Making the cut
As an increasingly popular form of print production, die-cutting can be used to produce a wide range of applications. From custom stickers and labels, to packaging and mailers, this form of technology can play a key role in all sorts of markets.
Rising demand for such machinery from print service providers (PSPs) means that there is no shortage of supply of new solutions, with manufacturers and suppliers constantly working on new developments to offer users new features, faster productions, and higher quality output.
Reliability and performance
Morgana Systems has a number of die-cutting options on offer, with Ray Hillhouse, vice president of sales and marketing for the Plockmatic Group Offline Business Unit, saying its solutions have been designed to meet the needs of both digital and offset printers.
“Flexibility, reliability, and performance are the important issues that printers need to look for when they invest in a die-cutting machine,” Hillhouse says, adding: “Print companies should be keen to handle as many finishing tasks in-house as they can as the immediacy of digital printing can easily get lost when sending finishing tasks out to third parties.
“They should be looking for a product that can bring as wide a range of functionality as possible – die-cutting, including complex cutting, creasing, kiss-cutting, perforating, embossing, and debossing are all available from Morgana equipment.”
As to why PSPs should take care when committing to an investment, Hillhouse says a poorly cut, inaccurate end-product will quickly get a PSP a bad reputation and lose them business, adding that quality counts right the way through the finishing process.
“Issues can certainly arise from poorly maintained or aged equipment,” he says, adding: “We all know the printer which is still banging this type of work through a tired, dirty, old platen style of machine that was last serviced before the year 2000. When printers fail to invest in die-cutting equipment they can miss out on a lucrative amount of business.”
Looking to the latest solutions from Morgana, Hillhouse first picks out the new ColorCut SC5000, which joined the Morgana portfolio following Plockmatic’s acquisition of Intec Printing Solutions. An ‘on demand’ digital sheet cutter with no dies or setup costs, the device is targeted at busy printers seeking an affordable device for complete unattended cutting production.
“The SC5000 combines ultra-reliable feeding with an instant job retrieval system and flawless high-speed cutting,” Hillhouse says, adding: “This automatic sheet cutter is perfect for both digital die-cutting and creasing lightweight packaging and point-of-sale card and paper projects, as well as kiss-cut sheet label production.”
Also from Morgana is the AeroDieCut, which, developed by Uchida, is billed as the next step up for printers needing longer runs of die-cut product. Described as traditional meets digital, this machine uses regular cutting and creasing forms, combined with a patented system of moving press rollers that provide the pressure necessary to cut through and score the substrate, all housed in a relatively compact unit.
Morgana’s AeroDieCut is suitable for short-to-medium-run work
Other features on the AeroDieCut include a patented ‘Tri-suction feeder’, which Hillhouse says ensures consistent paper feeding. The feeding unit is equipped with an ultra-sonic sensor for double feed detection, and a cut-mark sensor to compensate for any image shift. Feeding is carefully controlled when the step-and-repeat mode is employed.
The AeroDieCut can accommodate cutting formes of up to 350 x 550mm, with a die board thickness of up to 18mm, and a cutting rule height of 23.3-23.8mm, while the unit can accommodate paper sizes up to 365 x 515mm with a maximum finished size of 310 x 485mm.
Finally from Morgana, and suitable for longer runs, the Rotary Die Cutter (RDC) features a cutting system composed of an upper magnetic cylinder, holding the cutting matrix in place, and a lower counter cylinder. A pin register system on the magnetic cylinder helps the operator to install the cutting matrix accurately, while side-alignment of sheets is managed by adjustable straps allowing the machine to maintain accurate sheet position.
“The top sheet, air suction deep pile feeder ensures reliable sheet feeding and can accommodate up to 400mm of printed sheets, whilst an 8” touch screen user interface provides for fast and efficient job changeovers,” Hillhouse says.
“Maximum sheet size for the RDC is 368mm x 508mm, with a maximum die-cutting area of 361mm x 472mm. Material thicknesses of up to 400gsm can be cut. Running speeds of up to 6,000 sheets per hour make this the ideal unit for printers that anticipate regular long runs.”
Keep work in-house
Another leading manufacturer in this sector is Duplo. Martyn Train, managing director of Duplo UK, says the whole point of die-cutting is for consistent precision, and only high quality and expensive die-cutters have historically been able to produce these results.
“Many of our customers who have purchased our die-cutters had found that they were sending large amounts of revenue out the door since most commercial printers don’t have a die-cutting service,” Train says.
“Our customers found that with the purchase of the Duplo DI CUT range of rotary die-cutters and the PFi Blade, they could keep the work in-house – controlling costs and the time frame for the jobs – keeping the quality of the products high.
Duplo’s die-cutting equipment can be used to produce intricate shapes and applications
“Another really important benefit is that customers have been able to break through to different markets that stand apart from their usual customer base and to support their existing customer base with more services. The end result is that more revenue is generated with a cost-effective solution.”
With this, Train warns of the dangers of underinvesting, saying this can lead to lower quality machines that do not adjust skew or do not include X & Y sheet registration. This, he says, will mean that the print will not consistently match the shapes being cut.
“Die-cutting is reserved for premium printed products, and these details noticeably stand out,” Train explains, adding: “Traditional die-cutting is a very labour intensive process to make the dies up, but with rotary die-cutters job changes are a fraction of the time even if the dies are slightly more expensive. For the digital cutting tables, the software is key.
“Most cut files can be found easily online or designed quickly, but transferring these designs to the cutting table using stock software is almost impossible. Duplo has developed a suite of software packages we call Duplo Connect, to take the pain out of this process. With materials libraries and our usual Duplo PC driven automation, creating new cut files that work first time has become as easy as moving a file into a folder.”
Train goes on to outline some of the solutions available from Duplo, beginning with the PFi DI CUT 310, the replacement machine for the 300 model. A high-speed rotary die-cutter, it delivers packaging and print marketing applications in distinctive shapes and sizes to help printers stand out from the competition.
Running up to 4,000 sheets per hour, the PFi DI-CUT 310 utilises a magnetic cylinder and flexible dies that process paper, laminates, self-adhesive, and synthetic stocks up to 400 gsm.
The PFi DI-CUT 310 runs at speeds of up to 4,000 sheets per hour
“We had a lot of success with the older model, and so we listened to our customers and have improved and refined the PFi DI CUT 310,” Train says, adding: “It is faster and has a slightly larger magnetic cylinder that actually adds up to 30% more printed items per sheet, depending on the application, meaning the cost per sheet is lower and that margins are higher.
“The transport belt has been improved to provide better grip, we’ve increased the air blowers to improve sheet separation, and the main motor and sensors have been improved to increase accuracy even further.”
Duplo also distributes the PFi Blade B2 and B3 machines, which, unlike the 310, are digital die-cutters that do not need dies to produce the intricate shapes. The PFi Blade B2+ digital cutting table produces short-run packaging, custom-shaped cards, and labels without the need for physical dies.
O Factoid: Duplo distributes the PFi Blade B2 and B3 machines, which, as digital die-cutters, do not need dies to produce intricate shapes O
“The PFi Blade range allows customers to experience a new level of flexibility in the digital die-cutting arena; cut, kiss-cut, crease, and perforate a range of substrates including paper, laminates, boards, adhesives, and synthetic stocks up to 1,000mm per second and up to 6mm thick, dynamically, on demand,” Train says.
In addition, Duplo has developed a roll-to-sheet module for both the PFi blade B3 and B2 solutions. The module can take rolls of up to 620mm in width (B2+) and 300mm in diameter.
Short-run demand
Also in this market is Intelligent Finishing Systems, (IFS), which works with a range of print finishing manufacturers. Technical sales director Jason Seaber says a high level of cutting pressure and accuracy is necessary to produce consistently high quality die-cut products, as popular die-cut applications are on thicker paper and card substrates up to 500 micron thick. As such, it is important to select a die-cutting system that is suitable for both offset and short-run digital print with image tracking and automatic sheet registration adjustment on demand.
“Investment is being driven by operations managing an increasingly larger number of short-run jobs cost effectively,” Seaber says, adding: “We are also seeing more and more customers exploring the value-added possibilities that easy-to-use, innovative die-cutting machines open up.
Investment is being driven by operations managing an increasingly larger number of short-run jobs cost effectively”
“Choosing a flexible solution that can also crease, kiss-cut, emboss, and perforate opens up the opportunity to create a more comprehensive range of applications. Newer machinery delivers greater automation for smoother and faster operation while intuitive set up speeds up makeready. It also eliminates the need to make a traditional steel rule - mechanical die – for quicker production and reduced costs.
“Being able to manage a wider range of jobs in-house reduces the need to send work out ensuring costs are kept low and a greater return on investment. Quality can also be more closely monitored, too, as crisp, sharp, accurate cuts and creases make all the difference in how the product looks.”
As to what IFS has on offer, Seaber first highlights the Horizon RD-3346 Rotary Die Cut system, which he says is designed to meet the growing demand for short-run, die-cut products. The machine has a maximum sheet size of 330.2 x 550mm and can run at speeds of up to 5,000 cycles per hour.
Also available from IFS are both the Horizon RD-N4055 / RD-N4055DM Rotary Die Cutting Systems, which have the ability to die-cut, crease, perforate, slit, hole punch, and round corner in one process for digital and offset printed sheets. Both machines have a maximum sheet size of 400 x 550mm and a top speed of 6,000 cycles per hour.
The Horizon RD-N4055DM Rotary Die Cutting System can hole punch and round corner in one process for digital and offset printed sheets
There is also the optional CSD-40RD Card Stacker for the RD-N4055/RD-N4055DM, which can stack multiple piles of small-format products such as tags, business cards, and door hangers. The Card Stacker can also count and separate jobs and make handling and packing of products easier for the operator.
A tried and highly trusted technique, die-cutting is as popular as ever, but in order to ensure the highest quality results with this technology, investment in the right sort of kit is key.
Your text here...
