How to Create a Contour Cut File for Vinyl Stickers
A contour cut follows the outline of your design instead of cutting a simple rectangle or circle. On Roland printer cutters, contour cutting is handled by a CutContour spot color embedded in your PDF. This guide explains the file format, how to create it, and how to get clean results.
What Makes a Contour Cut Different
A standard cut is a simple shape: a rectangle, circle, or rounded rectangle. You do not need a contour path for these because VersaWorks can generate basic shapes on its own.
A contour cut follows the actual outline of your artwork. If your design is an irregular shape, a character, a logo with curves, or anything that is not a basic geometric form, you need a contour cut file. The cut path is a vector outline that traces your design with optional offset for a border.
The File Format VersaWorks Needs
VersaWorks accepts PDF and EPS files. For contour cutting, the file needs:
- • Your artwork as a raster image (CMYK or RGB)
- • A vector path tracing the outline of the design
- • The vector path assigned to a spot color named exactly “CutContour”
- • The spot color saved as a /Separation color space (not CMYK process)
The most common mistake is creating a color named “CutContour” but saving the PDF in a way that converts it to CMYK. When that happens, VersaWorks sees it as pink artwork to print, not as a cutting instruction. The color must remain a true spot separation in the final PDF.
Choosing the Right Offset
The offset is the distance between the edge of your artwork and the cut line. This creates the border visible around the sticker.
| Offset | Result | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 0.00” | No border, cut at artwork edge | Full bleed designs, edge-to-edge artwork |
| 0.03” - 0.05” | Minimal border | Detailed designs with fine edges |
| 0.05” - 0.10” | Standard kiss-cut border | Most stickers, good alignment tolerance |
| 0.15”+ | Wide border | Stickers where the white border is part of the design |
A wider offset gives you more room for alignment error. If your machine's crop mark reading is slightly off, a 0.10” offset means the cut might land at 0.08” or 0.12” but still looks clean. With a 0.00” offset, any misalignment is immediately visible.
Creating Contour Cut Files: Your Options
Adobe Illustrator
Place PNG, trace path, offset path, create CutContour spot swatch, export PDF. Full control but takes 10-30 minutes per design and requires an Illustrator subscription. Best for complex jobs where you need to manually adjust anchor points.
CorelDRAW
Similar to Illustrator. Import bitmap, create contour using the Contour tool, set up a spot color. CorelDRAW uses different terminology but the PDF output is the same. Make sure to export with spot colors preserved.
CutContour App (Automatic)
CutContour generates contour cut files automatically from PNGs. Upload your design, set the size and offset, download the PDF. The vector path and CutContour spot color are created and embedded correctly in about 10 seconds. Works with VersaWorks 5, 6, and 7.
Vinyl Types and How They Affect Cutting
Different vinyl materials require different blade settings, but the contour cut file itself is the same regardless of material. Here are the most common vinyl types for print-and-cut stickers:
Glossy vinyl is the standard for most stickers. It is easy to cut, weeds cleanly, and shows vibrant colors. Start with medium blade force (80-100 gf on the BN-20).
Matte vinyl has a softer finish and can be slightly harder to cut cleanly. Increase force by about 10-15% compared to glossy.
Clear vinyl requires a clean contour cut since any edge roughness is visible. Use a sharp blade and reduce speed for smoother curves.
Holographic vinyl is thicker and requires more force. Do a test cut before running a full sheet, as the foil layer can cause blade deflection on tight curves.
Create Contour Cut Files in Seconds
Upload a PNG, set your offset, download a VersaWorks-ready PDF. No vector software needed.