Hot Foil Stamping & Debossing Die Calculator
Calculate recommended die relief depth, draft angle, minimum vector line weights, counterforce clearance, and die material specs for luxury packaging, stationery, leathercraft, and bookbinding.
1. Job & Substrate Parameters
2. Die Engineering Specifications
Die Material Comparison Matrix
Choosing the correct metal alloy balances thermal conductivity, edge hardness, wear longevity, and CNC precision:
| Material | Recommended Use | Thermal Conductivity | Wear Life | Max Detail Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brass (Leaded / Engraver's) | CNC multi-level, leather dies, luxury packaging, sculpted combination dies | Excellent (115 W/m·K) | > 250,000+ cycles | Ultra-Fine (Down to 0.05 mm cutter tip) |
| Magnesium (16 gauge / 1/4") | Short run flat foil stamping, chemical etching, fast turnaround | High (156 W/m·K) | Up to 15,000 cycles | Medium (Prone to acid undercut) |
| Copper | Long run foil stamping on abrasive/heavy paperboard, textured stock | Superior (385 W/m·K) | Up to 100,000 cycles | Fine (Deep chemical etch with powderless baths) |
| Silicone Rubber | Tipping, plastic molded parts, irregular or raised surfaces | Low (Resilient) | Up to 50,000 cycles | Medium (Flexible heat transfer) |
Prepress & Vector Artwork Rules for Metal Dies
1. 100% Solid Black Vector Fills
No RGB/CMYK gradients or raster drop shadows. Dies are mechanical surfaces—geometry must be defined by closed mathematical boundary paths (100% K solid fills for positive relief).
2. Expand All Outlines & Strokes
CNC CAM software generates toolpaths along closed boundaries. Convert all strokes into expanded closed shapes and unite overlapping contours with boolean unions.
3. Counter Space Clearance
Closed interior counters (e.g. inside letters 'e', 'a', 'o' or tightly nested logos) must meet the minimum gap threshold to avoid foil bridging or die clog during hot stamping.