Last updated October 13, 2026

Getting Started with PackCAD Mockup

PackCAD Mockup is an online tool that converts flat dielines into realistic 3D packaging mockups. This guide walks you through preparing and uploading files, keyframing folding animations, and exporting 3D models in PackCAD Mockup.

A flat mailer box dieline with interior and exterior artwork layers, and an arrow pointing to the folded 3D mockup rendered in PackCAD Mockup

Preparing Files

Prepare Dieline

A dieline is a vector drawing that defines the cut and crease lines of your packaging. In this tutorial, we will use Adobe Illustrator to prepare the dieline for PackCAD Mockup, but any vector editor (such as CorelDRAW, Inkscape, or Affinity) will work. You can follow along with our example Illustrator file: MailerBox.ai

Illustrator Layers panel showing three layers — dieline, interior artwork, and exterior artwork — with the mailer box dieline visible on the artboard

The example file contains several layers: one for the dieline, and additional artwork layers. First, hide all layers except the dieline layer so you can export the dieline by itself. PackCAD Mockup uses the stroke color of lines to tell cuts from creases. By default, black lines are cuts and red , blue , magenta , or yellow lines are creases. If your dieline uses other colors, that’s fine: just make sure cuts and creases are different colors, and you can assign each color when you import the dieline.

Tip:

Prepare the dieline as an SVG with no artwork included. Front and backside artwork is imported separately as PNG/JPG.

Two dieline thumbnails: one with printed artwork and bleed on top of the lines, marked incorrect, and one with only cut and crease lines, marked correct

Illustrator Export dialog saving MailerBox.svg in SVG format with Use Artboards checked

Export the dieline as an SVG. Select Use Artboards during export so that the dieline will automatically line up with its artwork once we import everything into PackCAD Mockup.

Tip:

Always check Use Artboards when exporting from Adobe Illustrator. Using the same artboard for every file is what keeps your dieline and artwork aligned to each other.

Illustrator SVG Options dialog

Most SVG export options will work, the settings shown above produced this SVG file: MailerBox.svg

Prepare Artwork

Illustrator showing the interior artwork layer visible — a transparent background with text — with the dieline layer hidden The interior artwork layer on its own, ready for export.

Illustrator showing the exterior artwork layer visible — a colorful background extended to bleed lines with logo — with the dieline layer hidden The exterior artwork layer on its own, ready for export.

Next, export the artwork layers individually as a PNG or JPG. Again, select Use Artboards so that the artwork will align to the dieline once imported into PackCAD Mockup.

Illustrator Export dialog saving MailerBox-interior.png in PNG format with Use Artboards checked

PackCAD Mockup supports PNGs with transparency. Export your artwork with transparency if you want the underlying material (e.g. cardboard) to show through:

Illustrator PNG Options dialog saving a PNG with transparent background

Export each artwork layer as a separate image. In our example we have two artwork layers, corresponding to the interior and exterior of the mailer box: MailerBox-interior.png and MailerBox-exterior.png

Project Setup

Open PackCAD Mockup on any device and click File > New Project to open a blank project. In the left menu you’ll find Import Dieline, Material & Thickness, and Artwork. Work through each step in order (top to bottom) to set up your project for folding.

PackCAD Mockup with the File menu open and the cursor selecting New Project, and the Import Dieline detail menu prompting to drop an SVG file

Import Dieline

Import the dieline SVG file by dragging it into PackCAD Mockup. The Dieline Inspector will open and walk you through any issues validating your dieline for import. Once successfully imported, you will see your dieline in the 3D view. See Troubleshooting Dieline Import for help resolving common import errors and warnings.

In the Cuts and Creases step, the Dieline Inspector sorts each stroke color in your file into Cuts, Creases, or Not used. Black and the default crease colors are sorted automatically. If your dieline uses other colors, drag each color swatch into Cuts or Creases, and leave anything that isn’t part of the dieline in Not used. To have your own colors sorted automatically on every import, add them under Import Dieline Settings in Preferences.

The Dieline Inspector's Cuts and Creases step for the mailer box, with black listed under Cuts and red under Creases in the Stroke Colors list, cuts drawn as solid lines and creases as dashed lines, and no issues found

Dielines often fail to import because of small, unintentional gaps where lines should intersect (see below). PackCAD Mockup will highlight these types of errors during import. Click/hover an error or warning to see a zoomed in view:

PackCAD Mockup's Dieline Inspector on the Review Dieline Import step, showing the imported mailer box dieline with an error that one crease endpoint doesn't connect to anything, and a zoomed inset highlighting the disconnected crease endpoint in red

Material & Thickness

Select Material & Thickness from the left menu and choose a material type and thickness from the presets, or define a custom thickness value. For corrugated cardboard, you can select the Flute Size and Flute Angle (orientation) of the flutes. Use Offset to control how thickness is applied: toward the Exterior, toward the Interior, or evenly on Both sides.

PackCAD Mockup renders corrugated cardboard in 3D, so the flute orientation stays accurate even along the exposed cut edges of your design.

Corrugated cardboard showing the internal orientation of the flutes along the cut edge.

Import Artwork

Select Artwork from the left menu and drop the exterior artwork file under Exterior layers and the interior artwork file under Interior layers. You should see the print graphics rendered onto the top and bottom side of the dieline visualization. Open the menu on a layer and choose Mirror to flip your artwork (this may be required for interior artwork). If the two sides end up the wrong way around, click Swap exterior and interior.

The exterior artwork will be on the bottom side of the dieline if you left Exterior side face down selected during Import Dieline. Rotate the model to see the bottom (exterior) side. For most designs, keeping the exterior side face down is what puts the exterior artwork on the outside of the folded box.

Each side can hold more than one layer. Click beside Exterior layers or Interior layers to stack spot color, foil, emboss, and coating layers over your print artwork. See the Print Finishes and Effects guide for a full walkthrough.

Tip:

If your artwork doesn’t line up with your dieline, check that you exported both your dieline SVG and your artwork PNGs with Use Artboards selected — using the same artboard for every file is what keeps them aligned. See Preparing Files.

Folding Simulation

Folding Setup

Select Folding Setup from the left menu, then select the bottom panel of the dieline. This panel will remain pinned to the ground plane during folding:

PackCAD Mockup Folding Setup detail menu with the bottom panel selected and highlighted in blue on the dieline

Keyframe Folding Animation

Click Add Keyframe from the left menu, and then select the creases to fold in this step. Enter a numeric value for the fold angle, or drag the slider that appears below it; the visualization updates in real time.

Tip:

Select the fold angle field and scroll to make small adjustments to the angle, or click a mark on the slider to jump straight to 0°, ±90°, or ±180°.

Continue adding keyframes until your design is fully folded. Replay the keyframed animation using in the left menu or press the R hotkey. For more details on fold angles, constraints, and advanced keyframe techniques, see the Folding Animation guide.

Export 3D Model

Go to File > Export 3D Model and select your preferred 3D format. The exported 3D model contains your artwork and can be used for proofing, AR/VR previews, or as part of your 3D workflow.

PackCAD Mockup Export 3D Model dialog with the filename set to MailerBox and format set to GLB, shown over the folded box in the 3D viewer

OBJ models can be exported with the Z-axis or Y-axis as the “up” direction (most 3D applications use the convention of Y-axis as “up”). glTF/GLB models default to Y-axis as “up” and units of meters (per the spec). If your design uses foil, emboss, or coating layers, export as glTF or GLB: most 3D applications ignore those finishes in OBJ files.

The HTML export option creates a standalone HTML file with the 3D model embedded inside it. Opening the HTML file in a web browser lets you view and interact with the model. The 3D model is stored directly in the file and is not hosted online.

Example files exported from PackCAD Mockup: MailerBox.gltf MailerBox.glb MailerBox_obj+mtl.zip MailerBox.html Please let us know if you need any additional export options or formats — we are happy to help!

Photorealistic Rendering

PackCAD Mockup also includes a built-in render tool for creating photorealistic path-traced renderings of your packaging. Select Render from the Postprocessing section of the left menu (or File > Render Image...), frame your shot in the live preview, adjust the lighting, and click Render Image.

See the Photorealistic Rendering guide for a full walkthrough of the lighting, camera, and output settings.