The die-cutting process is carried out with the help of machines which can be operated either manually or electrically to produce an exact shape on a material, without having to use a scale or a stencil. Applying the die-cutting process not only produces beautiful designs but also saves times. If you want to produce designs on fabric, paper, vinyl, leather, corkboard, sponge, chipboard, or any other low-strength material, you can easily do so with the help of various die-cutting equipment available in the market.

Die-cutting machines and equipment are used in different industries to produce a wide range of designs ranging from fashion accessories to office supplies. Below are a few items which can be made using die-cutting machines and equipment:

• Stand-up cards
• Stickers
• Envelops
• Shaker cards
• Pillow boxes
• Lace patterns for a dress and many more items

Among the many die-cutting supplies comes the shim tape which is used to fill up, align, or add space to the design. Apart from this, the shim tape also keeps the die fixed in its place and puts additional pressure on the dies when required to produce a perfect shape on the material.

Here are some tricks which you can employ while using die-cutting machines and shim tapes to produce perfect designs on your choice of material.

• Ensure that you use the correct combination of mats and embossing plates to form an accurate sandwich. This will not only produce an appropriate and perfect shape but will also ensure the longevity of the die-cutting machine.

• You can use a shim tape to put additional pressure on the material to get a neat and clean cut from the die-cutting machine.

• To add texture and shine to a shape, stack the patterns one over the other and apply glossy accents to give them an edgy look.

• You should never put external pressure on the sandwich while it passes through the die-cutting machine, as it can damage the equipment and the machine both.

• As soon as you are done producing one design, use quick sticky tools to clean the working station efficiently. This way you can continue to create innovative and accurate shapes without having to deal with any kind of a sticky mess.

• If you want to produce highly accurate shapes or designs, always attach a magnetic shim tape to the board, letting it run through the die-cutting machine more than once. This will ensure that the materials are cut accurately into your desired shape or design.

• If you happen to own dies which are not a perfect match with any structure or occasion, use it to create shapes of different colors. You can then construct a classy yet unique-looking design with the similar looking different-colored shapes.

• There is no harm in utilizing different die-cutting supplies as they might inspire you to come up with new and innovative craft ideas.

Designing and producing new and beautiful crafts is a great hobby to nurture. Application of the die-cutting process not only gives you accurate and beautiful shapes but also lends a professional touch to your designs. The tips listed in this article will hopefully help you utilize the shim tape and die-cutting machine to the fullest to get accurately-cut beautiful shapes.

Reference
https://medium.com/@miriambraga_77578/top-8-die-cutting-tricks-to-get-the-most-of-the-equipment-e5ad4066654f