Starting a fabrication project where die cutting is necessary is a complicated and painstaking process. Making and designing a new product from scratch is very much a trial and error process but when it involves intricate details and/or tough materials to work with, it can get expensive and time consuming. The extra expense comes in when things are not properly planned; resulting in time and resources wasted. Situations like die molds that are made or engineered incorrectly, materials being wasted from mistakes or machine glitches, and post production use is not tested or kept in mind by the manufacturer.
There are a lot of intricate little details and many different variables that go into the die cutting process to make the process an efficient and effective one. Everything from the manufacturer to using the right materials for the post production follow up will make a huge difference in how smoothly the process goes. The following tips will help you navigate the process of choosing the right die cutting manufacturer as well as point the different things you need to keep in mind during the initial stages of a die cutting project.
- Choose the Right Manufacturer
The biggest decision you will make is what manufacturer you will choose to embark on your project with you. The right manufacturing partner can make a huge difference in not only the quality of the finished product but also the price and time involved in the creation process. Choosing one manufacturer because their rates look cheaper may not actually save you money if they waste your time and money on costly errors and trials. Here are some recommended top die cutting manufacturers:
- Baril Corporation is a top rated manufacturer that is well known and highly recommended in the military and medical fields. What that means to your company and project is that there will be more accuracy than most other manufacturers. Both the medical and military customers demand precision because results of the final product could influence a life or death situation. Choosing a supplier like this will guarantee that you have the best rotary die cutting equipment in the industry as well as top quality of pre-project consultation and engineering support all the way through to the end where they will follow up and make sure the products were made exactly right for your needs.
- Preco is a worldwide supplier of a vast variety of material processing machines and processes. They are not only able to fill unique orders because of the variety of technologies and machines that they specialize in. Die cutting and laser-based systems are their specialty but they also have screen printing, lamination and other material handling systems available to fit your unique project needs. They are a one stop shop for many types of manufacturing and fabrication projects.
- Industrial Custom Products also specializes in catering to your needs to make a brand new custom product and is willing to work with their clients to find the best solutions to their fabrication needs. Although they do not cut metal products, flexible material, and thick plastics are their specialty. Industrial Custom also offers a relatively new cutting technology that is “die less” and wastes less material while requiring no tooling (so no tooling charges for this type of cutting). Often, for this type of cutting, the turnaround is even faster than with other die or laser cutting processes.
- Types of Die Cutting
There are a few different types of die cutting can often get confused and are hard to understand if you are not in the industry itself. To help with this, here are some of the most common styles of die cutting that are available on the market.
- Rotary die cutting – This type of die cutting is especially speedy, extremely accurate and perfect for larger projects. All it consists of is a large cylinder-shaped anvil that is fitted with the custom die for each progress and is used to roll over a flat material to perforate or cut the surface in the desired pattern or shape. The material is fed into the machine as it cuts, and the waste material is usually redirected into a catcher of some kind. It is also good for projects that require embossing, lathing or coating because these processes can be combined with the die cutting- saving even more time in performing multiple processes.
- Flatbed die cutting – This process basically does the same thing as rotary cutting except that it is done on a flatbed instead of a roller. This method is preferred by smaller companies and smaller projects because it is much more affordable due to the tools being cheaper and easier to customize.
- Dinking and clicking – These are two types of die cutting are relatively similar except that they are used in different industries for the most part because of the style of cutting and what materials it cuts best. Clicking is usually used on metal or leather while dinking is used for things like labels, boxes, and envelopes.
- Kiss cutting – This type of die cutting is usually for smaller more thin materials like stickers, stamps and various labels because it is exact a precise enough only to cut through one layer of sheet, so the bottom layer stays intact.
- All in the Details
Ultimately, you will need to keep track of the little details in these processes to not get caught in an expensive mistake. Here is a couple of the most important aspects of die cutting to keep track of in this process.
- Knowledge of materials – The type of material you are using in your project will make a huge difference in the type of manufacturer you will choose as well as the type of machine and die cutting process. Make sure your manufacturer knows that material well and has the experience necessary to know what types of structural flaws it might have as well as issues the machines might have with it.
• Engineering support – The best manufacturers will have an experienced engineering staff that will help you with your design in the pre and post production processes. They are the key to making a product that is quality and functional.