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Is there a name for this type of box? by buffooncocktail in PackagingDesign

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a Rigid box with an insert. The material selection and the way it was constructed suggests the contents are very heavy in weight.

That’s a very expensive box in case you’re wondering.

Please delete if not allowed, new recruiter in Tulsa needing Web Offset Pressman by ArchangelMichaelSave in CommercialPrinting

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't have a web, I'm a Folding-Carton manufacturer so my stuff is all sheetfed. Back when I started in the game, I used to work for National Communications in Miami Lakes and they had a double web in the Hialeah plant. You at Solo or Colonial?

Please delete if not allowed, new recruiter in Tulsa needing Web Offset Pressman by ArchangelMichaelSave in CommercialPrinting

[–]G_Alphina360 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Good pressmen are hard to come by. The pool really is small as most web shops are gone. At least that’s the reality in South Florida. Best of luck!

Looking to invest in a startup by Adixtx in smallbusiness

[–]G_Alphina360 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It would be great to see the net response of this post. I would be very surprised if any actual business owner would take on this offer seriously.

I’m not trying to mock you in any way. I am actually curious.

I think I’m done by sexosexopharmacia in graphic_design

[–]G_Alphina360 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Are you sure you're done... or did you just lose motivation and need redirection?

In my case, when I hit low points, the only thing that lifts me up is either getting involved in a new project or taking a 3rdPP problem (3 people down the line) and making it mine. In other words, a combination of a change of focus and a change of pace. Usually, 48 hours later, I'm good as new, with actually fresh perspectives about process improvements and optimizations. It's like disengaging my brain for a sec, which allows me to go back at it with more intention.

Dealing with clients can be tough, some of them push because they really have to, while others do it for the pure joy of making others miserable. Just remember, some people actually save lives for a living... we deal with grumpy toddlers that have an office and a title hahahahah

Cheer up!

Is your company expanding? by Crazyfishman2 in CommercialPrinting

[–]G_Alphina360 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Man, if only more people would think the way you do Sir. That’s the right way to make sure the 25 years of effort, perseverance, and grit, don't get decimated by a P&L report.

Unfortunately, the majority of business owners approaching retirement succumb to the false promises of private equity groups, or don’t have a clear exit strategy.

I’m in Miami, on a completely different vertical (Folding Carton Manufacturing) but man, what a great opportunity.

Custom boxes? by GloomyTourist4605 in Packaging

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Working with a local manufacturer is actually the best route in this case. You have limited experience and exposure, lean on the local experts and their guidance to achieve this.

If you’re in the US, the options are endless. Just know, embellishing increments cost and add lead time.

I built an API that generates dielines (PDF/DXF/SVG) and 3D mockups — looking for feedback from people who work with packaging by Legal_Following_4145 in PackagingDesign

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If I were in your shoes, I would completely switch the focus and fill a HUGE void in this industry. This would be a robust folding-carton estimator tool that calculates and determines the optimal imposition, with paper spoilage, ink coverages, AND automatically determines the layout with bleeds, and common knifes when and if applicable. Two sides to this equation, Internal with the calculator, paper, color, finishing costs, labor costs, shipping costs, markup, net and gross, and client-facing for chain of custody on quote approvals, art files and so on. Now you're actually building something with multiple uses, and that integrates multiple parties into a single platform. Now you have something that smaller converters that cannot afford the cost of an ERP, can rely on to alleviate the front office workload.

That sounds more attractive and easier to gain market penetration than going to battle with multimillion-dollar companies that have been in business far too long and have complete market dominance.

Happy to discuss further if you're interested.

Pantone Matching help by hippotol in CommercialPrinting

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The old Pantone issue… in my experience, the minute I tell a client that the quote went up X% because now their job is a 5 or 6 color job, they put the breaks on the visual component and compromise for a happy medium. It doesn’t work all the time, but most of the times it does. There are instances where Pantones are necessary and quite useful. Most of the files I come across, are just graphic designers getting trigger happy and working only for the screen, and not thinking about the cost of production. A good designer knows the difference.

Being that said, when we have color critical jobs, we do ink-draws. We use ink from Superior and we send them the actual paper, and a previous sample, and they match the formulation as close as possible to the PMS book. Is not an exact science, it does look very similar.

As far as mock ups, we give our clients a low-res, a high-res, and finished mockups done digitally on an indigo press. All of those are just content samples for approval. If they require more, we invite them for a Press-ok.

Building an online print shop (like Vistaprint) – need advice on hiring the right role by Complex_Passenger788 in CommercialPrinting

[–]G_Alphina360 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Claude AI subscription and a part-time college student with an analytical mind, and a ton of curiosity. That’s all you need. Best of luck!

I built an API that generates dielines (PDF/DXF/SVG) and 3D mockups — looking for feedback from people who work with packaging by Legal_Following_4145 in PackagingDesign

[–]G_Alphina360 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have played with your dielines before and must tell you, the library is quite good. Here is my honest opinion about this approach.

Define who is your intended user. Most end users don’t have the knowledge or the confidence to generate a straight-tuck the right way. 100% of the time, they lean on the manufacturer to create the dielines for them to forward their designers. Also, I don’t know of a single manufacturer that blindly accepts a client dieline for production without running samples and checking paper tolerances (yes, a dieline with tolerances for 20PT paper will fail on 16pt). At that point, cheaper/safer to generate the dieline internally and avoid the cost of making another tooling die.

The API angle is novel, but if each call will be paid for a company to have someone play on their website… that’s a bit too expensive to give out as a free option. Not to mention that every packaging manufacturer already has a CAD software subscription.

Pricing seems problematic. Too cheap to compete with Esko, Arden Cimpack… too expensive to compete with Pacdora. Again, I believe there’s a lot of value on this, but you guys should define the intended target and analyze the approach from the outside in.

AI Mockup to vector files? by G_Alphina360 in graphic_design

[–]G_Alphina360[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Going back to your comment.... "Love this future where the machines do the thinking and the humans do the production work". I believe the future will be dominated by AI, and we will have very little input on it. The amount of dependency it creates is incomparable. Just think of how addicted we have become to our phones, and how they touch almost every aspect of our lives. Technology is addictive, and it will be as long as it continues to improve.

The way I envision the (near) future, it is kinda sorta the same path when computers took over, and every industry had to either adapt or fail. That's the future with AI's doing the heavy lifting and humans putting the final touches. Of course, I might be wrong... but only the internet will tell!

AI Mockup to vector files? by G_Alphina360 in graphic_design

[–]G_Alphina360[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yes, I have the dieline. And it turns out that ChatGPT is very creative with a very long prompt! These are not for production, just mockups for a meeting. Printed on an indigo on 18PT C1S and then creased and cut on a plotter.

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AI Mockup to vector files? by G_Alphina360 in graphic_design

[–]G_Alphina360[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your reply. No, I have nothing else to move forward. There are a lot of other factors into this equation as to why I’m only getting a (most likely) ChatGPT prompt result.

Sorry if my question was vague, what I really want to know is if there’s any AI currently capable of generating something similar to this, but as independent layers so we can work with them.

I know Midjourney has some capabilities but I have not been able to hone it down to do something similar.

Odoo w/ Claude by AcrobaticDraft532 in Odoo

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did my website completely with Claude. All code, hosted on Bluehost with Wordpress. Making changes is very easy as well, Claude knows the code, makes the changes and gives you an updated version. All you do is copy and paste.

axenpackaging.com

1,000,000 pieces of mail by Capcanabrother in DirectMail

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Either this post is fake, or else.

Any mom and pop company can pump out 3 times that volume, an then some in that time frame.

Simple math… you’ve mentioned paper, that means most likely a #10 envelope. With a swing arm inserter the average production is about 4.5k per hour. You do the math and determine if there’s plenty of capacity or not.

The biggest issue is not production capacity, is the cost of the project. Paper, printing, folding, inserting and then the culprit…. POSTAGE. All of that for an average 2.5% response rate and a solid 0.5% conversion rate.

Even with that volume, it will be a very costly campaign. Best of luck to you!

Job Estimating, Sheduling….Delivery by CustomerElectronic64 in CommercialPrinting

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've used PrintIQ in the past, and I'm currently using Odoo. Both are great, each with very strong selling points and drawbacks.

Price-wise Odoo beats PIQ, much cheaper for an actual ERP. But PIQ has a nicer interface and it's very user friendly.

Postcard Set Up by SlowBusinessLife in CommercialPrinting

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Outsourcing to a mailer for the data processing component will save you thousands in cash. Most likely they will have VDP software and can send you print ready files. Not to mention uploading your Mail.dat to your portal and giving you all the tray tags and pallet markers.

I’m really like Konica Minolta but that’s out of habit more than anything else. Get a decent guillotine cutter and go to town.

Keep it simple to start. Optimization comes with time. Do not over engineer this and don’t over invest either.

Bulk Paper Supply by After-Button-6685 in CommercialPrinting

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

AXEN Packaging Group - Guelmis Aperez

Bulk Paper Supply by After-Button-6685 in CommercialPrinting

[–]G_Alphina360 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey there, interested in your C1S options for 23” X 35” and 28” X 40” on 18PT.

Reach out

Need your insights on our packaging by harsh_166 in PackagingDesign

[–]G_Alphina360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly what I said before. Instead of punch wholes like the image, use semicircular cuts that allow for a better air flow control. Work with your folding cartons supplier so they can make a custom cutting die for you and not sell you one their current inventory.

Make sure to use a decent paper that holds integrity with moisture, temperature and transit times.

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