Many printing companies have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars for digital printers and flatbed cutters only to find the next difficulty is packaging their product for shipment to their clients.
Sweetcutspro.com has been designed to address this specialized packaging with a program (Sweetcuts) that will create cut files for the manufacture of corrugated boxes using a browser, PDF capable cutting software, a flatbed cutter and corrugated media. The Sweetcut tools are made available as web fill out forms.
A registered user inputs length, width, and height measured from an item to be boxed. On some forms, additional options are available and can be modified to meet the users needs. When the "Create PDF File" is clicked, a PDF is generated for download to the user.  The downloaded PDF contains a Register, Crease and Through cut layer.

By design Sweetcuts, takes into account the users media size to design and build the best box that fits the media and the item to be packaged. Even when a entire covering cannot be achieved within  the media size, partial boxes are still created usually leaving an area to be filled with a rectangular filler piece or piecing two halves together .

Boxes made with Sweetcuts are designed to best the utilize media, avoiding the need for any prepress alterations.

The primary media used in designing Sweetcuts was 200# .160 thick single wall C flute .

One of the simplest and very effective box designs is the center-joint box.

The center-joint box is a one piece corrugated box; however, Sweetcuts has options to chose when the design exceeds the size of media.
The following pictures are made using Sweetcuts center-joint. The dimensions chosen are to show some of the variations possible of using this tool.
The Register layer is intentionally left blank to eliminate an extra step when cutting software needs it to read the edges of media.


Above:
First line Sweetcuts (tool) Center-joint box (name of box design form creates)
Unit of Measurement = Inches
User enters data in the Length, Width and Height form fields.
By default a 48x96 inch sheet is selected a radio button can be switched to 50x100 or a custom sheet
The margin from edge fields is deigned to avoid using factory edges and moves cuts that far from 0y 0x of the media (lower left)
The rest by default is set to 2 inches with an add 1 when available. The user can change these fields prior to "Creating a PDF" less rest can make a box fit within the media and add when available is there for easier folding
The play field adds itself to length, width and height fields. That's about the thickness of a dime, which would fit on both sides whether length,width or height. However some distortion occurs when folding which may  make a less than dimensionally correct box. Sweetcuts has other calculations built in though to compensate for those distortions.
    Note: Sweetcuts built in compensation has not been tested on thicker or thinner media.
The Crease layer color can be changed by selecting another button (crease color is preset to RED)


Above:
    File Naming
At the top of this picture you will see the PDF file name 36x24x3_43_cj_a.pdf
The first number 36 is the length that was entered followed by a lowercase x
next is 24 which is the width that was entered followed by a lowercase x
next is 3_43 which is the height that was entered (decimal points or dots are replaced with an underscore) 3.43 was the entered height
next _cj (underscore cj) means center-joint
next _a (underscore a) means the length of the box fits within the media height (y direction)
        Note: the combined length of 36 in. and 3.43 in. with 2 in. rests was the maximum for this media height (48 in.)


Above:
This PDF show dimension 70 length 20 width and 3 height.
    Note: The rest flaps were also increased by the preset of 1in. for a total 3 inches
The _b indicates that the length of the box fits in media width (x direction)


Above:
Similar to the first box (36x24x3_43_cj_a.pdf) the length is still 36 in. but now Sweetcuts utilizes the media in the opposite direction for the length
    Note: The seam is parallel to the width. It was the added height that forced the rotation. Also the available media allowed for the rest to increase another 1 inch.
The _c is to indicate that the length fits the media width (96 in.) and the seam is parallel to width


Above: 88x20x3_cjhalf
This is one half of a box indicated by it's file name 88x20x3_cjhalf_a.pdf.  It is produced when the alternative box type One half is selected (preset).


Above: 48x36x4_cjhalf_b.pdf
This image displays one half box for a 48x36x4 in. center-joint. Also One half button  was selected  and 1 inch added to the rest which are preset.


Above: 48x36x4_cjsp1.pdf
The SP1 button utilizes the media within the x and y margins (preset at 0.10) creating the largest enclosure possible.
To fully enclose an additional piece approximately 36x4 in. would be needed.
    Note: Similar in design is the SP1 form located at www.sweetcutspro.com/cgi-bin/pdf/sweetcuts_sp1.cgi, which is made to use the media edges and avoid several cuts (next picture).
    Also if a "SP1" is made from the center-joint form, the file name ends with _cjsp1.pdf.


Above: 48x36x4_sp1.pdf
The SP1 form utilizes the media edges, which reduces cuts, has less weed to remove and minimally makes better use of the media compared to a center-joint SP1.
    Note: To fully enclose an additional piece approximately 36x4 in. would be needed.

Above:36x24x3_4_cjdf_a.pdf (lines only no Adobe Reader window showing)
This picture show a center-joint box created with dust flaps. CENTER-JOINT with DUST FLAPS is LIMITED. It only creates a file within the media available.

The picture above represents a top or bottom box file. It is sometimes referred to as a tray box or telescopic box.
    Note: One half of a box is created when the media is too small.

The picture above represents a top or bottom with dust flaps box file. It is sometimes referred to as a tray box or telescopic box.
    Note: One half of a box is created when the media is to small.

Above is a screen shot of 4x3 in. edges. The red lines are creases and the gray lines are through cuts. They can be folded into a U channel to protect edges,  and before or afterwards blank sheets can be added to both sides of the item to be packaged for a fully covering.
The dual part of these edges is when they are folded and taped to make a triangular tube. They are often placed around the perimeter of a lightweight poster to protect it from contact with the edges of an outer box.