The curved creases feature enables designers to work with curved folds and cuts, and to visualise the design as part of the package's 3D module.

"Once 3D designers get their heads around it it's going to change the way they work," said Esko Artwork UK & Ireland business manager Paul Bates. "Cartons can be so much more dynamic, you don't need square boxes anymore."

New tools to support curved creases include the Mate tool, which is part of the 3D module. This provides the ability to virtually glue, which enables concepts to be visualised in 3D on the computer rather than needing a physical mock up to be cut, folded and glued. 3D animations can be shared as AVI or QuickTime movies.

Bates added that the package's CAD Projects tool, which enables multiple elements of a job or project to be grouped together, would be of particular interest for POS work where units are often made up of several components.