How To Choose A Flatbed Cutter?

The art of cutting doesn't need to be complicated, time-catching, or expensive. With current flatbed cutting machine technology, you can easily achieve a higher level of finishing. In this article, we will introduce you to the configuration of a flatbed cutter and how to choose a flatbed cutter.

The flatbed cutter is ideally suited for designer and prototyping in offset printing, digital printing, packaging industry, road sign production, stone, and glass sandblasting, and etching. Flatbed cutters use a large, flat work surface and XY cutting head for cutting, creasing, embossing, scrap stripping, and blank separation of materials such as paper, vinyl, cardboard, textiles, glass, and other materials.

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Configuration of a flatbed cutter

The exact configuration of the flatbed cutter will vary from application to application, but relatively speaking, the elements that may be present are: flatbed cutter

• Feeder or loader: uses a suction head or pushes the system to transport the paper from the stack to the machine feed

• Feeder: controls each sheet and aligns it to the cutting tool using mechanical or dynamic alignment

• Platen section: This section combines the cutting die and the cutting plate under pressure. The sheet is sandwiched between them and the sheet can be punched, creased or embossed, depending on the application or the substrate

• Stripping section: Internal waste, and sometimes side and rear trim is removed using an upper stripping tool, central stripping board, and sometimes in lower stripping pins

• Blank separation section: This unit pushes individual cartons from the sheet, creating a pile of flat blanks ready for further processing or for transfer to the customer. A blank separation unit has its own delivery unit

• Delivery: On machines with no blank separation section, the delivery creates either a pile of full sheets or of blanks attached to each other by nicks.

• Blank separation section: This unit pushes individual cartons out of the sheet to form a pile of flat blanks ready for further processing or transfer to the customer. The blank separation unit has its own transfer unit

• Delivery: On machines without a blank separation section, delivery produces a pile of complete sheets or blanks interconnected by indentations.

Flatbed Digital Cutter

 

How to choose a flatbed cutter?

Jobs come in all sizes - in all sizes - and they all require proper finishing. However, whether it's a small, complex job or one that's larger than its actual size, it takes a lot of time, effort, and skill to complete by hand. This is where a flatbed cutter can "come in handy" and save you not only valuable time but also money.

 

With the current technology, you can get excellent accuracy with automatic cutting systems. A flatbed cutter will be your best bet, especially if you want to cut a wide variety of substrates and applications. Gunner's range of flatbed cutter sizes can work for everyone, so how do you decide which size is best for your type of business?

 

Ask yourself the following questions.

What is your core business; are you focused on a specific application or as many applications as possible?

How much flexibility do you want to have in providing new applications/solutions?

What are the material sizes you handle most often?

How much money do you want to invest?

How much space do you have for a flatbed cutter?

Is there anything else you'd like to consider?

If you need personal advice to help you make a decision, don't hesitate to contact our experienced sales team.

For more information about the advantages of flatbed cutters, welcome to contact us.