Hi Darren! Also a structural packaging designer here. I think i've got a decent workflow down, it is a combination of all of the tutorials I've been able to find. Let's connect, i'd love to share what i've found!

Do you know is there any addon which can send the project straight to plotter?

Thanks. In the future, I'll try to mention the keys more clearly in my next tutorial and I'll see if I can show it visually as well. Glad you figured it out anyway.

@@blenderfordesigners1312 it might be helpful to use the Screencast Keys add-on for Blender if you have the newer version so that we can follow along with your keystrokes while you're doing the tutorial. Thank you for posting this. Very helpful!

@@blenderfordesigners1312 Are you still alive ?

Question: why is my Solidified surface once folded the folded part and unfolded part have different thickness? I selected the even thickness option. Thank you.

Never mind, got it. I need to Ctrl+A in object mode to Apply>Scale/rotation to the object. Because I scaled the plane first. this also fixes the uneven border in inset. Leaving it here in case others might have the same issue.

Yes, but you should keep it very simple (don't round corners), and exclude things like fold-lines. Once you import the dieline, You'll need to fill in the geometry of the die-line manually by connecting the edges. It's a mess, and it's not really worth it. Much better to output your die-line to a high-res png, or jpeg, and use it as a background in the view, make a new plane over it, and extrude it where you need, using the graphic as a reference. Believe me, it's wayyy faster. :) Welcome to the Blender community, and good luck with your projects!

​@@CRogers Well, I just waisted 3 hours trying to fix something that was already broken. I thought it would be waaay quicker to just import my die line in DFX format, but NOPE. I guess I learnt a lot about blender when trouble shooting. Tomorrow is another day, lets do it right. I wish I read this comment first.

You could apply your solidify modifier (save a copy first), creating separate faces for the insides, and then separate them in the UVs. You can also try adding a *third* material to the rim, by setting the material index of the rim to 2 in the solidify modifier, and of course adding a third material.

Thanks!

Thx.

Also if you're using parametric design software initially, you could use variables to offset the lengths from the solidify modifier, since the 3d isn't really cardboard and wont compress like reality

You mean the dielines? Take a box you already have and cut it open and measure it. You can also take the UVs created by the technique in the video. Then trace either of those using a mix of the box and pen tools.

Best way to do that is to import your dielines as a background image and build your model over them - kind of like I did on my potato chip bag tutorial (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kJeoqNBl26zSfJc.html). You'll need to export the dielines a png. To simplify you can square off a lot of the rounded corners, especially on flaps that will be tucked under anyway. You might be tempted to import your dielines as bezier curves. Don't. Believe me I've tried, but bezier curves serve a different purpose in blender.

Hard to say exactly but maybe you're rotating on the wrong axis. Try hitting R than X (or R-y or R-z) to limit your rotation to one axis. Also make sure your 3D cursor is in the right place and that you're rotating around it.

Tried that but still not working. Also, I'm working in 2.8. Maybe that has something to do with it. Thanks.

@@LDMTX6 I had the same issue: setting the pivot point to 3D cursor fixed it for me

@@maxcecchini620 This worked to fix the issue for me

It's "extrude" not "extract". Sorry, I misspoke (but wrote a note on screen). To do it you hit the letter "e" and then drag. If you want to do it in only 1 direction - x like I did - hit "e" then "x" then drag.

Blender really isn't engineering software - it's really meant more for visualization. While you can, and I do create 3D packages in blender, they mostly exist to create images. If you're creating actual dies for manufacturing, you want something like Solidworks, AutoCAD or Rhino.

You can also type exact measurements into the properties panel or while you're dragging the extrusions (for example select an edge, press E to extrude, X to set/lock the extrusion axis, 3.5 to make the extrusion length 3.5 units long. Or use - (minus) for negative extrusions. Also there's a small button with a magnet in the lower toolbar. Toggled on, it will let you snap with increments or to vertices, edges, faces or volume. There's a lot of precise tools for flat modelling and some NURBS tools for curves but just a few export options for curved object so mainly people just create polygon models with such little facets that's they look curvy. Blender's interface is pretty jumbled and has a steep learning curve at first - but the upcoming Blender 2.8 will tackle these problems. The stable release will probably be early next year, alas.

There are a bajillion barcode generators online. Google them. For a standard consumer barcode you want UPC-A. If no one is scanning it just copy a number from some product (you may want to put FPO (for position only) on it). If you have a new product you'll have to register a UPC number, which is something I don't really know how to do.

Bit late but if anyone else has this issue in 2.8, it's all been moved to the shading section and that's where u do all the material work at 9:33, worked for me at least! : )

It's blender

Robert Louis first it's termed extrude in blender if you really get it you should explain difference of die cut and the bleed necessary to make this work also die folds indicated

Got it. Had to set the pivot point to 3D cursor in 2.8

@@LDMTX6 Good to know. I haven't really used 2.8 yet. Should make some updated tutorials.

Great! Can't wait. Thanks

You have to make your material partially transparent using nodes. You have to use an image as a mask for the window box and bring in transparent or glass material nodes mixed in using the mask. It's a bit hard to explain in a comment, but it's similar to how I did separate metallic and gloss parts of a material in this tutorial: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q5dohM6mksiqfKc.html

create black and white spec map where you want the window to be using the UV map. Hook up to transparent node and then use "add" to combine it with diffuse.

hey! what type of error u r getting. please explain it

@@ayushiagarwal8247 oh don't worry I've figured it out thanks ! :)

@@ayushiagarwal8247 I just had to set the 3d cursor and origin point in the right place that's it !

:-) okay buddy!

Check out my 1st video for a simpler box tutorial: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e6eYitaGp9-XpY0.html None of the concepts in this video are particularly complicated, but I go through them pretty quickly and I assume you know a bit of blender.

@@blenderfordesigners1312 You should at least me more clear on shortcuts you are using.

And the Illustrator artist gets the dieline from someone like me, a structural packaging designer. We use ArtiosCAD for real design work.

@@DarrenNeupert What programs in autodesk work?

@@robertnicholls9917 Hi, I am not familiar with Autodesk products though I have heard of the company. For real packaging structural design work, ArtiosCAD made by Esko is the defacto standard. There are a few other platforms out there but ArtiosCAD is the industry leader. www.esko.com

@@DarrenNeupert Sorry to bother you again. They don't seem to have pricing info. Do you know the price? I have handed off package designs to factories in cad programs but I'm basically eyeing tolerances, rather than the program making sure everything is in sync. This is the 1st I've heard of Artios in all my years of design.

@@robertnicholls9917 No problem at all. I imagine pricing may be different from company to company based on volume licensing, etc. Though, I do not know that for sure. I manage a structural design department but I have not seen an invoice for years. The last time I wrote a PO for ArtiosCAD Enterprise was for roughly $3100.00 per year. But, here's the thing about ArtiosCAD (ACAD), it is highly modular and you license the modules you need. We happen to run a premium Enterprise version. If you are genuinely interested, then I would recommend getting a quote. You might be able to get it for less than half of what we pay. Regarding tolerances, what I suspect you're referring to is what we call scoring allowances. In other words, how far apart do I place creases in order to get nn inches when folded up. In that case, the allowances for corrugated are... E flute = .0625 B flute = .125 C flute = .1875 B/C double wall = .3125 So, if I were designing a scored u-shaped pad from B/C double wall and wanted 10" of usable space when folded up, the score-to-score dimension would be 10.3125.