System and method for generating interactive displays and manufacturing print, cut, and fold products

One or more non-transitory, computer-readable storage media for creating and manufacturing interactive display products with layered embellishments, the media storing one or more computer instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

• receiving a layout file in a format capable of containing vector paths, layers, and human-readable annotations;
• processing the layout file to extract a design area paths of a design including safe, visible, and bleed areas, as well as physical geometry paths such as cut paths and fold paths;
• generating annotated data and instructions for folding and cutting a product based on the fold paths and cut paths, including fold order and fold geometry;
• constructing a 3D model of the product from the annotated data, wherein the 3D model includes representations of a physical substrate, material type, and thickness;
• based, on the annotated data, the 3D model, folding-cutting instructions and one or more embellishments, generating an annotated design file;
• and
• based on the annotated design file, generating automated manufacturing instructions.

An apparatus for creating and manufacturing interactive display products with layered embellishments, comprising:

• a file input module configured to receive a layout file in a format capable of containing vector paths, layers, and human-readable annotations;
• a processing module configured to process the layout file to extract design area paths of a design, including safe, visible, and bleed areas, as well as physical geometry paths such as cut paths and fold paths;
• an annotation and instruction generation module configured to generate annotated data and instructions for folding and cutting a product based on the fold paths and cut paths, including fold order and fold geometry;
• a 3D model construction module configured to construct a 3D model of the product from the annotated data, wherein the 3D model includes representations of a physical substrate, material type, and thickness;
• a design file generation module configured to generate an annotated design file based on the annotated data, the 3D model, folding-cutting instructions, and one or more embellishments;
• and
• a manufacturing instruction module configured to generate automated manufacturing instructions based on the annotated design file.