Case study · Packaging
Die-Cut Sheet Nesting & Board Trim Waste Reduction
A high-volume folding carton and corrugated packaging converter producing 45 million printed boxes annually for food and retail brands.
Engagement record
- Client
- Corrugated packaging converter
- Industry
- Packaging
- System
- Combinatorial Die-Cut Sheet Nesting AI
- Timeline
- 4 Weeks
About this write-up
This case study describes the engagement as recorded. The client is not named; figures and outcomes are as reported by the client and have not been independently audited.
The challenge
The converter was losing 11.2% of its expensive virgin folding boxboard (FBB) and corrugated rolls to edge trim and skeleton scrap. Structural CAD designers relied on manual sheet layout tools that could not interlock irregular carton geometries or optimize master roll web widths dynamically.
Objectives
- Connect structural ArtiosCAD die libraries and ERP raw board inventory databases.
- Automate combinatorial 2D nesting across variable master roll widths and carton shapes.
- Enforce paperboard grain direction constraints for high-speed folding rigidity.
Discovery
Prepress workflow review showed that CAD designers relied on standard rectilinear grid step-and-repeat layouts due to manual time constraints, creating extensive void space on non-rectangular folding cartons.
What was built
- Esko ArtiosCAD & AutoCAD Geometric Parsers. Extracts vector die-lines, crease rules, and grain direction vectors automatically.
- Combinatorial 2D Sheet Nesting Algorithms. Solves interlocking polygon packing to maximize blank count per sheet with millimeter clearance.
- Paperboard Grain Rigidity & McKee BCT Solvers. Enforces grain orientation constraints to guarantee box compression strength.
- ERP Board Inventory & Slitting Optimization Engine. Recommends optimal master roll slit widths and combo-run customer groupings.
Outcomes as reported
Reported summary: -6.4% Board Trim Scrap & $480K Annual Savings.
| Figure | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| -6.4% Board Scrap | Paperboard edge trim and skeleton scrap reduced across converting operations |
| $480,000 Saved | In raw paperboard and corrugated board material costs in year one |
| +11.5% Blank Density | Additional finished cartons produced per master paperboard sheet |
| 2 Min Layouts | Automated die layout generation vs 3 hours of manual drafting |
Figures as reported in the engagement record; not independently audited.
Lessons
- Hardcoding grain direction angles as strict mathematical boundaries prevents box collapse during high-speed automated packaging lines.
- Enabling combo-runs combining high and low-volume carton orders onto shared sheets unlocks the highest scrap reduction.
Next steps
Extending nesting intelligence to optimize corrugated corrugator fluting run schedules.
Implementation questions
Yes. Machine-specific lead edge margins, side trim minimums, and scrap stripping clearances are strictly enforced.
Yes. Optimized layouts export directly to standard DXF, DDES2, and CFF2 die-making formats.
Board caliper thicknesses and bend allowances are factored into crease positioning automatically.
