What Is Die Cutting?

Die cutting is a mass-cutting technique that is appreciated by crafters as well as the manufacturing industry. It makes use of particular die-cutting machines to produce a variety of designs and cuts in paper, cardboard, and other materials. Die cutting allows you to cut out shapes and patterns that you would ordinarily not be able to do with scissors alone.   Die cutting was initially used as a way to revolutionize the shoe-making process. Previously all the sections of shoes were cut out by hand which did not support productivity. It was very time-consuming and required a great deal of effort. Then using die cutting, shoemakers were able to cut every shoe repeatedly to exact same specifications, thus speeding up production.   Die cutting has become an efficient, fast, and useful way of cutting out a variety of components and parts and can be seen with both low and high manufacturing volumes.  

How Does a Die-Cutting Machine Work?

  A die-cutting machine is a cutting tool that uses a metal shape called a die that is pressed onto the material to cut out the particular shape of the metal die. The sharp edges of the die pierce the material producing a 2-dimensional shape. The advantage is that dies can be used repeatedly to produce the exact same design, with the exact same detail as the first cut. The result is a crisp and professional look, no matter the cut.   The shape and size of the die are limited only by your imagination and they can be made in all varieties to suit the purpose for which you need it. Die-cutting machines too are available in all shapes and sizes and apply an even amount of pressure to the press of the die, into the material, for a crisp and clean finish. The nature of the material that can be cut also varies, including fabrics, paper, rubber, metal sheets, fiberglass, foam, plastics, and wood.   To use a die-cutting machine, a ‘sandwich’ is made using the cutting plates, which are fed together with your desired material through the die-cutting machine, to create the desired pattern or shape.   The capabilities of a die-cutting machine as a cutting tool are vast. It can perform several other different functions, over and above the standard cutting, like perforating, scoring, and forming.  

Types of Die Cutting

  Cutting is where the die machine uses the die to pierce right through the entire material and create a full separation of the component or part. The blade used with through cutting will typically be long and thin so that it can cut straight through the material.   Kiss cutting is another approach to cutting where only a partial cut is made by the die. The sharp edge of the die is only pierced partially into the material, instead of making a full separation. It is not fully separated from the material thereafter but can be detached easily.   Perforating or piercing is a method of cutting where a series of small holes are made into the material. The cut will not be separated from the original material, but it can be easily done with the perforations afterward.   With cut scoring, the die will only cut partially into the material, being less than half of the depth of the material. This normally assists with tearing. The cut creates a small indent at a particular point but does not cut right the way through. The blade used for this cut will typically be thicker than others.   Crease scoring is when pressure is applied to the material to create aligned indents. There will be no actual perforation or cut but rather certain folds are used to make a three-dimensional profile.   Broaching is a cutting technique that is used to cut very thick material. It makes use of a layer of teeth that pierce the material collectively, to produce the cut.

Contact Mican Industrial Supplies

A die-cutting machine is a useful cutting tool to have, which can increase productivity immensely. Contact our knowledgeable sales team at Mican Industrial today to discuss our range of industrial tools and to find out more information on the die-cutting equipment that you need.