Verifying Board Caliper before Cutting Brass Embossing Tooling
Verifying true substrate caliper under standard foot pressure before cutting brass embossing tooling prevents fiber shearing, smashed matrixes, and costly die remakes.
Draft Angle Geometry
Wall Slope
Angled side walls machined into embossing dies provide the physical clearance required to release deformed paperboard fibers without tearing surface coatings during press retraction. In three-dimensional tooling design, draft angle geometry establishes the exact taper along die cavity edges. Steeper angles allow deeper embossing depth while preserving clean graphic outlines.
The design rule applies to male and female embossing tooling, ending where flat two-dimensional foil stamping dies are used.
Embossing Release
Sloped cavity walls minimize friction between pressed paperboard fibers and metal die surfaces during vertical press opening. Angles between ten and twenty-five degrees prevent the substrate from sticking inside narrow die recesses. Sticking causes sheet tearing, surface picking, and board distortion during high-speed platen separation.
Coated paperboard stocks require larger draft angles to avoid picking clay particles off the sheet surface. Friction reduction prolongs die life and maintains clean relief profiles throughout long converting runs.
Edge Shearing
Insufficient draft angles generate vertical shearing forces that cut through paperboard top liners during compression. Sloped sidewalls distribute compressive force across fiber networks, creating gradual bends instead of sharp fractures. Precise draft selection preserves structural integrity while achieving maximum visual relief height.
Tool designers adjust angles based on substrate caliper and fiber stretch capability.