Best precision CAD practices for designing packaging and point-of-purchase displays.

Rules™ General Usage Topics

Packaging and display design in Rules is fast and easy. Click here to learn the basic techniques of designing in Rules, including drawing sizes, drawing area, tools and tips, plus grain direction and View indicators.

Data Tracking Issues

Rules tracks a number of different design attributes to use at your discretion. Click here to learn about the issues associated with data tracking as it reports to a database or estimating systems.

Fitting Arcs to Curves

AlphaCorr™ Rules quickly converts NURB Splines and other high order curves to the three-point arcs used by prototyping and die production equipment. Click here to learn more about the ArcFit tool.

Flat Die Notching

Rules offers both Auto Notching and Simple Notching for flat dies. Click here to parameters for creating flat die notches.

HPGL Import or Recovery

Follow these guide lines to import HPGL files generated from all types of outputs with the greatest possible degree of success. Learn how to recover Rules HPGL files that have been lost or corrupted. Click here for achieving the greatest HPGL success.

Linearizing Curves

By default, HPGL breaks arcs at five degree intervals into a series of small, connected line segments that represent a curve. Rules offers greater control, allowing the arcs, splines and ellipses to be stroked as desired. Learn how to use the Arc Radius Tolerance to adjust the number of short line segments used to represent the arc.

Making and Modifying Templates and Spec Sheets

Any design can be designated as a standard library item and any style made into a specification sheet, including graphics, logos and tracked data. Rules includes several example spec sheets. Click here to learn how to customize or design additional spec sheets of your own.

Making Rotary Choppers

Rules has multiple options for creating adjusting rotary chopper knives. Click here for more on using chopper knives in your die design.

Rotary Notching

Rotary notching in Rules requires multiple steps. Click here to learn the methods of rotary notching to get the job done as efficiently as possible.

Setting Up the Document Data Manager

The Document Data Manager provides quick access to all the important parts of a design. You can turn data tracking on or off as needed and change the text entry fields. Click here to learn more.

Text and Dimension Handling in HPGL

Rules provides a place for basic notes, dimensions and other annotations in a drawing but there are some limitations due to HPGL. Click here to learn the limits and capabilities for text and dimension handling in Rules.

Using the Choppernaut Tool

Learn how to add basic flat die scrap knives to a die design. Click here for more.

Using the Document Data Manager

Carefully plan how your data tracking should work. Click here for what to consider and the people to consult.

Using the Gap Detector

Use Rules’ Gap Detector to finds endpoints that do not connect with another point of piece of geometry. Click here to learn how Rules isolates and zooms in on gaps in the geometry.

Using HPGL

AlphaCorr products generate a very clean and simple version of HPGL code for the main purpose of driving XY knife and laser cutting systems. Click here to learn about uses and details for HPGL.

Using the Jiggernaut Tool

The Jiggernaut Tool makes male and female jig fixtures for Bobst die cutting machines. It creates dual offset geometry at preset distances of closed shapes within a design. Learn how to adjust the geometry for a perfect jig cut.

Using Multiple Out Designs

Create multiple out configurations from one-off designs. Click here to learn how to generate instances of a single die design.

Using Rules Directories

Rules uses preset directories to speed the output process. Shared network folders and directories are used to pool manufacturing files. Sample tables and lasers are pointed at a network folder and the HPGL files are dumped there. Click here to learn more about directory and network issues when using Rules.

Working with Libraries and Standards

The easiest way to create a packaging solution is to select an industry standard design from our library and modify it as needed. Click here to learn about using and modify designs from the Rules library.

Working with Style Sheets

The Rules library of standard designs provides a set of templates displayed on style sheets from which to select and fit your requirements. Click here to learn how to work with these style sheets and add your own.