Feeder and feed station
A single sheet is taken off the feeder pile and passed to the feed station, where the front and sides are precisely aligned. The high-performance sheet feeder is equipped as standard with servo-drives that ensure reliable sheet travel into the feeder.
A single sheet is taken off the feeder pile and passed to the feed station, where the front and sides are precisely aligned. The high-performance sheet feeder is equipped as standard with servo-drives that ensure reliable sheet travel into the feeder.
Cutting station
In the cutting station, the sheets lie on the cutting plate. Dymatrix die cutters use a moving upper platen. The advantage of this is the partial vacuum that is created when the platen rises which lifts the sheet off the cutting plate. It is then gently transported out of the die cutting zone on an air cushion.
In the cutting station, the sheets lie on the cutting plate. Dymatrix die cutters use a moving upper platen. The advantage of this is the partial vacuum that is created when the platen rises which lifts the sheet off the cutting plate. It is then gently transported out of the die cutting zone on an air cushion.
Stripping station
In the stripping station, upper and lower stripping tools remove the waste between the blanks. The stripping station can be equipped with a variety of stripping systems. Test sheets are simple to remove by opening the gripper bars using a hand lever.
In the stripping station, upper and lower stripping tools remove the waste between the blanks. The stripping station can be equipped with a variety of stripping systems. Test sheets are simple to remove by opening the gripper bars using a hand lever.
Delivery
In the delivery section, the die cut and stripped sheets are piled on pallets, or optionally deposited in separate piles when producing multiple-ups, with insertion of tie sheets. The sheet brake is designed to prevent the sheet from buckling as it arrives in the delivery section. The delivery section has a sheet tray that can be set for normal sheets and multiple-ups. Fully automatic insertion of tie sheets makes it possible to count out batches for easy subsequent removal from the palletized stack.
In the delivery section, the die cut and stripped sheets are piled on pallets, or optionally deposited in separate piles when producing multiple-ups, with insertion of tie sheets. The sheet brake is designed to prevent the sheet from buckling as it arrives in the delivery section. The delivery section has a sheet tray that can be set for normal sheets and multiple-ups. Fully automatic insertion of tie sheets makes it possible to count out batches for easy subsequent removal from the palletized stack.
The term "die cutting" is loosely applied to many types of cutting process but in our sphere of application and activity it applies mainly to the cutting out of shapes from soft or semi-rigid materials in single or multiple layers.
The process itself is, in fact, very simple but the machinery to perform the process has become increasingly sophisticated.
The closest analogy is to imagine a hand-held pastry cutter being pressed by hand through a sheet of pastry. For 'pastry cutter', think cutting die or tool. For 'hand', think cutting press.
The advantages of the die cutting process are speed, accuracy, use of unskilled labour, material saving, relatively low cost tooling.
Tooling
The tooling is commonly referred to as a cutting die, cutting tool, cutting knife or cutting forme and these are available in three main types:- Wood forme - Cutting blade to the shape required is set in a plywood backer.
- Strip steel - This is usually a heavier gauge steel, bent to the required shape, possibly with re-inforcing struts.
- Forged steel - This is a heavy duty construction where the highest precision is required, usually for long runs and also, usually, for harder materials. It is also the most expensive.
Hydraulic Die Cutting Machines Or Presses - Principles
For many years now, the vast majority of cutting presses have been hydraulically powered to enable high cutting forces to be developed safely and quietly to cut the most demanding of jobs.
In simple terms, a motor drives a pump, which then delivers oil under high pressure to a hydraulic cylinder or cylinders, thus driving the cutting head down to effect the cut.
All hydraulic presses require two main settings to be made before commencing work – (a) adjustment to the ‘cutting stroke’ which determines the depth to which the cutting die penetrates after it has cut through the material and (b) adjustment to the ‘daylight’ which is the gap measured between the upper and lower platens after the cutting head has returned to top position.
Die cutting presses usually have a polypropylene, PVC or nylon cutting pad on the bed of the press for the cutting blade to cut against (like a chopping board) and this works well with most materials. However, automatic systems may use a special nylon belt as a cutting barrier in order to make sure cut components feed out of the machine – this can avoid sticking or snagging of materials in the cutting area.
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