Screen Printing - February/March 2013 - (Page 26)
Making the
This article provides an overview of digital
flatbed and laser cutting systems and
highlights what’s available on the market.
cut
gail Flower and Ben P rosenfield
.
D
igital imaging in the screenmaking department and wide-format inkjet
printers on the production floor have
enabled graphics screen printers to
enter new markets and take on a wide
array of jobs profitably, including prototypes and one-off pieces. But what’s
available when it comes to finishing
the short-run work and handling the
big job runs? Let’s take a look at digital
and laser cutters, two solutions for
finishing graphics printed on a vast
assortment of substrates and in just
about any quantity.
or mechanically; optical registration
may be available. Loading and unloading are also commonly manual
processes. Clamping and/or vacuum
systems handle material hold-down.
CNC routing involves removing
material along a cut path as wide as
the router bit being used. The process
can be somewhat slow, and it produces
quite a bit of dust. Options are available for dust extraction and debris removal. Add-ons for automation include
tool changers, tool calibration, misting/
lubricating devices (for metal processing), and some knife attachments.
What are digital cutters?
Digitally controlled cutting and routing systems are available in a variety
of configurations. Drum cutters, or
roll-fed cutting plotters, are often best
suited to kiss-cutting thin, flexible materials that have liners or backing. Selfadhesive vinyl is an example. High-end
models may be equipped with optical
systems for registering cutting paths to
printed graphics.
Another type of digitally controlled cutter is the CNC router, which
is common in the sign industry. Computer numeric control (CNC) routers
are geared toward straight or threedimensional cutting and ideally suited
for use with rigid, dense, thick materials—wood, plastic, foam board, and
non-ferrous metals, for example. CNC
routers are typically equipped with
3- to 10-HP spindles and a wide range
of collet sizes. Cut-to-print registration is mostly set manually
26
screenprinting
regardless of which
type of cutting
system you choose,
consider the
potential for new
types of business and
increased profits.
Flatbed cutters round out
the category of digitally controlled
systems. These cutters combine highspeed operation with several options
for tooling and automated material
handling. Flatbed cutters, also known
as cutting tables or XY or XYZ cutters,
feature a beam or gantry that moves
along the X-axis (or length of the
table), while the toolhead moves along
the beam and covers the width of the
table, or Y-axis. The Z-axis refers to
tool or cutting depth.
Toolheads and inserts can be
attached singly, or in combination, for
applications that require kiss-cutting/
through-cutting, cutting/creasing/scoring, cutting/routing, and other functions. These devices can process materials such as vinyl, film, paper, carton,
corrugated and foam boards, multilayered materials, and all types of hard
and soft plastics. Maximum substrate
thickness is typically around 2 in. A
networkable, integrated workstation
and built-in control panel are generally
included for machine operation, and a
vacuum system secures materials.
Fully automated operation is
possible. Material-handling systems
are available for roll-fed, sheet-fed, and
board materials. Some models feature
a combination roll-off/conveyor system
and optional rewind, which allows for
automatic material advancing from
rolls. A conveyor belt also is an essential component of some automatic
sheet- and board-loading/unloading
systems.
Many flatbed cutters can be
equipped with advanced registration
systems that involve optics or other
types of hardware or software to compensate for distortions that occur with
different printing methods. Linear distortion—that is, uniform shrinkage or
stretch—and non-uniform distortion,
which occurs when different areas of
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Screen Printing - February/March 2013
Screen Printing - February/march 2013
Contents
Editorial Insights
New Products
Increasing Your Profit
Image Enhancement: Better Files, Cost Savings
Prime Prints
P-O-P Primer
Making the Cut
Shoptalk
Industry Update
Distributor/Dealer Directory
Opportunity Exchange
Advertising Index
Screen Printing - February/March 2013
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